The Nintendo Switch 2 is considerably more powerful than its predecessor, but a recent online comparison shows the original Switch could have held its own better against the new console with a few key hardware tweaks.
The video comparison shared on YouTube by naga compares loading speed, handheld and docked performance in multiple games, and battery life between the current generation Nintendo system and an overclocked modded "pro" version of a Nintendo Switch OLED. The modded system's hardware includes an overclocked CPU (1707 MHz) and GPU (1724 MHz), 8 GB of RAM, an upgraded 8600 mAh battery, and modded cooling to prevent damage to the system.
While loading speed in games such as The Witcher 3, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is much faster on Nintendo Switch 2, the difference isn't massive in other games, such as Hogwarts Legacy. Even in terms of handheld and docked performance in backward-compatible games, the differences aren't huge.
In GRID Autosport in handheld mode, for example, the two systems are an almost complete match, with the Nintendo Switch 2 sporting better frametimes thanks to its more powerful CPU. Docked performance is also impressive on the modded Nintendo Switch, as Zelda: Breath of the Wild runs at close to 60 FPS most of the time, although at a clearly lower resolution than the Nintendo Switch 2 edition.
In some unpatched games, however, the performance comparison between the two systems becomes more interesting. In Pokémon Legends: Arceus, the modded Nintendo Switch runs the game at smooth 60 FPS, as opposed to the locked 30 FPS on Nintendo Switch 2. The modded system can run Metroid Prime Remastered at 1440p resolution while maintaining a solid 60 FPS framerate. With Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, the modded Nintendo Switch also has no trouble pushing the framerate to a steady 60 FPS, while the unpatched game on Nintendo Switch 2 continues to be locked at 30 FPS.
While comparing how unpatched backward compatible games run on the two systems may be a little unfair, the comparison shows how some design decisions, such as the limited amount of RAM, held back the original Nintendo Switch. The Nintendo Switch 2 doesn't have similar constraints, and it shows, as it runs some PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S ports surprisingly well, such as Cyberpunk 2077, Star Wars Outlaws, and the upcoming Resident Evil Requiem. The new entry in the CAPCOM series, in particular, is setting out to be another benchmark release for the system, so much so that even the development team was surprised at how well the game runs on the system.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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