We’ve now had 12 hours to fully process the monumental Nintendo Switch 2 launch. After a full hour of unadulterated news and announcements, it’s impossible not to react with a “WOW”. Now, if you’re still cautiously riding the Nintendo hype train, you might be looking for reasons to temper your expectations or convince yourself not to buy on launch. Well, here are five.
The prices are just too high.
Nintendo conveniently left out the prices of the console and its games during the hour-long Nintendo Direct. That’s because Nintendo knew that these prices would deflate (or just outright burst) all the hype it fostered for the full hour. The Switch 2 is not a cheap console.
To be fair, the console itself is comparatively cheaper than other consoles. It will cost US$ 449.99, which sounds fairly believable. However, the prices of games on the platform are much less palatable.
For example, it’s now confirmed that Mario Kart World, one of the first launch titles for the Switch 2, will cost you US$ 79.99 for the digital edition. The physical edition will cost US$ 89.99.
This is the first time that the base version of a game will cost that much. Even if the console itself has a manageable price, buying games for it will set you back by miles. If it’s any consolation, these exorbitant prices will likely apply only to first-party Nintendo games and exclusives… for now. Still, it doesn’t bode well that Nintendo has started the trend of $80 games.
There isn’t much innovation.
For a brand-new console, you should assume the best possible hardware. The Switch 2 does seem promising, especially since it can apparently support modern games like Elden Ring and Cyberpunk 2077. That said, there are still a few doubtful specs inside.
For one, the new console does not come with an OLED screen. Instead, we’re back to LCD. It might not be that big of an issue, though. The display can still support 1080p resolution and 120fps. Plus, the dock supports 4K resolution and HDR.
But that’s not the only thing. The Switch 2 comes with only 256GB of internal storage. Since we don’t know how big the games will be, we can’t tell if this is a good thing yet. It’s still unfortunate that other consoles already come with 1TB internally, but the Switch 2 is still stuck with only 256GB.
We also don’t know just how powerful the new hardware is. Sure, it can play Elden Ring, but is the game on decent graphics settings or on very low? Modern handheld consoles today still struggle with big games like Cyberpunk 2077. If a chunky console like the Legion Go has difficulty playing these games, how can a thinner Switch 2 compete?
Based solely on the hardware presented to us during the Direct, it’s difficult to claim that the Switch 2 is a day-one buy.
Region locking might be a thing now.
Today, the best way to get a new Switch is to get a cheap one during a trip to Japan. New units are naturally cheaper in the country. For example, I got my OLED Switch Mario Red Edition for a little less than US$ 300.
If you were thinking of doing the same thing for the Switch 2, Nintendo has introduced a few caveats. On the Japanese landing page of the new console, the company confirms that there will be a Japanese model to contrast the multilingual/international one. The Japanese version will work only with a Nintendo account set to Japan. If you don’t have an account, you won’t be able to use GameChat, Virtual Game Cards, Nintendo Switch Online, or the eShop. Nintendo also does not guarantee that these domestic models will work in other countries.
It’s possible that we don’t have the full picture yet. We wouldn’t even count out a mistranslation somewhere. Either way, Nintendo has not confirmed whether Japan is still selling international versions, amid the domestic ones. It also has not announced potential price differences if the country does sell both versions.
Regardless, this is now something you have to take note of, especially if Japan will sell only domestic units.
There’s still so much to play on the original Switch.
Like any gamer today, I’m terrible at maintaining my backlog of games. I still have a mountain of titles I haven’t finished or started. This also goes for my Switch. I’ve barely started on Tears of the Kingdom. I haven’t opened the latest Pokémon games. And I haven’t finished Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door.
Even if I dedicate the next two months before the Switch 2’s launch to finishing my backlog of old Switch games, I still think I have enough content to fill me for the year.
The Switch 2 has only a few exclusive titles announced at the moment. Plus, a good chunk of upcoming games will still come to the original Switch. The old version is still a capable console. With so many years of titles, the original Switch can keep chugging along well after the launch of the Switch 2.
It’s also unlikely that most Switch users are upgrading immediately to the new one. If you’re into the Switch for the social aspect, you won’t be missing out on much by skipping the Switch 2’s launch day.
TEKKEN 8 running on the ROG Ally X
Other handheld consoles are still good.
Right after the Nintendo Direct yesterday, we said that PC-based handheld consoles are now facing a crisis. In retrospect, handheld consoles will probably be fine. This is because today’s handheld gamers have something over Switch 2 gamers: They already own a handheld console.
The Switch 2 is a worthy console for prospective handheld gamers… if they don’t already own another console. If they already have a handheld console of their own, it’s hard to justify ditching that for a Switch 2.
Despite the number of titles announced for the Switch 2, PC-based competitors still have access to Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG. The games on these platforms are only just trickling to the Switch 2. As such, they still have the wider library. Because some run on Windows, they also feature more customizability to fit your needs.
But there is one reason to get a Switch 2.
Since the Direct, I’ve slowly convinced myself to only cautiously bite into the launch day hype. All it took was five reasons. I am, however, still a bit optimistic because of one reason.
It’s a Nintendo console. While you can certainly argue that Nintendo doesn’t have a perfect track record, even the less successful consoles, like the Wii U, had their bright spots. The original Switch is still one of the bestselling consoles of all time. A Nintendo console is also the only (legal) way to play the company’s games.
Even if I don’t fall for the launch day hype, I can still see myself buying a Switch 2 somewhere down the line.
SEE ALSO: All the announced Switch 2 games will make you buy the console
Features
Why the OPPO Reno15 5G series is a creator’s essential
4K Ultra-Steady, 50MP groufies, and AI edits in one device.
There are two kinds of travel essentials: the ones you pack because you have to, and the ones you pack because they make the story better.
Often, we feel forced to choose between traveling light and bringing the bulky gear necessary to document the trip properly.
On your next trip, the OPPO Reno15 5G Series eliminates that compromise. With a thoughtful mix of hardware and software, it becomes your pocket-sized production crew, ready to capture life as it unfolds.
The crew in your pocket
The first rule of travel is to keep things light, but for a creator, “light” cannot mean lower quality.
Whether you are navigating crowded night markets or chasing the golden hour on a steep, adventurous rooftop, the 4K Ultra Steady feature ensures your footage looks composed even when the environment is chaotic.
View this post on Instagram
This stabilization changes the energy of a travel vlog, turning handheld montages into polished, cinematic clips that are ready for a Reel the moment you hit save.
View this post on Instagram
Capturing everything and everyone
Travel stories are built on shared memories, but too often, the person behind the lens is left out.
Group shots often become a messy scramble to squeeze everyone into a tight frame. The 50MP Selfie Camera changes that outcome with its 0.6x ultra-wide-angle mode
It captures the entire group with sharp detail across the frame, ensuring no one is relegated to the blurry edges.
Even if you need to crop the image later for a specific social media layout, faces remain clear and the background stays defined.
The result is a “groufie” that feels complete and professional
Scroll-stopping memories
We often summarize our trips through collages: layered photos that tell a single story.
The AI Motion Photo Popout tool brings a new dimension to these memories. With a few taps in the Gallery, the subject separates from the background to create a sophisticated, layered effect.
These edits serve as the perfect foundation for Instagram Story covers, Reel thumbnails, or high-quality personal wallpapers.
It’s a subtle digital adjustment that makes a visible difference in how your audience experiences your journey.
Reliability for the modern creator.
A smartphone is no longer just a gadget; it is a creative partner. The OPPO Reno15 Series 5G features a sleek design that looks at home beside a passport or a boarding pass.
It’s light enough for long days of exploration but polished enough for high-end city trips. The reliable battery life supports early flights, full-day itineraries, and even late-night uploads.
You’ll spend less time searching for an outlet and more time capturing the moments that matter.
Which OPPO Reno15 Series 5G is your GadgetMatch?
The series offers variants designed to fit your specific creative style.
Pick the OPPO Reno15 5G if you want a balanced everyday companion, and if you want flexibility and reliability without overcomplicating the process.
There’s the OPPO Reno15 Pro; the choice for creators where photography and videography are the main event, offering enhanced tools in a compact form.
But if you’re a value-conscious traveler who wants a practical entry point that provides core camera and AI features, then the OPPO Reno15 F 5G is your GadgetMatch.
Whichever you choose, the series proves that a travel accessory can do more than complement an outfit. It preserves your stories because it doubles as a content creator’s must-have tool.
The OPPO Reno15 Series 5G is now available in OPPO stores nationwide and the OPPO Online Store.
SEE MORE: The art of being in and behind the frame | OPPO Reno15 Pro: Camera Review
@gadgetmatch A phone that does more… so you can focus more on the moments that matter. The Galaxy S26 Ultra lets Galaxy AI handle the small stuff so you can stay present for the moments that matter. Also great for the occasional KPop concert video. Pre-order until March 17 and get double storage worth up to PhP 14,000. https://www.samsung.com/ph/smartphones/galaxy-s26-ultra/buy/ #GalaxyS26Ultra #EverydaywithGalaxyAI @samsungph ♬ original sound – GadgetMatch
Here’s the dream: a phone that helps you stay on top of things, so you can focus more on what matters.
That’s basically the idea behind Galaxy AI on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.
Instead of adding more things to do, the phone helps take care of the small stuff for you. Things like reminding you what’s next, or surfacing the information you need right when you need it.
So you spend less time digging through apps and more time actually doing the things you planned to do.
Editing photos is easier too. With Photo Assist, you can just describe the change you want… and Galaxy AI fills in the rest.
And if you’re cleaning up a video, Audio Eraser can reduce background noise — even from clips on third-party apps like Instagram or YouTube.
The point isn’t to make your phone the center of attention. It’s to make it helpful enough that you can forget about it for a while. Until something worth capturing happens.
And when things get a little chaotic — like concerts, street performances, or just life moving fast — Super Steady Video helps keep your shots level.
That’s definitely coming with me to the next K-pop concert.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra. Smarter phone. Slightly less stressed me.
Pre-orders are open now — with double storage for early buyers, plus additional discounts and installment offers from participating banks.
Which is great… because apparently I shoot way too many videos.
For more than a decade, the smartphone industry has been defined by a familiar race. More megapixels. Faster processors. Bigger batteries. Thinner designs. Being first. Being the most. And being the fastest.
The industry rewarded brands that appeared to be chasing specs. Bigger numbers meant progress. At least on paper.
But if you ask Samsung, the days of chasing specs may no longer define the future of Galaxy smartphones.
During a regional roundtable following the launch of the latest Galaxy devices, I asked TM Roh how the company decides when it’s time for a major hardware upgrade if it isn’t simply chasing specs.
His answer revealed how Samsung now approaches the future of its flagship smartphones.
According to Roh, hardware upgrades are increasingly tied to how well they support Galaxy AI.
“To make Galaxy AI run smoothly, it must be backed by strong hardware,” Roh said during the session, speaking through a translator. He added that Samsung develops its hardware, software, and AI capabilities together — and that major upgrades tend to arrive only when the company reaches what he described as the “desired level of excellence.”
(Quotes are approximate translations.)
“To make Galaxy AI run smoothly, it must be backed by strong hardware.”
(Approximate translation from TM Roh during the roundtable)
In short, Samsung says it’s no longer chasing specs for the sake of winning spec-sheet battles. Not anymore.
Samsung CEO TM Roh answering questions at a media roundtable in San Francisco
When hardware stops chasing numbers
Hardware innovation still matters. But Samsung increasingly frames those improvements as tools that enable smarter software experiences.
During the roundtable, Roh pointed to Samsung’s custom application processors, which now include stronger neural processing capabilities designed to handle AI workloads more efficiently. Dedicated hardware is also being introduced to strengthen privacy and security — including technologies embedded directly into the display. (See: Privacy Display)
Even cameras, historically one of the biggest battlegrounds for smartphone innovation, are evolving in the same direction.
Roh noted that while sensors and lenses remain important, modern smartphone photography now relies heavily on AI-powered image processing working alongside the hardware. This could also explain why, as of writing, Samsung has resisted the extra telephoto lens accessories that is prevalent with other brands.
The shift is subtle but important. Instead of emphasizing bigger numbers on spec sheets, Samsung positions hardware upgrades as part of a broader system designed to support intelligent software.
Why Samsung gets dunked on online
That philosophy, however, exists in tension with how smartphones are often discussed online.
In a landscape driven by benchmark charts and viral comparisons, incremental refinement rarely generates the same excitement as dramatic hardware leaps. Over the past few years, the Galaxy S series has occasionally become an easy target for criticism — especially as rival Android manufacturers compete to deliver the biggest numbers, the fastest charging speeds, or the thinnest designs.
The temptation in tech media, particularly on platforms like YouTube, is often to dunk on Samsung rather than examine the nuance behind its approach. Spectacular upgrades and dramatic spec sheets make better thumbnails.
Yet listening to Samsung executives across multiple briefings reveals something interesting: the messaging is remarkably consistent. Whether discussing cameras, processors, or ecosystem features, the company repeatedly returns to the same principle. Hardware innovation matters most when it unlocks a better overall experience.
A company that knows its role
That consistency suggests Samsung knows exactly who it is in the smartphone industry.
As the largest Android smartphone manufacturer globally, Samsung occupies a position where competitors often measure themselves against it. Many brands differentiate by pushing aggressive specifications or experimenting with bold hardware changes.
In many ways, everyone else is punching up.
Scale changes priorities. When you’re building devices for hundreds of millions of users, the focus shifts toward reliability, ecosystem integration, and increasingly, AI-powered experiences that work consistently across products.
Why Southeast Asia matters in Samsung’s AI strategy
During the roundtable, Roh also emphasized the importance of Southeast Asia and Oceania to Samsung’s AI strategy.
According to the company’s internal research, the region ranks among the most receptive markets for AI-powered mobile features. Younger demographics and heavy social media usage are driving adoption.
In markets where smartphones are central to communication, content creation, and digital services, AI-powered tools — from translation features to image editing — have found strong traction.
That context helps explain why Samsung continues to position AI as the defining layer of its next-generation devices.
Is the smartphone spec race ending?
For years, smartphone makers built their identities around chasing specs.
Bigger numbers meant better phones. Faster chips meant progress.
Samsung, it seems, is chasing something else.
Whether that bet ultimately reshapes the smartphone experience remains to be seen. But if Roh’s comments are any indication, the next major leap in Galaxy hardware won’t happen simply because the numbers can go higher.
It will happen when Samsung believes the experience — not the spec sheet — is ready to move forward.
Jackery SolarSaga series: Free power for small devices
UGREEN adds new Nexode Pro power bank, charger to lineup
nubia to launch new Neo 5 series gaming phones on March 28
SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance’s SEGA Villains Stage out on April 3
AMD poised to lead agentic AI era with high-performance CPUs
-
Reviews5 days agoPOCO X8 Pro Max review: A new beast from the far east
-
News5 days agoPOCO X8 Pro Series: Price, availability in the Philippines
-
Laptops1 week agoApple MacBook Neo Review
-
Computers2 weeks agoGIGABYTE collaborates with Capcom for RE Requiem custom PC
-
Apps1 week agoGoogle Maps is finally getting a 3D mode
-
Entertainment1 week agoThe internet is thirsting over the One Piece Season 2 cast
-
Features1 week agoGalaxy AI on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
-
Automotive2 weeks agoBYD is reportedly considering an F1 team