Nintendo’s upcoming video game console, the Switch 2, will include a nifty feature that will help protect your battery and keep it running for a long time. And all you have to do is sacrifice a bit of playtime.
As revealed today via the Nintendo Today mobile app, the $450 Switch 2 will ship in June with a feature that will let you prevent the console from fully charging its internal battery. This optional battery preservation option will instead see the device max out at around 90 percent. This means that if you have the setting on, your battery will rarely, if ever, be fully charged, costing you some playtime when out and about. So why would anybody choose to use it?
Well, because its really good for the Switch 2’s rechargeable lithium battery. These types of batteries can degrade over time if kept in a fully charged state. This is why you shouldn’t leave a phone or tablet plugged in overnight to charge while you sleep, as it can quickly ruin your battery and make it die faster.
Sacrificing 30 minutes to an hour or so of Switch 2 battery time in exchange for a device that will last longer and hold a charge better for years to come seems like a smart trade. I’m happy to see Nintendo following in the footsteps of Apple and Google and other tech giants which have been including similar battery limiting options in new devices for a few years now. And by making it optional, it means that people can still decide to fully charge up the Switch 2 if they’re getting ready for a long plane ride and want that extra juice.
Personally, when the Switch 2 launches on June 5, I’ll be quickly hopping into the settings menu to turn on this nifty little battery saver option ASAP.
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