There is definitely a Nintendo Switch 2 fever at Engadget HQ. Playtime fights abound, even amongst the non-reviewing editors! But yet, we have not been able to stay away from drifting into newer gadgets-a wonderfully repairable laptop for students. If you have missed out on the most recent tech drops, here are the most important reviews from the past two weeks.
Quick Overview
The hottest new handheld
Nintendo Switch 2
$449 at Walmart
Switch 2 Pro Controller
$85 at Best Buy
Framework Laptop 12
$799 at Framework
Nintendo Switch 2
Billy Steele for Engadget
The hottest new handheld
Nintendo Switch 2
With the Switch 2, Nintendo improved everything we liked about the original while retaining its sleek and portable design.
Pros
- Larger 7.9-inch LCD screen with HDR
- More polished design
- Magnetic Joy-Con
- Improved base storage
- Significantly better performance
Cons
- Battery life could be better
- Dock needs more USB-C ports
- Increased price
- No VRR when connected to a TV
$449 at Walmart
King is dead, long live the King! This year, gamers finally managed to grab the second Nintendo Switch: the heir to the portable gaming throne. Our own Sam Rutherford has squeezed out a full review, with his comment that Nintendo somehow enhanced all the things we loved about the original Switch. Just imagine: that magic, but elevated. Yet, even the crowned one has imperfections: The battery life, though better, still tantalizes us for longer playing time.
“The Switch 2? It’s the Switch, onlymore,” Rutherford exclaimed. That “more” was certainly going to come at a higher price. But think: Nintendo did not choose an iteration of the original. They resurrected an entire industry of handheld gaming. For merely that, the Switch 2 is just so much worth it; it is staining into an investment of joy.
Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller
Nintendo
Switch 2 Pro Controller
Nintendo’s Switch 2 Pro controller: An ergonomic design masterpiece held back by an extravagant price on one hand and complete disregard of Hall effect sticks on the other. It is the culmination of Nintendo’s gamepad series, almost perfect but so very close to true greatness.
Pros
- Incredibly smooth joysticks
- Responsive face buttons
- Accurate D-pad
- Comfortable ergonomics
- Customizable rear buttons
Cons
- So expensive
- No Hall effect sticks
- No analog triggers
$85 at Best Buy
Nintendo’s new Pro Controller: Refined perfection or an overpriced extravagance? Senior Reviews Editor Devindra Hardawar grapples with the issue after putting Nintendo’s newest control through its paces. He describes it as “the most refined gamepad Nintendo has ever created,” though that praise carries the weight of an $85 price tag. Hardawar says, on the contrary, that 8Bitdo’s Ultimate gamepad offers even more features for far less ($50). So, is the Pro Controller really worth its price? Hardawar concedes that for the die-hard Nintendo faithful who mostly shun any third-party options, it’s one of the very few best gamepads out there. For the rest of us, though, the value equation gets murky as hell.
Framework Laptop 12
Framework
Framework Laptop 12
Framework’s 12-inch laptop is an alternative to low-cost laptops, but it is too expensive to compete.
Pros
- It’s so cute
- Satisfying keyboard
- All-plastic body should take a lot of punishment
Cons
- It’s expensive
- Thermals are an issue
- Lackluster performance
$799 at Framework
The Framework seems to have shrunk its modular dream to Laptop 12, marketing it for students. But does that smaller, repairable machine deliver? Alas, it hurts the price with performance woes. Engadget’s Dan Cooper put it plainly: “Limited performance and battery life give me pause.” He questioned if a machine having trouble with Fortnite would be able to resonate with the target audience, almost suggesting tariffs inflated the price to an unreasonable point. Good in its intention, but the Laptop 12 is something that current performance puts into question in its value proposition.
The second season of Playdate is now deemed an official hit! According to Engadget’s Cheyenne Macdonald, the season is flawless at the halfway mark, with the two more recent gems being the whimsically challenging Long Puppy and the rhythmically engaging Otto’s Galactic Groove!!. For more of her thoughts on earlier offerings such as the white-knuckle atmosphere of The Whiteout and inventive Wheelsprung, or to revisit the explosive beginning with Fulcrum Defender and rather quirky Blippo+, it’s nonstop indie brilliance through and through.
Thanks for reading Engadget review recap: Switch 2 Playdate games and a Framework laptop
