Tester Claims Switch 2’s 120 Hz Screen Has Response Times Too Slow for 60 Hz Gaming

Ugh, here we go again. Nintendo and their Switch 2, right? So I got a look at this review by Chimolog—a Chinese reviewer, mind you—and they’ve got some spicy takes on that display. First up, they say the thing has a 17.06 ms response time on average. Honestly? That’s like molasses trying to race a cheetah. Or I dunno, maybe not. It’s slow, that’s the point. But they don’t even say how they tested it, so take that as you will.

Okay, let’s talk screen specs. We’re looking at a 1080p, 120 Hz, 7.9-inch display. Sounds fancy, but apparently, it can hit a sluggish-as-heck 27.46 ms on its worst day. Imagine your pixels taking a lazy nap instead of painting a nice, 60 FPS picture. This poor thing flunked compared to a whole classroom of 60 and 75 Hz monitors, lagging way behind like it forgot there was even a race happening.

And then there’s this Innocn M2U 27 Mini-LED monitor they threw in as a comparison. That thing’s clocking an 11.06 ms response time, wiping the floor with Nintendo’s latest.

Now, here’s where it gets wild. Despite the questionable response times, Chimolog goes on about some solid display traits. Picture this: contrast ratios like 1309:1—whatever that means, brightness upping the ante with uniformity and peak brilliance, and a color gamut hitting all the notes over 100% of sRGB. Color’s important, right? It’s like Nintendo poured all their energy into making everything else look sharp, aside from speed. Kind of like putting racing stripes on a tricycle. Weird choice, maybe?

Here’s a weird quirk: text readability. This “special RGB” layout makes words look fuzzy. It’s kinda like when you squint at billboards on a foggy day. A decision, for better or worse, that’s definitely perplexing, to say the least.

And, of course, the burning question: what about 120 Hz performance? Well, Chimolog didn’t manage to dive into that. It’s possible things might smooth out at the top refresh rate—or not. Who’s to say?

Bottom line, this screen is a mess by today’s standards. Somewhere between “bleh” and “yikes,” all while the original Switch struts in with a screen that’s 10ms faster. Yet, despite this snail-like performance, Switch 2 is crushing sales records with 3.5 million units sold in four days. Wild, right? It’s like, who even cares about a slow screen when Mario’s calling?

Nintendo gamers seem to have zero choice but to toss their cash over for the latest, even if they’re stuck with wonky screens—for now, at least. Fingers crossed for an OLED version. It’s overdue, don’t ya think?