The Nintendo Switch 2 and its dock, as described by the thriller Reddit leaker

Last Friday, we introduced you leaked dimensions of the subsequent Nintendo Switch from the more than likely supply but: a “3D scan of the particular {hardware}” obtained by case producer Dbrand. But case producers aren’t the solely supply of leaks.

A Redditor named “NextHandheld” claims to have seen and touched an precise closing retail unit of the Nintendo Switch 2. I spoke with them, and I’ve now heard and seen sufficient to suppose they is perhaps legit.

In specific, I’ve seen two pictures of a doable Nintendo Switch 2 dock, and one picture of the inside of a doable Switch 2 controller rail, lined in certification logos and with copper contacts uncovered, which additionally reveals its steel kickstand hinge open at an angle. Notably, the dock was not included within the 3D scan that’s circulating amongst case producers.

If NextHandheld is telling the reality, we now know bit extra about Nintendo’s subsequent console. For instance: as a lot as we’d find it irresistible to be known as the “Super Nintendo Switch,” it’ll doubtless be launched because the Nintendo Switch 2.

Officially, Nintendo has solely known as it “the successor to Nintendo Switch,” promised to formally announce the brand new console by March thirty first, 2025, and revealed that it is going to be backward appropriate with unique Switch video games.

Unofficially, NextHandheld’s supply has heard it is perhaps introduced as quickly as January — and shared what they declare is first-hand proof with The Verge that it’s the Nintendo Switch 2. I noticed an image of a dock, with the identical brand as as the unique Nintendo Switch, solely with a 2 connected.

It wasn’t far off from this Redditor’s guess:

And whereas NextHandheld says they’re “dissatisfied” that the dock doesn’t appear to have any extra ports than the unique — two USB-A, one HDMI, one ethernet, and one USB-C doubtless used for its energy brick — it could have a totally different trick up its sleeve.

In April, Spanish pub Vandal (which accurately reported minor particulars of the Switch OLED earlier than launch) reported that, extremely, Nintendo would possibly exchange the Switch’s controller rails with magnets so your Joy-Cons can magically snap into place.

Today, it not appears unimaginable, as a result of the picture I noticed of a joystick rail area incorporates no rail: it’s only a lengthy, rounded, hole space, with a 13-pin connector that stands out so it could slot into the Joy-Con. NextHandheld says there’s a bodily magnetic click on while you connect them, and that you simply’ll press a a lot bigger button on the controller, one which’s bodily linked to a magnet, to launch. (You can see mockups of such buttons in our Dbrand story.)

More importantly, the Nintendo Switch 2 would possibly lastly eliminate the notorious “Joy-Con Drift” that plagues its controllers to at the present time. NextHandheld claims the controllers may have magnetic Hall impact joysticks, which don’t comprise the identical deteriorating sensor materials and may be recalibrated simply.

The unique Nintendo Switch had a tiny, easy-to-topple gumstick of a kickstand, and the Switch OLED had a large, flat plate. But the Nintendo Switch 2 will characteristic a U-shaped rail of a kickstand, in line with a photograph that NextHandheld shared with me.

I perceive that the 3D CAD file reveals the U-shape, too — and case producers have begun sharing pictures of comparable U-shaped kickstands, too. But it appears prefer it might be beefier than among the mockups floating round:

Once upon a time, Nintendo was reportedly planning to launch a Nintendo Switch Pro, one that will output 4K graphics when docked to your TV, at the least partly due to Nvidia’s DLSS AI upscaling. That didn’t occur, however the Nintendo Switch 2’s dock is perhaps designed to let the hand-held run a bit sooner.

On Reddit, NextHandheld cryptically teased that asking if the dock had a fan was “the fitting query,” and in an image shared with The Verge, I can see the alleged dock has large ft round again, ones positioned so it could lie down horizontally with out blocking a set of vents.

While I don’t think about you’d deliberately put it on its again, as the hand-held would possibly fall out of the utterly open slot up high, I can think about Nintendo wanting to verify the console doesn’t overheat in case you by accident knock it over.

Intriguingly, NextHandheld says the dock is rated for 60W, whereas the Switch 2 is rated for 45W, each of which might be considerably larger than the unique if true. The unique Switch had an uncommon 39W charger for each docked and handheld modes, which solely offered as much as 18W for the hand-held.

You can dig by way of NextHandheld’s Reddit feedback or learn this early abstract for lots extra doable particulars concerning the new console. But the Redditor is upfront that they by no means received to show the hand-held on, or play any video games. They don’t know whether or not a Switch 2 can play unique Switch cartridges, or solely digital Switch 1 video games. They don’t know if it has a microphone, or a digicam, or how a lot space for storing it has, or its efficiency, or something about its reportedly 8-inch display screen, or its launch titles.

They do say it’ll launch in darkish gray, nevertheless, like the unique Nintendo Switch, and that it is going to be adopted by a white mannequin, and one themed with a Nintendo recreation that hasn’t obtained a themed Switch but. And, they’re the newest to presumably corroborate a brand new second USB-C port on the highest, although that was clearly revealed within the 3D scan.

If it’s true that Nintendo will announce the Switch 2 in January, although, you received’t have to attend lengthy for extra solutions — or to search out out if these ones are true.