A recent in-depth analysis by the renowned Digital Foundry revealed a detailed comparison of the performance of Cyberpunk 2077 on various platforms. The rigorous tests were conducted on the highly anticipated Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PS4 Pro e Xbox Series Soffering a clear vision of how the next generation of portable consoles Nintendo is positioning itself in the challenging scenario of AAA games.
To ensure a comprehensive evaluation, Digital Foundry's experts subjected the game to a variety of scenarios, including standardized internal sequences and intense gameplay sessions in areas of high graphic density and intense CPU use, such as the bustling Kabuki region of Night City. This precise methodology makes it possible to understand the capabilities and limits of each console when running such a demanding title.
For a complete and detailed view of the performance tests, watch Digital Foundry's exclusive video:
The main advantage of Switch 2 in the graphic field is the integration of DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling). This upscaling by artificial intelligence allows the console to reconstruct high-definition images from lower resolutions, significantly optimizing performance. Thanks to DLSS, the Switch 2 reached an average of 32% more resolution that PS4 in various tests, maintaining an impressive visual quality in Cyberpunk 2077.
However, the comparison with PS4 Pro reveals a more complex scenario for the Switch 2. In certain scenes, Nintendo's console is on a par with Sony's most robust model of the previous generation; in others, it falls a little short. These variations are explained by the native resolution and the method of upscaling employee: TAA (Temporal Anti-Aliasing) on the PlayStation and DLSS 2.x in Switch 2.
A Xbox Series S, in turn, maintains a clear lead in gross graphic income. In performance mode, its average resolution was 73% larger than Switch 2. In addition, Microsoft consistently seeks to 60 frames per second (fps) on the Series S, while the Switch 2 operates with a limit of 40 fps in the same way. Understanding this difference in power is fundamental to analyzing the proposal of each console.
| Console | CPU | GPU (summary) | Upscaling technologies | Average performance in Cyberpunk 2077 | Key observations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PS4 | Jaguar 8c / ~1.6 GHz | 1.84 TFLOPs | TAA | 900p @ 30 fps (with drops) | Limitations visible in dense areas of Night City |
| PS4 Pro | Jaguar 8c / ~2.1 GHz | 4.2 TFLOPs | TAA | 1080p @ 30 fps (stable) | Superior performance in almost every scene |
| Switch 2 | ARM Cortex-A78C / ~1-1.1 GHz | ~2 TFLOPs + DLSS | DLSS 2.x | 1080p @ 30 fps, 600-945p @ 40 fps | High graphics efficiency, CPU with occasional bottlenecks |
| S Series | Zen 2 / 8c @ 3.6 GHz | 4 TFLOPs + FSR2 | FSR2 | 1440p @ 30 fps / 900p-1080p @ 60 fps | Maintains solid performance even at 60 fps |
The capacity of the Switch 2 to receive game ports of Xbox Series S has become a hot topic following statements by Eoin O'Grady, an engineer at developer Virtuos. He suggested an "easy to adapt architecture" for the new Nintendo's platform. However, the statement required immediate clarification to avoid misunderstandings:
"When Eoin mentioned that 60 fps games on Series S should be 'easily ported' to Switch 2, he was referring to the ease of adapting the architecture. This does not imply keeping the same 60 fps on the new hardware," explained Virtuos.
Despite the support of upscaling technologies such as DLSSIt is crucial to understand that each game port will depend intrinsically on the type of game, the specific optimization and the performance targets set. Titles that are very dependent on CPUwith advanced physics or complex AImay require more significant adjustments to ensure smooth operation in the Nintendo's hybrid console.
The central processing unit (CPU) from Switch 2 is equipped with ARM Cortex A78C coresoperating at a frequency between 1 and 1.1 GHz. Although these values may seem modest, they demonstrate high efficiency within a power envelope of approximately 20 W. In Digital Foundry's tests, Nintendo's new console came out on top of the Original PS4but still lagged behind PS4 Pro, which has a Jaguar CPU with higher clocks.
The great thing about Switch 2what balances the game is his superior performance in reading and streaming data. While PS4 and PS4 Pro still use Mechanical HDDs of 5400 rpm, the Switch 2 benefits from a quick storage. This feature ensures smoother transitions, more agile loading and fewer bottlenecks in dense and complex areas of Night City. In contrast Xbox Series Swith its powerful Zen 2 coresIt maintains impressive stability at 30 fps and consistent performance at 60 fps most of the time, without any apparent difficulty.
One crucial aspect that Digital Foundry's benchmarks have highlighted is the energy consumption of the platforms. While Xbox Series S can consume up to 80 W at full load, the Switch 2 achieves its remarkable performance with significantly lower consumption. This not only optimizes battery life in portable modebut also reinforces the high efficiency of Nintendo's hardware set, even without competing in raw power with desktop consoles.
Additionally, even with a lower base pixel count, the mastery of the DLSS allows Switch 2 deliver images that are visually comparable to S Seriesespecially in titles with more stylized graphics. A notable example of this ability was seen in Street Fighter 6 during the Digital Foundry tests, where the DLSS proved to be exceptionally effective in reconstructing the image.
The in-depth analysis, frame by frame, of the tests conducted by the Digital Foundry in Cyberpunk 2077 and other titles, reveals nuances that go beyond the general resolution averages and frame rate. O Switch 2 performanceAlthough surprising at many points, it also clearly delimits its real limitsespecially when confronted with the PS4 Pro and Xbox Series S in its high-performance modes.
One of the most revealing points is that Switch 2 often operates at the ceiling of the resolution that the DLSS can scale up to 1080p in dock mode. This means that, unlike the S SeriesThe Nintendo console doesn't have much scope for scaling the image to even higher resolutions, which can limit reconstruction via DLSS in some of the most complex and demanding scenes.
In the tests focused on performance modeThe disparity in the volume of pixels processed is undeniable: the Xbox Series S delivery by 73% plus medium resolutionconsistently maintaining 60 fps against 40 fps of Switch 2. In complex scenes, such as those in the bustling Kabuki area of Night City, this difference translates into approximately 26 fps for Switch 2 versus 57 fps on Series Saccording to the graphs in the video. This remarkable mismatch points to the CPU bottlenecks in Nintendo's model, especially in open and dense settings.
| Scene / Mode | PS4 | PS4 Pro | Switch 2 (dock) | S Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Official bench - start | 864p | 1080p | 1080p | 1080p (1440p max) |
| Official benchmark - variation 1 | 864p | 1188p | 945p | 1440p |
| Indoor (40/60 fps mode) | - | - | 600p | 792p |
| Kabuki (30 fps mode) | 900p | 1080p | 1080p | 1080p |
| Kabuki (performance mode) | - | - | 810p | 900p |
| Kabuki - start of the sequence | 900p | 1080p | 1080p | 1440p |
| Kabuki - 40 fps perf (final) | - | - | 648p | 810p |
| Kabuki - detailed area (30fps) | 864p | 1188p | 936p | 1080p |
| Kabuki - perf. same area | 792p | - | 720p | 720p |
Interestingly, the PS4 Pro shows a surprising breath of fresh air, managing to maintain resolutions higher than the Switch 2 in several sequences. In one section, the Sony console reaches 1188p, while the Switch 2 registers 936p. This is the case even with PS4 Pro using TAAThis is a less sophisticated method than DLSSbut which imposes a lower computational load on the hardware.
The most intriguing exception, however, comes in titles such as Street Fighter 6. In this fighting game, the Switch 2 delivers a superior image quality à S Series using only 25% of the pixel count. Here, the Nintendo DLSS really shows its strength, reconstructing the image more efficiently and cleanly than the FSR2 used on the Microsoft console.
In summary, Digital Foundry's tests indicate that, although the Switch 2 have modern hardware and advanced technologies such as DLSSIts optimal performance still depends on a delicate balance between resolution, frame rate and the CPU. A Xbox Series Son the other hand, maintains a clear advantage in raw powerwhile PS4 Pro continues to impress stabilityeven with its older architecture.
The main conclusion drawn from these benchmarks is that Nintendo Switch 2although it is not a direct equivalent in gross power of the Xbox Series Sis able to compete effectively and even to a certain extent with the PlayStation 4 and PS4 Pro in several games, especially thanks to the efficient implementation of the DLSS. A CPUalthough more limited compared to the desktop consoles more powerful, proves to be sufficient for many current generation titlesas long as they are well optimized for the hardware.
In short, Nintendo's new generation opens the door to the arrival of modern ports games, naturally with technical adaptations and performance targets adjusted for the format portable. The next big challenge and real test for the viability of this new phase of the multiplatform games on Switch will be the long-awaited Star Wars Outlawsalready confirmed for the platform. Will he be able to impress?
Data source: Digital Foundry (YouTube)
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