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Gaming
The Switch 2 OLED might be in the works, but there’s a catch
Skyrocketing memory costs threatens Nintendo’s rumored plans for a display upgrade.
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Oliver Cragg / Android Authority
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TL;DR
- Nintendo is reportedly evaluating a future Switch 2 model featuring a 1,920 x 1080 FHD rigid OLED panel supplied by Samsung Display.
- If greenlit, development will begin at the end of this year, targeting mass production for late 2027 or early 2028 to extend the console’s lifecycle.
- The upgrade is not guaranteed due to a stark price gap between LCD and OLED panels, compounded by skyrocketing semiconductor and memory costs.
Nintendo recently announced that a Switch 2 with a replaceable battery is coming this autumn, but it seems the company has other variants in mind for the future. Nintendo is reportedly also evaluating the launch of a new OLED variant for the Switch 2, which would bump the screen resolution to FHD (1,920 x 1,080) from the first-generation Switch OLED’s HD
A new report from ZDNet Korea indicates that Nintendo is considering using rigid OLED panels for this upcoming Switch 2 version. Samsung Display, which supplied the panels for the first-generation Switch OLED, is reportedly angling to secure the contract for the new model as well
However, the upgrade isn’t a guaranteed done deal just yet. The primary roadblock for Nintendo remains the significant price gap between standard LCDs and OLED panels, especially at a time when component costs for memory and other critical semiconductors are skyrocketing across the tech industry
If Nintendo decides to go ahead with a Switch 2 OLED, product development will begin at the end of this year, with mass production then positioned for the end of 2027 or the beginning of 2028
Historically, Nintendo has favored a staggered release schedule to extend the lifecycle of its hardware. The original Switch generation saw a vanilla LCD model debut in 2017, followed by the handheld-only Switch Lite in 2019, and culminated in the Switch OLED in 2021. While all three of those older iterations were locked to a modest 720p HD resolution, the Nintendo Switch 2 jumped to 1080p FHD on its LCD when it released in 2025. The switch to an OLED display around 2027 fits Nintendo’s timeline.
For now, Nintendo appears to be balancing the user experience upgrades against the harsh reality of rising manufacturing costs
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