Nintendo
Nintendo Joy-Con Pair (Black)
Controller · 2017
78
/ 100
From $79
VS
Nintendo Switch 2 wins by 12
Nintendo
Nintendo Switch 2
Custom Tegra T239 · 7.9″ LCD HDR · 120 Hz
90
/ 100
From $449
Specdex verdict
Nintendo Switch 2 takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, Nintendo Joy-Con Pair (Black) lands at 78 and Nintendo Switch 2 at 90. That puts Nintendo Switch 2 ahead by 12 points — a decisive margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick Nintendo Joy-Con Pair (Black) if…
- ✓Hall-effect sticks (select SKUs)
- ✓Hot-swap triggers (elite tier)
- ✓Cross-platform compatibility
Pick Nintendo Switch 2 if…
- ✓First-party Nintendo library still unmatched
- ✓NVIDIA DLSS on TV-out via Ampere GPU
- ✓Magnetic Joy-Con 2 with mouse mode
Nintendo Joy-Con Pair (Black) 78
vs 90 Nintendo Switch 2
Score breakdown
Nintendo Joy-Con Pair (Black)
78 performance 78
games 86
features 76
value 82
library 0
Nintendo Switch 2
90 performance 84
games 0
features 92
value 86
library 100
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | Nintendo Joy-Con Pair (Black) | Nintendo Switch 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Controller | — |
| Color | Black | — |
| Release year | 2017 | — |
| CPU | — | Custom NVIDIA Tegra T239 (8× ARM Cortex-A78C) |
| GPU | — | Custom Ampere, 12 SM / 1,536 CUDA cores, NVIDIA DLSS |
| RAM | — | 12 GB LPDDR5X |
| Storage | — | 256 GB UFS (microSD Express expandable) |
| Display | — | 7.9″ HDR LCD, 120 Hz VRR, 1920×1080 |
| Battery | — | 5,220 mAh (≈2–6.5 h) |
Nintendo Joy-Con Pair (Black)
Pros
- +Hall-effect sticks (select SKUs)
- +Hot-swap triggers (elite tier)
- +Cross-platform compatibility
Cons
- −Battery replacement paid on some
- −Software dependency
- −Stick drift still possible (non-Hall)
Nintendo Switch 2
Pros
- +First-party Nintendo library still unmatched
- +NVIDIA DLSS on TV-out via Ampere GPU
- +Magnetic Joy-Con 2 with mouse mode
Cons
- −LCD not OLED at launch
- −Premium pricing for handheld class
- −Backwards compat mostly digital
FAQ: Nintendo Joy-Con Pair (Black) vs Nintendo Switch 2
Which is better, Nintendo Joy-Con Pair (Black) or Nintendo Switch 2? +
Nintendo Switch 2 scores 90 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 12. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is Nintendo Joy-Con Pair (Black) worth the price? +
At $79, Nintendo Joy-Con Pair (Black) delivers a Specdex score of 78 — strongest in games.
Is Nintendo Switch 2 worth the price? +
At $449, Nintendo Switch 2 delivers a Specdex score of 90 — strongest in library.
Does Nintendo Joy-Con Pair (Black) or Nintendo Switch 2 last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.