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Up close with the Nintendo Switch

Every angle. Every port. Here's how Nintendo's hybrid game console fits together.

James Martin
James Martin is the Managing Editor of Photography at CNET. His photos capture technology's impact on society - from the widening wealth gap in San Francisco, to the European refugee crisis and Rwanda's efforts to improve health care. From the technology pioneers of Google and Facebook, photographing Apple's Steve Jobs and Tim Cook, Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and Google's Sundar Pichai, to the most groundbreaking launches at Apple and NASA, his is a dream job for any documentary photography and journalist with a love for technology. Exhibited widely, syndicated and reprinted thousands of times over the years, James follows the people and places behind the technology changing our world, bringing their stories and ideas to life.
Sean Hollister Senior Editor / Reviews
When his parents denied him a Super NES, he got mad. When they traded a prize Sega Genesis for a 2400 baud modem, he got even. Years of Internet shareware, eBay'd possessions and video game testing jobs after that, he joined Engadget. He helped found The Verge, and later served as Gizmodo's reviews editor. When he's not madly testing laptops, apps, virtual reality experiences, and whatever new gadget will supposedly change the world, he likes to kick back with some games, a good Nerf blaster, and a bottle of Tejava.
James Martin
Sean Hollister
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Nintendo Switch

The Nintendo Switch: A game console that transforms into a portable handheld game machine.

Here's our first look at the final hardware, days ahead of its March 3 release -- and some surprising size comparisons with previous Nintendo systems.

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Nintendo Switch

With a bright, colorful 6.2-inch touchscreen at 720p resolution, the Switch looks like what the Wii U Gamepad should have been.

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Nintendo Switch

All the same buttons in all the same places... plus a few extras. (The little plus sign is a start button.)

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Nintendo Switch

Just because it's portable doesn't mean it has a flush, fiddly sliding joystick like the Nintendo 3DS. There's some depth, and the sticks have their own clicky buttons inside when you press down.

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Nintendo Switch

But here's the big surprise: The side controllers can snap right on and off. (It's a satisfying snap, too.)

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Nintendo Switch

That's because the two Joy-Cons, as they're known, are wireless motion controllers with their own internal batteries, advanced haptic feedback and more.

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Nintendo Switch

You can prop up the touchscreen tablet by itself, and play without the Joy-Cons connected.

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Nintendo Switch

There's a handy (if limited and lopsided) kickstand to keep the tablet upright, and rigid metal attach points on either side to keep the Joy-Cons relatively rigid once they're snapped into place.

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Nintendo Switch

Here's the button you press to unlock the Joy-Cons and slide them out. There's one such button on each side.

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Nintendo Switch

A closer look at the metal groove.

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Nintendo Switch

A closer look at the Joy-Cons. They have dedicated home and social sharing buttons, too.

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Nintendo Switch

Each has a bumper and a trigger. They're shallow and clicky, without a lot of pull.

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Nintendo Switch

There are buttons on the inside of each Joy-Con, too, so you can use just one and give the other to a friend.

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Nintendo Switch

Or, you can snap both of them into a Joy-Con Grip for a larger, more traditional-feeling controller.

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Nintendo Switch

While the buttons are different, the grips feel a bit like a GameCube pad.

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Nintendo Switch

One of the Joy-Cons has an IR camera for detecting motion, and another has NFC for connecting Nintendo's Amiibo toys.

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Nintendo Switch

An SD card slot is hidden beneath the kickstand.

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Nintendo Switch

Here's the power button and volume rocker, on the top edge of the system.

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Nintendo Switch

You'll also find the headphone jack and cartridge slot there.

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Nintendo Switch

Here, we've popped out the spring-loaded cartridge bay.

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Nintendo Switch

My, how Nintendo's removable media has shrunk over the years!

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Nintendo Switch

The game boxes are smaller and sleeker, too.

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Nintendo Switch

Here's the main vent, next to the headphone jack on the top edge.

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Nintendo Switch

If you angle it right, you can see a copper heatpipe inside that likely keeps the Nvidia Tegra chip cool.

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Nintendo Switch

The dock has a folding door at the back. You can see it routing cables in the next slide.

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Nintendo Switch

And inside you'll find an extra USB port.

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Nintendo Switch

There are two more USB ports on the left edge. You can connect a USB ethernet adapter, a gadget to charge or presumably some external storage.

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Nintendo Switch

If you want to charge the Switch and attached Joy-Cons without the dock, you can plug the standard (!) USB-C cable directly into the Switch instead.

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Nintendo Switch

Here's what the connector inside the dock looks like.

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Nintendo Switch

Together with the dock, the Switch is still far smaller than the already-small Nintendo Wii.

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Nintendo Switch

Here it is, properly blocked off for a size comparison with the Wii and GameCube.

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Nintendo Switch

All of these Nintendo game systems are barely bigger than the original Game Boy.

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Nintendo Switch

Bet you didn't think you'd see this comparison, huh?

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Nintendo Switch

But it's the thickness where Switch has OG Game Boy totally trounced.

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Nintendo Switch

Speaking of which: if you thought the Switch was the size of the Wii U Gamepad, think again.

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Nintendo Switch

So much thinner.

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Nintendo Switch

It's practically tablet-thin.

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Nintendo Switch

Sure, you lose a little height on the sticks and buttons compared to the Wii U Gamepad.

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Nintendo Switch

Nintendo's motion controllers have evolved. No more nunchaku-like tether needed.

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Nintendo Switch

Press two Joy-Cons together, and they're roughly the size of an NES Classic pad.

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Nintendo Switch

The history of Nintendo controllers (at least, the main ones without screens attached).

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Nintendo Switch

Here's the Switch next to Nintendo's 3DS XL. Not so big, eh?

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Nintendo Switch

Four generations of portable Nintendo consoles.

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Nintendo Switch

The Switch makes the Nvidia Shield portable look chunky and awkward by comparison. Both house Nvidia Tegra chips.

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Nintendo Switch

Only Nintendo's own shrink ray can make the Switch look gigantic by comparison. The Switch dwarfs the $60 NES Classic Edition.

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Nintendo Switch

One last picture of the Nintendo Switch.

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