The Nintendo Switch 2 is returning to an LCD screen in place of its recent OLED alternative, because the technology has moved on enough that it makes more sense.
In an roundtable Q+A after yesterday's Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, some of the new console's main architects were asked why they'd made the decision to opt for an LCD screen. While the original Switch shipped with one of those, Nintendo made a substantial show halfway through the generation, offering an upgrade path to the Nintendo Switch OLED - the main selling point of which was its improved screen.
According to Tetsuya Sasaki, general manager of Nintendo's Technology Development Division, the decision to avoid an OLED screen came about because of leaps in LCD technology. "During development," he explained via a translator, "there was a lot of advances in LCD technology. During our development, we took a look at the LCD technology that was available to us now, and after a lot of consideration, we decided to stick with LCD."
You might think this is nothing more than Nintendo preparing itself for an inevitable Switch 2 OLED, but senior director Kouichi Kawamoto explained that there's a genuine new offering on those LCD screens - HDR. Kawamoto points out that "even with the OLED version of Nintendo Switch, we hadn't had compatibility with HDR," but the LCD screens Nintendo is using now offer support for that. HDR, or 'High dynamic range', offers a greater visual range between the lightest and darkest tones on a screen, creating better vibrancy, even with a screen material that isn't necessarily top of the range.
Nevertheless, I'd keep an eye out for that eventual Switch 2 OLED release.
The Switch 2 boasts a 1080p 120Hz display that has me more hyped for the handheld than ever.
