Topic: Is the PS5 really a better console than Nintendo Switch?

@Phornix
Depend on the peoples, I have written more than 40 PS5 kids games on my list, I have purchased 8 PS5 3rd party multi console kids games such as Kao the Kangaroo, The Smurfs Mission Vileaf, Instant Sports Plus, Lemon Cake, Bunny Park, Time On Frog Island, Kee Wee, etc. The only 1st party PS5 game I want to play is Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart as I only play kids games and I really hate adult games on PS5.
I don't even care with amount number of PS5 exclusives as most of them are adult games I will always hate so I only care with how many kids games on PS5, either 1st party or 3rd party games that still appropriate for me.
I have decided to separate my games priority.
For 3rd party multi console games, I will pick PS4 / PS5 version and I still support my Switch with 1st party + 3rd party exclusives on Switch + Remastered / Remake from older Nintendo machines. Win win solution.

@NeonPizza I feel like I have responded to you or someone similar before about this. But I am glad you have those games to look forward to. Enjoy!

Asking whether the Switch is better than a PS5 is like asking whether a smartphone is better than a PC.

Better for what?

With the PC/Phone example obviously a smartphone is generally better for listening to music, quickly sending messages, making calls, taking photos etc. A smartphone also has mobile internet and can fit in your pocket so you can quickly check stuff online while you're out and about. But you wouldn't do your office job from a phone, you don't use your phone to do heavy compute tasks, you don't have multiple TB of storage plugged into your phone. Different use cases

Same deal with Switch and PS5 (or Steam Deck and PC or AyaNeo and XBox Series). There are some games that simply don't need the additional horsepower and work fine on something like the Switch. For those games a portable device is fine, especially if you still have the option to play it on the big screen. You don't gain anything from playing Celeste, Hollow Knight or Untitled Goose Game on PS5 over Switch you just loose the ability to play it on the go. But if you want to play something more intense, even something that does exist on Switch like Doom Eternal? The PS5 does push more pixels, because it's a higher powered device, so you get more pixels

And that's before we talk about Mario, Zelda, Smash, Kart, Animal Crossing, Splatoon, Bayonetta etc, etc

@skywake the only redeeming feature with Switch is the fact that it's portable.

You keep referring to the graphics but that's only a small part of the problem, the thing that is slowly killing my enjoyment with the Switch is the really low framerates and the fact that even first oarty games are struggling to meet basic performance benchmarks.

30fps on a modern system is ridiculous, I prefer playing my PS and Xbox because they run a minimum of 60 fps (with the exception of Gotham Knights which got ripped apart for being stuck at 30) which is much more comfortable for me. TotK is the next big flagship title and it's looking like it hasn't even received a visual/performance upgrade from the last gen original which is appalling considering that they are charging the same as a AAA title.

Is the Switch a fun console yes, is it a good console - absolutely not.

@Chaotic_Neutral
I think you're barking up the wrong tree. I've probably been the most vocal person on these forums about the need for new hardware to be released for the Switch. I'm certainly not one to buy into the idea that the Switch can exist as is with its X1 SoC indefinitely. We really do need new hardware, the sooner the better

Secondly, I think you entirely misunderstand what I'm saying here. When I say power, graphics, horsepower, pixels I'm not talking about resolution and level of detail exclusively. I'm talking about load times, framerates, resolution, draw distance, asset quality etc, etc. It's all the same thing more or less. Is the Switch behind where it probably should be for 2023, its price and form factor? Absolutely. Is it "appalling" or "unacceptable? Well, depends on what you're trying to render and where you're playing it

Is the "only redeeming feature" of the Switch the fact that it's portable? I mean no. It also has its exclusives. But it's certainly one of the main appeals of the Switch. And again, for a LOT of titles that feature makes the Switch far more appealing than just about any other platform, especially for the size and price. As I said in the post above yours, what does it matter how much power something has if you don't use it? If a game can run at 1080p/60 docked and 720p/60 undocked with a reasonable level of fidelity on Switch? What's the downside for getting it on Switch?

Really, tell me why a game like Celeste is better on the PS5. Or how Mario Kart 8 would be significantly better on improved hardware. Again, I'm not talking about titles that push the limits of the Switch here like BotW or Doom. I'm screaming from the rooftops demanding new hardware for that end of the spectrum. I'm talking here about games the Switch can comfortably run. What advantage does the PS5 have when playing those games? ..... it doesn't, it's worse because it's not portable on PS5. There's no other answer to that question

I know it's just a variation of a old argument, but Jesus, they're tools for doing a job. In this case, playing video games.
Use one for one job, another for another lot. There is cross-over, and that helps with keeping costs down.
I've got a switch 'cause it's tiny, portable, and has Zelda, Mario, and Pokémon among the exclusives. Happily, it runs other games that are available in other systems. But you can see the downgrade, I think. If I had the money and inclination, I would get a PC - why bother with a PS or Xbox? It's all cost based. They're just the equivalent of an Audi or BMW with a PC being a Porsche or Bentley, depending on how much you've splurged.
(Switch in this case is a VW Transporter T4 - can look brill and cool, but is still underpowered and creaky. But can be used for lots of purposes.)

So it's all down to costs really. If you can afford to buy and run something, do it.

(But what about exclusives? If it was all about exclusives, they're wouldn't be much argument - get the machine for the games you want. So what about the specs? If it runs that much better on PS than a Switch, get a PS)

@Rambler
I do like that car analogy bit I'd go a bit further. I'd say the Switch is like an electric skateboard or similar. Great for short trips and can be used in urban areas in places you can't take a car etc. But pretty restrictive in terms of how much you can carry and not really that great for more demanding trips

The PS5/XBox Series are like basic commuter car. Nothing special but good for those more demanding journeys. Also you can generally do more with them than you can with a personal transportation device. Or at the very least, do it with less effort

A PC in this analogy is probably like a Ute. If you want to actually do some work? This is the way to go. Huge amounts of flexibility in terms of what you can do. Are they the most powerful things? I mean they certainly can be, they don't have to be though. There are options

Do you use a Ute for your daily commute to the office or short trips to the shops? You can but you're probably better off with a basic commuter car in terms of fuel economy. Can you use an escooter for the 30km trip to the city every morning? I mean you could but you probably would be better off with a car. Can you use your car for going the km to the train station and then the other km to work? I mean, you can't fit it on a bus so no. Do you actually do work with your car? Well, Ute is the only option

@Anti-Matter
There's no "but" here. Being forced to play on the TV isn't an advantage, it's a negative side effect of consuming more power. Equally not having as much horsepower isn't an advantage, it's a negative side effect of being more power efficient. These aren't features these are compromises

There are some titles where you don't need as much power to reach what the developer was trying to achieve. All things being equal for those titles Switch/Steam Deck are the better platforms. Because you're not forced to play on the TV. Equally there are some other titles where the extra horsepower matters. All things being equal PS/XBox/PC are better platforms for those titles because those platforms have no such power limit and can push more pixels as a result

Depending on the title and in some cases which negative you're less concerned about one type of hardware will be better than the other. There's no one answer here and people who are suggesting that there is one answer are, frankly, provably wrong

@skywake
Indeed. As an OT, my choice would be, in real life, a combination some sort of Mitsubishi or Toyota Ute / flatbed, and a Lotus sports car of some sort. So you have a vehicle for different requirements (though god knows what the requirements for driving a Lotus are - wanting to look like an idiot?!?!)
But I've got an ancient VW T4, which doesn't look cool at all, but is very practical, if underpowered.
Like the Switch.

No.

Just no.

@Gaming-Penguin
For me is yes.
Most of 3rd party multi console games on PS5 have better performance and less issues than Switch version, so far from my experience.

@Anti-Matter
Having the option to play on the go is still an option. If it's a game where you weren't going to use that additional power anyway where's the downside? This is simple logic here. An additional option when there is no downside for that title? It's an additional option which makes it better. 1 + 1 is greater than 1

I'll make this simple. Excluding exclusives, platform eccentricities, controllers and what not. Just actual playing of a game

A PS5 is better when:
The game can take advantage of the additional power provided and the additional fidelity adds more to the experience than portable play does

The Switch is better when:
The game doesn't take advantage of the additional power of the PS5 or you want to play the game away from your TV

Sometimes the first statement is true, sometimes the second is true. Neither is better in all cases. And I'd also note you could easily substitute Switch for Steam Deck or PS5 for PC/XBox. And if you want to drag previous generations into it you're a bit of a fool because the Switch also has a power advantage if you go back to the HD era or prior.....

My own 2 cents here...
I feel that I can comment here relatively 'objectively' - as I was fortunate enough to own both Switch and PS5 for about 18 months (before selling PS5, which I'll get to). 3 quick statements:

1) Owning both of those systems together, whilst certainly expensive, IMO allows the player access to pretty much the best combination of all that gaming has to offer.
2) Of course the PS5 has the edge with graphics, framerate and 'next-gen' titles... but the versatility of the Switch being a hybrid/handheld is excellent.
3) Preference to one system over the other will essentially boil down to 2 x factors: A) What games do you enjoy playing more? B) How do you most like to play games? (TV or handheld)

The PS5 has been home to some of my favorite gaming experiences of recent years - entries like Returnal, Elden Ring, Ghost of Tshumina, Horizon Zero Dawn etc etc - and these are experiences I would not have attained by owning purely a Switch.
However, the Switch has such a ginormous catalogue of amazing games... not to mention Nintendo's incredible IPs such as Zelda/Metroid/Mario/Xenoblade etc.

As I travel for work though, I quickly found I was pouring more and more time into the Switch (vs PS5) hence my decision to sell the Playstation. Additionally, I've made a resolution to dip more into the 'indie scene' and feel that the Switch is a more natural home for these kind of games that require less of a graphical powerhouse (I fell in love with Thimbleweed Park, Hades, Inscryption to name a few).

Will I miss not being able to play the forthcoming Elden Ring DLC? 100% absolutely! But equally, TotK is around the corner....

I'm probably more excited by the lineup ahead for Sony in 2023 (RE4 / FF16 / Silent Hill 2 etc) but I believe a Switch successor is probably not far off. A new Switch with similar power to a Steamdeck would be the dream.... (and obviously better battery life than SD!)

It seems strange to argue over "which is better", when they are both absolutely stellar at "what they do best". If money was no object, the dream would be to have both.... but ultimately an individual's preference will always come down to - A) the games they prefer playing and B) how they like to play them.

I used to get sucked into these console war debates all the time.

Then I came to the realisation that you'll generally never change someone's mind that one console is better than the other, and they won't change yours.

Play what you enjoy, and each to their own.

Moving past exclusive brand loyalty and grabbing consoles from Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo has been a great decision for me. Celebrate every console's strengths and never miss a kickass exclusive.

I own a Switch, Xbox Series X and a PS5 and they're all great.

They don't hand out medals for depriving yourself of a console and its games all because you stayed loyal to a particular brand.

Branch out and enjoy if your financial circumstances allow. There's tons of great games no matter the platform.

Totally subjective. Switch blows the PS5 out of the water for me because of the portability and games it has(that PS5 doesn't).

It depends. In power PS5 wins. In better controller PS5 also wins. In better online PS5 wins. But in 1st party exclusives Switch wins. In Portability Switch wins. In family friendly games Switch wins.

If you throw out portability of the Switch, then it comes down to games.

Let's look at the year 2022. New games on the Switch or PS5 that aren't available on the other. Only brand new games first published in 2022, no re-releases, remasters or remakes of any kind. No DLC unless it is standalone.
Limit to games with a MetaCritic score over "85"

SWITCH:
Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Bayonetta 3
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope
Easy Come Easy Golf
Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Shovel Knight Dig

PS5:
Elden Ring
God of War: Ragnarok
Horizon Forbidden West
Gran Turismo 7

Last year PS5 clearly has the edge if you're after bleeding edge, Triple A, Game of the Year level releases.
But its not like there weren't some quality games on Switch. And this year, new Zelda, which is sure to make some waves.

There are a number of factors and no straight answer. It all comes down to preference, I suppose. You have to ask "What do I want this console for?" and "What kind of games do I regularly play?"

Depending on the answer to those questions, one system might be better than the other. Ideally, if you had the money, you could own and play both. I do, and they facilitate different interests at different times.

Switch has better games better game = better counsel

I've had a variety of consoles from now to back to Pong and Atari in the mid 80's, I've had home PCs that blow console specs out of the water, with the exceptions of some of the nostalgia of some games on the PS1, I've never gotten as much enjoyment out of gaming as I have on the Switch.