The Nintendo Switch 2 dock does apparently support Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), despite the console maker suggesting otherwise.
YouTuber Spawn Wave has discovered that the Nintendo Switch 2 dock does support VRR after all. While the console maker hasn’t officially enabled VRR in docked mode, the content creator’s hands-on test using a Steam Deck demonstrates that the feature is indeed supported by the dock’s hardware. However, without software-level support from Nintendo, that potential remains theoretical on its new console in docked mode.
How It Works
To test the dock’s capabilities, Spawn Wave connected a Steam Deck to the Switch 2 dock using a USB-C female-to-male extension cable, effectively bypassing the physical incompatibility between the two devices. Power was supplied via the official Nintendo adapter, and a high-speed HDMI cable connected the dock to a 144Hz 4K VRR-compatible monitor.
The monitor successfully detected and enabled VRR when the Steam Deck was routed through the Switch 2 dock. HDR was also enabled during the process, further underscoring the dock’s hardware capability.Spawn Wave tested multiple display configurations and settled on 1440p resolution at 120Hz, which he suggested might align with Nintendo’s eventual goals for 4K upscaling. Using SteamOS’s built-in performance overlay, he was able to verify frame rates and monitor behavior in real-time, giving further credence to the successful operation of VRR and HDR over the dock’s HDMI output.
VRR In Switch 2 Docked Mode
The content creator noted that while the Nintendo Switch 2 supports VRR in handheld mode, the feature not being supported in docked mode is a puzzling omission, especially given the evidence that the hardware can handle it when hooked up with the Steam Deck. Once Nintendo has worked out support on the system software side of things, it’s likely that its new console will support the feature in docked mode.
Back in April, 2025, the official Nintendo website was updated to remove prior mention of the Switch 2 supporting VRR in docked mode. It had previously stated that the system would support HDR, VRR, and frame rates up to 120 fps on compatible displays. Read about it here.
