Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Nintendo - Switch 2 | Microsoft - Xbox Series S 1TB |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | 256 GB | 1024 GB |
| RAM | 12 GB | 10 GB |
Between the Switch 2 and Xbox Series S 1TB, the Switch 2 comes out ahead in ram, while the Xbox Series S 1TB wins on storage. Overall, the Switch 2 scores 60.9 and the Xbox Series S 1TB scores 66.6 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Xbox Series S 1TB edges ahead on the Mars Score (60.9 vs 66.6), but the 5.7-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the Switch 2 if you push the hardware — gaming, on-device AI, heavy multitasking — and the extra compute headroom is worth the trade-offs. The biggest gaps in its favor are ram. The single most decisive one: RAM — 20.00% more. 12 GB vs 10 GB.
Pick the Xbox Series S 1TB if you care most about storage. Its strongest claims are storage. The single most decisive one: Storage — 300.00% more. 1024 GB vs 256 GB.
Both ship with comparable max resolution, max refresh, ray tracing, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the Xbox Series S 1TB is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Which should you buy: Nintendo - Switch 2 or Microsoft - Xbox Series S 1TB?
Microsoft - Xbox Series S 1TB leads the current Mars Score by 5.7 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare ram, storage against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Nintendo - Switch 2 if…
Nintendo - Switch 2 has the measurable edge on ram gb.
Choose Microsoft - Xbox Series S 1TB if…
Microsoft - Xbox Series S 1TB has the measurable edge on storage gb.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Nintendo - Switch 2 wins
- ▲RAM — 20.00% more. 12 GB vs 10 GB.
Why Microsoft - Xbox Series S 1TB wins
- ▲Storage — 300.00% more. 1024 GB vs 256 GB.
Spec comparison
Performance
| Spec | Nintendo - Switch 2 | Microsoft - Xbox Series S 1TB |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Nvidia Tegra T239 (custom) | AMD Zen 2 8-core |
| GPU | Nvidia Ampere (~3.1 TFLOPS docked) | AMD RDNA 2 (4 TFLOPS) |
| RAMⓘ | 12 GBlead | 10 GB |
| Max resolution | 4K | 4K |
| Max refreshⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Ray tracing | true | true |
| VRRⓘ | true | true |
Storage
| Spec | Nintendo - Switch 2 | Microsoft - Xbox Series S 1TB |
|---|---|---|
| Storageⓘ | 256 GB | 1024 GBlead |
| Storage typeⓘ | UFS | NVMe SSDlead |
| Expandable storageⓘ | true | true |
Design & I/O
| Spec | Nintendo - Switch 2 | Microsoft - Xbox Series S 1TB |
|---|---|---|
| Disc drive | false | false |
| HDMIⓘ | 2.1 | 2.1 |
| USB ports | 2 | 3lead |
| Weight | 0.535 kglead | 1.93 kg |
| VR support | false | false |
Frequently asked
Does Switch 2 or Xbox Series S 1TB have a disc drive?+
Neither has a disc drive.
Which has more storage, Switch 2 or Xbox Series S 1TB?+
Xbox Series S 1TB ships with 1024GB of NVMe SSD.
Which supports higher refresh rates, Switch 2 or Xbox Series S 1TB?+
Xbox Series S 1TB supports up to 120Hz vs 120Hz.