The Nintendo Switch 2 is going to be the hot gift this holiday season. As it’s a new console, parents may not know the ins and outs of what they should buy. 

You don’t need to rely on a letter to Santa to know which games to give with the Switch 2. I created this guide to answer your most pressing Switch 2 questions and help make holiday shopping a breeze. Keep in mind, many of these items will likely be on sale throughout the holiday season, so get ready to score a deal, too. 

Which Switch 2 bundle to buy

Which Switch 2 game to buy for the holidays 

Even though the Switch 2 is less than six months old, there’s still a wealth of games available for it, thanks to the console being backward compatible with the original Switch. Figuring out which game to buy with the Switch 2, beyond Mario Kart World, comes down to what kind of gamer the console is for. Here are some of my favorite picks. 

The Switch 2 also has a wealth of games from well-known franchises, including:

Star Wars Outlaws ($40)

Sonic X Shadow Generations ($50)

Hogwarts Legacy ($60)

Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 ($70)

Gift ideas for family and friends

For the grandparents or other family members or friends who want to join in on the Switch 2 gift giving, there are plenty of options. One easy choice is more games, either for the Switch 2 games or the original Switch. Here’s CNET’s list of the Best Switch Games.

If the parents have the console and games covered, there are still some gifts that anyone with a Switch 2 will want. 

FAQ

Do I need to buy any other cables for the Switch 2? 

No. Inside the Switch 2 box is the power adapter for the console, as well as an HDMI cable and a dock to connect it to the TV. The HDMI cable is just shy of 5 feet long, so if you know the Switch 2 will be connected to a TV that’s farther away than that, you’ll need to get a longer cable. 

Do I need to buy extra storage for the Switch 2? 

The Switch 2 comes with 256GB of built-in storage, and that can fill up quickly if you buy a lot of games. To upgrade the storage, you’ll need to buy microSD Express cards, which are newer and still a little pricey. They do frequently get discounted, though, so just keep an eye on the prices. 

Do I need to buy any subscriptions? 

If you know the person you’re buying the Switch 2 for wants to play games online with their friends, such as Mario Kart World or Fortnite, then you should also consider a Switch Online subscription. There are two subscription tiers, with the $20 tier providing online access and access to retro NES, SNES and Game Boy titles, while the $50 Switch Online plus Expansion Pack tier adds N64 and Gamecube games, along with upgrade packs to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. 

What are Switch 2 upgrade packs?

Original Switch games do work on the Switch 2, but they don’t make use of the additional graphical power offered in the newer console. For $10 to $20, a game for the original Switch can be upgraded to a Switch 2 game. Upgrading a game will increase its resolution, smooth out its frame rates, speed up loading times and add other features found only on the Switch 2. Not every game for the original Switch has an upgrade option, and it’s debatable whether some are worth the additional cost. This upgrade is available on the Nintendo eShop on the Switch 2 or Nintendo’s website, and games with the upgrade pack include Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Super Mario Party Jamboree and the upcoming Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. 

It’s been two days since Cyber Monday, which means that most of the very best bargains are starting to expire. So this could be your last chance to grab Apple’s latest AirPods 4 at a record-low price for quite some time.

Both Amazon and Walmart still have these flagship earbuds with noise-canceling capabilities on sale for just $99. That’s an $80 discount and the all-time lowest price we’ve seen since they hit shelves last year. It’s a pretty shocking that these deals haven’t vanished already, so we’d definitely recommend taking advantage of these savings sooner rather than later.

The AirPods 4 are Apple’s latest generation of non‑Pro earbuds, debuting in 2024. They’re made with the same H2 chip found in the AirPods Pro 2, delivering impressive sound quality — though not quite at the level of the newest AirPods Pro 3. The AirPods 4 have a more compact design, excellent voice‑calling performance, and Spatial Audio support for personalized listening.

The best part? This deal is for the ANC model, which CNET named an Editors’ Choice. These earbuds also come with a wireless charging case and a built‑in speaker that works with Apple’s Find My tracking service.

«With a slightly smaller design, improved sound and Apple’s powerful H2 chip features, the Apple AirPods 4 are a worthy upgrade,» said CNET audio expert David Carnoy in his AirPods 4 review. «But what really makes them special is the noise canceling in the step-up ANC model.»

Not sure if these Apple earbuds are right for you? You can find tons of other excellent pairs on sale in our roundup of all the best post-Cyber Monday headphone deals that are still live. Just note that deal are expiring by the minute, so be sure to get your order in soon.

Why this deal matters

Apple products rarely go on sale and when they do, stock tends to run out quickly. Combine that with the AirPods 4 being Apple’s latest non‑Pro AirPods and this discount being the year’s all‑time low price, and you’ve got a superb offer in your hands.

Cyber Monday deal: While they’re no longer the latest model, the Apple AirPods Pro 2 are still among the best earbuds you can buy. Apple’s AirPods Pro 3 are generally better, but they’re also a lot more expensive, and plenty of people can still get a lot out of the Pro 2.

They get even more appealing today thanks to this steep post-Cyber Monday discount. You can still grab them for just $135 at Woot, the lowest price we’ve seen yet. That makes them a way better value and a truly fantastic pickup for anybody hoping for an audio upgrade. This discount might not return, so get it while you can.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

CNET’s key takeaways

• You can get these amazing earbuds for just $135 right now at Woot.
• My teenager loves everything about them.
• The sound quality is exceptional.
• The noise cancellation can help give you some peace, even in a busy home.

My 13‑year‑old daughter loves her music and her privacy, and for years she wanted a pair of AirPods. They’re not cheap, so I kept buying her more budget options, like the Amazon Echo Buds. Those kept disappearing, though, so I finally ponied up for the AirPods Pro 2.

I picked them up during last year’s sales, and they were definitely well‑received. She’s happy, she uses them every day, and she hasn’t lost them yet. The AirPods Pro 2 are currently on sale at Woot for $135, a great price for a high‑quality pair like these, and one of the lowest we’ve ever seen.

What about the AirPods Pro 3?

The AirPods Pro 3 weren’t available when I bought the Pro 2, but they were rumored. As CNET’s resident headphone expert David Carnoy summarized in his AirPods Pro 2 vs. Pro 3 comparison, the newer model is “significantly improved in the four most important areas: fit, sound quality, noise cancellation and battery life.” They also add heart‑rate monitoring, like the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2.

While those upgrades are impressive, a lot of people won’t notice the differences or make the most of the new features. And with the AirPods Pro 3 currently on a smaller sale at Amazon for $220 ($30 off list), the Pro 2 at $135 is a much better value.

Why I didn’t get the AirPods 4 instead

Why did I choose AirPods Pro 2 instead of the AirPods 4 with ANC? First, as I mentioned in another article about a different pair of earbuds I bought, I think sealed, in‑ear buds are better than open‑design models like the AirPods 4. The seal creates another layer of noise isolation and contributes to superior sound quality. And if you want to pay attention to the world, you can always engage ambient sound mode — Apple calls transparency mode. 

Also, at the time, Carnoy considered the Pro 2 the best Apple noise-canceling wireless earbuds: “While we’re quite impressed with those new models — and with the AirPods 4 ANC in particular — the AirPods Pro 2 remain arguably the best Apple AirPods you can buy if you don’t mind having silicone ear tips jammed in your ears,” he said.

My daughter uses earplugs all the time to help her sleep, so she definitely qualifies as someone comfortable putting things in her ears. Like her fingers, when I start using words like “sigma,” “skibidi” and “relatable” to try to connect with her.

I asked Carnoy about the Pro 2s potentially not fitting in her kid‑size ears, and he reassured me that the range of eartips that come with the Pro 2s “now include XS, so they should fit.”

Do AirPods make a great gift?

It took me years to finally understand, but yes, for someone looking for wireless earbuds, AirPods — especially the Apple AirPods Pro 2 — make the perfect gift. And that’s true whether you’re a teenage girl or not.