Switch

A 6.2 inch 16:9 Proprietary handheld that plays everything up to Switch well.

Switch

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The Switch is a 6.2 inch 16:9 Proprietary handheld that plays everything up to Switch well, made by Nintendo. It came out in March 2017 at $300. Inside is the Nvidia Tegra X1 with 4 GB of RAM.

Switch videos

NINTENDO SWITCH - A PC Gamer's PerspectiveBy Linus Tech Tips on YouTube, 10:55
Sega Saturn Games are running on the Nintendo Switch... | MVGBy Modern Vintage Gamer on YouTube, 9:24
PSP Emulator for Nintendo Switch. Launch and Game Testing in 2024By Ретропсих on YouTube, 10:45
Nintendo Switch ReviewBy IGN on YouTube, 9:53

What it plays

Plays up to: Switch. Chip: Nvidia Tegra X1.

  1. Game Boy100
  2. NES100
  3. Genesis100
  4. GBA100
  5. SNES100
  6. PS1100
  7. DS100
  8. N6480
  9. Dreamcast80
  10. PSP50
  11. Saturn50
  12. GameCube20
  13. 3DS20
  14. Wii20
  15. PS20
  16. Switch100
  17. Wii U0
  18. PS30

Scores out of 100. 100 means the system runs at full speed with no known issues on this device. 80 or more plays well (green), 50 to 79 plays partly (yellow).

Rating

Original consoles get no RETROPULSE score: it rates handhelds made for emulation.

Good

  • Plays everything up to Switch well
  • Video out to a TV

Not so good

  • Not built for PS2 games

Specs

Performance
ChipNvidia Tegra X1
CPUCortex-A57
CoresQuad
Clock speed1.02 GHz - 1.785 GHz
GPUNvidia GM20B
RAM4 GB LPDDR4
CoolingYes
Screen
Size6.2"
TypeIPS
Resolution1280 × 720
Pixel density236 ppi
Aspect ratio16:9
Touch screenYes
Dual screenNo
Controls
D-padSeparated Buttons, Lower placement
Analog sticksYes
Stick layoutDouble, asymetrical
L3 / R3Yes
Shoulder buttonsStacked
RumbleYes
GyroscopeYes
Connectivity
Storage32 GB eMMC
SD cardYes
Wi-FiYes (5)
BluetoothYes (4.1)
USB-CYes
Video outYes
Headphone jackYes
Build
Form factorHorizontal
Dimensions238 x 102 x 14 mm
Weight297 g
Battery4310 mAh
ShellPlastic
SpeakersFront
Software
Operating systemProprietary

Questions

Can the Switch play PS2 games?

Not well. PS2 scores 0 out of 100. It plays everything up to Switch well.

Can it play GameCube games?

Partly. GameCube scores 20 out of 100.

Does it have a headphone jack?

Yes.

How big is the battery?

4,310 mAh. The middle Linux and other handheld in our database has 3,000 mAh.

Can it connect to a TV?

Yes, it has video out.

How much does the Switch cost?

It launched at about $300 in Mar 2017. Prices on the used market change, so check current listings.

Price and newer models

$300 at launch

Similar handhelds

Specs and emulation scores from the retrocatalog.com handheld database. The score out of 10 is our own.