Nintendo finally just gave the Switch 2 a boost in TV mode by adding VRR (variable refresh rate) support to its dock. It's a feature that should have shipped with the handheld last June before being quietly removed at launch, but it looks like Ninty finally nailed the HDMI 2.1 perk just in time for the Zelda Ocarina of Time remake.
Switch 2 dock VVR support officially arrives as part of system update 23.0.0 today in Japan. In the patch notes, Nintendo says, "When both the software and the TV support it, the video will be output at a refresh rate that matches the game's processing speed." That theoretically means you can switch on variable refresh rate and dynamically sync things up to match frame rates, but it'll only kick in on games that are specifically optimized.
Unlike with the PS5, it seems you can't just force VRR in games that aren't specifically optimised on the developer side of things. Instead, the Switch 2 will use a whitelist to confirm whether support is officially present, and at this time, the only release that's compatible is the Switch 2 Welcome Tour.
Naturally, a bunch of Switch 2 games should be added to the whitelist soon, as it's easily days for docked VRR. Again, Japan is getting the update first, so by the time it reaches other markets, some of the biggies on the gaming handheld should benefit from the frame rate-syncing tech.
VRR in Switch 2 docked mode has been a long time coming, as Nintendo started hunting for an engineer to solve its output woes back in July. Update 23.0.0 confirms that the console maker has managed to iron out those prior quirks, and as I've already alluded to, I can't help but feel like it was racing to sort it out before Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake lands.
That's not to say the new Ocarina of Time will make the Switch 2 sweat, as Nintendo's engine will be heavily optimized for the handheld. But, that's not to say there won't be frame rate dips in specific scenarios, as while outings like Breath of the Wild run at a solid 60fps, dense textures or extra fancy ray-traced lighting effects could take things up a notch.
Even if the Ocarina of Time remake features stable frame rates, VRR is a "nice to have" feature that will help smooth over slight dips. It's also going to benefit some the demanding third-party romps announced during the latest Nintendo Direct, including Final Fantasy 7 Revelations.
Even if you're not too fussed about display tech, VRR in docked mode has been a long time coming. Technically speaking, alternatives like the SIWIQU Switch 2 dock should support variable refresh rate provided you use an HDMI 2.1 cable and the right screen port, but I'll confirm that once I'm at my test bench.
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