The Switch 2 has a mode that caps battery charge at 90 percent

Nintendo will include an optional battery preservation mode with the Switch 2, which the company revealed via its Nintendo Today! news app. This will cap the console’s charge as it approaches 90 percent and then maintain it at that amount.

Why do this? It’s to keep the battery in tip-top shape. Rechargeable lithium batteries can degrade if kept in a fully-charged state. So the feature will let users sacrifice 10 percent of playtime for ongoing battery maintenance. That seems like a fair tradeoff to me.

Nintendo didn’t invent this concept. Many smartphones have been offering something like this for years. Valve has also been testing a similar feature for the Steam Deck.

When you unbox that shiny, new Switch 2, just head into system settings and look for a toggle that reads “Stop Charging Around 90%.” Tap it and you’ll be all set. Of course, you have to secure a Switch 2 pre-order to do this, and that’s easier said than done. The console will be released on June 5.

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