Players Warned About Nintendo Switch OLED Screen
Whether you're going to be stumping up for the pricey new Nintendo Switch OLED or not, one self-confessed tech expert has warned that Nintendo's souped-up console could have a major problem with its screen.
In the run-up to the official announcement of the Nintendo Switch OLED, there was plenty of buzz about a mythical Nintendo Switch Pro. Sadly, these leaks turned out to be fake, meaning we're left with a somewhat underwhelming upgrade that will presumably tide us over until the Nintendo Switch 2 - or whatever comes next.
What's the warning about the Nintendo Switch OLED screen?
Posting on Reddit, a home theatre specialist that works at Best Buy warned Nintendo could face problems with burn-in on the Nintendo Switch OLED. Explaining the potential problems, u/i_can_hear_the_world said, "There is, however, one drawback to OLED that LED does not suffer; screen burn-in. Although screen burn-in takes many hours of static imagery to occur, it can still happen. I am confident that Nintendo has measures to ensure that screen burn-in will hardly occur, but to err on the side of caution".
Most of us keep our Switch in the dock, and even if it is in handheld mode, it's unlikely you'd leave it running on a static screen for hours on end. The OP warned there are some things to combat potential burn-in if you're worried that might be the case. As well as turning your Switch off when not in use and out of its dock, players are advised to lower the brightness and periodically turn off their Switch if they start to notice pixel burn.
Most fans were thankful for the advice. One gamer warned, "Treat your OLED screens kindly - my 2017 LG has the Minecraft hearts burned into it, which I probably could have avoided with more care", while another added, "Why would you believe Nintendo 'has measures to ensure that screen burn-in will hardly occur' when they still haven't fixed the controller drift on the default controllers the console comes with".
Although the original post simply talks about a hypothetical and says Nintendo could work on a fix, a third simply joked, "Nintendo solved that issue by having a 3-5 hour maximum battery life".
Is the Nintendo Switch OLED better than the classic Nintendo Switch?
The Nintendo Switch OLED is described as a mid-gen refresh that's due out on October 8 and will cost $349.99/£309.99. The organic light emitting diode display (OLED) is the big pull, however, it's a far cry from those hopes we'd get a 4K Switch Pro to rival the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
Still, the Nintendo Switch OLED's new screen will draw less power than the old LCD screens and should offer more contrast in terms of colour. Unfortunately, the Switch OLED and classic Switch both use a 4310mAh Lithium-ion battery, meaning there's no change to battery life.
Elsewhere, it's the same Joy-Cons coming with the OLED, so those persistent problems with drift are expected to continue after the upgrade. If you're new to Nintendo, the Nintendo Switch OLED could be a good place to start, but for those who already have a Switch/multiple limited edition Switches, is it really worth the price tag? No matter what we think, reports are that despite warnings, Nintendo Switch OLED pre-orders are through the roof.
