Nintendo Switch 2 games will likely extensively use NVIDIA DLSS, but the most demanding titles may not be able to target 4K and 1080p output resolutions in docked and handheld modes, respectively, for a few reasons.
Replying to a fan question asking about resolution output on the yet-to-be-revealed console during the latest episode of their podcast, the tech experts at Digital Foundry made some interesting observations on what should be expected to see on the Nintendo Switch 2. For starters, there's no doubt that NVIDIA DLSS will be widely used as the system will be powered by a mobile chip that will be in no way on par with other current gaming systems, but its actual cost will make a difference in how it will be used. Based on the current version of the upscaler, there's a very good chance that in handheld mode, DLSS will target 720p or 900p resolution output, as the higher the output, the more expensive the upscaler gets. Generally, 900p, 1080p resolution output should be expected for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One ports in handheld mode, and 1440p in docked mode.
With more demanding current generation titles, the Nintendo Switch 2 will obviously struggle more, and developers will have to better balance output resolution and graphics settings. Generally, output resolution should be expected to be 720p or even below in handheld mode, and even in docked mode, it won't be very high, at least for third-party games. For first-party games, there's a good chance Nintendo could go for higher resolutions and simpler game content, an approach that would fit well with the company's current strategy and keep development costs low.
The balancing act mentioned above will be even more required to get Unreal Engine 5 games looking good on Nintendo Switch 2. At very low resolutions, UE5 games look rather bad, as Lumen, for example, gets very noisy. As such, some games will likely go for higher internal resolution at the cost of lower output resolution or significantly reduce visual settings. Given the system's small screen, however, the lower resolution may still look good enough and could not be a massive problem.
This analysis of the Nintendo Switch 2's potential capabilities could change dramatically, however, if the NVIDIA DLSS upscaler it supports differs from the PC version. For example, Hello Games implemented a lightweight version of AMD FSR 2 in the No Man's Sky Switch port, so it wouldn't be impossible for NVIDIA to have developed a lighter version of its upscaler optimized for the Switch 2 hardware.
The Nintendo Switch 2 has yet to be officially revealed, but it shouldn't take much longer to finally learn what it is actually capable of doing. We will keep you updated on the system as soon as more information is available, so stay tuned for all the latest news.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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