The Nintendo Swap 2 is at present the featherweight champion of gaming handhelds—although largely as a result of no person can enter its weight class. No different machine of its measurement—whether or not it’s a handheld PC or one other retro machine—can slip so simply right into a backpack with out weighing you down, such as you’re lugging a sack of bricks round by way of each prepare station and airport terminal.
That slim design comes with its personal heap of drawbacks. The Swap 2 is a skinny machine with slender edges that tends to dig into your palms. I’ve tried a smorgasbord of assorted circumstances with the Swap 2, however solely Dbrand’s Killswitch case has reinvented the console’s ergonomics and stored it usable. The case tacks on additional bulk to Nintendo’s design, making it additional comfy and additional heavy. Till higher alternate options come alongside, the Killswitch is how I plan to sport with my Swap 2 going ahead, even when my arms and again will complain later.
Dbrand Killswitch Case for Swap 2
The Killswitch case is the most effective we have used to alter the Swap 2 ergonomics, however on the expense of straightforward docking to a TV.
Professionals
- Makes the Swap 2 extra comfy to carry
- Journey cowl feels safe
- Magnetic sport card holder is a good contact
Cons
- Dock attachment makes taking part in on TV tougher
- Swap 2 turns into heavier with the slip-on Pleasure-Con covers
Dbrand’s Killswitch was one of many extra in style covers for gadgets like Steam Deck. Valve’s handheld is a extra ergonomic machine than Nintendo’s, and the Killswitch merely extends the grips for bigger arms whereas defending the machine’s again and facet plates. The model made for Swap 2 upends the look, weight, and really feel of Nintendo’s new handheld. When you wrap the case across the Swap 2’s display and every particular person Pleasure-Con 2, the hand-held immediately appears like one thing you’ll truly wish to maintain. The case lets your center fingers sit on a shelf whereas your pointer digits deal with the set off and bumper buttons. The feel for every rubberized Pleasure-Con 2 cowl retains your arms from slipping off. With the Pleasure-Con 2 controllers indifferent, I didn’t have to wrap my finger lengthwise across the SR button or mouse sensor like I usually do with out the case.
The one draw back is that the Pleasure-Con 2 covers don’t sit utterly flush with the controllers. Because the controllers are extra side-heavy, you’ll need the covers to make straightforward use of mouse controls. The Pleasure-Con 2’s slim design doesn’t enable for a cushty, ergonomic really feel in mouse mode. With the grips on the Killswitch, my fingers discovered a way more amenable place whether or not I used to be swiping on my sofa’s armrest or the top desk in entrance of me.
By itself, the $60 Killswitch case makes the Swap 2 a lot bulkier than it’s usually. It’s so huge, it gained’t match into the official dock. The equipment comes with an additional dock adapter you slip over the dock’s USB-C port. To hook the Swap 2 as much as a TV, you’ll want to hover the hand-held’s uncovered USB port over the male USB-C finish and eyeball your unit till you’ll be able to line it up accurately. It’s a clumsy technique to repair an issue created by the case itself. You’ll be able to preserve the principle plate off the Swap 2 in case you intend to dock as you’ll usually. In case you do, be sure you don’t adhere the kickstand protector to the hand-held. Even that small piece of plastic makes the Swap 2 too thick to suit into the dock.
That additionally means in case you plan to be touring with the dock to a buddy’s home, you’ll want to take the dock adapter, too. If you will be operating round with the Swap 2, you’ll additionally wish to go for the $80 Journey model of the case that comes with a big plastic cowl and magnetically connected sport card holder. The quilt makes use of a bungee wire to wrap across the Killswitch case to carry every thing in place, although you’ll have to unlatch it to entry the Swap 2’s backside USB-C port. The sport card bandolier held onto my playing cards regardless of how a lot it tumbled round in my backpack, although the magnets could also be nearly too sturdy, because it takes finger-straining pressure to take away it from the duvet.
All collectively, the Killswitch case makes the Swap 2 really feel extra comfy to carry for longer. It additionally makes the machine really feel heavier, greater than in case you had merely caught your machine right into a slim, felt-lined case. I haven’t had the chance to take a look at Nintendo’s official $40 Carry Case & Display screen Protector or the corporate’s $85 All-In-One case. As of penning this web page, as a way to get one, it’s important to register your curiosity with Nintendo, then hope you get known as as much as be the primary to go hands-on. Fortunately, you have got so many choices in case you would like one thing lighter. I’ve acquired $20 circumstances from each Snakebyte and Energy-A for testing. If yow will discover them in inventory, both one will serve you nicely with sturdy covers. Every has sufficient house for 10 sport playing cards apiece.
If it weren’t for the necessity for a dock adapter, the Killswitch can be a simple case to suggest. The dock has prompted havoc with different accent makers’ case designs. Genki additionally despatched me its $50 Assault Vector case and grips, which may have made Nintendo’s new console extra ergonomic while not having a case. In that point, each I and different early customers shortly recognized a difficulty the place the Assault Vector suits too comfortable contained in the dock. This might doubtlessly harm the display in case you pressure it down too laborious into the slot. In an electronic mail, Genki associated this to “production-related points” and stated it was engaged on a brand new model to deal with these issues. We’ll need to revisit Genki’s various one other time.
In case you’re really eager to guard your machine, you’ll additionally want a display cowl. Nintendo’s Swap 2 comes inventory with a skinny plastic movie over the glass display. Whereas that is designed to forestall your Swap 2’s show from shattering right into a thousand tiny items, it additionally leaves the machine extra scratch-prone than different, related gadgets. It was the identical drawback with the show on the Swap OLED, which additionally used this plastic movie. You’re higher off discovering a display protector on your Swap 2, and I’ve already tried a number of so you may get an concept which one is greatest.
Genki despatched alongside its $20 Aegis Defend protector, whereas Dbrand supplied us with its $35 Prism 2.0 ($20 in case you purchase it alongside the Killswitch). Each provide very related plastic plates that can assist you line up the display protector with the Swap 2 show. You solely want to scrub the display with a microfiber fabric and alcohol wipes, plant the plastic piece over the console, after which pull the slip of plastic movie again to disclose the precise display protector. Each work nicely sufficient, however relying on how straight you pull again on the interior protector, you should still be left with air bubbles you’ll want to manually squeegee out.
Excessive-end equipment inevitably make the $450 Swap 2 price extra. Simply keep in mind, cheaper circumstances aren’t essentially worse. If you need a light-weight console, you’ll need a case that’s extra mundane.
