Nintendo has released Switch 2 system update 23.0.0, enabling variable refresh rate support when the console runs in docked TV mode. The firmware also adds a handheld boost mode toggle to the system’s quick settings.
The docked VRR addition arrives after the Switch 2 launched without that capability, as first reported by The Verge. Nintendo had previously indicated that its newer console would gain the feature while connected to a television.
Docked VRR can smooth out uneven performance
Variable refresh rate synchronizes a display’s refresh rate with the frame rate a game produces. When a game’s output varies, the screen can adjust alongside it instead of displaying portions of separate frames at once.
That can reduce screen tearing and make inconsistent frame rates look smoother. The effect matters most in games whose performance does not stay locked to a single frame-rate target, though the result will depend on the game and the connected display.
Nintendo now joins Sony and Microsoft in offering VRR on its current console hardware. PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S and X already support the display technology, making its absence from the Switch 2’s docked setup a notable gap at launch.
The update also changes handheld quick settings
Firmware 23.0.0 adds a handheld boost mode toggle to Switch 2 quick settings, putting the option within the console’s fast-access controls. Nintendo has not explained what the mode changes, how it affects battery life or performance, or which games may make use of it.
Nintendo also has not specified the release date for version 23.0.0, the televisions or monitors that support docked VRR, the cable requirements, or which Switch 2 games work with the feature. Those details will determine how widely owners can use the new TV-mode capability.
This article was produced with AI assistance from multi-source reporting and is published under our editorial standards.
