Nintendo Switch 2’s GPU And CPU Are Several Times More Powerful Than PlayStation 4

We have some interesting information about the Nintendo Switch 2’s performance from a deep-dive analysis of the console’s motherboard by Chinese YouTuber Geekerwan.

According to Geekerwan, in terms of performance, the RTX2050 comes closest to the Switch 2’s GPU. The Switch 2 GPU operates differently depending whether the console is used in TV mode or Handheld mode. Here is a comparison between the GPU performance:

• PlayStation 5 – 9590
• Xbox Series S – 3786
• Nintendo Switch 2 (TV mode) – 2205
• Steam Deck – 1443
• Nintendo Switch 2 (Handheld mode) – 1308
• PlayStation 4 – 1219
• Nintendo Switch (TV mode) – 317
• Nintendo Switch (Handheld mode) – 174

Based on this comparison, we can tell that the Switch 2 is more powerful than the Steam Deck and PS4 in TV mode, and it is slightly less powerful than the Steam Deck but more powerful than the PS4 in Handheld mode. However, the Switch 2 GPU is no match for both the PS5 and Xbox Series S.

And of course, if the Switch 2’s GPU was compared against the Switch, it is at least 7 times more powerful in both TV mode and Handheld mode.

As for the CPU, it’s apparently not as powerful as expected, according to the following comparison:

Single core comparison

• PlayStation 5 – 1186
• Steam Deck – 1262
• Nintendo Switch 2 (TV mode) – 526
• Nintendo Switch 2 (Handheld mode) – 493
• PlayStation 4 – 197
• Nintendo Switch – 167

Multi-core comparison

• PlayStation 5 – 7476
• Steam Deck – 4364
• Nintendo Switch 2 (TV mode) – 2877
• Nintendo Switch 2 (Handheld mode) – 2735
• PlayStation 4 – 990
• Nintendo Switch – 481

Based on these comparisons, the Nintendo Switch 2 CPU is no match for the PS5 and Steam Deck. However, it beats the PS4 and Switch in both TV and Handheld modes. Despite the weaker than expected CPU, Geekerwan says that it’s probably not impossible to get big third-party AAA titles to run on the Switch 2, but developers will have to put in some work to optimize their games, and it may even be possible to hit 120FPS for certain titles.

You can read more about the Switch 2’s motherboard here, as well as a simulation of various third-party AAA games here.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments.