The long-awaited Nintendo Switch 2 is now available to buy around the world – but how does it compare to the popular Xbox Series S?
Although they are both two of the best games consoles currently available, the Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series S offer quite different gaming experiences. With that in mind, which console should you buy?
To help you decide and understand the difference, we’ve compared the Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series S below based on our real-world experience. For more information, make sure you visit our Nintendo Switch 2 vs Nintendo Switch and Xbox Series X vs Series S guides too.
Pricing and Availability
Officially released in June 2025, the Switch 2 has a pricey starting RRP of £395/$449.99. This price is for the console, dock and two detachable controllers, alongside all the cables you need. Not included is a MicroSD Express card, Nintendo Switch Online membership or a USB-C camera.
Launched at the end of 2020, the Xbox Series S is unsurprisingly cheaper than the Switch 2 with an RRP of £249.99/$249.99.
As it’s an older console, it’s possible to find a price drop or generous bundle deals that include controllers and other accessories to help save a bit of money.
Design
- The Nintendo Switch 2 is made up of a tablet, two detachable Joy-Cons and a 4K TV dock
- Xbox Series S can only be played when plugged into a TV or monitor
- Both sport a more minimalist design
The Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series S have fundamentally different designs. Firstly, the Nintendo Switch 2 is a more versatile console that’s designed to be played in three different ways: handheld, tabletop or TV modes. The Xbox Series S, on the other hand, can only be played when plugged into a TV or monitor.
Essentially, the Switch 2 is made up of a 7.9-inch tablet and two detachable Joy-Con controllers that fit into a 4K-supported docking station, which then connects via HDMI into a TV. The touchscreen tablet itself is equipped with two USB-C ports, a redesigned game card slot, a 3.5mm headphone jack and a newly designed kickstand to hold the console up when in tabletop mode.
In comparison, the Xbox Series S is a white cuboid box that fits neatly within any TV stand or cabinet, and is equipped with multiple useful ports, including three USB 3.1 ports, an HDMI 2.1, an Ethernet port, and a storage expansion slot. One significant omission here is a disc drive, as the Xbox Series S is a digital-only console.
Finally, the Switch 2 has taken a slightly more toned-down approach to its colour scheme compared to the Nintendo Switch. Instead, the Switch 2 has a sleek black finish with just flashes of the iconic blue and red, which previously featured on the original Joy-Cons.
Nintendo Switch 2
Nintendo Switch
Specs
- An unnamed customer process from Nvidia powers the Switch 2
- Xbox Series S runs on AMD Ryzen Zen 2 CPU and AMD RDNA 2 GPUs
- Both have a maximum 120Hz refresh rate
Powering the Xbox Series S is the same AMD Ryzen Zen 2 CPU as its more expensive Series X counterpart. However, despite sporting the same AMD RDNA 2 GPUs, the Series S sees just 4 TFLOPs of performance power compared to the Series X’s 12.
That shouldn’t put you off the Series S though, as this architecture is still seriously impressive and allows game developers to take advantage of impressive features such as DirectX Raytracing.
It’s worth noting that Nintendo has never attempted to match the performance and sheer power levels of Microsoft or Sony. This is especially evident as Nintendo hasn’t even stated the processor or its specifications that power the Switch 2, and instead explains it’s a “custom process” from Nvidia.
The Xbox Series S also benefits from a 1440p resolution, which is a noticeable improvement from the Switch 2’s 1080p screen, although you will need a compatible display to benefit from this. Both, otherwise, have a maximum 120Hz refresh rate too.
However, connect the Switch 2 to a compatible TV via its docking station and you can benefit from up to 4K visuals in supported games too.
Performance
- Nintendo Switch 2 comes with 256GB storage and requires a new microSD Express card for expandable space
- Xbox Series S is powerful and fast console, especially for the price
- You need a compatible TV to benefit from the best visuals for the Xbox Series S and Switch 2 when in TV mode
Compared to its predecessor, the Switch 2 undoubtedly feels like a far more capable console. Sure, it may not be as mighty as the Xbox Series S, but we still found that games ran at more stable frame rates, visuals looked good, and the tablet remained cool even during intense gameplay.
One issue which you’ll likely come across with the Switch 2 is storage. While it does offer 8x the amount of the original Switch, the 256GB base storage will quickly get taken up by the much larger Switch 2 games. Annoyingly, you can’t just reuse your old microSD card as they are no longer compatible with the flagship Nintendo console, so you’ll need to invest in a microSD Express card instead.
At the time of writing, there are just two sizes of microSD Express in the UK: 128GB and 256GB, with the latter starting at around £50.
The Xbox Series S is, in comparison, a mighty console with heaps of enhancements from its predecessor. Not only does its 1440p resolution make images look sharper, with more vivid colours and finer detail shown, but its refresh rate helps ensure smooth and lag-free animations too.
However, remember you will need to have a compatible TV or monitor to benefit from the 1440p visuals on offer.
Games and Software
- The Xbox Series S is a multimedia device, allowing you to stream content from the likes of Netflix, Disney Plus and more
- Nintendo Switch Online service is more affordable than Xbox Game Pass
- Neither Microsoft nor Nintendo have changed the software experience
A big difference between the Switch 2 and the Xbox Series S is that the latter is a multimedia device. Fitted with the Microsoft Store, you can download apps like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and more and stream in up to 8K resolution.
Otherwise, if you’ve used either the Switch or an Xbox before, both interfaces are familiar. In fact, the Switch 2’s home screen is more or less the same as the OG Switch, with just two themes and a row of games running through the centre.
Equally, Microsoft has kept things similar with the Xbox Series S. Games, apps and the Xbox Game Pass library all have their own assigned row, while your game library can be filtered between generations too.
Speaking of Game Pass, this is a subscription service that offers access to a library of games and online play, with a starting price of £6.99/$9.99 a month.
Nintendo also offers its own online gaming platform with Nintendo Switch Online (NSO). Starting at just £3.99/$3.99 a month, alongside online play, NSO includes tools like cloud backup and access to titles from older Nintendo systems too.
Verdict
As the Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series S are quite different consoles, it’s not easy to simply advise which one is better than the other.
You should buy the Nintendo Switch 2 if you want more versatile gaming, access to Nintendo’s library, including the likes of Mario Kart and Zelda titles, and you don’t want a device that can also stream content.
You should buy the Xbox Series S if you want a small, yet impressively powerful console that plugs into your TV and allows you to play both PC and console games.
