19 hours ago
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🪞 The Nintendo Switch 2’s glossy screen is too reflective, particularly when playing games with dark scenes like Hollow Knight: Silksong
🤔 To mitigate this issue, I purchased a matte screen protector, despite typical reservations about the impact on screen brightness and clarity
🙌 The JSAUX matte tempered screen protector effectively removed reflections and minimized fingerprints with only a minor effect on image quality
👍 Matte screen protectors are a great option for Switch 2, and feel similar to the Steam Deck OLED’s etched glass
Amazon: JSAUX matte screen protector
I love the Nintendo Switch 2, but there’s been a few gripes that I’ve had to correct. The lack of a traditional D-pad can be easily fixed with a $10 accessory, and the console’s ergonomics can be vastly improved with some Asus ROG Xbox Ally X-like grips.
However, one element that I didn’t expect to grow to dislike was the Nintendo Switch 2’s glossy screen. I’m more than happy with the colors and contrast of the LCD display – even though it’s not an OLED – but it’s super reflective.
That reflectivity has become a problem when playing Hollow Knight: Silksong, a game that’s primarily made up of blacks and darker scenes. Seeing ceiling lights or my face staring back at me during the game’s intense boss battles began to become a distraction, and I also had to crank the Switch 2’s brightness to compensate.
Even though some of the best Switch 2 screen protectors have anti-reflective properties, I found it wasn’t enough. Reluctantly, I decided to choose the nuclear option, one that most would turn their noses up at, including myself.
I purchased a matte screen protector.
Before you cast me into the fire of damnation, let me explain. Matte screen protectors are usually dismissed by the masses as they tend to dull the brightness and clarity of a screen. The hit to image quality usually negates the benefits of a matte display, though I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the JSAUX matte tempered glass screen protector.
First, the screen protector accomplishes its goal with aplomb. The Switch 2’s mirror-like screen is no more, and fingerprints and smudges are also greatly reduced.
But what about the reduction in clarity I spoke about earlier? Well, it’s there, but it’s extremely negligible. I got used to it in a couple of minutes and actually began to enjoy how the Switch 2’s display looks with a matte coating. It gives it an almost painterly feel.
I started to appreciate it even more when I played Hollow Knight: Silksong next to many of the bright windows in my home, and was even able to play at a lower brightness, as I didn’t have to max it out to hide my face staring back at me.
The funny thing is, I realized I’d actually used a matte display before on a handheld and thoroughly enjoyed it, almost unwittingly. The Steam Deck OLED 1TB features an etched glass display, which has similar properties to a matte finish. Yes, highlights are ever so slightly dulled compared to a glossy screen, but I now understand the trade-off was worth it.
Unlike the Steam Deck OLED, which is capable of 1,000 nits of brightness for superb HDR, the Nintendo Switch 2’s HDR performance is, to put it lightly, subpar. It makes using a matte screen an even easier decision, as you’re not really losing anything.
I never thought I’d be championing matte screen protectors in 2025, but if you’re tired of seeing everything around you instead of the game you’re playing on Switch 2, I’m more than willing to bet you’ll love a matte screen protector, too.
Up next: Nintendo Switch 2 criticism is overblown – and it’s time to address it
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. He also runs a retro gaming YouTube channel called Game on, boy! Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.
