Nintendo Switch 2 1080p Screen May Not Be the Smartest Decision Due to Image Quality and Potential Performance Concerns

The Nintendo Switch 2 is rumored to feature a 1080p screen, but this may not be the smartest decision due to various reasons, including mishandled backward compatibility.

Speaking during the latest episode of the DF Direct Weekly podcast, the tech experts at Digital Foundry answered a fan question regarding the next Nintendo console, commenting on how a 1080p screen may not be the best of choices. If the console supports backward compatibility with the original Switch games, as rumored, it could lead to some image quality issues, as games in portable mode on the current console output at 720p resolution, which would look blurry on a 1080p screen. To address this issue, the Nintendo Switch 2 would essentially have to use backward compatible game's docked mode, which output at 1080p resolution, while running them in portable mode.

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Even for Nintendo Switch 2 games, a 1080p screen could be an issue. While developers can certainly target 720p resolution, it wouldn't look good on such a screen. On the other hand, NVIDIA DLSS support could be quite helpful in this regard, as 540p resolution upscaled to 1080p would look better than 720p resolution on a 1080p screen. Digital Foundry, however, feels that a 720p screen would be more beneficial for the system, as a lower resolution could leave more performance headroom in portable mode and would still look good, as proved by the Steam Deck. HDR support would also be quite an update over the current Switch models.

Not much is currently known about the Nintendo Switch 2, but more information on the system, rumored to launch in the first few months of 2025, should be coming before the end of the year.