Even now that we’ve got our hands on the Switch 2, there are still developers sharing their thoughts about the power of the system and where it fits in. In the same interview with Wccftech, the Virtuos team was asked how the new Nintendo device holds up in terms of “raw console performance” and if it’s closer to an Xbox Series S or PlayStation 4.
According to Eoin O’Grady, who is technical director at Black Shamrock (a Virtuos studio and subsidiary), it’s a bit of both, depending on what aspect of the hardware you’re looking at. The GPU in the Switch 2 apparently performs “slightly below” the Series S (but does come with some added technologies) and as for the CPU, the Switch 2 is supposedly “closer” to the PlayStation 4.
Here’s O’Grady’s response in full, which also goes into how the experience might be for developers porting their current games to Nintendo’s new hardware:
In terms of raw console performance, do you agree that the Switch 2 is closer to the Xbox Series S than it is to the PlayStation 4, making it easier for developers to port their current-gen games to the hardware?
“GPU-wise, the Switch 2 performs slightly below the Series S; this difference is more noticeable in handheld mode. However, the Series S does not support technologies like DLSS, which the Switch 2 does. This makes the GPU capabilities of the two consoles comparable overall.
“CPU-wise, there is a clearer distinction between the two consoles. The Switch 2 is closer to the PlayStation (PS) 4 in this respect, having a CPU just a bit more powerful than the PS4’s. Since most games tend to be more GPU-bound than CPU-bound when well optimized, the impact of this difference largely depends on the specific game and its target frame rate. Any game shipping at 60 FPS on the Series S should easily port to the Switch 2. Likewise, a 30 FPS Series S game that’s GPU-bound should also port well. Games with complex physics, animations, or other CPU-intensive elements might incur additional challenges in reaching 30 or 60 FPS or require extra optimization during porting.”
This follows companies like Koei Tecmo suggesting Nintendo’s new hybrid system was closer to an Xbox Series S in terms of “raw computing power”. Other companies like Firaxis (Civilization VII) have also chimed in with their own development experiences. Nvidia (the creator of the Switch 2 chip) even labelled it a “technical marvel” and “unlike anything” it’s ever built before.