How to Make Sure You're Buying the New Nintendo Switch

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Red = better battery

(Image credit: Future / Tom's Guide)

Nintendo's upgraded Nintendo Switch with improved battery life just launched in stores. It retails for $299, and you can pick it up at major marketplaces such as Best Buy and Amazon. 

Nintendo doesn't make it easy to tell which is which, so here's a simple way you can tell the new and old systems apart.

How to Make Sure You're Buying the New Nintendo Switch

Instead of sporting a white background on its box art, the New Nintendo Switch has a red background like this:

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Alternatively, you can look for the model number HAD: HADSKABAA (blue and red Joy-Cons) or HADSKAAAA (grey Joy-Cons). The older models start with HAC.

Some sites may list the New Nintendo Switch as HAC-001(-01), whereas the old model was HAC-001.

New Nintendo Switch for $299
$299 at Amazon

New Nintendo Switch for $299
This New Nintendo Switch model delivers 4.5 to 9 hours of battery life, which is a decent way from 2.5 to 6.5 hours that the original Nintendo Switch offers.

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The new model is practically identical to the original Nintendo Switch, but sports improved battery life. According to Nintendo's website, the new revision will get you 4.5 to 9 hours of juice on the go, compared to the 2.5 to 6.5 hours the original version is rated for.

We actually tested the company's claim. Our older Nintendo Switch survived 2 hours and 45 minutes on our Smash test, whereas the newer model lasted 4 hours and 50 minutes. That's a significant boost.

Looking forward, the Nintendo Switch Lite will drop on Sept. 20 for $199. So, if you haven't gotten a Switch just yet, you can hold off and get a much cuter, and cheaper version.

Otherwise, you can buy your Nintendo Switch now and get nearly double the play time on the go than the original.

Rami Tabari
Rami Tabari
As soon as Rami Tabari sprung out of the College of Staten Island, he hit the ground running as a Staff Writer for Laptop Mag. You can find him sitting at his desk surrounded by a hoarder's dream of laptops, and when he navigates his way back to civilization, you can catch him watching really bad anime. He’s also the best at every game and he just doesn’t lose. That’s why you’ll occasionally catch his byline on TomsGuide.com, taking on the latest Souls-like challenge.