A newly revised Nintendo Switch 2 has begun appearing in Europe, featuring an “easily replaceable battery” ahead of new European battery regulations set to take effect in February 2027. Modders already have their hands on models for a teardown to see what’s new. “Revised battery design, same old screen,” says Polish technician Modyfikatorcasper, confirming no change to the display.

A previous rumor suggested the EU-specific revision would benefit from an upgraded IPS screen from Sharp, potentially improving pixel response times and reducing ghosting. The teardown shuts down this claim, at least for models tested so far. Modyfikatorcasper says they’ll “check more units and bundles” moving forward to see if the rumors hold any credence.

Nintendo Switch 2 has a revised model in Europe

Although the European Union (EU) regulations aren’t set to arrive until next February, Nintendo has already started rolling out the new revision. The upcoming ‘Batteries Regulation’ is aimed at reducing environmental impact, forcing manufacturers to install batteries that “must be easily replaceable by end users”. Along with the console itself, the change will affect Nintendo’s Joy-Cons and Pro Controllers, as well as its N64 and GameCube controllers for the modern console.

According to the Polish modder, alongside the new user-replaceable battery, the so-called ‘Nintendo Switch 2 V2’ features the same custom Nvidia chip with 12GB of RAM (albeit the memory is from a different supplier), a revised motherboard, and a different fan variant.

Nintendo’s official specifications confirm that the revised Switch 2 has a slightly smaller 5,172mAh battery, down from 5,220mAh, and weighs approximately 411g compared with 401g for the original console. With the controllers attached, the revised system weighs around 548g. Nintendo says there are no functional differences between the two versions, meaning the main benefit is easier battery replacement rather than a performance or display upgrade.

Joy-Cons for the original Nintendo Switch have already been updated, while the Joy-Con 2 (for the Switch 2) revision will arrive “This winter,” according to Nintendo. The same goes for the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller, with the N64 and GameCube controllers for Switch and Switch 2, respectively, to be revised in early 2027. The biggest battery capacity change is for the Switch 2 Pro Controller, dropping from 1,070mAh to 897mAh (~16%), though this does mean it’s around 7 grams lighter.

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Jack Goodall

At PC Guide, Jack is mostly responsible for reporting on hardware deals. He also specializes in monitors, TVs, and headsets and can be found putting his findings together in a review or best-of guide.