Nintendo Switch 2 gets a removable battery – custom 8000 mAh batteries have already appeared

The European version of Nintendo Switch 2 with a removable battery is now on sale. Meanwhile, in China, an unofficial modification featuring an 8000 mAh battery is offered, increasing capacity by approximately 53%.

Nintendo Switch 2 with a removable battery

The new revision is intended primarily for the European market and aligns with European legislative requirements. Starting in mid-February 2027, batteries in certain portable devices must be replaceable by users. Nintendo has begun gradually transitioning its devices to the new design in advance.

Functionally, the new Switch 2 is no different from the original version. The battery, weight, and chassis design have changed:

• battery: 5172 mAh instead of 5220 mAh;
• console weight: 411 grams instead of 401 grams;
• weight with Joy-Con 2: 548 grams instead of 534 grams;
• The batteries of the console itself and the included Joy-Con 2 can be replaced by the user.

Battery capacity decreased by only 48 mAh, or approximately 1%. Nintendo does not announce changes to the console’s performance or other features.

The battery is no longer glued

A teardown of the new revision revealed that seven Phillips screws must be removed to detach the back panel. Four of them are located near the Joy-Con 2 mounts and are no longer hidden under protective stickers, unlike the first version. Once the cover is removed, the battery is directly accessible.

The main change is located beneath the battery. In the original Switch 2, the battery was firmly glued to the chassis, requiring isopropyl alcohol, heat, and prying tools for removal. In the new version, the battery is not glued and features a tab that allows it to be pulled out.

Nintendo plans to sell official battery replacement kits through the Nintendo Store. These kits will include the necessary tools and instructions.

How to tell the new Nintendo Switch 2 apart

The packaging of the new and old revisions is nearly identical. The version with a removable battery can be identified by the additional label OSM near the barcode. The tested units also feature a changed serial number: the first version starts with HAE, while the new one begins with HLE. Another indicator is the visible screws near the Joy-Con 2 rails.

Nintendo previously stated that the new Switch 2 would begin shipping in autumn 2026, yet the first units appeared in European retail earlier. In Spain, the revised model has been on sale since late August. The Nintendo Store does not allow selection of a specific version: older devices will be gradually replaced by new ones as inventory is sold off.

Unofficial 8000 mAh battery

At the same time as the official European revision of the Switch 2 appeared, Chinese seller Chopsticks Gaming began offering a significantly more radical modification. The standard 5220 mAh battery is replaced with an 8000 mAh unit, increasing capacity by approximately 53%.

The service is sold on the Chinese platform Xianyu for 230-280 yuan (approximately $34-42). Unlike an official Nintendo revision, simply replacing the battery is not enough here: to install a larger battery, part of the console’s internal frame must be cut out, the freed space processed, and insulating material added. This modification voids the device’s factory warranty.

The seller claims to have conducted over 50 battery life tests, primarily in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Depending on screen brightness and volume, the console ran for between 3 hours 25 minutes and more than 4 hours. The modification is not approved by Nintendo, and the seller recommends using only the original charger with it.