CD Projekt Red has achieved a remarkable technical feat with the Nintendo Switch 2 port of Cyberpunk 2077, further solidifying the hybrid console’s capabilities. When compared to last-gen systems like the PlayStation 4 Pro and Xbox Series S, the Switch 2 version demonstrates how effectively NVIDIA’s DLSS technology can deliver high-fidelity visuals on less powerful hardware. The game not only matches but occasionally surpasses these consoles in visual quality, marking a significant leap forward for portable gaming performance.
In docked mode, Cyberpunk 2077 on Switch 2 offers two options. The Quality Mode upscales to 1080p at 30 frames per second using DLSS, from a common internal resolution ranging between 720p and 635p. The Performance Mode maintains 1080p upscaling but boosts the frame rate to approximately 40fps, although it renders internally between 635p and 540p. In handheld mode, these figures drop further in native resolution, with Quality Mode rendering at approximately 635p to 504p before DLSS upscales to 1080p, while Performance Mode renders at a notably lower 540p to 480p and upscales to 720p at roughly 40fps.
This implementation still manages to hold up well when stacked against other versions. The PS4 Pro, for example, renders dynamically at 1188p, with frequent drops to 972p, targeting 30fps. However, its framerate is reportedly less consistent than on Switch 2. Additionally, the PS4 Pro version has not received updates beyond version 1.6, placing it behind in terms of overall polish and feature support. The Xbox Series S fares better, supporting both 1440p/30fps and 1080p/60fps modes via AMD’s FSR technology. Yet, in its Performance Mode, it sacrifices certain visual effects such as ambient occlusion, which the Switch 2 retains.
The Switch 2 version of Cyberpunk 2077 demonstrates some notable technical advantages over last-gen consoles. It features improved textures compared to the Xbox Series S, along with more defined shadows in Performance Mode. While its draw distance and level of detail aren’t consistently superior, certain scenes do show enhancements over both the PS4 Pro and Series S. However, there is a trade-off in performance: where the Series S targets a steady 60fps in its high-performance mode, the Switch 2’s 40fps goal sometimes dips to 30fps, resulting in less fluid gameplay during demanding moments.
Load times present a middle ground—the Switch 2 loads about twice as fast as the PS4 Pro, though still takes roughly twice as long as current-gen systems like the PS5 and Series S. While not instantaneous, these improvements still contribute to a noticeably smoother experience overall.
