Switch 2 OLED Could Be Nintendo's Next Big Hardware Upgrade, New Leak Claims

A new supply chain report suggests Nintendo could launch a premium Switch 2 OLED model featuring a Full HD display.

A new supply chain report says Nintendo is already working on the next edition of the Switch 2 hardware, with an upgraded OLED model in production sooner than expected. The report is consistent with Nintendo’s history of updating its hardware several years after introduction, although nothing has been publicly confirmed.

Report says that Nintendo is looking into a Switch 2 OLED option with a full HD display. If accurate, the new screen would be a major advance over the original Switch OLED’s 1280 x 720 resolution panel. The rumored Switch 2 OLED panel would be 1920 x 1080, likely allowing for sharper visuals while retaining the benefits of OLED tech.

The report says Nintendo is not done with the project yet. However, if the company approves the project later this year, work may begin before the end of 2026. That timeline would put mass production in the late 2027 to early 2028 time frame, so a commercial launch around that time could be possible.

Samsung Display is expected to provide the upgraded OLED panels, reports say. But the analysis also notes that pricing is still one of the biggest unknowns, with costs for components continuing to rise across the technology industry. The Switch 2 has been met with mainly favorable reception since launch; however, one of the most common complaints has been the LCD screen.

Some gamers consider the screen to be one of the weakest hardware components of the system, and independent tests have shown issues such as motion ghosting. An OLED display is expected to overcome many of these concerns. The first Switch OLED was widely praised for providing richer colors, deeper blacks, higher contrast, and overall image quality above the standard LCD device.

An OLED upgrade could fix one of the Switch 2's big weaknesses.

If you took the same graphical improvements to the Switch 2 and bumped up the resolution to full HD, it would be a far more premium portable experience. For many players, that sort of an update would be an easy selling point. Nintendo might opt to focus on the day-to-day user experience with a higher-quality display, rather than boosting CPU power, as it has done with previous hardware iterations.

A Switch 2 OLED also slots into Nintendo’s traditional release calendar. During the first Switch generation, the company released several hardware upgrades, including the enhanced battery-life model, the Switch Lite, and finally the Switch OLED. Nintendo isn’t expected to release a full Switch 2 Pro, but other options like an OLED or Lite device are significantly more likely over the next several years.

The display may not be the biggest hurdle but the total cost of production. Memory prices have continued to lift in the semiconductor space, with big suppliers warning of shortages and higher prices that might linger for years. The growing expenses put Nintendo in a tight spot. While an OLED display might be cheaper than other internal components, the overall cost of the console could be increased by more expensive memory and other key hardware.

Some analysts and watchers think that if component prices keep rising, the standard Switch 2 may cost a lot more by the 2027 holiday season. In that scenario, Nintendo could potentially market an OLED revision as a luxury product, commanding a higher retail price on the back of perceived improvements in quality of life.

Higher memory prices could also challenge future Nintendo hardware pricing.

The company did something similar with the original Switch OLED. Next to the refreshed screen comes a larger adjustable kickstand, a better dock with a built-in LAN adapter, and a host of subtle improvements that make the console feel more premium while basically keeping the same underlying performance. If manufacturing costs continue to rise.

Nintendo may be able to throw in some nice extras in addition to the OLED screen. More storage, better speakers, better ergonomics, or improved docking features would all assist to differentiate the premium model without requiring an expensive rebuild of the core components of the system. At the same time, Nintendo has another problem to deal with, affordability.

Over time, console updates have gotten cheaper, thus becoming available to more people. But the market is heading in the opposite direction at the moment. Production costs are up due to supply constraints and higher prices for components, and it may have stopped Nintendo from dropping prices the way consumers have grown to expect.

In the future, Nintendo may have to provide premium features to justify higher console prices. That issue could affect the prospects for a future Switch 2 Lite. Normally Nintendo would be releasing a cheaper handheld-only device, but rising costs mean even a basic model might be priced at the same level as the regular Switch 2. The reported Switch 2 OLED, for now, is nothing more than a rumor.

But there is a certain credibility to the idea, given the reported timeframe, Nintendo’s history of hardware refreshes, and the continuing concerns about the current LCD display. Whether the corporation will ultimately launch an OLED model by 2028 remains to be seen, and it may be less about demand and more about how the fast-moving hardware market plays out over the next few years.