The Switch 2 reveal on Thursday didn't tell us much, but the one thing Nintendo was quite particular about showing was the suite of I/O options on the console. I'm pleased to see we're getting an extra USB-C port, but nothing could compare with the joy of seeing a real, proper headphone jack highlighted so prominently in a 2025 hardware reveal.
Headphone jacks still prominently feature in many of the best gaming handhelds, including modern devices like the Steam Deck OLED, as well as standard PS5 and Xbox Series controllers. But ever since 2016, when Apple declared its own "courage to move on" from analog audio output in favor of Bluetooth, I've been increasingly nervous that other tech companies would start to crawl in the same direction.
Nintendo does, of course, have a reputation for staying stuck in the past - but in this matter, that's absolutely a good thing. Even for those of you who haven't joined the analog audio train, having more options by default is always a good thing, and every device manufacturer that sticks with the tried-and-true here gives me a little more hope that we won't be stuck with technology just getting worse forever.
Tired: Bluetooth earbuds - Wired: Actual headphones
Wireless technology is fidgety at the best of times, but there are few modern tech experiences as annoying as managing Bluetooth connections. How do you put a device in sync mode? It probably involves holding a button down for a few seconds, but who knows which one or for how long. You want to use your wireless earbuds with your Switch? Sorry, they're now connected to your iPad and you're now hearing the YouTube video you fell asleep to last night.
Wired headphones just work - every time, all the time. I'm sure someone with a better ear than me could tell you that analog audio has better sound quality, but I'm not enough of an audiophile to back that up. All I know is that I like it when I can just plug a cable into something and immediately have it work exactly the way I expect it to, and I'll be able to do that with the Switch 2.
The biggest reason I find myself regressing away from wireless earbuds more and more is that I've had enough of dealing with constantly charging them. I already have too many lithium ion batteries in my life, and I want to have as few of these environmental nightmares on my conscience as I can manage - never mind the fact that they'll all eventually wear out and need replacement.
Meanwhile, I've got a set of nice open-ear Philips headphones that I fully expect to continue using for literally the rest of my life. Where Apple once struck fear into me that the tried, tested, and honestly perfected technology of 3.5mm audio jacks might get pushed away by the unending march of increasingly disposable consumer technology, Nintendo's at least giving me a bit of hope that we can take a few good parts of the past with us as that march continues.
Here's what you need to know about Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders.
Veteran analyst expects Switch 2 to be "a massive success," but doesn't see it matching the "outlier" that was the Switch 1: "It could happen, but it's not likely"
Nintendo Switch 2 backwards compatability was "almost unavoidable" because players have a total catalogue of 1billion+ games they still want to play
