Nintendo Switch 2 - DF Hardware Review - A Satisfying Upgrade... But Display Issues Are Problematic

HeisenbergFX4

Gold Member


0:00:00 Overview
0:01:54 Hardware overview: specs, form factor, and Pro Controller
0:10:33 Portable screen: contrast, response time, handheld HDR and VRR
0:37:21 Display output: HDMI quirks, HDR configuration, 120Hz support
0:48:08 Power efficiency, power consumption, and battery life
1:02:46 Loading times: internal storage, MicroSD, and cartridge differences
1:06:17 WiFi and ethernet download speeds
1:10:54 Backwards compatibility: game speedups and incompatibilities
1:22:09 GameChat and GameShare
1:35:05 Virtual Game Card and UI issues
1:44:59 Overall thoughts and conclusion

 
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Yeahh even if they were going to hold back OLED, the LCD didn't have to be so meh. Between the screen and battery life it's pretty much designed for an upgrade. Even if not a new model, a "ver. 2" that passively upgrades certain things like a mariko Switch or 2nd gen GBA SP...
 
It's our most detailed hardware test yet. We're impressed with the system - but the display is a clear disappointment.
Make a non-portable Switch 2 and problem solved! Plus you appease gamers that don't care about having a handheld with a cheaper alternative.
Shooting Star GIF
 
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This makes no sense, the display is actually slower than the 2017 Innolux LCD? This has to be some Gsync related issue, VRR is active no matter the software... Perhaps it could be interacting poorly.
 
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Nintendo always does the same thing, in the first version they go with just enough, in the revision they will put a good OLED screen and a SoC made in a more modern manufacturing process that will significantly increase battery life.
 
The S2 display is only going to convert more to handheld and tabletop. It is more than pleasing enough to the eye while also providing ~27% more screen area.
 
Nintendo always does the same thing, in the first version they go with just enough, in the revision they will put a good OLED screen and a SoC made in a more modern manufacturing process that will significantly increase battery life.
It would be weird if the revision 3-4 years later was worse. That's not the direction these things travel in.
 
I'm usually one to defend Nintendo being Nintendo but the screen ghosting is legitimately awful. Inexcusable for a $400 device in the year 2025.

Very glad I have a Steam Deck OLED.
 
yeah its a horrible screen even by cheap-ass nintendo standards.

and we all know the current diehard defenders will all join to trash the shit lcd, the day swoled2 releases.
no point in arguing with that cult.
 
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The S2 display is only going to convert more to handheld and tabletop. It is more than pleasing enough to the eye while also providing ~27% more screen area.
As far as quality goes its OLED SW1 > SW2 > OG SW1. But you are correct the larger higher resolution screen/higher max framerate/VRR are nice upgrades indeed, the screen's HDR is substandard as the only way HDR400 works currently is on an OLED. The blur issue oddly hasn't bothered me, I'm more sensitive to motion hold OLED issues than LCD pixel blurring.
 
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Strange when I watching their review and feels like if they would give a review number, would be 7/10, with make me wonder if the IGN guys just crtl+c ctrl+v their review video via patreon.
 
Shit screen confirmed. Glad I stayed away from this poo.

The fact it's worse in some ways than Switch 1 is laughable. Only Nintendo will get away with it, because their owners are already all over the YouTube comments saying it's not true and that the screen is in fact much better.

Tell a lie enough times....
 
Nintendo always does the same thing, in the first version they go with just enough, in the revision they will put a good OLED screen and a SoC made in a more modern manufacturing process that will significantly increase battery life.
And they might throw on a bit bigger battery as well. Basically we will see some improvement in 2-3 years, depending on sales after first year.
 
The ghosting being worse than the original switch 1 is not great at all
Yeah. Considering that HDR is either kind of useless in handheld mode or cause of washing out colours somewhat (no dimming zones) and the screen has worse response rate than the OG old Switch 1… well for a more expensive device than the Switch OLED it is a bit surprising.
 
Yep. He pointed out side scrollers in particular which are not games I play.
Side scrollers are the easy example (and they were also particularly bad on PSP) but anything with lateral motion suffers (horizontal or vertical).
FPS games are a particularly bad case as well, platformers that aren't over-the shoulder camera, modern Civ style games (though at least there your gameplay experience isn't affected by visual fidelity) etc.

Obviously - as noted GBA SP sold tens of millions, PSP sold at least 50M on the original screen (no, PSP 2k was NOT improved, no matter what internet says), so people can tolerate a lot. But seeing this kind of regression is pretty sad tbh, I think like the price-hikes of PS5 and XSX, it's a first for a portable to regress this way.
 
Side scrollers are the easy example (and they were also particularly bad on PSP) but anything with lateral motion suffers (horizontal or vertical).
FPS games are a particularly bad case as well, platformers that aren't over-the shoulder camera, modern Civ style games (though at least there your gameplay experience isn't affected by visual fidelity) etc.

Obviously - as noted GBA SP sold tens of millions, PSP sold at least 50M on the original screen (no, PSP 2k was NOT improved, no matter what internet says), so people can tolerate a lot. But seeing this kind of regression is pretty sad tbh, I think like the price-hikes of PS5 and XSX, it's a first for a portable to regress this way.

I play primarily in docked mode, but yeah, I can see why this would be annoying for a lot of gamers.
 
Been fine for me, but that doesn't mean what they are saying isn't true.
Yeah that's because there's a difference between technically speaking and practically speaking and difference between number higher and the English language adjectives used to describe number higher.

Some of us aren't trying to back the Switch 2 for the 2026 Winter Screen Olympics. I don't care if my screen only gets a 9.7 from the judges instead of a 9.8. I don't care if my screen is an alternate for the 2026 US screen team.

I just need it be pleasing to the eyeballs and it passes that test.
 
Won't watch a full movie but that snippet from twitter makes the screen look quite bad.

I haven't noticed anything like that neither on any of my portables.
 
Yeah that's because there's a difference between technically speaking and practically speaking and difference between number higher and the English language adjectives used to describe number higher.

Some of us aren't trying to back the Switch 2 for the 2026 Winter Screen Olympics. I don't care if my screen only gets a 9.7 from the judges instead of a 9.8. I don't care if my screen is an alternate for the 2026 US screen team.

I just need it be pleasing to the eyeballs and it passes that test.

So it doesn't affect you. That's fine. Doesn't affect me either from what I've played so far. But F Fafalada makes a good point that the screen should be better than it is. There is nothing wrong with pointing that out and obviously should be pointed out by folks like DF.
 
So it doesn't affect you. That's fine. Doesn't affect me either from what I've played so far. But F Fafalada makes a good point that the screen should be better than it is. There is nothing wrong with pointing that out and obviously should be pointed out by folks like DF.

it's always so funny when people get upset by facts...
"this screen has this objectively provable flaw"
"HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT OUT LOUD!!" lol
 
I think I'm going to use my SW2 only in docked mode with some small exceptions (that's how I've been using it about 90% of the time since I got it). For portable play, I'll stick with my SW OLED since I mainly read VNs and play metroidvanias and some niche JRPGs on it. Plus, since these are SW1 games with no upgrade in sight, they look better on my OLED Switch than on the Switch 2, and the battery also lasts longer.
 
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