case

The Nintendo Switch 2 is currently the featherweight champion of gaming handhelds—though largely because nobody can enter its weight class. No other device of its size—whether it’s a handheld PC or another retro device—can slip so easily into a backpack without weighing you down, like you’re lugging a sack of bricks around through every train station and airport terminal.

That slim design comes with its own heap of drawbacks. The Switch 2 is a thin device with narrow edges that tends to dig into your palms. I’ve tried a smorgasbord of various cases with the Switch 2, but only Dbrand’s Killswitch case has reinvented the console’s ergonomics and kept it usable. The case tacks on extra bulk to Nintendo’s design, making it extra comfortable and extra heavy. Until better alternatives come along, the Killswitch is how I plan to game with my Switch 2 going forward, even if my arms and back will complain later.

Dbrand Killswitch Case for Switch 2

The Killswitch case is the best we’ve used to change the Switch 2 ergonomics, but at the expense of easy docking to a TV.

Pros

• Makes the Switch 2 more comfortable to hold
• Travel cover feels secure
• Magnetic game card holder is a great touch

Cons

• Dock attachment makes playing on TV harder
• Switch 2 becomes heavier with the slip-on Joy-Con covers

Dbrand’s Killswitch was one of the more popular covers for devices like Steam Deck. Valve’s handheld is a more ergonomic device than Nintendo’s, and the Killswitch merely extends the grips for larger hands while protecting the device’s back and side plates. The version made for Switch 2 upends the look, weight, and feel of Nintendo’s new handheld. Once you wrap the case around the Switch 2’s screen and each individual Joy-Con 2, the handheld suddenly feels like something you’ll actually want to hold. The case lets your ring fingers sit on a shelf while your pointer digits handle the trigger and bumper buttons. The texture for each rubberized Joy-Con 2 cover keeps your hands from slipping off. With the Joy-Con 2 controllers detached, I didn’t need to wrap my finger lengthwise around the SR button or mouse sensor like I typically do without the case.

The only downside is that the Joy-Con 2 covers don’t sit completely flush with the controllers. Since the controllers are more side-heavy, you’ll want the covers to make easy use of mouse controls. The Joy-Con 2’s slim design doesn’t allow for a comfortable, ergonomic feel in mouse mode. With the grips on the Killswitch, my fingers found a much more amenable position whether I was swiping on my couch’s armrest or the end table in front of me.

The extra Traveler add-on Dbrand Killswitch case for Switch 2 includes a case that attaches via a bungee cord. © Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo

By itself, the $60 Killswitch case makes the Switch 2 much bulkier than it is normally. It’s so big, it won’t fit into the official dock. The kit comes with an extra dock adapter you slip over the dock’s USB-C port. To hook the Switch 2 up to a TV, you need to hover the handheld’s exposed USB port over the male USB-C end and eyeball your unit until you can line it up correctly. It’s an awkward way to fix a problem created by the case itself. You can keep the main plate off the Switch 2 if you intend to dock as you would normally. If you do, make sure you don’t adhere the kickstand protector to the handheld. Even that small piece of plastic makes the Switch 2 too thick to fit into the dock.

That also means if you plan to be traveling with the dock to a friend’s house, you need to take the dock adapter, too. If you are going to be running around with the Switch 2, you’ll also want to opt for the $80 Travel version of the case that comes with a large plastic cover and magnetically attached game card holder. The cover uses a bungee cord to wrap around the Killswitch case to hold everything in place, though you’ll need to unlatch it to access the Switch 2’s bottom USB-C port. The game card bandolier held onto my cards no matter how much it tumbled around in my backpack, though the magnets may be almost too strong, as it takes finger-straining force to remove it from the cover.

The Dbrand Killswitch case includes an adhesive cover to the kickstand. © Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo You can remove the game card holder from the cover, though it takes a little more effort than you may think. © Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo

All together, the Killswitch case makes the Switch 2 feel more comfortable to hold for longer. It also makes the device feel heavier, more than if you had merely stuck your device into a slim, felt-lined case. I haven’t had the opportunity to check out Nintendo’s official $40 Carry Case & Screen Protector or the company’s $85 All-In-One case. As of writing this page, in order to get one, you have to register your interest with Nintendo, then hope you get called up to be the first to go hands-on. Thankfully, you have so many options if you would prefer something lighter. I’ve received $20 cases from both Snakebyte and Power-A for testing. If you can find them in stock, either one will serve you well with sturdy covers. Each has enough space for 10 game cards apiece.

If it weren’t for the need for a dock adapter, the Killswitch would be an easy case to recommend. The dock has caused havoc with other accessory makers’ case designs. Genki also sent me its $50 Attack Vector case and grips, which could have made Nintendo’s new console more ergonomic without needing a case. In that time, both I and other early users quickly identified an issue where the Attack Vector fits too snug inside the dock. This could potentially damage the screen if you force it down too hard into the slot. In an email, Genki related this to “production-related issues” and said it was working on a new version to address those problems. We’ll have to revisit Genki’s alternative another time.

The Dbrand Killswitch case alongside other slim cases from Snakebyte and Power-A. © Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo

If you’re truly keen to protect your device, you’ll also need a screen cover. Nintendo’s Switch 2 comes stock with a thin plastic film over the glass screen. While this is designed to prevent your Switch 2’s display from shattering into a thousand tiny pieces, it also leaves the device more scratch-prone than other, similar devices. It was the same problem with the display on the Switch OLED, which also used this plastic film. You’re better off finding a screen protector for your Switch 2, and I’ve already tried several so you can get an idea which one is best.

Genki sent along its $20 Aegis Shield protector, while Dbrand provided us with its $35 Prism 2.0 ($20 if you buy it alongside the Killswitch). Both offer very similar plastic plates to help you line up the screen protector with the Switch 2 display. You only need to clean the screen with a microfiber cloth and alcohol wipes, plant the plastic piece over the console, and then pull the slip of plastic film back to reveal the actual screen protector. Both work well enough, but depending on how straight you pull back on the internal protector, you may still be left with air bubbles you need to manually squeegee out.

High-end accessories inevitably make the $450 Switch 2 cost more. Just remember, cheaper cases aren’t necessarily worse. If you want a lightweight console, you’ll want a case that’s more mundane.

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