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Is the iPhone 15 Pro Worth the Upgrade? How It Compares to Older iPhones

If you have a phone that’s at least 3 years old, such as the iPhone 12 Pro or earlier, the answer is likely yes.

With every new iPhone, especially the Pro models, Apple promises faster performance and better cameras. And according to my colleague Patrick Holland, who reviewed the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, Apple delivers on those pledges.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s worth upgrading to the latest models. Those improvements don’t come cheap, with the iPhone 15 Pro starting at $1,000 and the iPhone 15 Pro Max beginning at $1,199. Those prices become easier to swallow with carrier trade-in deals, but such discounts often require you to meet very specific circumstances, such as opening a new line or exchanging a relatively new phone.

Similar to the regular iPhone 15, the Pro model is best suited for those coming from an older model, like the iPhone 12 or earlier. There’s plenty that’s new with the iPhone 15 Pro, like the titanium body and new Action button, that make the phone feel fresh and different compared to the iPhone 14 Pro. But if you’re coming from a device that’s several years old, you’ll likely find the longer battery life and performance improvements to be the driving factors behind your decision to upgrade.

Take a look at the comparisons below to decide whether it’s the right time to upgrade to the iPhone 15 Pro. If you’re considering the standard iPhone 15 instead, check out our separate upgrade guide.

iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 14 Pro

Purple iPhone 14 Pro on a red pillow

The iPhone 15 Pro brings numerous improvements compared to the iPhone 14 Pro, including a lighter titanium build, the Action button for programming shortcuts, a USB-C port for universal charging and a camera that can capture photos at 24 megapixels by default. Apple also claims the new A17 Pro processor can run console-grade games.

As is the case with previous Pro models, the iPhone 15 Pro also includes some extras for mobile photographers and filmmakers. Videographers, for example, may appreciate the option to shoot in the log video format, which makes it easier to match footage from other devices for projects shot on more than one camera. The iPhone 15 Pro Max also has a 5x telephoto zoom, enabling it to capture closer shots than the 3x option on the iPhone 14 Pro.

Since the iPhone 15 Pro has Apple’s second-generation ultra wideband chip, you can use your iPhone to more easily pinpoint another user’s location in the Find My app. But this feature only works with other iPhone 15 owners since it requires Apple’s new hardware. Ultra wideband is the proximity-detecting tech found in the iPhone 11 and later that makes it easier to AirDrop files to other devices and use your phone as a digital car key. 

Most of these changes further separate the iPhone 15 Pro from the regular iPhone 15 and make Apple’s premium phone a more appealing option for those who want faster performance and a more capable camera. That said, you don’t necessarily need to upgrade if you already have an iPhone 14 Pro. 

While these tools are helpful, they’re niche and may not impact the daily experience all that much, especially if you don’t use your phone for film projects. While the Action button is useful, it’s also a bit limiting in its current form since it can only trigger one feature at a time. As mentioned in CNET’s iPhone 15 Pro review, there’s potential for the Action button to bring more to the iPhone experience in the future, particularly if Apple makes it possible to program multiple types of shortcuts. 

The A17 Pro is another example of a new feature that will likely grow more appealing over time as more games are optimized for it. The console versions of Resident Evil Village, Resident Evil 4 Remake, Death Stranding and Assassin’s Creed Mirage will be available for the iPhone 15 Pro, and I can see the iPhone 15 Pro becoming more appealing for gamers once it supports more than a few titles.

The bottom line: Don’t upgrade to the iPhone 15 Pro just yet. Performance and battery life are likely still going strong, meaning there’s plenty of life left in your phone. Some of the iPhone 15 Pro’s most exciting new features, like the A17 Pro processor and Action button, will probably get better over time, meaning it’s fine to wait for the next model, or even the one after that. Unless you can essentially get the iPhone 15 Pro for free through a trade-in deal, it’s worth waiting

iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 13 Pro

A light blue iPhone 13 Pro against a purple and pink background.

The iPhone 13 Pro is only 2 years old, which means it’s probably still running smoothly and battery life is long enough to get you through the day without concern. Since it has a relatively recent camera and processor, photos taken with this phone will look sharp and colorful enough for posting on your Instagram feed, sharing with friends and even printing small copies to hang on your wall. 

The iPhone 15 Pro isn’t a necessary upgrade for iPhone 13 Pro owners, but there are plenty of new features for those who do decide to make the jump. You’ll be able to charge the iPhone 15 Pro with the same cable you probably use for other non-Apple products since it has USB-C. The camera has a higher-resolution sensor, which means you can capture more detail at 48-megapixels or 24-megapixels compared to the 12-megapixel sensor on the iPhone 13 Pro. And then of course, there’s the new titanium design and Action button. 

But keep in mind you’re also getting everything that came with last year’s iPhone 14 Pro, such as the Dynamic Island and always-on display. Taken together, these changes along with the Action button could make it easier to multitask without jumping between apps. You’ll also get car crash detection and the option to contact emergency services via satellite if you’re in a remote area, since both features arrived on last year’s iPhone 14 Pro.

The bottom line: The iPhone 15 Pro isn’t an upgrade that you need, but it might be one that you want coming from an iPhone 13 Pro. Apple’s 2-year-old iPhone still has a lot going for it, so don’t upgrade yet if you’re still happy with it. But if you do splurge on the iPhone 15 Pro, it’ll feel like more than just a refreshed version of your current phone. Be sure to see if you’re eligible for a trade-in discount.

iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 12 Pro

iphone-12-pro-max-product-promo-hoyle-2021

The iPhone 12 Pro is very similar to the iPhone 13 Pro, so the same general advice applies. However, there’s a stronger case for upgrading since the iPhone 12 Pro’s processor is older, meaning it might be starting to slow down. 

Battery life will also likely see a dramatic boost considering the iPhone 12 Pro is now 3 years old. One of the iPhone 13 Pro’s biggest changes was longer battery life, and Apple has made further improvements since then. Compared to the iPhone 12 Pro’s estimated 17 hours of video playback, the iPhone 15 Pro is said to get 23 hours. 

The display is brighter on Apple’s new phone, meaning it’ll likely be easier to see outside in bright sunlight. The iPhone 12 Pro also lacks ProMotion, which is Apple’s branding for displays that can boost their refresh rate, which should make scrolling feel smoother on the iPhone 15 Pro. 

Apple has also thrown in some new photography features between generations, such as macro mode and Photographic Styles, which lets you customize a specific look for how the camera should capture photos. There’s also cinematic mode for capturing footage with a shallow depth of field.

But those are just some of the aspects that separate the iPhone 12 Pro from the iPhone 13 Pro. Don’t forget, you’re also getting everything else Apple has added over the years, from the Action button to the Dynamic Island, a lighter titanium build, car crash detection and emergency SOS via satellite. 

The bottom line: The iPhone 15 Pro is a worthwhile upgrade coming from the iPhone 12 Pro, but you should really only upgrade if you’re starting to feel performance and battery life slowing down. 

iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 11 Pro

an iPhone 11 Pro face down on a table

The iPhone 11 Pro is now 4 years old, meaning it’s a good time to upgrade if you’re feeling like your phone isn’t what it used to be. Aside from jumping from a 4-year-old processor to Apple’s brand-new A17 Pro, just about everything else will feel new — from the screen to the camera.

Perhaps most importantly, the iPhone 11 Pro doesn’t support 5G, meaning you may be missing out on faster connection speeds. Apple didn’t add 5G compatibility to its phones until the iPhone 12 launched in 2020. 

The iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max have smaller screens than the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, so you’ll get some extra real estate for watching videos, reading the news and browsing email. The 11 Pro has a 5.8-inch display, while the 11 Pro Max has a 6.5-inch display, compared to the iPhone 15 Pro’s and Pro Max’s respective 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch screens. There’s a lot more that’s new about the iPhone 15 Pro’s screen; size is just the start. You’ll also gain the Dynamic Island, ProMotion, always-on mode and increased brightness.

Camera quality is another area where you’re bound to see a lot of improvements. Since the iPhone 11 Pro’s camera is four generations old, you’re getting the culmination of all the photo and video improvements Apple has added over the years. 

Aside from the new 48-megapixel sensor and aforementioned features like cinematic mode and the ability to turn almost any photo into a portrait, you can also take portraits in night mode and capture night mode images with the front camera. You’ll also get a closer optical zoom (3x on the 15 Pro, 5x on the 15 Pro Max) compared to the iPhone 11 Pro’s 2x zoom. Apple’s image processing pipeline has also improved over the years, so you should see a step up in general image quality too. 

The iPhone 11 Pro also lacks a lidar sensor, which isn’t a deal breaker but could be important depending on what you use your phone for. The lidar sensor’s depth-sensing capabilities can help the camera focus faster, improve performance in augmented reality apps and enable accessibility features like People Detection, which can help blind users tell when other people are nearby.

You’ll also be able to use MagSafe accessories, like cases and wireless chargers that snap more easily to the back of your phone, with the iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max. And don’t forget about all the other features Apple has introduced in the last two years, such as the Action button, satellite connectivity for emergencies and car crash detection. 

The bottom line: If you have an iPhone 11 Pro, it’s definitely worth upgrading. From 5G to a brand-new processor, larger screen, multitasking features like the Action button and Dynamic Island, and a superior camera, everything about this phone will feel new. If you bought the cheapest version of the iPhone 11 Pro at launch, you’re also probably struggling to store photos and videos since the entry-level model only came with 64GB of storage compared to the 128GB found on newer iPhones. 

iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone XS

iphone-xs-6

The iPhone has come a long way in the last five years, and that shows when comparing the 2018-era iPhone XS to the iPhone 15 Pro. The iPhone XS lacks a couple of features that are considered standard in many of today’s phones, namely 5G support and an ultrawide camera for taking broader shots. 

By upgrading to the iPhone 15 Pro, you’ll gain all of the features mentioned above in our comparison with the iPhone 11 Pro. That includes 5G support, a much sharper camera, more camera modes, MagSafe compatibility, a depth-sensing lidar sensor, and a larger and brighter screen (5.8 inches versus 6.1 inches for the regular Pro, 6.5 inches versus 6.7 inches for the Pro Max).

But Apple added a handful of new capabilities starting with the iPhone 11 that the iPhone XS family also lacks, making an even stronger case for upgrading. The most notable is night mode for the camera, which means you’ll barely have to use your camera’s flash when taking photos in dark environments. There’s also the previously mentioned ultrawide camera, a sharper front-facing camera (7 megapixels versus 12 megapixels) and the ultra wideband chip. 

This, of course, just scratches the surface, considering there’s a lot more that’s new in the iPhone 15 Pro, from significantly longer battery life to the Dynamic Island and the 48-megapixel camera. 

The bottom line: If you have an iPhone XS or XS Max, it’s time to upgrade. Apple’s 5-year-old phone lacks staple features like 5G, and performance and battery life will likely start to dwindle soon if they haven’t already. The iPhone XS is also the last generation to get new iOS version updates, meaning you’ll be missing out on new features come next year. 

iPhone 15 Pro vs. older iPhones

iPhone 15 Pro iPhone 14 Pro iPhone 13 Pro iPhone 12 Pro iPhone 11 Pro iPhone XS
Display size, tech, resolution, refresh rate, brightness 6.1-inch OLED; 2,556×1,179 pixels; 120Hz adaptive refresh rate 6.1-inch OLED; 2,556×1,179 pixels; 120Hz adaptive refresh rate 6.1-inch OLED; 2,778×1,284 pixels; 120Hz adaptive refresh rate 6.1-inch OLED; 2,532×1,170 pixels 5.8-inch OLED; 2,436×1,125 pixels 5.8-inch OLED; 2,436×1,125 pixels
Pixel density 460 ppi 460 ppi 458 ppi 460 ppi 458 ppi 458 ppi
Dimensions (inches) 5.77 x 2.78 x 0.32 in 5.81 x 2.81 x 0.31 in. 6.33 x 3.07 x 0.3 in 5.78 x 2.82 x 0.29 in 5.67×2.81×0.32 in 5.7×2.8×0.3 in
Dimensions (millimeters) 70.6 x 146.6 x 8.25 mm 147.5 x 71.5 x 7.85mm 161 x 78 x 7.65 mm 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4 mm 144×71.4×8.1 mm 143.6×70.9×7.7 mm
Weight (grams, ounces) 187 g (6.6 oz) 206 g (7.27 oz) 240 g (8.48 oz) 189 g (6.66 oz) 188 g (6.63 oz) 177 g (6.2 oz)
Mobile software (at launch) iOS 17 iOS 16 iOS 15 iOS 14 iOS 13 iOS 12
Camera 48-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 12-megapixel telephoto 48-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel(ultrawide), 12-megapixel(telephoto) 12-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 12-megapixel (telephoto) 12-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultra-wide), 12-megapixel (telephoto) 12-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultra-wide), 12-megapixel (telephoto) Dual 12-megapixel (wide and telephoto)
Front-facing camera 12-megapixel 12-megapixel 12-megapixel 12-megapixel 12-megapixel 7-megapixel
Video capture 4K 4K 4K 4K 4K 4K
Processor Apple A17 Pro Apple A16 Bionic Apple A15 Bionic Apple A14 Bionic Apple A13 Bionic Apple A12 Bionic
Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB 128GB, 256GB, 512GB 64GB, 256GB, 512GB 64GB, 256GB, 512GB
Expandable storage None None None None None None
Battery Undisclosed; Apple claims up to 23 hours of video playback Undisclosed; Apple claims 23 hours of video playback Undisclosed; Apple claims 22 hours of video playback Undisclosed; Apple claims 17 hours of video playback Undisclosed, Apple claims 18 hours of video playback Undisclosed, Apple claims 14 hours of video playback
Fingerprint sensor None (Face ID) None (Face ID) None (Face ID) None (FaceID) None (Face ID) None (Face ID)
Connector USB-C (USB 3.0) Lightning Lightning Lightning Lightning Lightning
Headphone jack No No No No No No
Special features 5G; Action button; always-on display; water resistant; MagSafe; Dynamic Island; 5x optical zoom on Max (120mm equivalent); satellite connectivity; crash detection;eSIM; Thread networking technology; 2nd-gen ultrawideband; lidar Dynamic Island; always-on display; 5G; satellite connectivity; crash detection; MagSafe; water resistant; e-SIM; ultra wideband; lidar 5G; MagSafe; water resistant; physical and e-SIM; ultra wideband; lidar 5G; MagSafe; water resistant; physical and e-SIM; ultra wideband; lidar Water resistant; physical and e-SIM; ultra wideband Water-resistant; physical and e-SIM

Technologies

Zelle App Is Gone. Use These Alternatives to Send Money Digitally

You still have lots of free ways to send money to friends and family electronically.

If Zelle has been your go-to app for sending money digitally, it’s time to find a new method. The digital payment app shut down on April 1.

That doesn’t mean you can’t use Zelle altogether, however. Zelle has only discontinued its standalone app. You can still send money using Zelle if your bank belongs to the Zelle network. You’ll just need to do it through your bank’s app or website. You also have other services to choose from. Here’s what you need to know about this change and your options moving forward.

TAX SOFTWARE DEALS OF THE WEEK

Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article.

Why the Zelle app is shutting down

When Zelle launched in 2017, only about 60 US financial institutions offered the service by the end of that year. Today, that number exceeds 2,200. As a result, less than 2% of Zelle transactions occur through the standalone app. Zelle has been phasing out the ability to make transactions on its mobile app since October 2024.

«Today, the vast majority of people using Zelle to send money use it through their financial institution’s mobile app or online banking experience, and we believe this is the best place for Zelle transactions to occur,» Zelle said in an October 2024 press release

In December, Zelle was in the spotlight when the Consumer Financial Protected Bureau sued the company and three of the largest US banks for failing to protect consumers from widespread fraud on the peer-to-peer payment network. The lawsuit has since been dropped.

Other ways to send money digitally

You can still use Zelle through your bank’s app or website if it belongs to the Zelle network. You can also switch to another digital payment app, such as:

  • Apple Wallet
  • Cash App
  • PayPal
  • Venmo

Take some basic precautions when using Zelle or any other digital payment service. These apps are a frequent target for scammers, and Chase Bank has started blocking some Zelle payments it believes could be fraudulent. Only send money to people you know and trust, and watch for red flags like an urgent message claiming to be from your bank or an online ad for concert tickets that seem impossibly cheap.


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Technologies

Marvel Rivals Season 2 Starts Next Week, Devs Drop Big News

Emma Frost and Ultron are joining the Rivals roster in season 2, and developers are upping the pace to one new hero per month starting with season 3.

After surviving the endless night in New York City with the Fantastic Four, Marvel Rivals players are getting invited to the shores of Krakoa for the start of season 2 on April 11. The game dropped the first trailer for the new season, giving us our first official look at the new heroes, and a developer vision video dropped major news about the future of hero releases. 

The trailer features the former foe and sometimes-leader of the X-Men, Emma Frost, inviting people from across Rivals’ various timelines to the mutant nation of Krakoa, where everyone gets dressed up for a fancy gala — even Wolverine puts on a white tux. The event, however, is unceremoniously interrupted when Ultron shows up preaching extermination. 

We also got a look at some of the cosmetics in season 2, though it’s unclear which are from the shop and which might be in the battle pass. In addition to the dressed-up Wolverine, we also got looks at Magik and Psylocke in the traditional X-Men blue and yellow. Nonmutant guests are also getting in on the fun, with fancy attire for heroes like Cap, Widow and Luna Snow. 

New Heroes and balance changes in Marvel Rivals Season 2

Emma Frost joins the roster as a Vanguard. We don’t have detailed information about her abilities yet but expect that information to drop ahead of next week’s season launch. Ultron is coming in the season 2.5 update, which should be in late May. 

Some team-ups are changing in season 2, including three new team-up abilities that were previewed in the newest developer vision video. 

  • Emma Frost allows Magneto and Psylocke to create illusions of themselves.
  • Doctor Strange teams up with Scarlet Witch allowing her to use small portals to seemingly increase her damage output via a rapid-shooting alternate fire.  
  • Cap finally teams up with Bucky, allowing the Winter Soldier to leap to allies.

A few existing team-ups are getting adjustments, with Psylocke, Winter Soldier and Doctor Strange being removed from older team-ups in favor of new ones, and Namor moving from working with Luna’s anchor to Hulk’s to empower his ultimate with gamma energy. Two team-ups are being removed entirely: Magneto can no longer team up with Scarlet Witch, and Thor is no longer anchoring Cap and Storm.

The developers vaguely teased other balance changes, including buffs to Peni, Mister Fantastic and Moon Knight, with Strange trading offensive pressure for more survivability and Rocket getting more utility while Loki and Adam Warlock receive nerfs to their Regeneration Domain and Soul Bond abilities.

Future seasons will be shorter, which means more new heroes

One of the most surprising moments in the developer video was the announcement that, beginning with season 3, seasons will be two months long instead of roughly three. There has been a lot of discussion online about whether Rivals’ pace of new heroes (about eight per year based on three-month seasons) was sustainable. Well, apparently the Rivals devs took that personally and are cranking up that pace to a new hero every month, meaning 12 new heroes per year. 

This feels borderline ludicrous compared with other hero shooters that average about three new heroes per year, or even MOBAs like League of Legends, which has averaged about four new champions per year over the past five years. Rivals benefits from having an overflowing stable of Marvel characters to pull from rather than inventing their own hero concepts, and compared with Overwatch, the developers seem less worried about mechanical overlap in their heroes, as seen with many support ultimates. Still, a new hero every month feels unheard of for a hero shooter.

New Krakoa map and competitive changes

A new Krakoa-themed domination map is being added in season 2, and Yggsgard: Royal Palace (domination) and Tokyo 2099: Shin-Shibuya (convergence) will rotate out of the map pool for ranked modes, though they’ll still be available in quick play and custom games.

The threshold for competitive picks and bans, which currently only happen in diamond-ranked lobbies, will be lowered to gold 3. Players in Eternity or One Above All ranks will only be able to duo queue, instead of queuing with larger groups — a measure that’s likely intended to keep high-level teams from stomping lobbies. 

Speaking of ranks, season 2 will drop everyone by 9 divisions, which is equal to 3 ranks. That means players in Eternity will drop to diamond, and any players at platinum 3 or below will start their climb from bronze 3 again. (AGAIN… AGAIN.)

Rivals developers also announced that individual player performance will be weighted higher when determining competitive progress after a match, meaning if your stats outperform your team’s, you’ll earn more for winning and drop less for losing. This change can help elevate smurfs and other high-skill players in lower-ranked lobbies by getting them into their appropriate ranks faster. However, it can also lead to players stat-farming, instead of playing in a way that is most effective for winning games. Overall, given that Rivals doesn’t use any sort of competitive placement matches, this should be a net positive for the game.

Other announcements

Rivals is adding new skin recolors to certain hero skins and (finally) giving players the option to gift costumes to their friends so they can surprise someone for their birthday, which you definitely did not forget about.  

Missions are changing a bit, with the addition of weekly missions and a redistribution of where battle-pass-progressing chrono tokens are earned. The devs framed this as creating a «smoother expectation» of how to earn chrono tokens, but the surface-level description sounds like they’re just making it harder to earn battle pass progress over the season by tucking away more progress under missions with shorter time limits.

The developer vision update also gave us our first look at the competitive distribution, showing how many Rivals players are in each tier as of season 1.5. 

The Hellfire Gala trailer says season 2 will start on April 11. While it doesn’t give a specific start time, expect the between-seasons maintenance to finish sometime in the middle of the night in the US.

For more on Marvel Rivals, check out which heroes and roles you should play and how to get free skins.

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Technologies

Nintendo Switch 2 vs. Switch 1: Every Detail Compared

The Nintendo Switch 2’s official specs aren’t too different, but the new console has a lot of upgrades on the original Switch.

The Nintendo Switch 2 may look like its predecessor, but there’s been a lot of changes to its features and under the hood. The new console has «10x the graphics performance» compared to the original Switch, says Nvidia, which built the custom processor powering the Switch 2.  

The Switch 2, with a release date on June 5, is priced at $450 alone or $500 in a bundle with Mario Kart World, the headliner of the console’s launch games. Here’s all the info on how to preorder the Switch 2.

Note that we’re mostly comparing the Switch 2 to the original Switch 1 released in March 2017, because looping in the Switch Lite and Switch OLED gets complicated.

Design

Broadly, the Switch 2 is a larger version of its predecessor, with everything looking slightly inflated: bigger footprint, bigger screen, bigger Joy-Cons. 

Original Switch: The original Switch, with Joy-Cons slotted into the side rails, is a little over 9.4 inches wide, 4 inches tall, a little over half an inch thick and weighs about 10.5 ounces (297 grams). The Joy-Cons slide into place from the top of the device’s sides, while a thin wedge of plastic pops out of the back of the console to serve as a kickstand.

The Switch also came with a dock, which the console could slot into to for recharging and outputting to a TV or large display via HDMI port.  

Switch 2: The new Switch 2 is bigger in every way, but it has the same overall shape and layout as the original. The new Joy-Cons will indeed be held in place on the console magnetically, and connect to the console via pins. The new console also sports a wide U-shaped kickstand that spans almost its entire rear width, which can be moved around to prop up the Switch 2 at a variety of angles. Nintendo says the console has more powerful speakers, which we’re looking forward to testing.

The Switch 2’s dock is largely similar in function though it has rounded edges and an internal fan to cool down the console during long game sessions. More importantly, it can output games in 4K to TVs, but only for select games. 

Joy-Cons

The Joy-Cons were a marvel when they arrived on the first Switch, and while they’re functionally similar in its successor, there have been upgrades in the Switch 2’s controllers.

Original Switch: The Switch Joy-Cons are simple but powerful controllers that slid on and off the console via plastic rails, connecting and recharging via pins on the side. Detach and they become their own micro-controllers, with little shoulder buttons to boot.

Switch 2: The new console’s Joy-Cons are larger to fit the Switch 2, and lock into the side of the console via powerful magnets — there are small inward-facing buttons to the side of ZR and ZL to detach the controllers from the console. The larger-size Joy-Cons have longer L and R outside shoulder buttons, as well as much wider SL and SR internal shoulder buttons, which are accessible when detached from the console. 

And yes, you can use the Switch 2 Joy-Cons as mice by placing their inner edges flat on a surface. During the Nintendo Direct, we saw it being used to control active action games like the wheelchair basketball-simulating DragXDrive and strategy games like Civilization VII. 

Display size

Original Switch: The original Switch has a 6.2-inch LCD screen with 1,280×720-pixel resolution, which was reasonably impressive at launch in 2017 but has been outclassed by newer handhelds with sharper displays. The Switch OLED upgraded this with a larger 7-inch display showing deeper blacks and colors, but no upgrade in resolution. The Switch Lite has a 5.5-inch LCD screen.

Switch 2: Unsurprisingly, the Switch 2’s larger size means a larger display. The new console has a 7.9-inch 1080p LCD screen that can get up to 120Hz refresh rate in handheld mode, or up to 4K when docked and outputting to a TV. 

Why no OLED display? Possibly to save on costs… or possibly to give Nintendo room to release a Switch 2 OLED version down the line.

CPU/GPU

Original Switch: The original Switch runs on an Nvidia custom Tegra X1 processor split into four ARM Cortex A57 CPU cores, and according to Hackaday, there are four extra A53 cores that aren’t used. 

Switch 2: Once again, Nintendo hasn’t released any official info on the Switch 2’s specs, even after the Nintendo Direct reveal stream — and they most the company reveals is that it has a «custom processor made by Nvidia» on the Switch 2’s official specs page. Nvidia confirmed it also has a custom GPU, claiming that the new console has «10x the graphics performance» of the Switch 1, and the custom processor’s AI-powered features include Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS), face tracking and background removal for video chat and real-time ray tracing.

We do still have more supposed details from previous leaks. Months ago on X (formerly Twitter), leaker Zuby_Tech posted that the Switch 2’s CPU will be an eight-core Arm Cortex A78C. They also suggested that the GPU will be an Nvidia T239 Ampere, aligning with years of similar rumors reported on by Eurogamer and others about the custom chip, which derives from Nvidia’s Tegra line of chips for smartphones and mobile devices.

RAM and storage

Original Switch. The Switch has 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM and 32GB of onboard storage, expandable up to 2TB via microSD cards in the slot beneath the kickstand.

Switch 2: Even after the reveal stream, Nintendo didn’t release official specs for RAM. Leaker Zuby_Tech posted on X back in September suggesting the Switch 2 will have 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. That leak also suggested the new console will have two internal fans, up from the single one in the original Switch. 

Nintendo did confirm that the new console will have 256GB of onboard storage, which can be expanded with special microSD Express cards — sorry, your old Switch-compatible microSD cards won’t work on the Switch 2.

Battery life

Original Switch: The original Switch packs a 4,310-mAh battery, which gives between 4.5 and 9 hours of battery life depending on screen brightness and other factors.

Switch 2: Though Nintendo didn’t release details on the Switch 2’s capacity in the reveal stream, the company does list specs on its website, showing it packs a 5,220mAh battery. While that’s notably larger than the one in its predecessor, Nintendo estimates this will only get players between an estimated 2 and 6.5 hours, depending on games played.   

Ports

Original Switch: The first Switch sports a single USB-C port out the bottom, a 3.5mm headphone jack on the top and Wi-Fi 5 plus Bluetooth 4.1 connectivity. On the top is a slot at the top for Switch game cartridges as well as the microSD slot beneath the kickstand on the rear of the console.

Switch 2: The Switch 2 retains the original’s USB-C port on the bottom and 3.5mm jack on the top while adding another USB-C port topside, and now we know what it’s for: to connect with accessories like the Nintendo Switch Camera, a webcam-like camera on a stand to let you do Nintendo’s version of FaceTiming while you play games with your friends.

Nintendo hasn’t clarified the console’s connectivity options, and rumors are scarce on the subject. 

As for cartridges, Switch 2 will play some original Switch games in physical versions. The cartridge slot is to the right of the headphone jack in the above image, which is where the slot is on the original Switch. You can tell game cartridges from the two console generations apart by color: ones for the new Switch 2 are red, while older Switch 1 games are black.

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