Since October 16, the campaign for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 has been live for all pre-order players – including on the Switch 2. A look at the graphics settings there reveals a surprise: The game offers two different upscaling options. The full launch follows on Friday, October 23, but initial insights into what differentiates the two modes are already available.
What Upscaling Options Are Available on Switch 2?
Players can choose between Nvidia's AI-powered DLSS and Infinity Ward's proprietary anti-aliasing solution, listed in the menu as „Filmic SMAA T2X“. Additionally, in the quality menu, you'll find the „FidelityFX CAS“ option, AMD's Contrast Adaptive Sharpening, which sharpens the image. For a handheld, that offers considerable room for tweaking.
What Does Digital Foundry Say About DLSS and SMAA?
Tom Morgan from Digital Foundry has provided Nintendo Life with a very early analysis. According to his findings, DLSS on the Switch 2 processes the same pixel data and resolution as the SMAA variant but offers two advantages:
- Better Anti-Aliasing: DLSS reconstructs details from accumulated image data and smooths jaggies more intelligently. Once the image stabilizes, lines look cleaner.
- Sharper Textures: For busy, inconsistent details like door decals or foliage, DLSS appears more defined.
Important: This currently applies primarily to still images captured from a pre-release build. Morgan emphasizes that the final version in motion still needs more thorough examination. A performance hit from DLSS is possible – or artifacts if the Switch 2 variant of the upscaler interplays with the IW Engine. If DLSS appears smoother in still images, SMAA will likely have advantages elsewhere.
What Does This Mean for You as a Switch 2 Player?
From our perspective, the selection is primarily a good sign: The Digital Legends team, which is handling the Switch 2 version, gives players control rather than enforcing a single solution. Especially in a fast-paced shooter, what counts in combat is how the game feels – a pristine still image is of little help if the frame rate or response time suffers. Our tip: Test both modes in a real match, pay attention to frame rate and artifacts, and then decide. We've already summarized how the campaign performs overall on Nintendo's handheld in our report on the Switch 2 campaign, and you can find all launch dates in our overview of Early Access and release times.
When Will Reliable Performance Figures Be Available?
A comprehensive analysis of the final build is still outstanding. As soon as Digital Foundry and other testers have assessed the Switch 2 version in motion, we will know if DLSS is truly the better choice for the hardware. Until then, everything stated so far is a first impression, not a definitive verdict.
Source: Nintendo Life
Which upscaling option are you using on Switch 2? Let us know in the comments!
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