Nintendo Switch 2 battery tested from full charge to shutdown during continuous Cyberpunk 2077 playthrough

Chris Toro, the creator behind the YouTube channel Portable Mode, recently tested how long the Nintendo Switch 2 could last while running Cyberpunk 2077 from a full charge. He played the game normally and was playing continuously with all cutscenes and dialogue interactions included.

The game crashed near the end of the run at 3% battery while the YouTuber attempted to use the in-game mirror, cutting the session just short of full battery drain. During this run, the timer showed that the Nintendo Switch 2 lasted 2 hours and 24 minutes.

In a separate video, Toro claimed to have conducted a longer time-lapse session using a phone timer, during which Cyberpunk 2077 ran for exactly 2 hours and 25 minutes in quality mode before the system powered off. Across both videos, the runtime appears to be nearly identical regardless of whether the game was actively being played or left idle, suggesting a consistent power draw under both conditions.

Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the most demanding titles available on handheld platforms. The test comes at a time when Nintendo Switch 2’s battery life is already a subject of discussion. Nintendo officially claims a 2–6.5 hour range depending on game load.

Users on Reddit, however, claim that even less demanding games like Hades and Hollow Knight are draining the battery at nearly the same rate as graphically intensive ones.

Reddit user Z3NT0X_ alleges that they are getting no more than 2 hours of playtime regardless of the game, while another user, Whiteguy1x, claims a runtime of approximately 2.5 to 3 hours when playing Xenoblade Chronicles 2.

Nintendo recently acknowledged that some battery meter inconsistencies may be due to a software issue. However, it can be fixed by following certain steps, as detailed in a separate support update covered by us.