New features have been added, including updated animations when loading virtual cards, saving personal notes about friends, GameChat improvements, new video scrolling options in news and eShop, additional settings for auto-uploading from the album, and precise viewing of occupied system memory and microSD Express cards. Accessibility features, airplane mode, parental controls, and overall stability have also been improved.
The main innovation is Handheld Mode Boost. The function allows compatible games from the original Switch to run in handheld mode as in TV Mode, increasing performance and image quality. The option is enabled via "System Settings" → "System" → "Nintendo Switch Software Processing."
Nintendo warns of increased power consumption and that the effect depends on the specific game. Some interface elements and the sensor may not work perfectly, and Joy-Con 2 may be perceived as a Pro controller.
Handheld Mode Boost is one of the most significant system updates to Switch 2 since the console's release.