New Nintendo Switch battery life tested: Zelda and Fire Emblem ‘last 5 hours’

Nintendo’s new Nintendo Switch model with longer battery life has been tested by early adopters in Hong Kong.

The new Switch model will release in “mid-August” in North America and Japan (and early September in the UK) but Hong Kong and Australian stores have already started selling the console.

Initial tests by a Hong Kong YouTube account show the new Nintendo Switch lasting for five hours and 36 minutes whilst playing Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in portable mode.

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Another test has Fire Emblem: Three Houses running for 2 hours in portable mode, with 60% battery life remaining, which suggests another runtime of more than 5 hours.

Nintendo’s official estimate for the new Nintendo Switch’s battery life is between 4.5 and 9 hours, compared to the original model’s 2.5 to 6.5 hours and 3 to 7 hours offered by the upcoming Switch Lite.

Totals vary depending on the game being played and the usage conditions.

A filing lodged with the US Federal Communications Commission in July showed Nintendo was seeking regulatory permission to upgrade the existing Switch model, which launched in March 2017, with a new processor and flash storage chips.

Meanwhile, Switch Lite was announced in July. A smaller, lighter system that can’t be connected to a TV, it will launch on September 20 for $200 and will be available in three colours: yellow, grey and turquoise.

A limited edition Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield Switch Lite console will also be released in November.

Nintendo has also announced plans to launch new Joy-Con colours, in the form of a blue/neon yellow set and a neon purple/neon orange pair, on October 4. UK pricing hasn’t been confirmed, but they’ll cost $79.99 in the US.