Nintendo has released system update 23.0.0 for Switch and Switch 2, with the newer console getting a nice bundle of features including long-overdue support for variable refresh rates (VRR) when docked.
VRR was a bullet-point feature ahead of the Switch 2 launch, which Nintendo had to admit wasn’t actually possible at the time. The in-built screen of the Switch 2 does support variable refresh rates, but output via the dock has not up until this point – something which could make handheld gaming feel significantly smoother than TV play. Adding VRR for docked play is great to see, as it can help to mitigate screen tearing and swings in frame rate, though it’s not a cure-all solution for
VRR output can now be enabled in the TV Mode settings – you might have to update the dock’s firmware first, though, and will need to be connected to a TV to adjust them.
Elsewhere, Handheld Boost Mode can be added as a toggle in the quick settings, there’s updates to the Mii editor, and you can now transfer data between Switch 2 consoles – this was previously limited to Switch 1 to Switch 2 upgrades.
We currently only have translated patch notes from Japan (via GoNintendo), as the US and UK sites have yet to be updated.
Update: We now have the US patch notes:
Switch 2 version 23.0.0
- The following updates have been made to GameChat:
- The list of chats you can join now shows chats you have previously joined.
- When starting a new chat, you can now enter without inviting any friends.
- Added an option to the menu that appears when you press the C Button during a chat that lets you change the screen size.
- Added “Settings” to Virtual Game Cards from the HOME Menu.
- You can review and edit which of your systems can use virtual game cards, among other options.
- Added support for VRR (Variable refresh rate) in TV mode.
- When both the software and TV support it, video will be output at a refresh rate that matches the game’s processing.
- A Nintendo Switch 2 dock update is required to enable this feature.
- Added ability to perform a system transfer from a Nintendo Switch 2 system to another Nintendo Switch 2 system.
- The following updates have been made in Accessibility in System Settings:
- Added Portuguese (Brazil) to “Text to Speech” languages.
- Added Portuguese (Brazil) to the GameChat “Display Speech as Text” languages.
- The following updates have been made in Audio in System Settings:
- TV Sound settings will now be saved and applied automatically on up to 8 TVs.
- The following updates have been made in Display in System Settings:
- Renamed “Dock Output Information” to “Video Output Information” which now includes details about the signals that the connected TV can display.
- Added settings for VRR.
- The following updates have been made in Mii in System Settings:
- Added a feature that lets you create a QR Code for a Mii and share it with other users.
- The following updates have been made in Sleep Mode in System Settings:
- The level can now be checked when choosing the volume for Play Wake-Up Sound in TV Mode.
- Added the ability to enable or disable “Handheld Mode Boost” from the Quick Settings.
- System Transfer to Nintendo Switch 2 has been added under System Settings > System.
- When starting software, if a virtual game card cannot be ejected from another console because it is powered off or otherwise not connected to the internet, there will be a prompt to start the software using an online license.
- Only the user who purchased the software can play it using the online license.
- Music can now be played while creating or editing a Mii.
- You can change, or stop, the music using the Music Settings in the upper corner of the screen.
- You can now use other controllers with Handheld Boost Mode while Joy-Con 2 controllers are attached to the system.
- Play activity, found on My Page > Profile, now combines play time from the same software across multiple systems.
- The play time of the software you’ve played since the update will be combined and displayed sequentially.
- General system stability improvements to enhance the user’s experience.
Switch Version 23.0.0
- Added “Settings” to Virtual Game Cards from the HOME Menu.
- You can review and edit which of your systems can use virtual game cards, among other options.
- When starting software, if a virtual game card cannot be ejected from another console because it is powered off or otherwise not connected to the internet, there will be a prompt to start the software using an online license.
- Only the user who purchased the software can play it using the online license.
- General system stability improvements to enhance the user’s experience.
Source: Nintendo
