Switch 2 Has a Worse Operating Temperature Range Than IPhone
Is your Switch 2 overheating? You’re not alone. In fact, part of the problem may be that you’re playing in the summer, or so Nintendo says. As spotted by Tom’s Hardware , Nintendo’s official Japanese account posted a warning to both Switch 2 and original Switch owners:
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Using Google’s X translator, we can see that Nintendo’s message says the following:
Using the Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch 2 in high temperatures may cause the console to become hot. Use the console in temperatures between 5°C and 35°C (41°F and 95°F), as this may cause the console to malfunction. Recently, temperatures have exceeded 35°C (95°F) for several days. Use caution when using the console outdoors.
For those in the U.S., Nintendo recommends using the Switch 2 in temperatures between 4 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. In fact, that’s a little less forgiving than, say, the iPhone, which Apple says should be used in temperatures between 3 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
But it’s not the lower end of that range that we’re interested in right now, but the 95-degree limit. Nintendo’s warning comes as many parts of the world have had a hot summer. The Nintendo of Japan post is, of course, talking about Japan, but many other regions have seen heat waves exceeding 95 degrees. So if you decide to play your Switch 2 outside on a day that hot (or hotter), you may run into problems with your device.
Why can’t you use devices in extreme heat?
This is not just the Switch 2 – any technology (especially those containing microchips) is susceptible to heat.
Chips are designed to operate up to a certain temperature threshold. However, the chip in your Switch 2 does not reach 95 degrees: this limitation is necessary to prevent the chip from heating up to its maximum temperature. When the Switch 2 starts to overheat, it tries to maintain the temperature: fans remove hot air, while the processor may slow down, which leads to a noticeable decrease in performance.
However, if none of these methods work and the console continues to heat up, it will lock up and you will no longer be able to play. The same thing happens if your smartphone overheats: you will need to take the Switch to a place where it can cool down, and when the temperature drops to a safe level, it will continue to work properly.
Switch 2 reportedly overheating
Playing your console outside when it’s too hot outside may be the “best” way to push the Switch 2 to its temperature limits, but it may not be the only way.
Last month, some Switch 2 players began reporting their consoles were overheating, with fans running faster and games freezing and crashing. These issues appeared to be occurring in demanding third-party games like Cyberpunk 2077 , as well as third-party games like Pokémon and Splatoon . Notably, the initial reports appeared to come primarily from players in Japan.
The Switch 2 is significantly more powerful than the original Switch, especially when docked, and while both the console and dock have built-in fans for active cooling, it’s possible that the higher performance results in more heat than players expect.
However, not all players experience this. For example, this Reddit thread features players whose Switch 2 is mostly running without overheating, while others note that the console can get warm, especially when docked, but nothing serious. There’s a big difference between a console that feels hot to the touch but otherwise functions normally, and overheating, which can lead to performance and battery issues.
This Nintendo X post may indicate that the worst overheating reports came during a particularly warm summer — if the Switch 2 is prone to running hot even in the most benign conditions, then playing it outside or indoors without air conditioning on a hot day could cause it to overheat.
So far, I don’t think this is a worrying trend, but it’s worth keeping in mind. If it’s too hot, find a cooler place to play your Switch.