TLDR; Objectively it exists. Subjectively YMMV. Refer to the pictures.
This is not to attack the Switch to or suggest you don't buy it or buy a Switch OLED. I know some people are and others aren't sensitive to pixel response. I for one have always been very sensitive to it, which is why I switched from a VA panel monitor 10 years ago to an IPS one and then to a QD OLED one. Others (like my wife) don't notice it and it doesn't really bother them. Neither is wrong or right, people are sensitive or bothered by different things. I just wanted to show an example you can see for yourself in a Youtube video someone uploaded, if you're not bothered by it and curious if people are making it up etc here's an example of what we're all seeing, just some of us don't mind it while for others it drives us crazy.
Basic disclaimers this is obviously limited by the device capturing the video, the resolution and FPS of the video itself and that capture device, and of course by your monitor viewing this content etc… but considering it's captured at the same time it's a reasonable comparison to demonstrate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRtPGIwBzAU
Youtube video of Switch 2 vs Switch OLED in handheld mode. This is not my video, credit to HandsOn Power who posted it, to be clear they make no comment on the pixel response or anything it just serves as a good way to observe it. If you want to see it go to about 5:30 and run at 0.25 playback speed and you can see both the FPS benefits of the Switch 2 but the significant smearing/blurring of the slow pixel response times vs the chugging but crisp OLED.
Here are some screen caps to show
(5:32 timestamp) shows the blur. You can watch it in the video itself again, slow the playback to 0.25 to exaggerate it.
Here's a no movement baseline so no pixel response demonstrated, so a good baseline, you can see a good amount of detail clear in both, the OLED comes through a bit crisper with its much better contrast but both show solid detail. 5:18 if you want to see it yourself.
You can see the higher FPS on the Switch 2 but a very strong blur on it as well while the OLED chugs with that slower playback but remains very crisp and detailed. Honestly the Switch 2 looks like a very aggressive motion blur effect you see in games (people like me turn those off every time since it drives us crazy, if you like motion blur then this might be a bonus) This is something we all see but interpret and are impacted differently. This is why you may watch a video like this and feel both are smoother than the others in different ways at different times.
If you aren't bothered by it then fantastic, the extra FPS gives you a great smoothness upgrade, but it does exist and some of us it really confuses and bothers our brains.
Just wanted to show that anyone arguing either one is smoother can both be right depending on what you look at, enjoy what you choose and don't bash others, but the FPS difference is real and noticeable in favor of the Switch 2 and the pixel response difference is real and noticeable by some of us which counts against the Switch 2.
by MattLangley
13 Comments
Seriously the switch 2 screen is fine. Of course I would prefer it to be an oled, but it’s absolutely fine. I’m comparing it to switch oled and steam deck oled
I feel this is a dead horse by now.
Everyone knows that the Switch 2 screen has a slow response rate that causes a blurring effect when playing certain types of games, and that some people are bothered by it and some are not (or don’t see it at all). We’ve probably all watched the detailed video demonstration a month ago.
In the games I play, I don’t notice it and games look good to me. The image quality and the colors are much better than on my Switch 1 V2. It’s not as good as my Steam Deck OLED’s display and I will buy a Switch 2 OLED in a few years, but I’m overall satisfied with the display. I bought my Switch 2 right AFTER these videos first came out, so I was super skeptical and ready to send it back, but when I actually played games on the screen, I felt the complaints were exaggerated.
Maybe Nintendo will release an update and enable overdrive.
Every single thread like this there is always at least one person who’s switch doesn’t do this.
You can’t teach people on this subreddit anything. Nintendos dick is so far down their throats.
I’d be lying if I said I saw a difference. I’m not denying that there is one, I’m just not sensitive to it and I’m thankful for it.
Objectively it exists. Subjectively YMMV.
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I am enjoying playing games on my switch 2. Do you all actually enjoy playing games or just crunching specs
If you have trouble seeing it try looking at death mountain and the lands in the horizon in both comparisons. With movement its really blurry. If the lcd is actually underdriven they could patch it up but knowing nintendo they probably won’t. The bluetooth earphone update took years.
the outstanding need of people that do not care about this to comment THE SCREEN IS FINE IM HAVING FUN
why?
Nintendo is garbage and they should be punished for selling faulty garbage to their customers
Does this affect the ability for the Switch 2 to output 120fps in handheld mode?
Now compare a sidescrolling 2D game running at 60 fps. That can show slow pixel response more clearly.