Summary
- Nintendo Switch 2 may not have OLED screen.
- LCD panels today have better color, contrast, refresh rates than when the original Switch launched.
- Keep your OLED Switch for certain games.
A new generation of Nintendo console is releasing in 2025, and speculation is rife about this device, which has only a few confirmed details. A big question on everyone’s lips is whether the new Switch will debut with an OLED screen, but if it doesn’t that’s not a big deal!
Rumor Has It There’s No OLED at Launch
You’ll see plenty of folks online talk about the Switch 2 screen being an LCD model as if it’s a done deal. The truth, however, is that as I write this, no one knows what screen technology will be in the launch model of the Switch 2. Nintendo has said nothing to confirm or deny the speculation and its all based on leaks.
I’m not going to comment on whether these “leaks” or rumors have any merit to them, but if it happens that the new Switch has an LCD and not an OLED panel, I really don’t think it’s a reason to skip it.
LCDs Have Come a Long Way Since the OG Switch
I think one of the big reasons people may not be happy with the idea that the Switch 2 isn’t packing an OLED comes down to how awful the LCD is on the original Switch. It’s not just a bad LCD with poor color and viewing angles today, it was a bad LCD panel when the Switch launched. Of course, Nintendo had to keep the price of the console reasonable, and it did the job, but it was not pleasant to look at. I still have my launch Switch, which I passed down to my wife when I got my OLED model, and the stark difference in quality between the two is shocking.
The thing is, even “bad” LCD panels today are far better than what we saw in the original Switch, and modern IPS panels look legitimately amazing.
Putting the IPS panel in my Lenovo Legion Go next to my Switch OLED, the OLED definitely has the edge in color and contrast, but the gap isn’t significant and I’d certainly fail to notice any issues if they weren’t side-by-side. The photograph doesn’t do it justice either, in-person that LCD looks great.
VRR, High Refresh, and Better Resolutions Matter Too
The color, contrast, and responsiveness advantages of OLED technology is real, but LCD panels can be imbued with plenty of tricks too. If Nintendo implemented VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) technology in the Switch 2’s display, it would be a massive boon to playability. Likewise, I would be shocked if it wasn’t at least a 120Hz panel. We also don’t know yet what the resolution of the panel will be, but if it is a 1080p panel, then it’s still a notable upgrade compared to the 720p panel in the OLED Switch.
If I had to trade my OLED Switch for a modern LCD model with VRR, high refresh rates, and a higher resolution, I think that would be an overall upgrade and one worth having.
You Can Always Keep Your OLED Switch Too
Assuming I can actually get one, I plan on buying a Switch 2, but I do not plan on selling my OLED Switch if the Switch 2 is an LCD model. There are some games, such as Cuphead and Ori and the Blind Forest that won’t run any better on a more powerful handheld, and benefit from OLED technology thanks to their lush 2D graphics.
So, for me, there’s room for my OLED Switch and Switch 2 to co-exist. Some game would still be better to play on the original machine. Besides, we do know that the Switch 2 will be quite a bit larger than the OLED Switch and big handhelds are certainly the trend now. So I think the smaller Switch OLED might end up travelling with me while the Switch 2 stays at home, more often than not.
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