Pertinently: where does the hybrid hardware sit on the scale of PS4 through PS5? Does it have the grunt to offer peak PS4 Pro performance – or is it perhaps closer to Sony’s current flagship console?
The reality is that, without official documentation or teardowns from Nintendo, it’s too early to say. But the tech experts at Digital Foundry reckon the best point of reference for now is the original PS4.
That’s because, based on the footage shown thus far, that’s roughly the results the hardware is producing.
As part of a sprawling video, the team note that multiformat games like Elden Ring and Yakuza 0 are outputting almost identical visuals to the PS4.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake does exhibit some improvements, although it should be noted that the Switch 2 version is based on the Intergrade upgrade, which featured better lighting and was previously only available on the PS5 and PC.
Footage of Star Wars Outlaws – a game not available on the PS4 – looked extraordinary during the Nintendo Direct, but Digital Foundry is sceptical of which hardware it was captured on. And we already know the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 footage was captured on PC.
It should be noted that the Switch 2 does have plenty of advantages on the PS4, including more modern architecture, and contemporary features like DLSS. But as the team notes, there’s a performance cost associated with the AI upscaler, and the hybrid console also has a lot less power draw to work with.
So, it’ll be interesting to see how the system matures and whether it can keep pace with the PS5.
The good news for Nintendo is that many multiformat titles are still being developed with the PS4 in mind, and some developers also have to accommodate for the lower-specced Xbox Series S as well. These compromises could very well work in the Mario maker’s favour.
