One of the biggest complaints people had about the Switch 2 when it launched last year was that the system did not support VRR in docked mode. The console comes equipped with a VRR capable screen that can display 120 hz, but when docked to a television, you’re stuck with a fixed refresh rate … until today, that is. In a surprise update this morning, the Nintendo Switch 2 can finally utilize VRR in docked mode. I’m not sure why it took more than a year, but at least the feature is finally here.
VRR in docked mode
It comes as part of update version 23.0.0, which is technically a two part update. One is a general system update while the other is specifically a new dock update. If you have your console connected to the internet, you will be prompted to download the update upon launching a game or navigating through the menu to initiate it yourself. Once it installs, the system will reboot and a prompt for a dock update will pop up. Install that, and you can finally access VRR in docked mode.
Saving audio settings
Another great addition: the ability to save audio settings on a per-TV basis. This probably won’t matter to most people, but bringing your console over to a friend’s house who has a completely different audio setup used to mean having to change the audio output every time you wanted to play something. Now, you can configure your Switch 2 to output in stereo on one TV and surround on another, meaning things are seamless between different setups. I would like to see that extended to display settings, especially since HDR between displays can differ quite significantly.
Console wakeup sound volume
One fun addition is the ability to change the volume of the console wakeup sound. I’ve never even thought about this, but when you wake your console while it’s connected to a dock, it plays a little tune to let you know the console is booting. You now can tweak how loud that sound is, ranging from completely silent to “Loud.” There’s a noticeable difference, but I wouldn’t call the loudest option particularly loud.
Lastly, a new option to transfer data between Switch 2 consoles has been added. This is likely for idiots like me who are planning on buying the Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 while already owning a Switch 2. Nintendo knows that people will be looking to easily transfer games, saves, and photos/videos, so now you don’t have to worry come October 29th, 2026.
You can find the full patch notes on Nintendo’s website, though the rest of the additions are things that people probably won’t notice. At least Nintendo is continuing to improve the console experience in small ways.
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Written by Peter Glagowski
Peter has been a freelance gaming and film critic for over seven years. His passion for Nintendo is only matched by the size of his collection.
