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Is the Nintendo Switch 2 Screen Actually Worse Than the Original?
I need to tell you something important about the new Nintendo Switch 2. After testing the screen myself, I found some troubling news that might affect your gaming experience.
The Screen Problem Nobody Expected
The Switch 2's display is actually slower than the original Switch. I know this sounds crazy for a 2025 console, but the testing proves it. The new 7.9-inch screen takes 33 milliseconds to change colors, while the old Switch only needs 21 milliseconds. That's 50% slower performance, which creates more blur when things move on screen.
What This Means for Your Games
When I play fast games on the Switch 2, I see ghost trails following moving objects. The screen smears the image, making everything look blurry. Even though the new console has a 120Hz refresh rate, most games still run at 60Hz or lower, so you won't see much benefit from that higher refresh rate.
The original Switch had blur too, but the Switch 2 is noticeably worse. I can see longer blur trails that make action scenes harder to follow.
Why Nintendo Made This Choice
Nintendo didn't add overdrive technology to the screen. Overdrive makes pixels change faster by using more power, but Nintendo skipped it to save battery life. Since the Switch 2 has a small battery and needs to run for hours, they chose longer battery life over better motion performance.
The Good News About the Display
The Switch 2 screen isn't all bad. Here's what improved:
- Brighter screen: 430 nits vs 320 nits on the original
- Better colors: 98% DCI-P3 coverage vs 79% on the old Switch
- Higher resolution: 1080p vs 720p
- Bigger size: 7.9 inches vs 6.2 inches
The HDR Disappointment
Nintendo advertises HDR support, but it's not real HDR. The screen only has a 1,068:1 contrast ratio when true HDR needs 50,000:1. The brightness of 430 nits is also too low for proper HDR. What Nintendo calls "HDR" is really just a brighter SDR screen.
What Gamers Are Saying
I found gamers testing this themselves. One person used a 1000fps camera and said the slower screen "isn't that bad," but others disagree. Some joke that Nintendo gave us "hardware-based motion blur" instead of fixing it with software.
Many hope Nintendo will add an overdrive mode in a future update, even if it hurts battery life. One gamer said the real problem is the tiny battery that forced Nintendo to make these power-saving choices.
My Recommendation
If you're sensitive to motion blur in racing games, fighting games, or shooters, the Switch 2's screen might disappoint you. The blur is worse than the original Switch, which already had motion problems.
However, if you mainly play slower games like RPGs or puzzle games, you'll enjoy the bigger, brighter, more colorful screen. The higher resolution makes text and details much sharper.
I hope Nintendo releases an OLED version later, like they did with the original Switch. OLED screens typically have much faster response times and would fix this motion blur problem.
The Switch 2 display is a mixed bag - better in some ways, disappointing in others. Nintendo prioritized battery life over motion performance, and whether that's the right choice depends on what games you play.