It seems that we will still continue to uncover things about the Switch 2’s hardware now and in the near future.
As shared by Nintendo Patents Watch, there’s now a body of evidence to believe that the Switch 2 uses LTPS in its LCD screen. We’ll talk about the technology and its merits below, but first we’ll examine the evidence they provided.
From this thread last May, Nintendo Patents Watch shared circumstantial evidence that Nintendo is sourcing their LCD panels from Sharp, and possibly also Innolux. Sharp’s reports also indicate that they used to supply Apple’s LTPS screens before iPhones went OLED, and that Sharp was starting a new LTPS product for “amusement displays”, AKA video games. They also ruled out the possibility these new screens used IGZO because Sharp wasn’t ready to supply that technology.
In a more recent thread, they then shared that Sharp won’t confirm that they are involved in supplying components or manufacturing the Switch 2’s screens. Nintendo has been a loyal partner to pretty much every Japanese tech company for their products, short of Sony itself. Their longstanding partnerships in making their consoles through the years have also included Panasonic, Toshiba, Fujitsu, and more. So there’s some weight to the theory that Nintendo was working with Sharp.
Most recently, a new Omdia report directly states that the Switch 2 uses an LTPS display, and that the console will increase business in the console display business by 200 %. So, regardless if Sharp is involved in making the Switch 2 or not, it seems highly likely that the Switch 2 uses LTPS.
LTPS stands for low-temperature polycrystalline silicon, and it’s a specific building material for modern displays that’s completely different from IGZO (indium gallium zinc oxide), or LTPO (low-temperature polycrystalline oxide). Without getting too technical, the Switch 2’s LTPS LCD screens is a fair improvement from the IPS LCD screens used on the original Switch, if not a full upgrade from the Switch OLED.
But even then, there are merits for Nintendo to pick LTPS LCD over OLED for the Switch 2. The main sticking point with OLED is price, which consumers did feel in the Switch OLED. On another end, LTPS may not be as bright as OLED, but then it may also better strike the balance between a vibrant display and reduced eyestrain.
But on top of that, OLEDs introduce the issue of screen burn-in, where a residual image can stay on the screen after hours of use. One could argue Nintendo was prudent to wait for manufacturers like Samsung to find a solution to the burn-in issue before they make a new Switch 2 model with the screen. It has been rumored that Samsung is trying to convince Nintendo to make a Switch 2 OLED in the future using their OLED screens.
In any case, these finer details will come to light in time as consumers use the console for longer and learn its true strengths and weaknesses.
