High temperatures and advanced technology often don't mix well. The newly-released Nintendo Switch 2 (and its predecessor) are no exception. Nintendo's Japanese customer service X account recently posted that the Switch and Switch 2 should only be used between 5 and 35 degrees Celsius (41 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit).
“Using Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch 2 in a hot environment may cause the console to become hot. Please use it in a place between 5 and 35 degrees C, as it may cause a malfunction,” Nintendo Japan’s customer service posted on X. “Recently, the temperature has been exceeding 35°C for several days. Please be careful when using outdoors."
Although the Japanese account posted the PSA, this applies to consoles sold worldwide. If you live in a hotter climate and want to play your Switch outside, ensure the temperature's below 95 degrees Fahrenheit; otherwise, your console may malfunction. And while Nintendo didn't specify whether it would be the type of malfunction that could cause long-term damage, I think most would rather not risk it.
If you're playing in an air-conditionedHowever,withoutdoesn'tyou'redoesn't area or in a climate that doesn't exceed those temperatures, then you have nothing to worry about. But if you're in a hot environment that doesn't have access to an air conditioner or you want to play outside, it's something to be slightly concerned about.
Now, before anyone claims the Switch 2 is a poorly designed console with poor heat dispersion, it's far from the only device with temperature usage restrictions. For example, the iPhone 16 has a reTom'sded max ambient temperture of 95 degrees — the same as the Switch 2.
The far more powerful Steam Deck has the 95 degree temperture limit.
The point is: it's something to keep in mind when using your Nintendo Switch 2, but the temperture limit isn't neccessarilly something wrong with the Nintendo consoles — it's a common limition for handheld devices.
Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
More from Tom's Guide
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
