Is the Nintendo Switch 2 More Powerful Than the PS4?
- The Nintendo Switch 2 features a stronger custom Nvidia processor than the original PlayStation 4, according to comparisons reported by experts including Digital Foundry.
- Nintendo uses a custom Nvidia processor for the Switch 2 CPU and GPU, relying on the Ampere architecture via an Nvidia T239 chip.
- By comparison, Sony lists the PlayStation 4 CPU as an AMD x86-64 Jaguar with eight cores and 8GB of RAM.
The Nintendo Switch 2 features a stronger custom Nvidia processor than the original PlayStation 4, according to comparisons reported by experts including Digital Foundry. While Sony and Microsoft compete over high-end specs, Nintendo’s upcoming console outclasses the base PS4 in processing power and display capabilities while prioritizing handheld convenience.
How does the Nintendo Switch 2 processor compare to the PlayStation 4?
Nintendo uses a custom Nvidia processor for the Switch 2 CPU and GPU, relying on the Ampere architecture via an Nvidia T239 chip. Digital Foundry reports that the hardware includes an eight-core ARM Cortex A78C CPU paired with 12GB of RAM. Two of those cores and 3GB of RAM are reserved strictly for system operations, leaving six cores and 9GB dedicated to games and developers.
By comparison, Sony lists the PlayStation 4 CPU as an AMD x86-64 Jaguar with eight cores and 8GB of RAM. The PS4 allocates the same number of cores and amount of RAM to system overhead as Nintendo does, but the Switch 2 starts with a higher total memory pool. For graphics, the Switch 2 GPU performs similarly to an AMD RX 570 Mobile in handheld mode and an RX 560 when docked, or matches an Nvidia RTX 2050.
What resolution and frame rates can the Switch 2 achieve?
The custom Nvidia processor allows the Nintendo console to output 4K graphics when docked to a television and 1080p in handheld mode, with support for frame rates up to 120fps. Actual performance depends heavily on the specific title. Graphically demanding games rarely reach the maximum frame rate ceiling. Even so, its hardware capabilities exceed the base PlayStation 4, which uses an AMD Radeon GPU strictly limited to 1080p and 60fps.
The hybrid hardware runs demanding game ports, including upcoming releases like Diablo IV,
Resident Evil Requiem,
and Final Fantasy VII Revelation.
Despite trailing current-generation systems like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X in speed and graphical muscle, the Switch 2 comfortably surpasses the decade-old architecture of the base PS4.
How does Nintendo’s new hardware stack up against the PlayStation 4 Pro?
The base PlayStation 4 loses to the Switch 2 in raw hardware comparisons, but the PlayStation 4 Pro presents a different challenge. Released three years after the original PS4, the Pro model features a GPU twice as powerful as its predecessor alongside a CPU that runs around 30 percent faster. These boosted specifications allow the PS4 Pro to upscale games to near 4K and output native 2160p.
Comparison tests indicate that the PS4 Pro runs graphically demanding games just as well as, or better than, the Nintendo Switch 2 when docked. The older Sony console achieves this despite being a decade old, maintaining its status as a budget-friendly alternative for players who want high-resolution gaming without paying current-generation prices.