The Big N’s latest hardware update offers superior VRR support compared to the PlayStation 5, though developers will need to invest some effort to take full advantage of it.
Sixteen months after its release, the Nintendo Switch 2 finally received VRR support while docked. This is expected to greatly improve the performance of most games, as developers can now implement 40 FPS modes or unlimited frame rates to ensure an excellent gaming experience. According to an early test by John Linneman of Digital Foundry, the current-generation console is on par with the Xbox Series and outperforms the PlayStation 5. However, not all currently available games will be able to take advantage of VRR. The Switch 2’s docked VRR support has one annoying quirk that likely won’t affect many users.
“Games need to be patched; currently, only Welcome Tour supports it. It supports full LFC in 120 Hz mode. In 60 Hz mode, it supports 40–60 Hz, which is better than the PlayStation 5’s 48–60 Hz support and similar to the Xbox. It forces VRR on at all times when enabled in the menu, even when the software can’t support it. As a heavy user of black frame insertion, you have to go into the display settings and disable it most of the time, unless the specific game you’re playing needs it,” wrote Linneman, sharing the only truly bad news regarding the Nintendo Switch 2’s VRR implementation. Since the system’s screen also supports VRR, Linneman believes this feature will be available in most games in the future.
This bodes particularly well for future Nintendo Switch 2 games, as developers will surely take advantage of VRR while docked, just as many have already done in handheld mode. With fast-paced games like the recently announced Metroid Ravenous set to release in the next two months, the Nintendo Switch 2 is perfectly equipped to deliver the best possible experience regardless of how the console is used.
