Nintendo Switch 2: Durability test exposes extremely scratch-prone display

The Nintendo Switch 2 has finally hit the market and offers a larger display as well as significantly improved performance. More details on the upgrades compared to its predecessor can be found in our hands-on article. Meanwhile, the well-known YouTuber JerryRigEverything has also received the handheld console and immediately put the Switch 2 through its paces.

As it turns out, the Nintendo Switch 2's touchscreen shows visible scratches when it comes into contact with an object that has a hardness of just 3 on the Mohs scale, meaning keys or coins can cause visible damage. This is because Nintendo pre-installs a plastic screen protector in order to prevent users from being injured by glass pieces if the display breaks. But due to the soft surface, it’s highly recommended to use a more robust screen protector, which can be found from $10 on Amazon.

On the positive side, the lettering on the ABXY buttons is not just printed but part of the plastic itself, so it should remain legible even after thousands of hours of gaming. Moreover, the SL and SR shoulder buttons are made of metal, making them more robust and ensuring a more stable magnetic connection to the console. The relatively slim kickstand is also made of metal. Lastly, there’s also some good news regarding the Joy-Con 2 pins, as they remain undamaged even after an aggressive bend test.