Technologies
Should You Bring a Camera When You Travel or Is a Phone Enough?
Apple iPhone, Samsung Galaxy Ultra or mirrorless camera: Here’s what it’s like to shoot travel photos with each.

For most travelers, the smartphone in your pocket works just fine for taking photos of adventures. But what are you missing by relying on your phone alone? I used my recent trip to Germany to explore when a casual sightseer would benefit from having a dedicated camera or if their phone would be enough.
While everyone’s kit is different, most travelers won’t be hauling around a DSLR or pro-quality mirrorless camera. Instead, they’ll debate between buying a fancy new phone or a more affordable everyday mirrorless camera. (Though there are point-and-shoot options if you want a standalone camera, they may not outstrip your phone’s photo capabilities.)
I’m no pro photographer, so don’t expect expert advice on how to get the most out of this kit, but for casual photo takers who leave their camera on the auto settings, this is a good comparison to see what each device can handle without much fuss amid a busy trip abroad.
My kit isn’t the best you’ll find, but it’s probably not far off from what many travelers may pack in their pockets and bags: my personal iPhone 12 Pro, a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (to test a more camera-intensive phone), and a snug Sony ZVE-10 mirrorless camera with a Sigma 16mm f1.4 DC DN (an affordable prime lens).
Here’s the breakdown for what each device did best — and what they couldn’t do.

iPhone 12 Pro
The iPhone 12 Pro is a few years past its October 2020 launch date but still plenty capable, and its photo capabilities are probably similar to what many older premium and newer cheaper phones can achieve. When it debuted, the iPhone 12 Pro retailed for $999 (£999, AU$1,699) but years later it isn’t really sold anywhere aside from refurbished at sub-$500 prices. You can still pick up a stock iPhone 12 on Apple’s website for $599, but it lacks the 2x telephoto lens.
The iPhone 12 Pro took basic photos well, albeit with the warm tones typical of iPhone photos. Images I shot didn’t have quite the same color accuracy as the Samsung S22 Ultra or the Sony ZVE-10. Still, the iPhone 12 Pro was great at taking daytime shots of streets, museums and breezy lunches. It struggled with dimly lit dinners and at night, with photos having a grainy texture from image noise.
Another limit was the iPhone 12 Pro’s 2x optical zoom, which was far inferior to the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra’s telephoto capabilities. Since I was mostly seeing landscapes, I rarely felt the need to zoom in on a distant subject. The ultra-wide camera was more useful, and its 13mm-equivalent focal length allowed me another option to the 26mm-equivalent main camera for framing a specific shot.
In head-to-head comparisons with the mirrorless camera, the iPhone 12 Pro held up surprisingly well. The phone captured near and background distant subjects in crisp detail. The mirrorless camera was more selective in its focus, largely homing in on one or the other and requiring a bit more finesse.
As I was using the iPhone for every other travel-necessary app like navigation and wireless payments, it was in my pocket every day and wasn’t a burden to carry. That meant it was on-hand for me to take quick photos out the windows of our train or rental car of passing scenery at just the right time.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
While superseded by this year’s Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra I took on my trip is still a camera powerhouse. It has a 108-megapixel main camera and a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera with 120-degree field of view, but it’s really known for its zoom photography. It has not one but two telephoto lenses: a 10-megapixel with 3x optical zoom and a 10-megapixel periscope-style capable of 10x optical zoom.
As expected, the Galaxy S22 Ultra took great photos at a distance. Did I need zoom photo capability? Not really! Most of my subjects were 20 to 50 feet away.
Unless, of course, you’re taking shots of distant buildings, like the Neuschwanstein Castle on Germany’s southernmost border, nestled in the foothills of the Alps within spitting distance of Austria. It was nice to have more control to frame the photos with the zoom capability, even if I didn’t need the 100x «space zoom.» The feature combines optical and digital zoom with AI tricks to home in on a cropped-in corner of zoomed-in image. The 30x was enough and rarely necessary. Regardless, the S22 Ultra’s 10x optical and digital hybrid zoom produced far better photos than the iPhone 12 Pro’s grainy 10x digital zoom.
Here’s the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra’s camera from the road at the foot of a trail leading up to Neuschwanstein, with shots from the main camera at 1x, 3x, 10x and 100x zoom.
Compare that to the iPhone 12 Pro’s main camera at 1x, 2x and 10x.
The Galaxy S22 and iPhone 12 Pro both did a decent job shooting photos with a mixture of dark and light foregrounds and backgrounds, especially with bright skies that can be easily washed out. Below is a shot from up on a balcony of the Neuschwanstein castle, looking west into the valley.
But it’s easy to see how cool the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s zoom capabilities are when perched above the landscape and using successive zoom intervals to get closer shots of a subject.
Lastly, here’s a simple comparison of shots of the castle itself, with the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s main camera versus the iPhone 12 Pro’s camera.
The Galaxy S22 Ultra is one of the best phones we’ve tested, which garnered a CNET Editor’s Choice Award in our review. It’s more convenient to handle than my mirrorless camera, though it doesn’t have as many photo settings.
The Galaxy S22 Ultra is a large phone, so it took up a lot of space in my pocket. Even if I were to buy it to replace my iPhone 12 Pro, it would still be cumbersome to yank out for casual photos. As it was, there were a handful of situations where I might have lost the S22 if it had been in my pocket instead of the smaller iPhone 12 Pro, including a bobsled-like roller coaster on a hillside in the middle of the Black Forest. (Which, sadly, wouldn’t allow phones on the course, but there are ride-through videos on YouTube.)

Sony ZVE-10 mirrorless camera
The Sony ZVE-10 is aimed at vloggers with its 4K video shooting and light weight, but that also made it great for taking still photos with its 24-megapixel resolution. The camera is reasonably affordable at $700, and has swappable lenses via a lens mount.
I used the ZVE-10 with a Sigma 16mm f/1.4 prime lens I picked up for $399 to take better product shots. The Sony body and Sigma lens combo took superior photos to either phone in medium to close range. Thanks to the ZVE-10’s crop APS-C sensor, the 16mm lens was more like a 24mm lens, and had essentially the same field of view as the standard rear cameras on the iPhone 12 Pro and Galaxy S22 Ultra.
For the majority of the trip, the short-range prime lens was fine, and I didn’t miss being able to zoom in on distant objects. You can get pretty close to any subject that’s worth taking photos of, though I would want a telephoto lens at a concert or for shooting wildlife. I did miss not being able to zoom out with either phone’s ultra-wide lenses, especially in cramped quarters like awkwardly small museum rooms.
The ZVE-10 performed fine with landscape shots but excelled in reasonable-size enclosed spaces, capturing greater color contrast and lighting/shadow variance. Compare these photos below of a fresco on a low roof in the Cologne Cathedral, shot with the ZVE-10 and the iPhone 12 Pro, respectively.
When shooting close subjects, the ZVE-10 excelled at capturing evocative lighting, and the f/1.4 Sigma lens’ natural bokeh led to moodier shots compared to the uniform brightness of the iPhone 12 Pro.
And while the iPhone 12 Pro produced uniformly brighter and crisper photos, the post-processing to get such clarity led to some flattened color and shadow. In photos of this iron statue of the Chinese mythological aquatic monkey demon Wuzhiqi located in Berlin’s Humboldt Forum, you can see more detail in the iPhone 12 Pro’s shot, but it loses the red-brown tone from years of oxidation.
It was also easier to get the ZVE-10 to produce a depth effect naturally. With the iPhone 12 Pro, portrait mode requires more fiddling and an ideal distance between the phone, your subject and the background. But the camera’s depth effect made it tough to keep everything in focus when I was taking photos of food and wanted to show the whole plate.
Weight comparison
iPhone 12 Pro | 189 grams | 6.7 ounces |
---|---|---|
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra | 229 grams | 8.1 ounces |
Sony ZVE-10 and Sigma 16mm lens | 709 grams | 29.1 ounces |
Unsurprisingly, the ZVE-10 and lens far outweighed the phones. Though not enough to be cumbersome, the weight and size differences are noticeable. The camera and lens fit snugly in my compact camera bag, which stayed out of the way while slung over my shoulder. But the camera was more annoying to lug around and pull out to take photos than a phone in my pocket.
Needing to manually upload my photos was a bit annoying, too. The Sony Imaging Edge app let me send photos directly from the camera to my phone, but it’s clunky for bulk uploads. And forget about handing your fancy mirrorless camera over to a stranger to take a photo of your traveling party for fear of them dropping it or not knowing how to use it. Thankfully, the ZVE-10’s rotating display meant I could angle it forward to pull off selfies, which consequently took better shots than either phone’s front-facing camera but didn’t capture as much subject matter. Both the iPhone’s and Galaxy’s selfie cameras had wider field-of-views.
Lastly, the mirrorless camera may have more potential for better shots since it can save images in the RAW format, which gives photo editors a lot more data and freedom to tweak. It’s worth pointing out that my iPhone 12 Pro can shoot in Apple’s ProRAW format, while my Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra can shoot in Expert RAW format via a separate app (though it’s natively in the camera app as of the Samsung Galaxy S23 series). Both can be edited much like standard RAW formats. I deliberately shot photos in JPG format for all devices in this test, since most travelers will simply point and shoot with the default format. All these photos could certainly look better with some Photoshop touch-up.
Wrap-up
Ultimately, this was an unscientific test rather than a thorough field guide. I set out wondering whether my daily smartphone would miss out on any particular travel shots that a camera-focused phone like the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra or my mirrorless camera would be capable of picking up.
Most of the time the iPhone was fine, but there were edge cases where the S22 Ultra and ZVE-10 outperformed my older iPhone. And as I am not an especially gifted photographer, I acknowledge that someone with real skills could finesse far better images out of either the Galaxy S22 Ultra or the ZVE-10 that could likely put the iPhone to shame in all situations.
Also, your mileage will vary depending on which kinds of photos you want to take. If you absolutely need to zoom in on distant subjects, a phone like the S22 Ultra is the right choice — or you could buy a telephoto lens for your mirrorless camera.
But from citywide landscapes to museum art piece shots to selfies, the iPhone 12 Pro handled nearly everything I needed it to do. It also helped that I could effortlessly post my photos on social media from my main phone rather than having to transfer them from the mirrorless camera. That’s essential to the travel experience, as I’d add a photo to my Instagram story and get friends responding in minutes with recommendations for historical monuments and food in my area. And it’s not like my mirrorless camera could make calls or text.
This isn’t necessarily an iPhone recommendation, just reiterating that your daily driver will be just as useful while traveling as it is at home (but better cameras and a quality ultra-wide lens certainly help). The shots you’ll take of yourself and peripatetic partners will mostly be 10 to 20 feet away in bright daylight and low light, with some night scenes here and there. Perhaps a higher-end camera would capture more artistic and high-quality depth shots, but you’ll probably want to capture the fleeting and low-key moments more than the artfully posed ones.
Technologies
Nintendo Switch 2: Everything We Know About the Console, New Games, Release Date
The $450 console will get Mario Kart World at launch, 4K gaming when docked, Switch 2 Edition game enhancements and new mouse controls.

The Nintendo Switch 2 console’s biggest reveal yet arrived Wednesday morning as part of the company’s Nintendo Direct event. This teed up a day of Switch 2 reveals that include its June 5 release date, a $450 price, its specs, and its initial game lineup that extends from launch into 2026.
The console will be further buoyed by having Mario Kart World as a launch title, which will go on sale in either a $500 bundle with the Switch 2 or on its own for $80 — making the open-world racing game one of Nintendo’s most expensive yet. Other games announced, such as Donkey Kong Bananza, are being priced around $70, which matches the cost of 2023’s The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. That Zelda game and Breath of the Wild are among the original Switch titles that will get enhanced Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrades, a premium upgrade allowing players to get new features, modes and graphical enhancements that take advantage of the newer system’s capabilities.
Here are the top highlights from Nintendo’s console event, all of the games we’ve heard about so far (including new titles, Nintendo Switch 2 Edition titles and GameCube games coming to Nintendo Switch Online) and all of our coverage so far. You can also check out our Nintendo Switch 2 live blog for even more updates about the Switch 2 as we learn them.
- Nintendo Switch 2 Direct Live Recap: Launches June 5, $450 and More
- Nintendo Switch 2 Priced at $450, Coming June 5
- How to Preorder Nintendo Switch 2: All Store Links
- All Nintendo Switch 2 Launch Games Coming Day One
- Nintendo Is Taking on Scalpers With a Genius Switch 2 Purchase Rule
- What You Need to Know About Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Games
- Switch 2 Specs vs. Switch 1 Specs: How Nintendo’s Consoles Compare
- Every New Feature in Switch 2 Joy-Cons and Pro Controller
- GameCube Games Are Coming to Switch Online: Here’s the List
- Nintendo Switch 2: What We Didn’t Get During Nintendo Direct 2025
- Mario Kart Goes Open-World With Mario Kart World
- The Duskbloods Is New FromSoftware Gaming Action Coming to Switch 2 in 2026
- The Nintendo Switch 2 Is Almost Here, Grab Some Games From Just $20 to Celebrate
- Yes, Silksong Is Coming in 2025, as Revealed in Switch 2 Nintendo Direct
- Mario, Pokemon and More Will Get Free Nintendo Switch 2 Updates
- Switch 2’s Zelda Notes Could Revolutionize Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
- Wait for the Switch 2 Before Playing These 3 Nintendo Games
- Nintendo Switch 2: Here’s Why I Won’t Be Upgrading as a Fan of Cozy Games
- The Switch 2 Is Almost Here and You Need a Specific Type of MicroSD Card — Here’s Where to Find Them
Nintendo Switch 2 console
The Nintendo Switch 2’s specs saw a noticeable technical bump over the Switch. The Nintendo Switch 2 has a 7.9-inch, 1080p resolution LCD that supports a 120Hz refresh rate — matching what we now see on most Android phones. When the Switch 2 is docked, compatible games can run in 4K resolution. The new dock also includes a cooling fan.
The Switch 2 comes with 256GB of internal storage, and the new Switch 2 Game Cards will load games faster. For digital libraries, however, the Switch 2 will only work with microSD Express cards, which are different from the microSD cards that are compatible with the prior Nintendo Switch. Nintendo will have a Software Transfer feature available to help move games and data from the original Switch to the Switch 2.
The new Joy-Con for the controllers will support mouse controls, and a new C button will be part of a new GameChat communication feature that allows both voice and video chat. There’s also a Nintendo Switch 2 Camera, allowing players to see each other.
The Switch 2 also adds a second USB-C port to the top of the system, which Nintendo says can help connect its new camera accessory or charge the console when playing in tabletop mode. Nintendo also revealed a new Switch 2 Pro Controller with the C button and customizable GL and GR buttons on the back.
Following the presentation, Nintendo unveiled the system’s price of $450 in the US. It will also sell the Switch 2 bundled with a digital version of Mario Kart World for $500.
Mario Kart World
Mario Kart World removes its traditional boundaries and lets drivers roam freely across an entire world of race courses. The game will get its own Nintendo Direct later this month, where we’ll see additional details, but we already know it’ll include traditional races and a Free Roam mode, much like in the Forza Horizon series.
Getting the game bundled for an extra $50 on the cost of the Switch 2 might be the move if you are interested in the game, because Nintendo announced on its website that standalone copies of Mario Kart World will cost $80.
Joy-Con 2 C button and GameChat
Nintendo’s rolling out its new C button across several new Switch 2 controllers. The button will be used for the new GameChat communication features without a headset. The button will be used alongside a microphone on the console itself, which Nintendo says can be used whether it’s docked to a TV or in handheld mode.
In its teaser video, Nintendo promises the microphone will be able to cancel out loud background noises. GameChat will also work with a Nintendo Switch 2 Camera, allowing video chat and various camera-based game modes in supported titles. GameChat will be free at launch through March 31, 2026.
Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games upgrade titles
The Nintendo Switch 2 will play three types of games: original Switch games, Switch 2 games and Switch 2 Edition games that will receive substantial enhancements. For many of these Switch 2 Edition games, you’ll need to buy an upgrade pack if you own the original for Switch. Many of them will get more than just enhanced graphics in the upgrade; for example, Super Mario Party Jamboree will get new games that support the new Joy-Cons’ mouse controls, audio recognition and video camera gameplay options through the Switch 2 Camera.
Other Nintendo Switch games that are getting Switch 2 Edition options include The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Metroid Prime 4 Beyond and Pokemon Legends: Z-A. Enhancements vary: The Zelda games will start working with a companion phone app for maps and sending schematics to friends, while Kirby will get a new story that’s exclusive to the Switch 2 Edition. On the third-party side, Civilization 7 will get mouse controls.
Nintendo did not announce what upgrade packs will cost. However, some Switch games will get free updates that will improve performance or enhance features when playing them on the Switch 2. The Switch games getting these updates include:
- Arms
- Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
- Super Mario Odyssey
- Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
- Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics
- The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
- The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
- Game Builder Garage
- New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
- Pokemon Scarlet
- Pokemon Violet
- Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is a new game set in the world of Zelda that tells the story that leads into The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. This appears to be similar to how Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity told the story of a war that led to the events of Breath of the Wild. The teaser shows Zelda discovering that she’s arrived in the past of Hyrule, and the game will expand on how she gets involved in the corresponding Imprisonment War.
Nintendo Switch 2 games
Several other first- and third-party games were spotlighted during the Switch 2 Direct. These include Donkey Bananza, one of the first 3D platforming games featuring DK since 1999’s Donkey Kong 64. Kirby will also return to the racing genre in Kirby Air Riders, which comes more than 20 years after the GameCube racer Kirby’s Air Ride. DragXDrive will use mouse controls to control a futuristic wheelchair basketball game in which players will simulate push and pull motions to control their character.
An onslaught of Switch 2 third-party games were quickly shuffled through during the Direct, which I list below. An unnamed James Bond game is in development at Hitman studio IO Interactive, as is a darker title from Elden Ring creator FromSoftware called The Duskbloods, which will be exclusive to the Switch 2.
The full list of announced Nintendo Switch 2 games includes:
- Borderlands 4
- Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster
- Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition
- Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion
- Deltarune
- Donkey Kong Bananza
- Drag x Drive
- EA Sports FC
- EA Sports Madden NFL
- Elden Ring Tarnished Edition
- Enter the Gungeon 2
- Fast Fusion
- Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade
- Fortnite
- Hades 2
- Hitman World of Assassination — Signature Edition
- Hogwarts Legacy
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment
- Kirby Air Riders
- Kirby and the Forgotten Land — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition and Star-Crossed World
- Kunitsu-Gai: Path of the Goddess
- Mario Kart World
- Metroid Prime 4: Beyond — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
- NBA 2K
- Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
- Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening Complete Edition
- Pokemon Legends: Z-A — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
- Project 007
- Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S
- Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
- Sid Meier’s Civilization 7 — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
- Split Fiction
- Star Wars Outlaws
- Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions
- Street Fighter 6
- Super Mario Party Jamboree — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition and Jamboree TV
- Survival Kids
- The Duskbloods
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
- Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 and 4
- WWE 2K
- Yakuza 0 Definitive Edition
Among these titles, you can see the full list of June 5 Switch 2 launch day games here.
Nintendo GameCube library coming to Switch 2
The Nintendo Switch Online game library will add GameCube games to the Switch 2. On launch day, these games will initially include The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, SoulCalibur 2 and F-Zero GX, with each game getting enhanced graphics. Online multiplayer will also be added to certain titles. Super Mario Sunshine, Super Mario Strikers and Luigi’s Mansion are among the games set to arrive later. At launch, Nintendo will also sell a GameCube controller, which will be wireless and include a C button for GameChat.
Technologies
Which Nintendo Switch Accessories Will Work With the Nintendo Switch 2?
The next-gen Switch console has many physical changes, but that doesn’t mean you’ll have to get rid of all your gear for the original Switch.

Nintendo detailed the highly anticipated Switch 2 on Wednesday. We still have to wait a few more months before we can actually get our hands on it — June 5, to be precise — but that gives us plenty of time to make sure we have all the extra accessories we’ll need. On the upside, many of the accessories for the original Nintendo Switch will work with the Switch 2, but some important ones won’t.
Controllers
Joy-Con
The Switch 2 will come with its own set of updated Joy-Cons, but you can still use the original ones. They won’t attach physically to the Switch 2, as the new Joy-Cons are larger and attach magnetically, but you can pair the original Joy-Cons wirelessly. That way, you can still play with your family and friends without buying extras.
Pro Controller
Nintendo’s excellent Pro Controller also got an upgrade for the Switch 2, but as with the Joy-Cons, the original Pro Controller will work fine with the Switch 2. It will pair wirelessly with the console and can be charged via a USB cable from the Switch 2 dock. The new Pro will have some decent upgrades, like enlarged buttons and triggers, GameCube-esque ergonomics, and programmable back paddles, but it will also cost $80, so if you don’t feel you need to upgrade, you won’t have to.
Other Nintendo controllers
Nintendo also clarified that all the wireless versions of the NES, SNES, N64 and Sega Genesis controllers will work wirelessly with the Switch 2. However, it also said that not every game would be compatible, but we don’t know yet which games those would be. It’s probably safe to assume all games supporting those controllers (also compatible with the Switch 2) would work, but we’ll update this once we know more.
Third-party controllers
This is the big question mark at the moment. We have not been able to confirm anything from either Nintendo or other controller manufacturers if third-party controllers will work with the Switch 2. I assume that since the original Pro Controller will work with the Switch 2, at the very least, officially licensed third-party controllers will work, but as of publish time, we have not had any confirmation about support for third-party controllers on the Switch 2. One vendor I spoke with confirmed it is currently in talks with Nintendo about compatibility but couldn’t share any details.
MicroSD cards
One of the biggest (and most welcome) upgrades to the Switch 2 is an 8x increase in internal storage from 32GB to 256GB. That means a microSD is no longer an immediate must-have accessory. That’s also good because not every microSD card that worked with the original Switch will work with the Switch 2.
Nintendo specified that only microSD Express cards will work with Switch 2. You can still view screenshots and videos from your non-Express microSD cards, but you won’t be able to save or load games or save data to them. You can tell if your microSD card is Express because it will have a little EX printed on it.
Bluetooth headphones
The original Nintendo Switch infamously did not have Bluetooth capabilities, so you had to plug in headphones or buy an adapter. Nintendo remedied this with updated Switch versions and kept that functionality for the Switch 2. That means all your favorite Bluetooth headphones should work just fine with your new Switch 2.
Docks
The Switch 2 dock is also getting a big upgrade. It’s larger with rounded corners and now supports 4K resolution at 60 frames per second, a welcome upgrade for a modern game console. That being said, for households with multiple Switch consoles and TVs, you may not want to buy extra Switch 2 docks to use around your home.
However, Nintendo confirmed that the original Switch Dock is incompatible with the Switch 2, which also means it’s likely the original Switch will not work in the Switch 2 Dock.
Third-party docks
Several docks not made by Nintendo work just fine with the first-generation Switch, so there’s no reason to expect they would not be compatible with the Switch 2 as long as they provide adequate power. However, once again, we’ve not had any confirmation, so we can’t say for sure.
Chargers, cables and adapters
Chargers
The first-generation Switch was notoriously fickle with non-Nintendo chargers, particularly when docked, and the Switch 2 looks likely to continue that trend. The Switch 2 has a different power input from the original Switch so that the original Switch charger won’t work for TV mode with the Switch 2. You can still charge the Switch 2 with it by plugging it in directly, but that’s it.
We also don’t know anything about third-party chargers for the Switch 2 yet. There were several that worked perfectly fine with the original Switch, but we don’t yet know the power draw of the Switch 2, so we can’t say for sure which chargers will work. Hopefully, we’ll find out more closer to launch, but for right now, the only charger that we know will work for TV mode with the Switch 2 is the charger that comes with it.
Cables
The Switch 2 most likely supports HDMI 2.1, which means the HDMI cable that came with the original Switch won’t work. Nintendo has confirmed as much, though, as with most other accessories, it hasn’t given specifics as to whether third-party HDMI cables will work or not. We’ll have to wait to find out. The Switch 2 will have an HDMI cable, so at least there’s that.
Adapters
Nintendo has confirmed that the only adapter that works with the Switch 2 is the GameCube Controller adapter. This lets you connect a wired GameCube controller to the Switch Dock, and Nintendo says it can be used in TV mode while connected to a Switch 2 Dock. We don’t know anything else about any other adapters at this time.
Nintendo did give us quite a lot of information about the Switch 2 today, including the price, most of the key upgrades, and the launch date, but as you can see, there’s still a lot we don’t know. We’ll continue to update this list and our other coverage of the Nintendo Switch 2 as we learn more.
Technologies
Save Up to 20% on Your Phone Plan Thanks to Ultra Mobile’s Spring Sale
Need to lower your monthly phone bill? Switching to Ultra Mobile could be a wise decision. We’ll explain why.

If you’re looking for more ways to decrease your spending, switching to a cheaper phone plan could be just the ticket. Many cellphone providers lavish perks on new clients, so making the switch could be a smart financial decision. For those looking for a new cellphone plan, we’re glad to announce that Ultra Mobile is offering up to 20% off on select phone plans until May 18.
Ultra Mobile is also offering 10% off its three- and six-month contracts as a part of this deal. These discounts are available for deals providing 5GB, 10GB or 15GB of data per month. The carrier also has two Unlimited Plans you can choose from to nab this discount. Note: Ultra Mobile has a Talk & Text plan and a 3GB plan, but they aren’t currently eligible for any discounts.
The biggest savings right now are for 12-month plans. You can save 20% on Ultra Mobile 5GB, 10GB, 15GB, Ultra Unlimited and Unlimited Plus Plans. The Ultra Unlimited plan includes unlimited 5G, 4G and LTE data, international calls to more than 90 countries, unlimited national and global texts and a $5 credit for international calls and roaming per month. You’ll also get 10GB of hotspot data per month.
The Unlimited Plus Plan includes 20GB of hotspot data, as well as all the aforementioned features. You’ll also get a $10 credit for international calls and a $10 credit for roaming per month. Keep in mind that your device and SIM must be compatible with Ultra Mobile, so make sure to confirm that before making the switch. Finally, these are prepaid plans, which means up-front payment is required.
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Looking for a new phone plan but aren’t sure if this deal is for you? We have the best cheap phone plans and the best family phone plans lists so you can find what works for you.
Why this deal matters
Your phone bill can strain your monthly budget, but prepaid plans like these are a great way to save. Ultra Mobile’s plans are already relatively inexpensive, but these deals can shave 10% to 20% off per month. Though three- and six-month plans are available, its biggest savings are on 12-month plans.
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