Nintendo brings ‘Handheld Mode Boost’ to Switch 2

Nintendo just put out a rather major software update for the Switch 2. For the first time since launch, Switch 2 players can now force Switch 1 games to operate in their ‘docked' mode while using the Switch 2 in handheld mode, greatly improving the resolution and performance of hundreds of games. 

The latest Switch 2 firmware update adds a new ‘Handheld Mode Boost' feature to the settings menu. When this option is enabled, games released for the Switch 1 being played in handheld or tabletop mode on the newer console will run at the game's ‘docked' settings. The exact results of this toggle will vary from game to game but for the most part, it should allow many sub-HD games on the Switch to actually run at close to 1080p resolution on the Switch 2.

A number of older games will immediately benefit from this. When I first saw this update, I immediately booted up Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and was pleased to find that the game no longer runs at sub-540p resolutions and looks much sharper than before, even without a specific Switch 2 patch.

Unfortunately, Nintendo has not gone as far as Microsoft with an ‘FPS Boost' option, so 30FPS titles still run at their original frame rate targets, but at the very least, many games will now look sharper in handheld mode on the Switch 2.

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KitGuru Says: This is one of those features that I really wanted to see at launch, but at least it still arrived within the console's first year on the market. 

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