Why I’m already picking up a portable monitor for my Nintendo Switch 2

The Nintendo Switch 2 launches in under a month, and although I’ve pre-ordered the console, two GameCube controllers, and Street Fighter 6, there’s another purchase I have my eye on to complete my setup: a portable monitor.

I’d be lying if I said I was a recent handheld console convert. In truth, I’ve always been one, ever since my grandparents gifted me a Nintendo Game Boy in 1995. Being given this grey slab of plastic that could play classics like Wario Land, Kirby’s Dream Land, and more opened my eyes to what was available beyond my Sega Mega Drive. I could play these games at any time, barring battery life and sunlight availability, but they were, and that was an amazing thought to me.

However, I was also aware of the Super Game Boy at the time, an accessory that let you play the best Game Boy games on your television via the SNES. This predated the Nintendo Switch by two decades, essentially. Because cartridges stored game saves, rather than the device, you could play partway through Wario Land on your Game Boy, arrive home, take the cart and put it into the Super Game Boy, and resume your progress on the bigger screen. Essentially, Nintendo has always been heading towards the Switch’s design philosophy; it was just waiting for the right moment.

It was because of the Super Game Boy that I was always intrigued by the idea of playing games on a screen of my choosing. With the original Nintendo Switch, which I also bought on launch day, back in 2017, the ability to have the console experience anywhere was a full-circle moment for me. Yet it’s the thought of a portable monitor that’s going to ascend this with my Nintendo Switch 2.

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When you look at the specs of the Switch 2, they’re impressive, even compared to some of the more expensive picks from our guide to the best handheld consoles. Nintendo has always been and likely always will be a company that looks at how technology can enrich a game in various ways, not just in terms of performance and looks. There’s a display capable of a 1080 HD resolution running at 120 FPS, with the Switch 2 ramping this up when in docked mode at a 4K resolution. But I want more, especially when I’m on the road with my campervan.

I want a portable monitor that can go the distance for me, to show off Switch 2 games in the best way, wherever I am. With this in mind, I’ve been looking at various monitors since pre-ordering the console, and I’ve got it down to two. There’s the HONGO Portable Monitor for £169.99, which features a 4K display but is stuck at 60 FPS and sadly isn’t currently available in the US at the time of writing. Or, I can go for the UPERFECT Portable Monitor at $89.99 / £119.99, which has a 1080p HD display but can go up to 120 FPS, perfect for supported games like Metroid Prime 4: Beyond.

Essentially, this puts me at a crossroads, and if you’re looking at doing the same thing, you likely have the same problem. There is yet to be a portable monitor that features a 4K display that can also show off games at 120 frames per second. Although I have an M1 Pro MacBook Pro and an iPhone 15 Pro Max that both feature a 120Hz display, I don’t notice the difference when I’ve played games like Spider-Man 2 on a Sony PlayStation 5. However, I have noticed it when watching videos on my Apple devices and even browsing the web, for reasons that my eyes have yet to explain to me.

Nevertheless, it’s the offer of 4K visuals that shines brightest for me out of the two display upgrades for Nintendo’s new console. I suspect that’s also why there have been comments about the GameCube games, exclusive to Switch 2 owners via the Switch Online service, looking like they’re at a higher resolution. I’m hoping this means that Nintendo could also update older games, including some of its Nintendo 64 titles, to support crisper displays.

There’s also the factor of some of the best Switch games from the past getting updated Switch 2 Editions, such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, at a 4K resolution. I’m already planning on replaying both games, so choosing a 4K portable monitor makes perfect sense to me instead of choosing one for higher frame rates.

As a side note, there’s also the added benefit of having the portable monitor connect to my MacBook Pro as well for work, especially when in the campervan. Essentially, this decision to go for a 4K portable monitor simply makes sense to me in a lot of ways. I’m going to be able to play supported Switch 2 games at a higher resolution than what I’m playing now, as well as other games yet to be updated for the new console.

In addition, I’m ultimately fulfilling that moment in 1996 when I came across a Super Game Boy connected to a Super Nintendo. I won’t be docking my Switch 2 in one place for the 4K experience. I’ll be docking it anywhere I like in 4K. To me, that’s incredibly enticing, and if you’re looking at doing the same, I can’t recommend looking into a portable monitor enough.

For more fantastic tech, be sure to check out our guides to the best gaming phones and the best gaming tablets while you’re here. Or, if you want to get even more excited for the big Nintendo Switch 2 release date, check out our Nintendo Switch 2 hands-on preview for our thoughts on the console.