Summary
- Nintendo Switch 2 only supports VRR in handheld mode, not docked.
- Nintendo apologized for mistakenly claiming it supports both on its website(s).
- The Switch 2 could, in theory, receive docked VRR support post-release, via an OS update—although Nintendo hasn't committed to exploring such an option.
Nintendo has apologized for mistakenly claiming that the Switch 2 will have variable refresh rate (VRR) support in docked mode. The error ignited false hope among some prospective Switch 2 buyers who were hoping to use the upcoming console with high-refresh-rate TVs or monitors.
VRR is a technology that synchronizes the frame rate output of a rendering device with the refresh rate of a connected display. This reduces screen stuttering and tearing, two common visual artifacts that can occur when a screen's refresh rate falls out of sync with the frame rate of the image it's displaying. It can also help reduce input lag, although this benefit is more situational. Overall, VRR allows for smoother and more consistent gameplay, especially in titles with inconsistent frame rates.
Nintendo Addresses Switch 2 Supply for 2025
A senior Nintendo official goes on record to clarify the repeatedly questioned situation concerning the company's Switch 2 console supply for 2025.
While Nintendo initially advertised the Switch 2 as offering VRR support in both docked and handheld modes, this has now been confirmed as inaccurate. The console will only have VRR in handheld mode, the gaming giant elaborated in a statement to Nintendo Life. "The incorrect information was initially published on the Nintendo Switch 2 website, and we apologise for the error," a company representative said.
Nintendo Could Theoretically Expand Switch 2 VRR Support Post Release
It may be possible for the device to receive docked VRR support post-release, via a system OS update. In theory, this technology has only two prerequisites, with one of them being HDMI 2.1 output—or, in some cases, HDMI 2.0b with AMD's FreeSync. According to some Switch 2 component shipping manifests that were uncovered in early April, the console's dock includes the Realtek RTD2175N-CG chip, which functions as a DisplayPort 1.4 to HDMI 2.1 converter. This exact model number was never officially announced by Realtek, and might actually be a custom component made specifically for the Switch 2. However, its designation suggests it's based on or related to the RTD2173, which is a VRR-compliant chip.
Nintendo Switch 2 supports VRR in handheld mode only. The incorrect information was initially published on the Nintendo Switch 2 website, and we apologise for the error.
The other hardware prerequisite for the Switch 2 receiving docked VRR support post-release is a GPU capable of outputting a VRR-compatible signal. Since the technology is already supported in handheld mode, it's clear that the console's Nvidia-made graphics chip fulfills this requirement. Nintento told Nintendo Life it has nothing to announce with regard to the possibility of adding docked VRR support to the Switch 2 via a software update.
Nvidia's recent technical overview of the Switch 2 attributed the console's handheld VRR support to G-Sync, its proprietary variable refresh rate technology. While G-Sync originally required specialized hardware, newer G-Sync-compatible displays now use standard VRR protocols over HDMI or DisplayPort. This implementation detail thus won't necessarily stand in the way of the Switch 2 getting VRR support in docked mode should Nintendo choose to explore this idea.
- Brand
- Nintendo
- Operating System
- Proprietary
- Storage
- 256GB internal / MicroSD
- Resolution
- 1080p (handheld) / 4K (docked)
- App Store
- Nintendo eShop
- Wi-Fi
- Yes