- Digital Foundry identifies two DLSS profiles on Switch 2: one quality and one light.
- Standard mode offers better stability and AA but is used up to 1080p due to its cost.
- Light mode consumes about half the resources and can target 1440p/4K with compromises.
- Tests on games like Cyberpunk 2077, Hogwarts Legacy, and others confirm different behaviors.
The way Nintendo's next console handles the AI rescaling It is no longer a total mystery: several Technical analysis suggests that Switch 2 combines two DLSS approaches with very different goals and costs., something key to balancing quality and fluidity in a portable device.
According to the latest work by Digital Foundry —led by Alex Battaglia—, games in development for the machine They alternate between a more complete DLSS profile and a more austere one in terms of resources.This duality would allow the visual output to be adjusted to the system's power and battery limitations without sacrificing sharpness.
What changes with DLSS on Switch 2
At the heart of the approach two routes coexist: one designed to prioritize image quality and another oriented towards performance. Both reconstruct the image with machine learning, but their imprint on frame time and their behavior when moving the camera They are not the same.
The way Digital Foundry equates the model similar to that of PC (CNN) It offers more stable antialiasing, clean camera transitions, and lower overall noise. Due to its higher computational demands, it's often used when the rendering and output target is around 1080p.
La light variant —often referred to as «DLSS Light"- significantly reduces the cost, standing at approximately half the resources compared to the full profile. In still images achieve striking sharpness and, under the right conditions, can aim a higher resolutions (1440p and even 4K). In return, in motion it disables part of the reconstruction and edges or unfiltered pixels may appear.
The two profiles coexist in the development environment, and studios can choose which one to apply for each scene or mode. This opens the door to dynamic strategies between dock mode and portable mode, prioritizing detail or stability depending on the context.
From theory to testing
Before these demonstrations, figures such as Richard Leadbetter (Digital Foundry) had already estimated the time toll of rescaling on a GPU similar to that of the T239 SoC: around +3 ms at 1080p, +7 ms at 1440p y +18 ms at 4K. Under that framework, it seemed difficult to sustain 4K/60 at a reasonable cost.
Recent tests qualify that skepticism: with the light profile, Several developments have shown outputs at 1440p and specific cases above. The full profile, meanwhile, continues to stand out at 1080p for its image stability and motion smoothing.
Games and observed behaviors
- Cyberpunk 2077 (Switch 2): uses a DLSS close to the CNN model of PC, with adaptive sharpening post-processing. The output target is kept at 1080p to maintain stability.
- Street Fighter 6 (Switch 2): adheres to the highest quality standard profile, prioritizing Consistent AA and cleanliness of image in fast scenes.
- Hogwarts Legacy (Switch 2): points to 1440p using the light variant. The sharpness in static is high, but in motion, elements appear aliased and loss of reconstruction; in addition, it is one of the games compatible with DLSS.
- Star Wars Outlaws (Switch 2): : output has been observed 1080p with behavior very similar to Hogwarts; there is some smoothing in camera cuts, without the effectiveness of the full profile on PC.
- The Touryst (Switch 2): fits into the light strategy, maximizing clarity in static shots with low resource costs.
- Fast Fusion (Switch 2): bet on the efficient profile, repeating the pattern of high sharpness with concessions when moving the camera.
Implementation and adoption
According to Digital Foundry's analysis, a developer familiar with the integration confirms that both presets are available in the development environment and the console's GPU offers several configurations, allowing you to adjust the balance between cost and quality.
For now, they are mostly external studies who are taking advantage of DLSS on the platform, while Nintendo's internal engines finish integrating these routines. When this happens, it wouldn't be strange to see its own franchises benefiting from the AI upscaling.
All of the above paints a clear picture: Switch 2 combines quality DLSS —ideal up to 1080p for its cost— with a lightweight alternative that pursues higher resolutions in exchange for compromising on motion reconstructionWith this foundation, each game will be able to choose the balance between fidelity and performance that best suits it.
I am a technology enthusiast who has turned his "geek" interests into a profession. I have spent more than 10 years of my life using cutting-edge technology and tinkering with all kinds of programs out of pure curiosity. Now I have specialized in computer technology and video games. This is because for more than 5 years I have been writing for various websites on technology and video games, creating articles that seek to give you the information you need in a language that is understandable to everyone.
If you have any questions, my knowledge ranges from everything related to the Windows operating system as well as Android for mobile phones. And my commitment is to you, I am always willing to spend a few minutes and help you resolve any questions you may have in this internet world.