Ok, I'll admit it, I'm usually a bit of a sucker when it comes to buying new video game consoles.
I'll stand my ground for a couple of months, maybe a year or two if I'm feeling particularly stubborn. But after seeing the latest games available with shiny new graphics – not to mention some, ahem, *gentle* encouragement from friends, I'll usually cave and purchase the latest offering from the world of gaming.
So when Nintendo finally announced a sequel to the Switch, the second-highest-selling console of all time, this seemed right up my street. Nintendo is a brand I have a high amount of childhood nostalgia for, and for the first time, all of their iconic series would be playable in 4K HDR – starting with Mario Kart, no less, which hadn't had a fully-fledged sequel in over a decade.
So why am I holding out on the Switch 2, even though the price has been confirmed to rise in the future? Well, it's partly Nintendo's fault.
Ever since the Japanese gaming giant launched the revolutionary but underpowered Nintendo Wii, the latest in audio-visual technology has never been their main concern. The original Switch was a fine console, but it capped out at 1080p HD at a time when its rivals were making the move to 4K.
So it was a nice surprise when Nintendo announced the Switch OLED, an updated model with the premium panel technology available in handheld mode. As someone who already owned the original Switch, I initially felt little reason to pay full price once again just for a screen upgrade, but it seemed like a shrewd move from Nintendo.
But then I saw it in action. Catching my eye by chance at a family Christmas, I was immediately drawn in by the vivid colours, sharp contrast and overall premium look of the new OLED screen. Every time I went back to play my regular Switch, the LCD screen couldn't help but look dull, washed out and a tad lifeless.
So I took the OLED plunge – and never looked back. Despite the Switch's technological limitations, games always looked slick, bright and punchy. It was often preferable to playing on my much bigger, but admittedly non-OLED TV, even if handheld mode was capped to 720p.
When the long-awaited Nintendo Switch 2 was announced, however, Nintendo surprised some by making big strides in terms of power and performance. Resolution was bumped up to 4K in docked mode and 1080p in handheld, with support for HDR and 120 fps support in both. But there was one notable downgrade – the handheld screen was LCD, likely in a bid to keep costs down.
And during a recent gaming session with a friend, I was finally able to compare the two screens side by side. What was immediately noticeable was that the Switch 2's screen was notably bigger – 7.9 inches compared to my Switch OLED's 7 inches, making the OLED model look rather diminutive. The swathe of other improvements – 1080p resolution, VRR and HDR10 support – also played their part, with Switch 2 games in particular looking incredibly detailed, smooth and crisp.
But, especially when playing two Switch 1 games side by side – the majority of the library at this point – there was a slight lack of pop on the Switch 2. When it came to contrast and colour, the self-emitting pixels of the Switch OLED won out, with colours jumping off the screen and no backlight leaking brightness into black scenes. Perhaps I'm in the minority, but I preferred my Switch OLED – it felt like more of an immersive experience, rather than just looking at a screen.
As with most consoles, the Switch 2 will eventually get a mid-generation refresh, most likely with an OLED screen (or maybe a rival format like RGB Mini LED). Perhaps then I'll finally make the switch – but for now, it's a dim prospect.
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