Technologies
Nintendo Switch OLED Review: The Best Switch, but Still Mostly the Same
Editor’s Choice: A bigger, better display and an excellent kickstand make this a great handheld game system, but existing Switch owners don’t need to upgrade.

I’m going to make this absolutely simple for you: The Switch OLED is the best Nintendo Switch there is, period. But your kids aren’t going to care. Or, at least, mine didn’t.
I learned this the hard way when I took the OLED-screen Switch downstairs to show my kids and got the Cold Hard Shrug of Indifference. My littlest kid wants a Switch he can fold up and put in his pocket. My older kid thought it was nicer, but also said he’s fine with the Switch he has. That’s the thing about the latest Switch update: The subtle upgrades are great, but they’re also more like things the original Switch should have had in the first place.
The newest version of the Switch is the most expensive: $350, or $50 more than the original Switch. Is it worth it? To me, yes. To my kids, no. But I’m old, my eyes are bad and I love the idea of tabletop game consoles.

I bought a fancy Kindle Oasis midway through the pandemic. I already had a Kindle Paperwhite. I read a lot. The Oasis has a nicer, bigger screen. I don’t regret it. The Switch OLED is like the Kindle Oasis of Switches.
That bigger, more vibrant OLED display is obviously better. That’s why a lot of people at CNET (not me, though) have an OLED TV, and we’ve been talking about the advantage OLED brings to phones for years. (One thing I don’t know the answer to yet is if there are any concerns with screen burn-in.) If you play a lot of Switch games in handheld mode, and want the best experience, this is it. And now that I’ve played it for a week, I obviously like this Switch the best.
But the other way this shines is in the Switch’s third mode: tabletop mode.
Finally, a good tabletop Switch
I always wanted a Vectrex, an old game console from the ’80s that had vector graphics and looked like a self-contained mini arcade machine you’d stand up on a desk. I used to put iPads in little mini arcade cabinets. I love the idea of Arcade1Up’s Countercade retro machines.
The Switch has two clear gaming modes: handheld, and playing docked with a TV. But there’s another. Tabletop mode means you use the Switch as a propped-up screen and huddle around it with your detachable Joy-Con controllers. That mode has generally been lousy with the original Switch, because its flimsy kickstand is terrible and it only stands at one angle. The original Switch’s 6.2-inch screen is also better viewed from shorter distances, while tabletop gaming makes it feel too small for collaborative split-screen games.

The 7-inch OLED Switch’s display is far more vivid and can show off small game details more clearly. Also, that rear kickstand is improved at long last. The pop-out plastic stand runs almost the entire length of the body, and can be adjusted to any subtle angle, from nearly upright to close to flat. Much like many iPad kickstand cases (or the Microsoft Surface Pro), it means it’s finally usable. It just makes sharing games on that screen a lot more fun for games like Pikmin 3, or board games like Clubhouse Games.
Look, for multiplayer games, you’ll still want to dock with a TV. The tabletop mode is really a niche third form. But if you’re traveling with kids, you may end up taking advantage of it a lot more than you thought (and it seems like an amazing thing to have for airline table gaming).
A bit bigger (but basically still the same size)
The OLED Switch is a bit bigger and heavier than the original Switch. Still, I was able to zip it into a basic carrying case I’ve used for the old Switch just fine. The slightly changed dimensions do mean it won’t slide into those old folding Labo cardboard items (if you care), and it’ll likely make other more closely tailored accessories and sleeves not fit. But so far it feels like using the older Switch, just better. There’s no change to how the Joy-Cons connect to the sides, so that’s the main thing.

The display: Vivid, sometimes subtle
The larger 7-inch OLED display is, without a doubt, better. Colors are more saturated, which works really well with Nintendo’s bright and bold games. Metroid Dread, which I played on the OLED Switch, looks wonderful. So does Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Luigi’s Mansion 3, Hades, Super Mario Odyssey, Untitled Goose Game, Zelda: Skyward Sword, WarioWare: Get It Together and nearly everything else I threw at it.
The bezels are smaller, and the whole thing feels more modern now. You can’t even see how much better the display looks in these photos (photos don’t easily tell the story with displays). But also, the jump to a 7-inch display isn’t the quantum leap experience.

The recent iPad Mini has a larger screen, for instance. The 7-inch display looks better for all games, but it’s still sometimes a bit small for me and my tablet-based life. The 720p resolution is low for a 7-inch display, but really I never noticed that much.
One thing I do know: I don’t want to go back to the older Switch now. The display looks small and clearly worse, and the OLED display is already spoiling me.

New dock, but also old dock
The new dock with the Switch OLED has an Ethernet jack now for wired internet connections, which isn’t anything I need but is helpful to have just in case, I guess. That jack means one internal USB 3 port is removed, but there are still two USB 3 ports on the outside. The pull-off rear dock cover is easier for cable access than the hinged door was previously. The dock is just for connecting the Switch to your TV, so if you’re a handheld-only gamer, that’s what that weird box with the slot in it is for.
But the new Switch works in old Switch docks, too. The new dock isn’t really all that new. (Although, new docks can get upgraded firmware — which might mean new features, but it’s hard to tell right now.)

It works with older Joy-Cons! (But Joy-Cons haven’t changed)
The Switch OLED can use any pair of Switch Joy-Cons you have lying around, just like always. That’s great news, except the Joy-Cons that come with the new Switch aren’t different, either. I got to try the new white-and-black model with its white Joy-Cons, but other than the color change, they have exactly the same features — and exactly the same feel. Joy-Cons, to me, have ended up feeling pretty old compared to the rock-solid and comfy Xbox and PS5 controllers. I wanted analog triggers, a better analog stick, less Bluetooth lag. And who knows if these seemingly similar Joy-Cons break as easily as older ones do.

It runs quieter so far?
The fan on my older Switch sounds like a car engine: I think the fan’s broken, or damaged. The Switch OLED, so far, has seemed a lot quieter. There’s still a heat vent at the top, but I haven’t noticed any noise as much.
More storage (but still get a microSD card)
The 64GB base storage on the Switch OLED is a good bump from the 32GB that older Switches have, which is nice. I downloaded 13 games before filling it up: Switch digital games range from several hundred megabytes to over 10GB, but take up less space than PS5 or Xbox games. Still, there’s a microSD card slot on the Switch like always, and storage is cheap. Using an extra storage drive doesn’t require any special setup or lock you to specific brands, unlike PS5 and Xbox Series X storage expansions.

This is the one Switch I’d want. But it’s not necessarily one you need
For me, it’s clear the OLED Switch is the best Switch, based on specs alone. But that slightly bigger and brighter screen, those better speakers, the slightly different dock and the admittedly very nice new kickstand don’t really add up to a huge reason to upgrade if you have a Switch you’re happy with. The Switch still plays games just the same as it did before, and the exact same games. TV playing is identical.
A true Switch 2 hasn’t arrived yet, and may never arrive. Nintendo may just choose to slowly upgrade bits of the Switch over time, in the same way that phones slowly upgrade. At this point, the Switch OLED is the best version and the one I’d recommend for any new buyer. It’s worth the extra $50 if it’s your very first Switch.
We’re over five years into Nintendo’s Switch console lifecycle, and there are tons of great games. But, also, the Switch clearly lacks the graphics punch of next-gen consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X. Mobile games and iPad games keep getting better. There are a lot of ways to play games. The Switch is still a wonderful library of Nintendo and indie games and other stuff too, and a stellar family device, but it’s just one slice of an ever-growing gaming universe. Nintendo hasn’t leveled up its console yet — this still has the same processor as before and serves the same audience. Just consider it a revision that’s checked a bunch of features off our wish list. But not all of them.
Technologies
Verum Mail: a new app for anonymous and instant email
Verum Mail: a new app for anonymous and instant email

The Verum ecosystem has expanded with a new product — Verum Mail, offering a fast, fully anonymous, and user-friendly way to manage your email.
No registration. No logins. No hassle.
With Verum Mail, users can generate a temporary email address in one tap — no need to enter any personal data. Emails arrive instantly, without reloading and are automatically deleted after 60 minutes.
Key features of Verum Mail:
- Create a temporary email without registration
- Instantly receive messages
- Auto-delete emails after one hour
- Reply directly from the app
- Push notifications for new messages
- Adaptive interface for iPhone and iPad
Verum Mail means:
- Total anonymity — no logins, passwords, or phone numbers
- Security — emails are permanently deleted without a trace
- Speed — temporary addresses created in seconds
- Language support — available in multiple languages
The app is now available for download on the App Store.
Verum Mail — when personal truly stays personal.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Saturday, April 5
Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for April 5.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.
Today’s NYT Mini Crossword took me a while, and not just because Saturday’s puzzle always has a few extra clues. There are some toughies in this list. 6-Down especially will test your knowledge of the animal kingdom. Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.
The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.
Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword
Let’s get at those Mini Crossword clues and answers.
Mini across clues and answers
1A clue: Cummerbund, e.g.
Answer: SASH
5A clue: Cheese-covered chip
Answer: NACHO
6A clue: Singer in a synagogue
Answer: CANTOR
7A clue: Like decision-making in a hierarchical organization
Answer: TOPDOWN
8A clue: Where a browser might get cookies?
Answer: BAKERY
9A clue: Mixes, as a drink
Answer: STIRS
10A clue: 10 in a lane
Answer: PINS
Mini down clues and answers
1D clue: Politician on a «Fighting Oligarchy» tour with Ocasio-Cortez
Answer: SANDERS
2D clue: The first «A» of SAG-AFTRA
Answer: ACTORS
3D clue: Flamboyant
Answer: SHOWY
4D clue: Unicorn’s defining feature
Answer: HORN
5D clue: Lap protector
Answer: NAPKIN
6D clue: Raccoon-like mammal of South America
Answer: COATI
7D clue: 1/16 of a cup: Abbr.
Answer: TBSP
How to play more Mini Crosswords
The New York Times Games section offers a large number of online games, but only some of them are free for all to play. You can play the current day’s Mini Crossword for free, but you’ll need a subscription to the Times Games section to play older puzzles from the archives.
Technologies
Trump Gives TikTok Another 75 Days to Strike a Sale
The president says he’s signing an executive order to push back enforcement of the ban again, pushing back the previous deadline of Saturday.

President Donald Trump is giving TikTok more time to sell its US operations, saying that «tremendous progress» has been made toward a deal and pushing off enforcement of a ban that was set to kick in Saturday.
In a Friday afternoon Truth Social post, Trump said that despite that progress, the deal still needs more work, so he’s signing an executive order giving TikTok 75 more days, taking the deadline out to June 19. The move prevents the wildly popular video app from potentially going dark in less than a day.
Trump went on to say that his administration will continue to work with China and credited the tariffs he enacted earlier this week, calling them «the most powerful economic tool» and «very important» to national security.
«We do not want TikTok to ‘go dark,'» Trump said in his post. «We look forward to working with TikTok and China to close the Deal.»
Both TikTok and the Chinese government have long opposed a sale of the company’s US operations and it remains unclear as to if their positions have changed. TikTok didn’t immediately return an email seeking comment.
Read more: TikTok Backups: 6 Similar Apps for Your Daily Dose of Fun
China on Friday reacted to the tariffs Trump spoke of by matching them with its own on US goods, escalating the trade war between the two countries and sending stock markets around the world tumbling. The Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged more than 2,200 points and the Nasdaq composite lost 5.8% in afternoon trading — its biggest drop in five years.
The TikTok ban delay wasn’t unexpected. Several potential bidders for TikTok’s US operations have made their interest known in just the past few days, and Trump has been meeting with administration officials this week to discuss possible deals and ownership structures.
According to recent reporting by The New York Times, one plan included private equity firm Blackstone and the tech company Oracle, while another involved a last-minute bid from Amazon.
Lawmakers in both political parties have long voiced concerns that TikTok could be a threat to national security and could be used by the Chinese government to spy on Americans or spread disinformation to further China’s agenda. TikTok continues to deny those accusations.
The law requiring the sale was passed by Congress last year with overwhelming bipartisan support and signed into law by then-President Joe Biden. Free speech and other groups sued to overturn the law on First Amendment grounds, but it was upheld by the US Supreme Court in January.
So what’s next for TikTok? Here’s what you need to know.
What does the law do?
The law aims to force TikTok’s China-based parent company, ByteDance, to sell to a buyer American officials are OK with and guarantee that ByteDance no longer has access to US user data or control over the TikTok algorithm.
TikTok was given nine months to comply, hence the original Jan. 19 sale deadline, at which point the government could require the removal of its app from US app stores and that other tech companies stop supporting the app and website.
TikTok shut down in the US the night of Jan. 18, citing the ban, but came back online the next morning after Trump made assurances that he would not immediately enforce it. Trump later formalized that promise by signing an executive order that directed the attorney general to not enforce the ban for 75 days, effectively moving the deadline to April 5.
The new executive order pushes the deadline back to June 19, which is Juneteenth, a federal holiday.
Read more: TikTok Loves to Give Financial Advice. But Don’t Believe Everything You Hear
What’s Trump’s take?
After originally calling for a ban during his first presidency, Trump said during the 2024 campaign that he wasn’t in favor of one and pledged to «save TikTok,» though he didn’t specify how he’d do that.
Trump told the press on Sunday that «there’s tremendous interest in TikTok.» He added that he would «like to see TikTok remain alive.» The president also said that «we have a lot of potential buyers» and that his administration is «dealing with China,» which has long opposed a sale.
On March 26, Trump said he would consider lowering tariffs on Chinese goods if that country’s government approved a sale of TikTok’s US operations. He also at that time reiterated his willingness to push the deadline back if needed.
Trump also has floated the idea of the US taking a 50% stake in the company as part of a joint venture, but hasn’t given specifics as to how that would work.
TikTok CEO Shou Chew was one of several high-profile tech executives to attend Trump’s inauguration in January, just hours before Trump would sign the order granting the 75-day extension.
Previous to that, during a press conference in December, Trump pointed to the role TikTok played during the election, crediting it with helping him pick up the votes of young people.
«TikTok had an impact, and so we’re taking a look at it,» Trump said. «I have a little bit of a warm spot in my heart. I’ll be honest.»
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