The Nintendo Switch 2 is already official, but there’s a lot we still don’t know — like, will Nintendo’s new handheld support the NFC-equipped Amiibo figurines that can wirelessly unlock content in games?
Today, it seems likely they will, because filings at the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) reveal the console will support NFC. They even specify that the RFID feature will be located in the right Joy-Con, just like it was in the original Switch.
The Nintendo Switch 2 is apparently designated the BEE-001, the company’s radio equipment test filings reveal, where “BEE” is Nintendo’s designator for the Switch 2 family of products, with “001” the main console, “014” the right Joy-Con, and “012” the left one.
Nintendo’s followed this pattern for decades; “DMG” was the original Game Boy, “DOL” was the GameCube, “RVL” was the Wii, and “HAC” was the original Nintendo Switch, as just a few examples.
You’ll also be able to charge the Nintendo Switch 2 from either its bottom USB-C port or its new top USB-C port, the filings reveal. Nintendo’s announcement tease confirmed the Switch would have an extra USB-C port up top, but I think this is the first real confirmation of charging from both.
If you were hoping for faster Wi-Fi in your Switch 2, that’s pretty likely as well: the filings show it will support Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) networks with up to 80MHz of bandwidth, up from Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) on the original Switch. However, it doesn’t seem to have Wi-Fi 7 or Wi-Fi 6E, and it’s only crossed the FCC with tests for 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks, not the faster / shorter-range 6GHz band.
Just in case you have any doubts this might be some other mystery Nintendo product instead of a Switch, diagrams at the FCC show it being tested with and without attached controllers and with and without a dock:
It’s unclear from these tests whether the Nintendo Switch 2 has faster charging speed or more power when docked.
The original Switch shipped with an unusual adapter that charged at up to 15V and 2.6A. FCC filings show the Switch 2 is still rated for a maximum of 15V but also mention an AC adapter that goes up to 20V. Both or either of those could be USB-C PD, but we can’t properly guess at charging speed (in watts) without knowing the amperage.
We still don’t know exactly when the Switch 2 will be released, but Nintendo has said it’s coming sometime this year.