By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close

Forums - Nintendo - How Will be Switch 2 Performance Wise?

 

Switch 2 is out! How you classify?

Terribly outdated! 3 5.26%
 
Outdated 1 1.75%
 
Slightly outdated 14 24.56%
 
On point 31 54.39%
 
High tech! 7 12.28%
 
A mixed bag 1 1.75%
 
Total:57

Just to re-emphasize why "PS4-tier" (in a narrow-sense, rather than the full-range of PS4 -> PS4 Pro) doesn't make sense, even from a "vibes-based" perspective, for docked mode. (Image sampled from a Digital Foundry video.) 

The difference here is clearly noticeable even at about 8 inch diagonal (I'm on a laptop, currently.) Imagine the difference on a larger screen. Compare how blurry and cut-up the pillar in the far distance is on PS4 compared to Switch 2 (Docked.) Look at the coherence of the right fence. Look at the word "Appendix" on the tablet or the fact you can't read "Power/Source" on the car's dashboard on PS4. 



Around the Network
sc94597 said:
Chrkeller said:

Partially based on vibes, but also based on how demanding games are. On paper the 5090 kills my 4090, actually real world performance, 5-8% improvement.  And 5-8% means nothing.  

We're talking about a >30% improvement in a real-world cross-generation game in docked mode, not "5-8%." 

Again, Cyberpunk 2077 is running with 32% more pixels on average, sticks to its 30fps target more consistently, has higher resolution textures and superior scene geometry/LoD management, and this is with DLSS cutting into resources to provide an even better effective image-quality than +32% (without it) would provide. Where the game has the most issues on Switch 2 is in content that isn't even on PS4/Pro.

We're not talking about something "on paper" like floating point performance here, but the actual real world performance in a benchmark title.

I get all thought but via dynamic resolution, games can change by good percent in pixel count.  And I've never noticed.  I notice drops in fps, but not with resolution.  I just don't see that as a huge impact.  

Games look largely the same as ps4.  Omg the fence in the background is clearner...clearer....  sorry man, that doesn't scream huge jump.  It screams minor improvement.  

And I can't wait till the series s with Outlaws is significantly better than S2...  and suddenly all this differences are minor.....  

I just don't agree and you seem way too bent out of shape.  

And correct me but wasn't the S2 behind the PS4 PRO?  Would it help if I called the S2 ps4 pro tier?  Happy to oblige.  

edit

part of it is I did upgrade from ps4 to ps4 pro.  Outside fps, I thought the upgrade was a waste of money.  the differences were too small to warrant the price tag.

Last edited by Chrkeller - on 18 August 2025

i7-13700k

Vengeance 32 gb

RTX 4090 Ventus 3x E OC

Switch OLED

Chrkeller said:

I get all thought but via dynamic resolution, games can change by good percent in pixel count.  And I've never noticed.  I notice drops in fps, but not with resolution.  I just don't see that as a huge impact.  

Games look largely the same as ps4.  Omg the fence in the background is clearner...clearer....  sorry man, that doesn't scream huge jump.  It screams minor improvement.  

And I can't wait till the series s with Outlaws is significantly better than S2...  and suddenly all this differences are minor.....  

I just don't agree and you seem way too bent out of shape.  

And correct me but wasn't the S2 behind the PS4 PRO?   

So you don't care about resolution, and care mostly about frame-rate (which is still significantly worse on PS4.) That's fine. Others care about the opposite or both. Which aspect people prefer is indeed largely subjective. 

The point is that objectively, the Switch 2 (docked) is outperforming the PS4 (and that is without accounting for the DLSS penalty) by >32%, in the one demanding cross-generation game they share. This also roughly corresponds with other cross-generation games. 

I am not bent out of shape, just disagreeing with your narrative that people are bothered by your PS4 comparison because they think PS4 is weak, rather than it just not being representative of what we've seen in like to like comparisons.  

Overall the S2 isn't behind PS4 Pro. The one area (besides external shadows) the PS4 Pro out-classes Switch 2 is in internal resolution, but the point Richard made is that DLSS has a performance penalty and the effective image quality (from the first analysis Digital Foundry did) is roughly a trade-off. Textures, SSR, and geometry/LoD management are better on Switch 2 than PS4 Pro as well. 



sc94597 said:
Chrkeller said:

Partially based on vibes, but also based on how demanding games are. On paper the 5090 kills my 4090, actually real world performance, 5-8% improvement.  And 5-8% means nothing.  

We're talking about a >30% improvement in a real-world cross-generation game in docked mode, not "5-8%." 

Again, Cyberpunk 2077 is running with 32% more pixels on average, sticks to its 30fps target more consistently, has higher resolution textures and superior scene geometry/LoD management, and this is with DLSS cutting into resources to provide an even better effective image-quality than +32% (without it) would provide. Where the game has the most issues on Switch 2 is in content that isn't even on PS4/Pro.

We're not talking about something "on paper" like floating point performance here, but the actual real world performance in a benchmark title.

This is PS4 tier IMO but yes, this is just a vibe thing. Especially if we're looking at consoles in the past and what we're used to seeing on distinctly different hardware... i.e Dreamcast vs PS2 vs Xbox. Huge differences in hardware capacity within 2 years of each other. 

30% more rasterized performance here or there is not crazy significant in the console space and you're more or less looking at the same game just slightly sharper image quality or fewer drops. Ala PS4 vs Xbox One. 

I'd say PS4 tier is maybe underselling it but that's just us using another console as a reference point. In reality it's actual performance can't be tied into a neat little box. Will depend on the game/use case. Hopefully we see Nintendo utilise those  "modern feature sets" as that's the most obvious way we'll see it clearly separate it's capacity from last gen. I'd say Cyberpunk much increased level of playability makes a good use case too, looking beyond resolution and more at how DLSS fixes all the terrible artefacts, or faster asset streaming makes the popin less of an eye-sore, or the FPS almost being stable for the main game. 



sc94597 said:
Chrkeller said:

I get all thought but via dynamic resolution, games can change by good percent in pixel count.  And I've never noticed.  I notice drops in fps, but not with resolution.  I just don't see that as a huge impact.  

Games look largely the same as ps4.  Omg the fence in the background is clearner...clearer....  sorry man, that doesn't scream huge jump.  It screams minor improvement.  

And I can't wait till the series s with Outlaws is significantly better than S2...  and suddenly all this differences are minor.....  

I just don't agree and you seem way too bent out of shape.  

And correct me but wasn't the S2 behind the PS4 PRO?   

So you don't care about resolution, and care mostly about frame-rate (which is still significantly worse on PS4.) That's fine. Others care about the opposite or both. Which aspect people prefer is indeed largely subjective. 

The point is that objectively, the Switch 2 (docked) is outperforming the PS4 (and that is without accounting for the DLSS penalty) by >32%, in the one demanding cross-generation game they share. This also roughly corresponds with other cross-generation games. 

I am not bent out of shape, just disagreeing with your narrative that people are bothered by your PS4 comparison because they think PS4 is weak, rather than it just not being representative of what we've seen in like to like comparisons.  

Overall the S2 isn't behind PS4 Pro. The one area (besides external shadows) the PS4 Pro out-classes Switch 2 is in internal resolution, but the point Richard made is that DLSS has a performance penalty and the effective image quality (from the first analysis Digital Foundry did) is roughly a trade-off. Textures, SSR, and geometry/LoD management are better on Switch 2 than PS4 Pro as well. 

so roughly the S2 is a ps4 pro.  I will ensure to use ps4 pro tier.  



i7-13700k

Vengeance 32 gb

RTX 4090 Ventus 3x E OC

Switch OLED

Around the Network
Otter said:
sc94597 said:

We're talking about a >30% improvement in a real-world cross-generation game in docked mode, not "5-8%." 

Again, Cyberpunk 2077 is running with 32% more pixels on average, sticks to its 30fps target more consistently, has higher resolution textures and superior scene geometry/LoD management, and this is with DLSS cutting into resources to provide an even better effective image-quality than +32% (without it) would provide. Where the game has the most issues on Switch 2 is in content that isn't even on PS4/Pro.

We're not talking about something "on paper" like floating point performance here, but the actual real world performance in a benchmark title.

This is PS4 tier IMO but yes, this is just a vibe thing. Especially if we're looking at consoles in the past and what we're used to seeing on distinctly different hardware... i.e Dreamcast vs PS2 vs Xbox. Huge differences in hardware capacity within 2 years of each other. 

30% more rasterized performance here or there is not crazy significant in the console space and you're more or less looking at the same game just slightly sharper image quality or fewer drops. Ala PS4 vs Xbox One. 

I'd say PS4 tier is maybe underselling it but that's just us using another console as a reference point. In reality it's actual performance can't be tied into a neat little box. Will depend on the game/use case. Hopefully we see Nintendo utilise those  "modern feature sets" as that's the most obvious way we'll see it clearly separate it's capacity from last gen. I'd say Cyberpunk much increased level of playability makes a good use case too, looking beyond resolution and more at how DLSS fixes all the terrible artefacts, or faster asset streaming makes the popin less of an eye-sore, or the FPS almost being stable for the main game. 

This.  

I don't recall the exact specs, but isn't the series X more powerful than the ps5?  Nobody is going to put the Series X on a different tier because it takes way more than 30% increase for the wow factor.  



i7-13700k

Vengeance 32 gb

RTX 4090 Ventus 3x E OC

Switch OLED

Chrkeller said:
sc94597 said:

I think it depends on what you are describing as "PS4-tier." If PS4 Pro is also "PS4-tier" then Switch 2 is indeed roughly "PS4-tier" in terms of raw performance and above "PS4-tier" in terms of supported feature-set. 

If "PS4-tier" means actually roughly PS4 performance, then this is only mostly true in handheld mode, which is only about 55% as performant as Switch 2 in docked mode, which isn't too far from the difference between Switch 2 and Series S. 

Switch 2 handheld is roughly about a base PS4 with a modern feature-set. 

Switch 2 docked is roughly about a PS4 Pro with a modern feature-set. 

For running 9th Generation titles, those modern feature-sets matter. 

Modern features matter, for me tiers is a rough estimate.  And roughly I put it in the ps4 tier.  1080p/60fps with a lots of 30 fps, which for me is ps4.  And a lot of it is visual opinion.  DK looks like Ratchet reboot on the ps4, it doesn't look like Rift Apart.  S2 games look like ps4 games to me.  I don't see a big jump.  I want to emphasize this is fine.  Ps4 games are still excellent in fidelity.

Edit

For me, there hasn't been a OMG this clearly higher fidelity than ps4.  I just haven't had that moment.  Based on MKW, DK and BotW.  

I think the capacity is there and maybe we'll see it in the next Zelda, Pikmin, Luigi's Mansion or Xenoblade.




Otter said:
Chrkeller said:

Modern features matter, for me tiers is a rough estimate.  And roughly I put it in the ps4 tier.  1080p/60fps with a lots of 30 fps, which for me is ps4.  And a lot of it is visual opinion.  DK looks like Ratchet reboot on the ps4, it doesn't look like Rift Apart.  S2 games look like ps4 games to me.  I don't see a big jump.  I want to emphasize this is fine.  Ps4 games are still excellent in fidelity.

Edit

For me, there hasn't been a OMG this clearly higher fidelity than ps4.  I just haven't had that moment.  Based on MKW, DK and BotW.  

I think the capacity is there and maybe we'll see it in the next Zelda, Pikmin, Luigi's Mansion or Xenoblade.


Agreed.  Especially as Nintendo gets a better handle on DLSS.  The potential is there for Nintendo.  Third party I think will, mostly, be lazy.  



i7-13700k

Vengeance 32 gb

RTX 4090 Ventus 3x E OC

Switch OLED

Otter said:
sc94597 said:

We're talking about a >30% improvement in a real-world cross-generation game in docked mode, not "5-8%." 

Again, Cyberpunk 2077 is running with 32% more pixels on average, sticks to its 30fps target more consistently, has higher resolution textures and superior scene geometry/LoD management, and this is with DLSS cutting into resources to provide an even better effective image-quality than +32% (without it) would provide. Where the game has the most issues on Switch 2 is in content that isn't even on PS4/Pro.

We're not talking about something "on paper" like floating point performance here, but the actual real world performance in a benchmark title.

This is PS4 tier IMO but yes, this is just a vibe thing. Especially if we're looking at consoles in the past and what we're used to seeing on distinctly different hardware... i.e Dreamcast vs PS2 vs Xbox. Huge differences in hardware capacity within 2 years of each other. 

30% more rasterized performance here or there is not crazy significant in the console space and you're more or less looking at the same game just slightly sharper image quality or fewer drops. Ala PS4 vs Xbox One. 

I'd say PS4 tier is maybe underselling it but that's just us using another console as a reference point. In reality it's actual performance can't be tied into a neat little box. Will depend on the game/use case. Hopefully we see Nintendo utilise those  "modern feature sets" as that's the most obvious way we'll see it clearly separate it's capacity from last gen. I'd say Cyberpunk much increased level of playability makes a good use case too, looking beyond resolution and more at how DLSS fixes all the terrible artefacts, or faster asset streaming makes the popin less of an eye-sore, or the FPS almost being stable for the main game. 

Sure, which is why I originally asked how one is defining "PS4-tier" here. If 30-50% isn't considered significant enough to leave it, then PS4 Pro is also "PS4-tier". 

But yeah the other point I made is that the Switch 2 also supports modern (9th generation) rendering features, like: hardware ray-tracing, mesh shaders, VRS, etc. 

Chrkeller said:
sc94597 said:

So you don't care about resolution, and care mostly about frame-rate (which is still significantly worse on PS4.) That's fine. Others care about the opposite or both. Which aspect people prefer is indeed largely subjective. 

The point is that objectively, the Switch 2 (docked) is outperforming the PS4 (and that is without accounting for the DLSS penalty) by >32%, in the one demanding cross-generation game they share. This also roughly corresponds with other cross-generation games. 

I am not bent out of shape, just disagreeing with your narrative that people are bothered by your PS4 comparison because they think PS4 is weak, rather than it just not being representative of what we've seen in like to like comparisons.  

Overall the S2 isn't behind PS4 Pro. The one area (besides external shadows) the PS4 Pro out-classes Switch 2 is in internal resolution, but the point Richard made is that DLSS has a performance penalty and the effective image quality (from the first analysis Digital Foundry did) is roughly a trade-off. Textures, SSR, and geometry/LoD management are better on Switch 2 than PS4 Pro as well. 

so roughly the S2 is a ps4 pro.  I will ensure to use ps4 pro tier.  

Maybe in this thread, or another thread there was a poll and PS4 Pro/One X were put into their own tier separate from One/base PS4, if I recall correctly. Some people tend to think of the mid-gen refreshes as something "different" for better or worse. But yeah, PS4 Pro tier as far as raw performance is fair enough. 



sc94597 said:
Otter said:

This is PS4 tier IMO but yes, this is just a vibe thing. Especially if we're looking at consoles in the past and what we're used to seeing on distinctly different hardware... i.e Dreamcast vs PS2 vs Xbox. Huge differences in hardware capacity within 2 years of each other. 

30% more rasterized performance here or there is not crazy significant in the console space and you're more or less looking at the same game just slightly sharper image quality or fewer drops. Ala PS4 vs Xbox One. 

I'd say PS4 tier is maybe underselling it but that's just us using another console as a reference point. In reality it's actual performance can't be tied into a neat little box. Will depend on the game/use case. Hopefully we see Nintendo utilise those  "modern feature sets" as that's the most obvious way we'll see it clearly separate it's capacity from last gen. I'd say Cyberpunk much increased level of playability makes a good use case too, looking beyond resolution and more at how DLSS fixes all the terrible artefacts, or faster asset streaming makes the popin less of an eye-sore, or the FPS almost being stable for the main game. 

Sure, which is why I originally asked how one is defining "PS4-tier" here. If 30-50% isn't considered significant enough to leave it, then PS4 Pro is also "PS4-tier". 

But yeah the other point I made is that the Switch 2 also supports modern (9th generation) rendering features, like: hardware ray-tracing, mesh shaders, VRS, etc. 

Chrkeller said:

so roughly the S2 is a ps4 pro.  I will ensure to use ps4 pro tier.  

Maybe in this thread, or another thread there was a poll and PS4 Pro/One X were put into their own tier separate from One/base PS4, if I recall correctly. Some people tend to think of the mid-gen refreshes as something "different" for better or worse. But yeah, PS4 Pro tier as far as raw performance is fair enough. 

As someone who upgraded to a ps4 pro, same tier IMHO.  I was super disappointed with what the ps4 Pro offered in terms of upgrades. With a time machine I would have saved my money.  But I am happy to use ps4 pro tier.  



i7-13700k

Vengeance 32 gb

RTX 4090 Ventus 3x E OC

Switch OLED