Firmware 23.0.0 released for Switch and Switch 2, brings docked VRR to Switch 2
It's that time again folks, an update for the Switch and Switch 2, and a surprisingly big one at that! At lease for folks on the Switch 2. The most notable feature this time around is the addition of Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) when docked on the Switch 2. This was available from launch, but only when playing in handheld mode. For those who aren't familiar with the technology, VRR essentially makes a compatible display refresh at the same rate the system is pushing out frames. That means if the framerate drops to 50fps, your display will update 50 times in a second. I'm oversimplifying a touch here, but the gist is that games that hover around 60 with some drops will likely feel a lot better.
There's also a surprisingly long list of smaller tweaks, including some GameChat changes, a few audio options, and even a quick toggle for Handheld Boost Mode to save you having to search through your settings each time. You can find the full list of changes for each system included below.
Nintendo Switch Ver. 23.0.0
- Added a settings option to Virtual Game Cards on the HOME Menu.
- Here you can review and edit which of your consoles can use virtual game cards, among other options.
- When starting software, if a virtual game card cannot be ejected from another console because it is powered off or otherwise not connected to the internet, there will be a prompt to start the software using an online license.
- Only the user who purchased the software can play it using the online license.
- General system stability improvements have been made to enhance the user's experience.
- The following updates have been made to GameChat:
- The list of chats you can join now shows chats you have previously joined.
- When starting a new chat, you can now enter without inviting any friends.
- Added an option to the menu that appears when you press the C Button during a chat that lets you change the screen size.
- Added a settings option to Virtual Game Cards on the HOME Menu.
- Here you can review and edit which of your consoles can use virtual game cards, among other options.
- Added support for VRR (variable refresh rate) in TV mode.
- If supported by both the software and your TV, the refresh rate output will be adjusted based on the software's performance.
- A Nintendo Switch 2 dock update is required to enable this feature.
- Added the ability to perform a system transfer from a Nintendo Switch 2 console to another Nintendo Switch 2 console.
- The following updates have been made under Accessibility in System Settings:
- Added Portuguese (Brazil) to the available text to speech languages.
- Added Portuguese (Brazil) to the GameChat "Display Speech as Text" languages.
- The following updates have been made under Audio in System Settings:
- Added the option to save settings separately for each connected TV.
- The following updates have been made under Display in System Settings:
- Renamed “Dock Output Information” to “Video Output Information”, which now includes details about connected TV outputs.
- Added settings for VRR.
- The following updates have been made under Mii in System Settings:
- Added a feature that lets you create a QR Code for a Mii and share it with other users.
- The following updates have been made under Sleep Mode in System Settings:
- Choosing the volume for Play Console Wake-Up Sound in TV Mode now causes the sound to play immediately so that you can check the volume level.
- Added the ability to enable or disable “Handheld Mode Boost” under Quick Settings.
- System Transfer to Nintendo Switch 2 has been added under System Settings > System.
- When starting software, if a virtual game card cannot be ejected from another console because it is powered off or otherwise not connected to the internet, there will be a prompt to start the software using an online license.
- Only the user who purchased the software can play it using the online license.
- Music can now be played while creating or editing a Mii.
- You can change or stop the music using the Music Settings in the top corner of the screen.
- You can now use other controllers during Handheld Mode Boost while Joy-Con 2 controllers are attached to the console.
- Play activity, found under Profile on your user page, now combines play time for the same software across multiple consoles.
- The combined times will be displayed in order, starting with software played after the update.
- General system stability improvements have been made to enhance the user's experience.
Source
