The Nintendo Switch 2 signifies a big step forward for Nintendo, being the company’s first console to support HDR (High Dynamic Range). Although it is a convenient feature, its working has some quirks, especially for people who feel that the HDR output isn’t as punchy or balanced. The problem could be down to a very easy-to-miss setting somewhere in the system’s HDR configuration process, rather than the hardware itself.
The Misleading Interface That Hides an Essential Setting
When you first setup HDR on the Nintendo Switch 2 and connect it to a compatible display, you’re asked to adjust the peak brightness. When finished, the console shows what looks like a still demo image showing the changes. But this screen is more than just a preview.
Most people don’t realize when you press the Y button on this screen, you get a brightness slider. Although it looks like it’s optional, this control is actually used to set the paper white point, which is a primary value that’s used to tune various HDR settings behind the scene. If the adjustment isn’t made, the highlights will be blown out and shadows and midtones will lack detail.
Why the Paper White Point Matters
The white value of the paper is what the brightness of the content is based on, typically in the range of 200 to 300 nits. Unfortunately, there are no exact nit values shown in the Switch 2 while we would use the above slider. However, if you find your HDR output to be too bright or washed out, you may want to consider adjusting this setting. Changing it can greatly enhance the clarity and visual quality when playing in handheld.
Other Key HDR Adjustments You Shouldn’t Skip
The paper white setting isn’t the only change you can make. After activating HDR on your system make sure that you configure the display to either disable Dynamic Tone Mapping or set it to HGIG mode. This way the console does the tone mapping instead of the game itself helping to maintain consistency and the look the game intended.
After you change your display settings, you may want to rerun the Switch 2’s HDR configuration to make sure everything is still setup correctly. One more important tip is to change the HDR activation mode from Always On (the default) to Only For Supported Games. This stops HDR conversion from happening that would not be good for non-HDR titles or the UI.