The OS menu for the Nintendo Switch successor, dubbed Switch 2, will feature a performance toggle for use with its Portable mode, based on the latest rumor.
Twitter/X insider NWeedle has claimed that the Nintendo Switch 2 OS menu features a performance toggle for use in its portable mode. According to their information, users of Nintendo’s next console will be able to prioritize either battery duration or power in its portable mode.
The insider claims to have obtained the aforementioned details via a developer who is in possession of a Nintendo Switch 2 development kit. They believe that the console maker wants to avoid having titles offer multiple graphics options from their own in-game menu. The aim is likely to simplify the process of choosing a graphics mode, with a one-time configuration that can be performed at the OS level.
Having an OS level graphics mode selection that works across all games in the Nintendo Switch 2’s Portable mode can indeed be very convenient for the end user. If conserving battery is a preference, games may run with lower visual fidelity or at a lower average frame rate. Similarly, if game performance is a priority, games may have a higher power draw. When docked, such compromises would not need to be considered, though games may continue to offer in-game graphics options in order to offer the choice between a higher resolution and frame rate.
In related news, during a recent episode of the VGC podcast, Chris Dring, head of GamesIndustry.biz, had mentioned hearing from his sources that the Nintendo Switch 2 will be a dual screen type product, whether it’s actually two screens on the handheld itself or the handheld screen and the TV working in sync in order to deliver that sort of an experience. A dual screen experience is something the Wii U had offered with its dedicated display on its tablet controller. Several first-party titles took advantage of the feature, but given the console’s limited success, it didn’t get much support from third-party game developers.
