Nintendo recently rolled out a major update for the Switch 2, introducing the Handheld Mode Boost feature. This new capability allows users to enjoy original Switch games in handheld mode on the Switch 2 with resolution and performance equivalent to docked mode.
While this is a significant advancement, this performance enhancement comes at the cost of battery life. A Reddit user conducted an investigation, testing Doom (2019 edition) on the Switch 2 with Handheld Mode Boost enabled. They observed a significant reduction in battery life, dropping from 5 hours and 5 minutes to just 3 hours and 43 minutes.
This represents a notable decrease. Nonetheless, this feature is welcome, but it’s advisable to use it judiciously if a charging source isn’t readily available or if you don’t have a power bank.