Hogwarts Legacy - Switch 2 Face-Off - Digital Foundry

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Switch 2:
-Docked Mode = 720p 30fps
-Handheld Mode = 540p 30fps
Reconstructed in both modes with DLSS to roughly 1080p

PS4:
-864p 30fps
using UE's TAA

Xbox Series S:
-Quality Mode = 1080p 30fps/40fps
-Performance Mode = 792p 60fps
using UE's TAA
Note: Performance Mode on Series S now has a bug that makes camera motion uneven and stuttery, an issue that wasn't presented at launch, and which needs to be fixed.

Switch:
-Docked Mode = 720p "30fps"
-Handheld Mode = 576p "30fps"
barely any Antialiasing applied

_______________________

Comparison with PS4:

-general asset quality is the same between PS4 and Switch 2

-Foliage slightly paired back compared to PS4

-Textures slightly improved compared to PS4

-Some blocked views on PS4 were opened up, while others stay blocked off compared to Series S

-Framerate slightly better on PS4

-Switch 2 misses some dynamic and some baked lighting effects compared to PS4 (seems like an oversight to me personally)

-Image quality is sharper on Switch 2, but the lower internal resolution + light weight DLSS means effects like Screen Space Reflections look grainier and have checkerboard artifacts, and disocclusion artifacts are more noticeable on Switch 2, although UE's TAA isn't perfect here either

-Loading times twice as fast as PS4, half as fast as Series S. the game seems very unoptimised for fast storage
 
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So the switch 2 version is comparable to the ps4 version besides the switch 2 version having higher textures in some places. So if you buy the switch 2 version then you should expect it to be very similar to the ps4 version.
 
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Sebastian1295 said:
So the switch 2 version is comparable to the ps4 version besides the switch 2 version having higher textures in some places. So if you buy the switch 2 version then you should expect it to be very similar to the ps4 version.
Click to expand...
Sad 90 Day Fiance GIF by TLC
 
Sebastian1295 said:
So the switch 2 version is comparable to the ps4 version besides the switch 2 version having higher textures in some places. So if you buy the switch 2 version then you should expect it to be very similar to the ps4 version.
Click to expand...

PS4 version with some improvements, and some draw backs.

improvements are largely Memory pool related things, which is where the Switch 2 has a clear hardware advantage over the PS4.
 
Who was it that tweeted a vague statement saying something like: Will Switch 2 = PS4 Pro? You'll have to wait and see.

Some gaffers though it meant S2 will be more powerful, some thought it'll be weaker.

By the looks of it, it's weaker. But DLSS helps out.
 
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I hope the Switch version of DLSS can be improved over the years, but it's a huge improvement over the Switch 1 version.
 
So basically the last gen version with twice as fast loading and arguably superior image quality (although they say it suffer from more issues in motion).
It's a really big upgrade compared to the OG switch, but otherwise not the most impressive port.
 
Fbh said:
So basically the last gen version with twice as fast loading and arguably superior image quality (although they say it suffer from more issues in motion).
It's a really big upgrade compared to the OG switch, but otherwise not the most impressive port.
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Not really surprising. NIntendo has gone last gen specs with small tweaks since Wii.

IMO, I dont think it has anything to do with hybrid system either. Because Wii and Wii U werent exactly mindblowing power either. They tried to get gamers hooked in with snazzy gameplay mechanics than raw power. Switch 2 looks like it's basically a PS4 with some changes like DLSS. Even then so, some parts of the game are even worse than PS4. A system that came out in 2013.
 
Do they mention at all that the Switch 2 version is using the original Switch version as it's jumping off point? You gotta know the Switch 2 version's going to be hamstrung with that starting block. I'm not even a techie, and I can surmise that. 😉
 
switch 2 = ps4 at lower resolution + dlss artefacts with worse framerate. loading twice as fast as ps4 slow hdd (notice how loading becomes important now, they must have some win there). but's that's no next gen i/O there. at the same level of hdd is bad

df conclusion: game is not optimized for S2

sounds about right. the big open world games are going to suffer. but worse framerate than ps4 is surprising. the jaguar is faster thab s2 cpu in games. pr about s2 cpu was bullshit
 
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Decent for a launch game I guess, tho I think there are better ports already. I'm curious to start seeing more third party games so Nintendo can start announcing them already.
 
StreetsofBeige said:
Who was it that tweeted a vague statement saying something like: Will Switch 2 = PS4 Pro? You'll have to wait and see.

Some gaffers though it meant S2 will be more powerful, some thought it'll be weaker.

By the looks of it, it's weaker. But DLSS helps out.
Click to expand...
It's kinda built around it. Results are impressive for a handheld. Even dlss needs some power behind it but this is really shining getting good IQ from very low res.
 
StreetsofBeige said:
Who was it that tweeted a vague statement saying something like: Will Switch 2 = PS4 Pro? You'll have to wait and see.

Some gaffers though it meant S2 will be more powerful, some thought it'll be weaker.

By the looks of it, it's weaker. But DLSS helps out.
Click to expand...
No, you have other examples showing it is on par with PS4 Pro or even have some advantahed, thanks to more modern hardware.

This game is not a good example.

Like on Switch 1, Assassin's Creed III on Switch runs like the PS3 version while Red Dead Redemption runs way better than PS3 version. If you only considers the first game, you'd think the Switch isn't more powerful than the PS3.
 
StreetsofBeige said:
Who was it that tweeted a vague statement saying something like: Will Switch 2 = PS4 Pro? You'll have to wait and see.

Some gaffers though it meant S2 will be more powerful, some thought it'll be weaker.

By the looks of it, it's weaker. But DLSS helps out.
Click to expand...
the dock is weaker than ps4 in this game, with worse framerate. this thing is never running the witcher 4 at 60fps.
 
So, a base PS4 with DLSS. As I guessed.

Its an OK port, but kinda expexted better. To be honest we need to know how the NS2 will behave using Unreal Engine with is kinda the weak point of the regular NS.

Capcom did a vast better job using DLSS. Hope they can share their secret with others devs.

But why the black crush? Really strange factor.

Skifi28 said:
I knew the results just by seeing who made the thread (or rather, who didn't).
Click to expand...

Don't say his name. They gonna start to call DF bias, Oliver a clueless and post Rich with the clown face.
 
kevboard said:
PS4 version with some improvements, and some draw backs.

improvements are largely Memory pool related things, which is where the Switch 2 has a clear hardware advantage over the PS4.
Click to expand...

Oliver said in the video that he can't declare a winner between base PS4 and NS2 because both versions have their pros and cons.
 
and most switch 2 owners are going to be ecstatic. PS4 ish visuals are a huge upgrade from the muddy ps3 ish visuals they got from the switch 1.
 
I don't know if this was mentioned in the video, but I've noticed that some reflections seem broken on the Switch 2 version and there's a ton of texture pop-in in the open world sections, at least in handheld mode (though the interior of Hogwarts looks great).

I've been having a lot of fun with the game itself, especially given I have very little knowledge of the Harry Potter universe, but it could definitely use a patch. It feels like it was rushed to hit launch day.
 
-Switch 2 misses some dynamic and some baked lighting effects compared to PS4 (seems like an oversight to me personally)

I don't think it's an oversight. I think it was removed to improve performance or FPS on switch 2.
 
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Deerock71 said:
Do they mention at all that the Switch 2 version is using the original Switch version as it's jumping off point? You gotta know the Switch 2 version's going to be hamstrung with that starting block. I'm not even a techie, and I can surmise that. 😉
Click to expand...

They didn't mention it. But based on how extensive the downgrades on the Switch 1 are (not just textures and resolution but even on geometry) I think it was probably easier to port over the lest gen version than trying to upgrade the Switch 1 one.
 
Been playing this all week. Game looks and runs great as far as I can see..but yea, it's a launch title so being unoptimized doesn't sound far fetched. Maybe they can release patches to tighten up some things..?
 
Given choice ppl will prefer switch2 version over ps4, so that one is better, ofc its big below series S version overall, still for a handheld pretty good.
 
PeteBull said:
Given choice ppl will prefer switch2 version over ps4, so that one is better, ofc its big below series S version overall, still for a handheld pretty good.
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The Switch 1 version was consistently outselling ALL other versions...in the UK. I could see a large number of those users either getting the Switch 2 upgrade or new buyers (like me) opting into the Switch 2 version outright. Game should do very well
 
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Fbh said:
They didn't mention it. But based on how extensive the downgrades on the Switch 1 are (not just textures and resolution but even on geometry) I think it was probably easier to port over the lest gen version than trying to upgrade the Switch 1 one.
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The Switch version had to be extremely tailored to even work on the Switch. I get why WB did it- it already sold a ton on the Switch; it was a quick 10 bucks more with minimal effort.
 
Baemono said:
Like the Arkham games on Switch 1 ?
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Arkham and Arkham City were great ports. Arkham Knight was always doomed from the start..though they actually did release 2 or 3 patch to try to fix a few things (it was better, but still bad).

Hogwarts Legacy is nowhere near and nothing close to Arkham Knight. That's comparing apples to oranges
 
Street Fighter similar to the PS4, Yakuza similar to the PS4, Hogwarts similar to the PS4. (Resolution is usually much lower actually, but DLSS makes up for that). This is all docked, portable is worse.

Looks like DF wasn't that wrong after all.
 
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StreetsofBeige said:
Who was it that tweeted a vague statement saying something like: Will Switch 2 = PS4 Pro? You'll have to wait and see.

Some gaffers though it meant S2 will be more powerful, some thought it'll be weaker.

By the looks of it, it's weaker. But DLSS helps out.
Click to expand...
No it isn't.
Phantom Liberty and others say hello.

Bad porting job.
 
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