Nintendo’s highly anticipated Switch 2 console was released earlier this month, though hardware reviewers are still testing the handheld hybrid, specifically its display, following reports from users that it can look blurry. Bluriness on a display generally happens due to poor response times, causing smearing or ghosting. New tests show that the Switch 2’s built-in screen is actually slower than the original console.

Most other aspects of the Switch 2 are better than the original. In fact, it even boasts a higher refresh rate and resolution than Valve’s popular Steam Deck handheld, but Nintendo seems to have compromised on the response time. Tests conducted by reviewer Hardware Unboxed show the Switch 2 screen is around 36% slower than its predecessor at 60Hz.

Nintendo Switch 2 display response time is slower than the Switch 1

On the YouTuber’s side channel, Monitors Unboxed, testing of the Switch 2’s display reveals some pretty disappointing results. At 60Hz (so it can compare 1:1 to the original Switch), tests show that the display on the Switch 2 has a noticeably higher response time than the last-gen LCD model. The industry-standard UFO test also demonstrates the blurring effect compared to a standard IPS monitor.

The reviewer notes that even though they couldn’t test at 120Hz, poor refresh compliance at 60Hz makes it unlikely that games supporting up to 120Hz will see the full benefit from the added motion clarity.

Source: Monitors Unboxed

Source: Monitors Unboxed

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“With response times in the 30 millisecond range, the Switch 2 fails to achieve adequate refresh rate compliance at 60Hz, which means it’s effectively bottlenecked by its response times. At 60Hz, the display refreshes every 16.7 milliseconds, but the screen takes around twice as long as that (or more) to actually finish transitioning from one color to the next.”

Monitors Unboxed

Nintendo is not using any techniques to aid motion clarity and reduce response time, such as overdrive, a technique which Monitors Unboxed describes as “essential for fast response times on modern IPS LCD gaming monitors”. There’s no official reason as to why Nintendo forgoed this, but we can speculate that it has something to do with conserving power and ensuring a longer battery life, especially since the Switch 2 has worse battery life than the original.

It’s worth pointing out that the original Switch does have an OLED model, which no doubt has a lower response time. Considering the only real downgrade of the Switch 2 display is the response time itself, we are looking forward to an OLED variant further down the line. For reference, the Switch 1 OLED was released a few years after the original LCD model. The good news is that a Switch 2 OLED could already be planned as Nintendo is reportedly in talks with Samsung.

We don’t want to say that the Nintendo Switch 2 has a bad screen, but falling behind the Switch 1’s display in this particular area is an annoying compromise. The higher resolution and refresh rate are welcome upgrades, however, especially now that the console can push higher framerates with some help from Nvidia’s DLSS technology. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang described the custom processor inside the console as “Unlike anything we've built before”.

About the Author

Charlie Noon

Charlie is the Affiliate manager for PC Guide. He has a vast understanding of most PC hardware and consumer essentials, using his knowledge to provide the best products and the biggest deals.