The main improvement of the Nintendo Switch OLED is in the name. The new Switch model, which releases October 8, has a 7-inch OLED display, which delivers more vivid colors and better contrast than the LCD displays of the standard Switch and Switch Lite. This is a fairly significant upgrade for those who favor playing in handheld mode, but you may also be wondering if the Switch OLED will be at risk for screen burn-in that can affect OLED devices. The short answer is that you shouldn’t be too concerned about Switch burn-in. Still, it’s not out of the realm of possibility.
Will the Switch OLED have screen burn-in?
Screen burn-in can happen to OLED displays over time as static images are displayed for lengthy durations. It can make parts of the image linger or create a ghosting effect. That said, it’s not a common occurrence. Many of the most popular smartphones utilize OLED displays, and we’d wager that you haven’t had this issue with your mobile device.
Of course, it can’t be guaranteed that isolated incidents of Switch OLED burn-in won’t pop up after its release. Nintendo even said as much in a statement provided to GameSpot sister site CNET:
“We’ve designed the OLED screen to aim for longevity as much as possible, but OLED displays can experience image retention if subjected to static visuals over a long period of time,” Nintendo wrote in the statement. “However, users can take preventative measures to preserve the screen [by] utilizing features included in the Nintendo Switch systems by default, such as auto-brightness function to prevent the screen from getting too bright, and the auto-sleep function to go into ‘auto sleep’ mode after short periods of time.”
Essentially, it’s possible the Switch OLED will suffer from burn-in, but you’d likely have to disable the auto-sleep function, have the brightness cranked up, and let the Switch remain on a static screen over a prolonged period of time. OLED burn-in is rare, but it’s still a risk. However, that risk can be significantly reduced by following Nintendo’s guidelines.
For more on the Switch OLED’s new features, check out our hands-on Switch OLED preview. Though it’s been a challenge to secure a Switch OLED preorder thus far, retailers have sporadically opened up more orders for the console over the past few weeks. Make sure to check out our Switch OLED preorder guide for a roundup of retailer listings.
