An OLED version of the Switch 2 could start production in 2027

Nintendo may be exploring an OLED version of the Switch 2, according to a new report from Eurogamer, which cited South Korean outlet ZDNET Korea as claiming serious internal discussions are underway at the company. (Disclosure: ZDNet and Mashable are both owned by the same parent company, Ziff Davis.)

While many industry watchers had long assumed Nintendo would eventually give the Switch 2 an OLED screen, following the same path as the original Switch, Eurogamer noted this timing came earlier than expected. Per the report, ZDNET Korea indicated that production would not begin before the end of 2027 at the earliest, meaning a release could land around 2028.

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Eurogamer, citing the ZDNET Korea report, noted that Samsung Display could once again supply the panel, as it did for the first Switch OLED, though “the extent of the price increase resulting from the adoption of OLED is a variable.” The outlet pointed out that cost was reportedly the primary reason the Switch 2 launched with an LCD screen rather than OLED in the first place, despite OLED being better suited to the console’s HDR capabilities.

One insider cited in the ZDNET Korea report claimed Nintendo is considering bumping the display resolution to 1920×1080 for a Switch 2 OLED model, up from the 1280×720 resolution used in the original Switch’s OLED version — a change Eurogamer noted would align with the Switch 2’s existing native 1080p handheld resolution. The same source indicated that formal product development could begin by the end of this year if the plans move forward, though Eurogamer emphasized that the development stage would still precede actual production.

An OLED upgrade could also help address ongoing criticism of the Switch 2’s current LCD panel, which has drawn complaints about ghosting and input lag, along with imprecise HDR performance — issues Eurogamer said have been documented by outlets like Digital Foundry and user complaints on platforms like YouTube and Reddit.

Of course, the OLED version would almost certainly be more expensive. When the original Nintendo Switch OLED model launched, it cost $50 more than the regular version. And don’t forget, Nintendo is already raising prices on the Nintendo Switch 2 later this year. Rumor has it that Sony is delaying the PlayStation 6 timeline to wait out price increases caused by the global memory shortage.

Separately, Eurogamer noted that Nintendo has already confirmed that smaller hardware revisions to Switch 2 products will roll out in Europe this summer to comply with right-to-repair rules and updated battery regulations.