The Spigen Rugged Armor Nintendo Switch 2 case has become my hero when it comes to Switch accessories over the last few weeks. I've opted to keep the Dbrand Killswitch in its box until the Joy-Con grip replacements arrive, just to ensure I don't accidentally drop my handheld, and Spigen's hardshell case alternative has been keeping my pricey bit of Ninty tech safe and protected.
It doesn't have all the bells and whistles of Dbrand's signature case, but at just $29.99 at Amazon it's difficult not to find a lot to love about Spigen's bit of Switch 2 armor. Made from a flexible Thermoplastic Polyurethane material, the handheld easily flips into the case, providing it with a layer of added protection and new Joy-Con grips, while keeping all the important ports and vents unobscured.
I hate the feeling of using the Joy-Con controllers. After just 20 minutes with the Joy-Con 2 gamepads, I start to get a wave of pins and needles that feels like it's going to take over my whole body. That's often why I'll grab the new Joy-Con controller grip, or one of the best Switch controllers, and even my newly acquired official GameCube controller, so I don't have to deal with that horrible numbing sensation.
Hardshell cases are a great solution to this problem, as often they add ergonomic grips to the Joy-Cons to make them nicer to hold, and that's why I adore the Spigen Rugged Armor case. The grips it adds aren't textured, which is a bit of a bummer, but they add a perfect place for my spare fingers to wrap around and rest while I'm frantically destroying everything in my path in handheld mode in Donkey Kong Bananza.
The Rugged Armor case is also a pretty sleek-looking accessory. Sure, it's the black colorway isn't the most interesting thing to look at, but it adds angular corners to the bottom of the Joy-Cons, which gives it a bit of added flair. It also comes with a little wrist strap that ties onto the edge of the right side of the case.
I didn't bother using my wrist strap, as I'd much rather save the corner to tie on some cute dangling accessories in the future instead, but it's a nice addition. Not to mention, with the detaching worries caused by the Dbrand Killswitch case, it adds a little bit of a safety net should you be worried about dropping your new gaming handheld on the floor.
Begrudgingly, unlike the Killswitch, you can't use this Spigen case with the Joy-Cons detached, nor can you use it when docking the Switch 2 either. If you want to hand over a Joy-Con to your friend for some Mario Kart World shenanigans, you'll need to take the entire case off first.
At just $29.99 / £25.99, that makes a lot of sense, especially as it's likely the detachable grips and dock adaptor that drives up the price to alternatives like the Killswitch. But if you're okay giving up those amenities and want a case that makes portable play a lot more comfortable, the Spigen Rugged Armor is a great low-cost alternative - just beware it might not fit into your zip-up case.
More of my go-to Switch 2 cases...
- Dbrand Switch 2 Killswitch: $59.99 at Dbrand
- tomtoc Sling Crossbody Bag for Nintendo Switch 2: $49.99 at Amazon
- Belkin Carrying Case for Nintendo Switch 2: $29.99 at Amazon
Check out our guides to the best Nintendo Switch 2 cameras, best Nintendo Switch headsets, and the best Nintendo Switch 2 microSD Express Cards for more top-tier Switch 2 accessories.
