The moment we've all been waiting for has arrived! Digital Foundry has shared its insights on the much-anticipated Nintendo Switch 2, and overall, their impressions are quite favorable! Still, there are some aspects where they found room for improvement. While the hardware showcases impressive capabilities, the screen has raised some eyebrows due to its tendency to blur, which they noted is "easily worse than the 2017 Switch's display." Concerns were also voiced regarding the VRR and HDR features, but the overall build quality has been praised. In their conclusion, they referred to it as "the original Switch revised and refined into a generally more pleasing and effective unit."
“In terms of hardware design, we’re happy overall with Nintendo’s choices. Despite being significantly larger than Switch 1, the thinness of the handheld remains much the same, making it feel less bulky than the Steam Deck and other PC handhelds. The larger screen enhances immersion and color reproduction is notably improved over the original model. What's especially delightful is the number of games that either run at native 1080p in handheld mode (like Mario Kart World, for instance) or employ DLSS to upscale to 1080p, resulting in commendable performance.”
“However, the screen itself has its share of issues. Nintendo promised HDR, but an edge-lit LCD that struggles to reach 420 nits fails to provide a satisfactory high dynamic range experience—missing the hallmark HDR contrast and highlights in handheld mode. Even more troubling is the motion quality: the Switch 2 LCD exhibits blurring characteristics that are significantly worse than the 2017 model's display. When put side by side with the Switch OLED panel, the shortcomings in Nintendo's choice for the Switch 2 become glaringly evident—it simply doesn't hold up.”
“There are also notable concerns with the Switch 2’s VRR (variable refresh rate) capabilities. Theoretically, there’s no reason it shouldn't function well. The Switch 2 Welcome Tour software features a VRR showcase that suggests a 40-120Hz VRR range, and it also indicates support for LFC—low frame-rate compensation—outside that window. A fully realized VRR experience on Switch 2 is definitely achievable!”
“In conclusion, our overall impression of the Switch 2 is largely positive. Aside from the screen issues, the hardware is impressively constructed: the revamped Joy-Cons are a step up, the larger size is manageable, and the little enhancements (like small 'feet' on the bottom) have not gone unnoticed. This is indeed a refined version of the original Switch, delivering a significant generational upgrade with remarkable efficiency. It’s worth mentioning that, aside from the screen, my biggest gripe centers on the limited length of the provided USB-C cables, especially for the power supply and camera. Thankfully, these USB-C cables are detachable and replaceable—but they could certainly be longer.”