Switch 2 OLED Being Considered, But Price Is A Concern

Nintendo is reportedly eyeing a Switch 2 OLED model for the end of 2027 or early 2028, but there’s one thing holding the console giant back: the price.

If that sounds familiar, it should. While it was certainly disappointing that the Switch 2 launched with an LCD screen—after the first Switch had a mid-gen OLED refresh just years prior—the choice was made to keep the price down. With the console already having an exorbitant price tag, it was a necessary sacrifice.

However, a year on from the Switch 2, the console giant is now looking to upgrade the screen with another OLED model, as per a new report from ZDNET Korea. The outlet claims to have spoken with multiple insiders who alleged that “If the release of the Switch 2 OLED model is decided, there is a possibility that product development will begin at the end of this year” (via machine translating).

“Nintendo is considering applying rigid OLED to the Switch 2, but has not yet confirmed the release of the Switch 2 OLED due to the price difference compared to liquid crystal display (LCD) products,” it continued. “Samsung Display will strive to supply Switch 2 OLEDs to Nintendo, but the extent of the price increase for the Switch 2 resulting from the application of OLED is a variable.”

The Price Dilemma

Nintendo Switch 2 is set to rise from $449.99 to $499.99 in September due to “changes in market contributions,” an issue that all console manufacturers are running into.

In fact, the Switch OLED suffered a price hike last year that made it just $50 cheaper than a Switch 2.

That’s because the world’s largest memory makers are now selling directly to AI data centers, driving up the price for consumers and tech companies who are being squeezed out. In fact, Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron—who are responsible for roughly 95 percent of DRAM production—have been accused of collaborating to create scarcity and increase the price. There’s a precedent here, as the same three companies all pleaded guilty in the 2000s to a similar DRAM price-fixing conspiracy.

Regardless of whether the three are found guilty, for the time being, the skyrocketing RAM prices only continue and have forced companies to pass the buck to consumers, increasing the price of consoles and PC parts exponentially—with the PS6 and Project Helix primed to cost north of $1,000. Nintendo is looking down the same barrel as Sony and Xbox, and OLED screens will only add to the cost, which makes a mid-gen refresh a more difficult prospect than during the first Switch’s tenure.