Nintendo Switch 2 Update Finally Brings VRR To TV Mode With A Catch
Looking for some good news as we head into the weekend? Here it is: Nintendo has finally brought variable refresh rate (VRR) support to the Switch 2 in TV mode, letting docked consoles dynamically sync their output with compatible displays. Before you high-five your cat or dog, however, there is just one glaring catch, which for the moment is very limited game support. More on that in a moment.
The long-anticipated feature arrives as part of Nintendo's latest system update, opening the door for much smoother gameplay by mitigating screen tearing and minimizing the visual impact from fluctuating frame rates. For a hybrid console that frequently pushes its hardware to its limits—the Switch 2 doesn't pack the same kind of muscle as Sony's PlayStation 5 or Microsoft Xbox Series X|S—system-level VRR should be a massive quality-of-life upgrade.
"Supports VRR output while in TV mode. When both software and TV are compatible, the video will be output at a refresh rate tailored to the game's processing," Nintendo Japan states in its release notes (via Google Translate).
Up until now, the Switch 2 somewhat controversially limited VRR support to handheld mode, which is why some games would appear smoother on the console compared to playing on a TV with the Switch 2 docked. As pointed out in a thread on Reddit, Donkey Kong: Bananza is a great example of where this will make a big difference. As we can also attest, Donkey Kong: Bananza is noticeably smoother in handheld mode.
The major catch, however, is that developers need to patch existing titles to support VRR. According to the folks at Digital Foundry, the only software that supports VRR in docked mode currently is Nintendo's Switch 2 Welcome Tour. According to the site, it appears support operates on a whitelist.
That's the bad news. The good news is, it should be easy for developers to add their games to the whitelist, and now that VRR has arrived in TV mode, we expect the floodgates to open.
In the meantime, the latest update (version 23.0.0) adds a host of other features and tweaks. The release notes also state that Nintendo "fixed several issues and improved operational stability."
The update also arrives ahead of the release of Nintendo's Switch 2 - The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition. Preorders are out of stock at the time of this writing (thanks a lot, scalpers), though keep your eye on these listings for restocks:
