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Firmware 23.0.0 released for Switch and Switch 2, brings docked VRR to Switch 2

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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.
Nintendo Switch 2 Ver. 23.0.0
  • 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.
At the time of writing, Atmosphere is yet to be updated, so owners of the original system with CFW installed should lock away their systems to prevent any accidents happening with distant step nephews and other malicious family members.

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Mama Dizzys said:
wait thats so cool, i didnt think it would actually happen

wonder how thatll work out though for 30fps games when your display's lower VRR limit is higher than 30
Click to expand...
I now need to shuffle around my desk to get my Switch 2 dock plugged into my VRR monitor lol
 
Mama Dizzys said:
wait thats so cool, i didnt think it would actually happen

wonder how thatll work out though for 30fps games when your display's lower VRR limit is higher than 30
Click to expand...
Reading the changelog, it says "If supported by both the software and your TV." Leads me to believe it's game-specific for now.
 
HaloEliteLegend said:
Reading the changelog, it says "If supported by both the software and your TV." Leads me to believe it's game-specific for now.
Click to expand...
Its is. Its not system wide like on Xbox. Devs will need to patch existing games to enable VRR in docked though it should something that is really easy to do.
 
RetroNerdGamer said:
Sorry I sound so dumb but what is "VRR" in terms of visuals? It's hard to keep up with these new settings.
Click to expand...

TLDR
VRR means variable refresh rate. Modern displays can have external devices control the refresh rate to eliminate screen tearing and visual stuttering, Can also have a huge decrease in input lag as you can ensure the current frame rendered by the GPU is the current one you are seeing,

Longer explanation,
Standard refresh rate on displays are 60hz
Just over a decade ago high refresh monitors of 144hz and above started to be a thing and become way more popular, But to make the most of it your game's framerate must also be 144fps. Simply put not every game will hit those high framerate numbers. So you end up in the scenario where your games fps is 80fps but the monitors refresh is still 144hz.

This causes a lot of visual and latency issues we don't want so VRR was invented. Now if your GPU can't hit the framerate needed it tells the monitor to lower its refresh rate to the current frame rate.
 
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BlusterBong said:
Varriable Refresh Rate, basically being able to change the refresh rate dynamically depending on what the game calls for
Click to expand...

Renos44 said:
TLDR
VRR means variable refresh rate. Modern displays can have external devices control the refresh rate to eliminate screen tearing and visual stuttering, Can also have a huge decrease in input lag as you can ensure the current frame rendered by the GPU is the current one you are seeing,

Longer explanation,
Standard refresh rate on displays are 60hz
Just over a decade ago high refresh monitors of 144hz and above started to be a thing and become way more popular, But to make the most of it your game's framerate must also be 144fps. Simply put not every game will hit those high framerate numbers. So you end up in the scenario where your games fps is 80fps but the monitors refresh is still 144hz.

This causes a lot of visual and latency issues we don't want so VRR was invented. Now if your GPU can't hit the framerate needed it tells the monitor to lower its refresh rate to the current frame rate.
Click to expand...
Thank you! Nice to know, though I wonder how much of it I could see if I used VRR, but nice to see it on Switch 2!
 
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Scarlet said:
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.
Click to expand...
Just recently I was discussing how it would have been great if at least Mii Maker applet had music, and my prayers have been answered!

But of course, only the Switch 2 got this feature. How great. :angry:

I would love if someone modded it in!

LeyendaV said:
Sw2 update looks like an actual firmware update. Sw update looks like your average Sw update.
Click to expand...
Welp, it's basically on life support now. Just DRM updates and other such menial changes.
 
Last edited by lightwo,
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Mama Dizzys said:
wait thats so cool, i didnt think it would actually happen

wonder how thatll work out though for 30fps games when your display's lower VRR limit is higher than 30
Click to expand...
For 60Hz displays with VRR, you'll only benefit from games that can maintain a frame rate as low as your display's minimum refresh rate. Some are 48Hz, some can go down to 40Hz. I have an LG C1, and from the Welcome Tour demo, my TV supports as low as 41Hz.

For 120Hz displays with VRR, you get the whole range because after the frame rate goes below the minimum refresh rate, it starts to use LFC (Low Framerate Compensation), increasing the refresh rate by a factor based on the frame rate. If your display supports as low as 40Hz, but your game runs at 39fps, then it'll set the refresh rate to 78Hz, and show the same frame for every 2 cycles. Drops to 20fps? It'll go down to 40Hz with that same doubling. But drop to 19fps? It then triples the refresh rate to 57Hz, and show each frame across 3 cycles. Keeps going until it gets down to 1fps where it will use your TV's lowest refresh rate. 40Hz for this example.

I don't believe it can use LFC for 60Hz displays because it can't go higher than that max 60Hz in the instance it drops the frame rate below your TV's minimum refresh rate. That would only be possible if the minimum was 30Hz, but I don't think any displays like that exist. Now, maybe if the content is 30fps with some fluctuations south of that, perhaps it can because it would be using a max of 60Hz, but the range gets rather small. If your display is 48-60Hz, then such a case of 30fps content would be limited to 24-30fps. A 6fps difference as opposed to a 12fps difference.
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subcon959 said:
Nice update but do any games actually support VRR right now?
Click to expand...
Just one; Welcome Tour. Games need to be updated to support it. But the good thing is that many games are already using it in portable mode, which had VRR since the beginning. They just have to patch the games to support docked mode.
 
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