One aspect of the Nintendo Switch 2 that has generated a lot of interest is its display. While Nintendo released an OLED model of the original Switch, which massively improved over the launch model’s LCD screen, for Switch 2, it has opted to return to LCD technology.
On the whole, it’s fair to say that the decision has gone down fairly well; as we reported after our first hands-on sessions, the panel used in the Switch 2 is leagues ahead of the one we got back in 2017, with superb brightness and bold colours.
However, due to the way LCD screens work, a little bit of blurriness is inevitable; OLED panels exhibit almost instant pixel response, which cuts down on blur (but, on the downside, generates a flicker which can actually give some people headaches). In contrast, LCD screens have slower pixel response, and this can manifest itself as a blurred image when things move fast.
This issue has been flagged by more than one person since the console launched last week:
As noted by Cary Golomb, it is believed that Nintendo is utilising two different screen suppliers for Switch 2: Innolux and Sharp. According to Nintendo Patents Watch, the quality gap between these two options isn’t as large as many people would have you believe, but the fact that there are two versions has predictably led to some comparing this to the ‘screen lottery’ which occurred when both the Nintendo DS and 3DS were released.
You can see how the Switch 2’s LCD panel compares with the Switch OLED in the video below:
As we’ve already established, there will be some blur on the Switch 2’s screen when compared to an OLED panel—that’s beyond debate—but is it enough to cause serious complaints?
I’m personally pretty happy with the Switch 2’s display, but I have noticed that it’s a little blurry when things are moving at high speed. It obviously depends heavily on the game you’re playing; I could barely notice it on Mario Kart World, but it was more obvious when playing Switch 1 games with 2D artwork (the overworld map in Unicorn Overlord is especially bad, to my eyes).
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