Without this feature I’m not sure the Nintendo Switch 2 is even worth it

Nintendo finally unveiled the Switch 2, and for a lot of fans, it was everything they hoped for. The Switch, putting it nicely, is underpowered, and that was the case when it was released back in 2017. That didn’t stop it from getting some incredible games, but the power gap between it and current consoles was abundantly clear by 2025. The comparison between the new Switch and the old is just night and day.

While the hardware is making a big leap with the new iteration, there’s one area where the console is taking a big step back. While the original Switch launched with an LCD screen, a new model introduced later in its life came with an OLED screen that made the colors pop off the screen even though the internal hardware remained the same. OLED screens are considered by many to be the best screen you can get today, and that goes for not only your Switch screen but your TV, too. After spending years playing with the OLED Switch, having to go back to the LCD screen on the Switch 2 feels like a big step back.

Hardware gets better, but the screen gets worse

A tradeoff, but is it a good one?

Nintendo

Although a screen doesn’t make your games run better, it does make them look better. The Switch isn’t exactly known for having the greatest graphics, but some games look a lot better on an OLED screen. Some examples that come to mind off the top of my head are the two Diablo games, Hades, and Metroid Dread. Since I have three Switches, it’s easy to see the vast difference between the screens with these games, and that’s a big reason why I only play my OLED in handheld mode.

Don’t get me wrong, the Switch 2 needed better hardware, and hearing that it can hit benchmarks like 120 FPS and 4K resolution, it sounds like it has paid off. A bump in resolution will make every game look better, but they won’t look as good as they could if the OLED screen made the leap over. The Switch 2 is already $450, so an OLED screen could easily bring that over $500. For that reason, I understand why Nintendo made the decision it did, but it’s going to be a jarring switch, no pun intended.

Nintendo defended the decision to go back to the LCD screen by saying technological advances made it so the impact is far less than you might think. Nintendo Switch 2 technical director Tetsuya Sasaki says the LCD screen supports HDR, something the OLED Switch doesn’t, so there will still be a slew of graphical improvements even if the screen isn’t as nice.

Since some of the early Switch 2 games will be cross-platform, I foresee myself holding onto the Switch OLED for a while longer before making the upgrade. I hope this doesn’t cause an even bigger shock by going from something like Tears of the Kingdom on my OLED to Tears of the Kingdom on my Switch 2. Hopefully, the improved framerate and resolution are more than enough. Considering I do most of my Switch gaming handheld, I don’t have the entire benefit of the resolution bump, so I’ll have to hope the 1080p screen is good enough. If it’s not, I’ll feel very let down by the drop in screen quality.

At the end of the day, getting a Switch 2 is nice, and maybe Nintendo will introduce another OLED variant down the road. I don’t like to buy multiples of the same console, but considering that’s what I did with the first Switch, I could see myself doing it with the next one too. Only time will tell.

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The goods outweigh the bad

The Switch 2 comes up strong in other ways

Nintendo

I don’t want to sound like I’m being all doom and gloom, because I really am excited to get my hands on a new Switch. Considering that so many games stutter on the Switch, and that’s something that’s been an issue since its debut, finally getting rock-solid performance in games is something I’ve been waiting for. I’ve always been interested in something like a ROG Ally or Steam Deck, but I never pulled the trigger as I already have a gaming PC. The Switch gives me the best of both worlds as it’ll have largely the same library as what we get on PC plus the Nintendo exclusives.

Getting my hands on a new Mario Kart game after nearly a decade will also be nice, so even if the screen is taking a hit, the games are still the games and that’s always what made Nintendo a worthwhile choice, even in the Wii U era. Sadly, the price of the games appears to be skyrocketing. When that’s coupled with the fact that first-party Nintendo games hardly ever go on sale, it’s a combination for disaster, but that’s a conversation for another day.

It’s always difficult to release a new console because, while a company wants to make money, it’s important not to alienate the core audience. The first Switch costs $300, so a nearly $200 price hike for its successor is a big deal, and adding in the OLED screen would’ve made it even higher. With the games going up in price, it’s already going to be hard enough for people to make the leap on day one.

It’s too early to stress about things like that, and considering we have some nice cross-gen titles like Metroid Prime 4, it might be too early to sound the alarm. If this price ends up being the new norm, then it’s an issue, but that’s a bridge that needs to be crossed upon release. In the meantime, I’ll be excited about a powerful handheld that takes some of my favorite existing games, like Breath of the Wild, and runs them better. While there have been some misfires over the years, Nintendo typically means quality, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the loss of an OLED screen doesn’t ultimately mean a whole lot going forward.

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