Nintendo Switch 2 just stole some of the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X’s thunder
This time, Time magazine has got it right
🏆 Time has recognized both the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X and Nintendo Switch 2 as 2025’s best inventions
📈 Time highlighted the Switch 2’s technical features, and how it sold 3.5M units in its first week
🤔 Time’s technical praise overlooks the magnetic Joy-Con 2 controllers and how Nintendo kept the console’s thin design
🆚 Still, Switch 2 feels like a more worthy winner than the ROG Xbox Ally X
After awarding Microsoft’s upcoming Asus ROG Xbox Ally X the accolade of “best invention of 2025”, Time magazine has now recognized the Nintendo Switch 2 for the same achievement.
I disputed the decision to recognize the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X as one of the best inventions this year, mostly because it’s essentially an Asus ROG Ally X with some controller grips attached and an improved chip. I also said that the Nintendo Switch 2 was more worthy of the accolade, and it looks like someone at Time agreed.
Here’s what Time said about the Nintendo Switch 2:
“The original Nintendo Switch rewrote the rules for portable gaming. Its 2025 sequel increases the power without sacrificing portability. A sampling of its impressive stats: An Nvidia Tegra T239 chip, alongside dedicated ray-tracing and Deep Learning Super-Sampling (DLSS) cores, lets the new model run at 4K on TVs, while the on-device 7.9-inch HDR display runs handheld titles at 1080p and 120Hz, meaning there’s no flicker during gameplay. Its 12 GB of LPDDR5X memory also helps keep sprawling open worlds stutter-free. Launched in June, the console sold 3.5 million units in its first week—making it Nintendo’s fastest-selling hardware ever.”
It’s a strangely technical breakdown for a device that was designed to appeal to the broadest audience possible, and mostly talks about the console’s hardware specifications instead of how Nintendo has innovated on the original design.
Surely the magnetic Joy-Con 2 controllers were worth a mention? Or how the console has retained the same thickness, despite pushing a far higher graphical fidelity and resolution?
It’s also a stretch to say the Nintendo Switch 2 “runs handheld titles at 1080p and 120Hz” when, at the time of writing, there are very few Nintendo Switch 2 120fps games available – two of which only allow for 120fps when the console is docked.
Still, the Nintendo Switch 2 is a more worthy addition to Time’s best inventions of 2025 list than the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X. Here’s the rest of Time’s winners in the entertainment and gaming category:
Epson Lifestudio Flex Plus - Powerful Streaming, Anywhere
Falcon’s Flight - The World’s Biggest Rollercoaster
Nintendo Switch 2 - Blockbuster Gaming Console
Samsung Premiere 5 - A 4K Touchscreen Projector
Soundcore Rave 3S - On-Demand Karaoke
ROG Xbox Ally X - A Gaming PC On The Go
You can also see how the two handhelds compare in our Asus ROG Xbox Ally X vs Nintendo Switch 2 comparison.
Up next: Nintendo Switch 2 made me commit the ultimate display sin when choosing a screen protector
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. He also runs a retro gaming YouTube channel called Game on, boy! Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.