🎮 Nintendo Switch 2 “Closer to the Xbox Series S” Says Koei Tecmo

The Nintendo Switch 2, launched on June 5, 2025, is already turning heads in the gaming industry. Juggling its hybrid design with enhanced hardware, the console seems set to redefine expectations for Nintendo’s handheld experience—possibly approaching the performance of Xbox’s Series S.

🔍 What Developers Are Saying

In a recent interview regarding the upcoming Wild Hearts S (coming July 25 for Switch 2), Koei Tecmo producer Takuto Edagawa weighed in on the console’s raw power:

“There are a lot of characteristics when it comes to raw computing power so it’s difficult to generalize, but I think it can be thought as closer to the Series S.”

Xbox’s Series S serves as the entry point to modern-gen graphics and gameplay—surpassing previous-gen consoles like the PS4. Koei Tecmo’s comparison suggests Switch 2 has leapt well beyond its predecessor, pushing into current-generation territory.

🧠 Hardware That Makes the Difference

Custom Nvidia Tegra T239 chip (codenamed "Drake") powered by Ampere architecture, featuring RT and Tensor cores—enabling hardware-accelerated ray tracing and DLSS support

12 GB LPDDR5X RAM, about 3× the original’s memory

GPU performance hits ≈3 TFLOPS docked—roughly placing it between Xbox Series S and original Xbox One in graphics power

📊 Benchmarks and Real-World Evidence

Synthetic CPU performance is 2× single-core and 2.5× multi-core faster than PS4

Real-world ports show Switch 2 running games like Cyberpunk 2077 with better visuals than its Series S counterpart—thanks to Nvidia’s DLSS—evidencing competitive output

🆚 Series S vs. Switch 2

Feature Xbox Series S Nintendo Switch 2

GPU Compute Power ≈4 TFLOPS ≈3 TFLOPS docked; 1.72 TFLOPS handheld

Ray Tracing + DLSS Ray tracing; no DLSS Ray tracing + DLSS via Nvidia cores

System RAM 10 GB GDDR6 12 GB LPDDR5X

Resolution (Docked) 1440p upscaled to 4K 4K @ 60 Hz with HDR via HDMI 2.1

Together, these specs suggest Switch 2 can deliver Xbox Series S–comparable titles in its portable form, while offering its hallmark flexibility.

🎉 What This Means for Gamers

Premium AAA Gameplay on the Go: Games like Cyberpunk 2077, Hogwarts Legacy, and upcoming Wild Hearts S can hit or surpass Series S visual fidelity—thanks to DLSS—without needing a hefty console setup.

Stronger Third‑Party Appeal: With much of the industry aligned behind Series S/X and PS5, Switch 2’s power now makes formerly “console-exclusive” titles viable on a Nintendo platform. Expect more Xbox-originated IPs to venture across.

Hardware Continuity, Nintendo Style: Nintendo stays true to its philosophy—emphasizing the gameplay experience over raw power—while closing the performance gap with Sony and Microsoft.

✅ Final Word

Koei Tecmo’s comments give credence to what benchmarks and hands-on ports have demonstrated: the Switch 2 is a genuine leap into modern budget-console class, powered by Nvidia’s advanced features. It might not surpass the Series S in sheer muscle, but it's comfortably in the same league—and that's a game-changer for portable gaming.