The Nintendo Switch 2 will obviously not be able to offer the same visual quality as the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, but so far, it’s been shown that it is doing a pretty good job of turning in PS4-level visuals with some select enhancements.
During the latest episode of their weekly podcasts, the tech experts at Digital Foundry compared the gameplay footage of Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, Hogwarts Legacy, and Elden Ring running on Nintendo Switch shown during last week’s Direct with PlayStation 4 footage, highlighting some interesting findings.
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade on Nintendo Switch 2 is comparable to the PlayStation 4 version in terms of resolution and general image quality, but the game benefits from the lighting changes introduced in the Intergrade version, which is not available on Sony’s previous-generation console, resulting in much better visuals in some scenarios. Hogwarts Legacy’s case is even more interesting, as the game looks somewhat better on Nintendo Switch 2 than on PlayStation 4 with a much sharper and less aliased image despite the lower resolution, 720p vs 1080 upscaled with AMD FSR 1, which suggests that the Switch 2 version may be using a different temporal upscaling solution that returns better image quality.
Of the three games, Elden Ring on Nintendo Switch 2 is the game that looks the closest to the PlayStation 4 version, sporting a similar resolution and only slightly higher shadow drawing distance, although the comparison was limited by the bad quality footage available and the difficulty of recreating similar shots. These early comparisons not only highlight how the upcoming console can deliver PS4-level visuals but also how it can deliver better ones, not only because of more modern hardware but also because late ports give the developers the chance to make different choices that can lead to better results, as the Alien Isolation Switch port highlighted a while back by sporting a different image treatment with TAA over the other console versions which delivered better image quality.
Additionally, the Nintendo Switch 2 could deliver significantly better experiences in multiplatform ports than base PlayStation 4 thanks to the console’s 120 Hz screen. Up until now, 40 FPS modes and HDR support have been considered as some sort of “bonus” modes since 120 Hz panels with HDR support are not standardized, but the Nintendo Switch 2 screen does, meaning that it’s very likely we will see 40 FPS modes and HDR support frequently in games. With the console potentially being used more in handheld mode, the 120 Hz is a massive boon, as more advanced ports will have a hard time hitting 60 FPS at 1080p resolution, making a 720p resolution game running at 40 FPS in handheld mode a much better experience than running at 30 FPS.
The Nintendo Switch 2 launches worldwide on June 5th.
