Summary
Nintendo has apologized for mistakenly claiming that theSwitch 2will have variable refresh rate (VRR) support in docked mode. The error ignited false hope among some prospectiveSwitch 2buyers who were hoping to use the upcoming console with high-refresh-rate TVs or monitors.
VRR is a technology that synchronizes the frame rate outputof 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.
While Nintendoinitially 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 toNintendo 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 beingHDMI 2.1 output—or, in some cases, HDMI 2.0b with AMD’s FreeSync. According to some Switch 2 component shipping manifests that wereuncoveredin 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, whichisa 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 ofadding docked VRR support to the Switch 2via a software update.
Nvidia’s recent technical overviewof 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.
