2025
The Nintendo Switch 2 is currently the featherweight champion of gaming handhelds—though largely because nobody can enter its weight class. No other device of its size—whether it’s a handheld PC or another retro device—can slip so easily into a backpack without weighing you down, like you’re lugging a sack of bricks around through every train station and airport terminal.
That slim design comes with its own heap of drawbacks. The Switch 2 is a thin device with narrow edges that tends to dig into your palms. I’ve tried a smorgasbord of various cases with the Switch 2, but only Dbrand’s Killswitch case has reinvented the console’s ergonomics and kept it usable. The case tacks on extra bulk to Nintendo’s design, making it extra comfortable and extra heavy. Until better alternatives come along, the Killswitch is how I plan to game with my Switch 2 going forward, even if my arms and back will complain later.
Dbrand Killswitch Case for Switch 2 The Killswitch case is the best we've used to change the Switch 2 ergonomics, but at the expense of easy docking to a TV. Pros Makes the Switch 2 more comfortable to hold
Makes the Switch 2 more comfortable to hold Travel cover feels secure
Travel cover feels secure Magnetic game card holder is a great touch Cons Dock attachment makes playing on TV harder
Dock attachment makes playing on TV harder Switch 2 becomes heavier with the slip-on Joy-Con covers
Dbrand’s Killswitch was one of the more popular covers for devices like Steam Deck. Valve’s handheld is a more ergonomic device than Nintendo’s, and the Killswitch merely extends the grips for larger hands while protecting the device’s back and side plates. The version made for Switch 2 upends the look, weight, and feel of Nintendo’s new handheld. Once you wrap the case around the Switch 2’s screen and each individual Joy-Con 2, the handheld suddenly feels like something you’ll actually want to hold. The case lets your middle fingers sit on a shelf while your pointer digits handle the trigger and bumper buttons. The texture for each rubberized Joy-Con 2 cover keeps your hands from slipping off. With the Joy-Con 2 controllers detached, I didn’t need to wrap my finger lengthwise around the SR button or mouse sensor like I typically do without the case.
The only downside is that the Joy-Con 2 covers don’t sit completely flush with the controllers. Since the controllers are more side-heavy, you’ll want the covers to make easy use of mouse controls. The Joy-Con 2’s slim design doesn’t allow for a comfortable, ergonomic feel in mouse mode. With the grips on the Killswitch, my fingers found a much more amenable position whether I was swiping on my couch’s armrest or the end table in front of me.
By itself, the $60 Killswitch case makes the Switch 2 much bulkier than it is normally. It’s so big, it won’t fit into the official dock. The kit comes with an extra dock adapter you slip over the dock’s USB-C port. To hook the Switch 2 up to a TV, you need to hover the handheld’s exposed USB port over the male USB-C end and eyeball your unit until you can line it up correctly. It’s an awkward way to fix a problem created by the case itself. You can keep the main plate off the Switch 2 if you intend to dock as you would normally. If you do, make sure you don’t adhere the kickstand protector to the handheld. Even that small piece of plastic makes the Switch 2 too thick to fit into the dock.
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