The Nintendo Switch 2 is a hell of a lot more powerful than its predecessor and even the OLED model. While you can just plug and play right out of the box, there are a few settings you’ll probably want to tweak first. Here are the best Switch 2 settings for an optimal gameplay experience.
HDR Output
The first big one is your HDR output settings. Go into your Switch 2 system settings and look under the Display tab, and you’ll see HDR right at the top. Do note that there are two different HDR settings, and I’ll go over them both.
The first Switch 2 HDR setting is turned on by default and you can just leave it on if your TV supports HDR. Most modern TVs do, so you’re probably safe to just leave this one on. Even if your TV doesn’t have HDR support, this won’t affect anything and you can just leave it on for when you eventually upgrade your display.
The second HDR setting has three options, as listed below:
- Off
- Compatible software only
- All software
This is specifically for Switch 2 games, and I recommend toggling it to “Compatible software only”. Turning it on for all software may cause coloration issues for games that don’t support it, so make sure to check this before booting up a game.
120 Hz Output
Also under the Display tab, make sure to toggle on 120 Hz Output. The Switch 2 is now actually capable of running games at high refresh rates, so you’ll want to take advantage of this whenever possible. I mean, don’t get me wrong; the console still has a long way to go before it’s able to run every game at 120fps — and Cyberpunk 2077 certainly doesn’t hit anywhere near that — but being able to get close to that kind of performance is nice.
Of course, if you’re not using a display capable of 120 Hz output, then leave this off.
While we’re at it, go ahead and enable Auto Low Latency Mode as well, which should help alleviate any latency or responsiveness issues you might encounter.
Match TV Power State
The OG Switch had this enabled by default, and the Switch 2 should do the same right out of the box. This one’s really all about personal preference though, so your mileage may vary.
The “Match TV Power State” option makes it so that when your Switch 2 is docked and turned on, your TV will automatically power on as well, without needing you to reach for your remote. It’s a small thing, but I personally like the convenience. Besides, if you don’t want your TV to turn on, just make sure the Switch 2 is asleep before docking it.
Resolution
Here’s a fun one. The Switch 2 is now capable of outputting at 4K though, again, most games likely won’t hit that for a while and also retain high framerates. Personally, I’d recommend keeping this at 1440p or 1080p so that you’re not sacrificing too much in the performance department.
1440p is the sweet spot for me, and being able to hit that resolution while also maintaining a solid 30fps (or sometimes 40fps on the Switch 2) is huge. Of course, this is also up to personal preference. If graphical fidelity is your priority, then go ahead and crank it up.
Battery Protection
This is a very important one, especially if you’re like me and prefer to play the Switch 2 in handheld mode. In your settings, make sure to turn on Battery Protection. This makes it so that your battery will only charge to 80% when plugged in. While it might sound counterintuitive to getting the most juice out of your system, this helps to keep your battery healthy for a longer period of time.
While we’re at it, try not to completely drain your Switch 2 battery to 0% either. You’ll want to keep it between 20% to 80% most of the time for battery preservation.
Best Settings for Switch 2 Battery Life
Finally, here are some other miscellaneous Switch 2 settings that should help to preserve battery life, and also help you get more playtime out of your console:
- Turn on Auto-Brightness, or lower it manually to your liking.
- Turn off HDR.
- Disable 120 Hz Output.
- Cap resolution at 1080p.
- Toggle RGB Range to Limited.
- Turn on Battery Saver Mode.
- Turn off Wi-Fi/Bluetooth when not in use.
You’ll notice that some of these settings directly contradict a couple of recommendations for the best Switch 2 settings I listed above, but it’s all situational. When you’re playing it docked, there’s no harm in cranking up the resolution, refresh rate, and RGB range. But if battery life and playtime in handheld mode are your priority, then keep these tips in mind.
