The Nintendo Switch launched in 2017, and it represented a sort of "half generation," for gaming consoles, acting as a successor to the Wii U and as a more formidable competitor to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. However, Sony is now preparing its own next-generation PlayStation, which will offer a substantial increase in power alongside faster loading times and even support for 8K resolution. For anyone in the market for a new console, this could make the choice between the two of them a little bit more difficult. With the PS5 vs. Nintendo Switch, which console should you pick? We've outlined the key factors below to help you make a decision.
Of course, one very important factor to consider is that the PS5 isn't out yet – in fact, we don't even know that's what it will be called. If you need your system now, get a Nintendo Switch, but otherwise, read on to learn more!
Specs
PS5 | Nintendo Switch | |
| Dimensions | – | 10 x 4.2 x 0.5 inches |
| Weight | – | 0.65 pounds |
| Color | – | Dark gray |
| CPU | Eight-core AMD Ryzen | Nvidia customized Tegra, shared with GPU |
| GPU | Radeon Navi with ray tracing support | Nvidia customized Tegra, shared with CPU |
| Memory | – | 4GB |
| Memory bandwidth | – | 25.6GB/s |
| Storage | SSD, size unclear | 32GB, support for external cards. |
| Optical drive | Yes | No |
| Max resolution | 8K | 720p handheld, 1080p docked |
| HDR | Yes | No |
| Ports | – | HDMI out, One USB-C, One USB 3.0, Two USB 2.0 |
| Online subscription | – | Yes, $20 per year |
| Price | Likely $500 | $300 |
| Availability | Likely 2020 | |
| Digital Trends review | Coming soon | 4 out of 5 stars |
Performance
The Nintendo Switch is not a powerhouse by any stretch of the imagination. It can run games originally meant for systems like the Xbox 360 or Wii U without any issue, and can even offer smoother performance over the original versions. However, the system is not capable of offering performance anywhere close to that of the Xbox One or PlayStation 4 – let alone the consoles that will soon follow.
This is especially true when playing third-party games on Nintendo Switch. Doom is perfectly playable on the system, but compared to the other consoles, its framerate is reduced and its textures are quite muddy.
The Nintendo Switch can display games in two different resolutions, depending on whether or not it is docked. If docked and displaying games to a television screen, the Switch can play games at 1080p resolution. This is the maximum resolution it is capable of producing, and certain games will not be able to reach this number.
When played with the Switch's own screen, the resolution is capped at 720p. Given the size of the screen, it is virtually impossible to tell it has been lowered, but the numbers are what they are. The system can also hit 60 frames per second on certain games.
If Sony's claims regarding the PS5's potential are accurate, the console will be able to achieve performance the Nintendo Switch could only dream of. In an interview with Wired, lead system architect Mark Cerny shared that the system would be capable of 8K resolution, despite the PlayStation 4 Pro only being able to achieve true 4K resolution in a handful of games. The system will also apparently drastically reduce loading times compared to the PS4, thanks to a solid state drive instead of a hard drive.
The PS5 will also have support for ray tracing, which is a graphical feature typically only found in high-end PC systems. This suggests that it will be a larger leap over the PS4 than the PS4 was over the PS3, but we'll likely learn more concrete information at a later date.
Storage
The Nintendo Switch comes with just 32GB of flash storage on the console itself, which is not even enough to completely install digital versions of certain games. If you purchase physical cartridges for the system, only a small portion of the game must be installed on your system, while the rest will run directly from the card itself. The Switch is the only modern game system that doesn't make use of discs, and is the only system that does not force you to install games before playing them.
If you need more storage space – and you will – the Nintendo Switch also supports microSDXC cards, which can potentially raise its capacity to 512GB or more. These aren't cheap, however, and have to be factored into the cost of the system when purchasing.
Sony has not shared the storage capacity for the PlayStation 5 yet, but as stated above, it will make use of a solid state drive for quicker loading. If in line with the PS4 Pro, the capacity will be 1TB, but we wouldn't be surprised to see 2TB, instead.
If you're concerned about ever losing access to your precious game save data, that should not be an issue on either console. On Nintendo Switch, those with Nintendo Switch Online memberships gain access to game data backups, which are done automatically when the system is asleep. Assuming the PS5's system works like the PS4's, PlayStation Plus subscribers will also have game data backups performed when the system is asleep.
Game selection and backward compatibility
The Nintendo Switch has amassed an impressive game library over the more than two years it has been available, with first-party exclusives as well as third-party games that released alongside other consoles or PC. Among the best first-party and second-party games available on the system are:
- Super Mario Odyssey
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Splatoon 2
- Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
- Yoshi's Crafted World
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
- Pokémon: Let's Go
Great third-party games ported from other systems or released simultaneously include:
- Doom
- Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
- Katana Zero
- Mortal Kombat 11
- Dark Souls Remastered
- Fortnite
- Cuphead
The PS5 doesn't have any games outright confirmed for it yet, but the language used by Bethesda during E3 2018 suggests Starfield and The Elder Scrolls VI will both be released for the console. We are also curious if Cyberpunk 2077 will release for the PlayStation 5, given the visual quality of the demonstrations we've seen thus far.
When it comes to backward compatibility, the PS5 looks to be the early winner. Sony said it will support backward compatibility with PS4 games, as well as PlayStation VR titles. The system will also be compatible with the current PlayStation VR headset to play these games.
The Nintendo Switch doesn't support backward compatibility with any games you purchased for other Nintendo systems. As it doesn't have the "Virtual Console" store like the Wii U, 3DS, and Wii, you cannot play those games on the Switch. As mentioned previously, you can find ports of certain older Nintendo games on the Switch, but they are typically priced quite highly.
Online services
If there is one category we can essentially give to the PS5 before we know a thing about it, it's online services – Nintendo's online program for the Switch is that terrible.
With Nintendo Switch Online, which can be purchased annually for $20, you are given access to online multiplayer in games. The feature was previously free with the console. You are also given access to cloud game save backup, as mentioned above, and you can play games in the Nintendo Switch Online game vault. Thus far, all games included in the vault are NES titles, and it's the only way to play many of them on the system. They have added online functionality in some cases, but are largely the same games you remember.
Nintendo's big mistake with its online services, however, is forcing players to use a separate phone app in order to use voice chat while online. Because of the hassle in doing so, hardly anyone actually talks while playing their games, and those that do have little reason to use something other than Skype, instead.
Assuming PlayStation Plus on PS5 is similar to how it works on PS4, it will be a significantly better program. Alongside access to online multiplayer, the $60 yearly fee includes access to free games each month. On PS4, two are available each month, and they are free to keep for as long as you have the service. You can also get special discounts for other digital games, and occasionally additional discounts – we were able to get two free tickets to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse ahead of release, for example.
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