Nintendo Switch 2 could beat Xbox Series S in a key area — here’s the latest leak

Nintendo Switch OLED held between two hands with one of the JoyCons being slid off
(Image credit: Nintendo)

As we continue to wait for official word on the Nintendo Switch 2, a new leak is indicating we can expect a pretty powerful device. In fact, according to a recent report, the Switch 2 will trump the Xbox Series S in at least one key area. 

According to Felipe Lima of Universo Nintendo (and spotted by Gamerant), the Switch 2 will pack 12GB of RAM. This spec update comes after the device was reportedly showcased to select developers during the Gamescom tradeshow in Cologne, Germany. And this information apparently comes from an anonymous source who attended this behind-closed-door presentation. However, it should still be taken with a grain of salt. 

The current Nintendo Switch has 4G of LPDDR4 RAM. For comparison, the PS5 and Xbox Series X each sport 16GB of GDDR6 RAM. Meanwhile, the Xbox Series S utilizes 10GB of the same sixth-generation RAM. So, if this leak is accurate, the Switch 2 would have more RAM than the Xbox Series S. But it’s important to note, that this source doesn’t mention what type of RAM would be found in the Switch 2. 

If the Switch 2 offers 10GB of GDDR5 RAM (the same type found in the PS4 and Xbox One), the Xbox Series S would actually have a generational advantage over Nintendo’s new hardware. Yes, the Switch 2 would win in terms of raw numbers, but the entry-level Xbox would have faster memory which makes a big difference when it comes to overall performance levels. 

There is a possibility that the Switch 2 could pack GDDR6 RAM, but as Gamerant points out, that would require Nintendo to essentially skip a RAM generation, which it has never done before. 

This tip toward the console’s RAM capacity is just the latest Switch 2 rumor to surface online. In fact, over the summer, the Switch 2 rumor mill has gone into overdrive with various sources claiming the console will be released in 2024 and that it will launch at an attractive price point of $399 — just $50 more than the Nintendo Switch OLED

More dubious sources have suggested it will actually be called the Nintendo Focus and include VR capabilities, it's also been suggested it will have new camera features, while another unverified industry insider has teased a potential launch game that “looks and runs like a PS5 game” on Nintendo’s next hardware.

Concrete details are basically non-existent — we don’t even know for sure if it will be called Nintendo Switch 2 — but we can say with near certainty that Nintendo is working on a successor to the wildly successful first-generation Switch right now. 

Hopefully, it’s not too much longer before we’re given some firm facts, and we can leave this era of speculation, rumors and leaks behind. After all, Nintendo revealed the first-generation Switch to the world in October 2016, and the gaming giant could follow the same rollout plan with whatever hardware it’s currently cooking up. 

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Rory Mellon
Entertainment Editor (UK)

Rory is an Entertainment Editor at Tom’s Guide based in the UK. He covers a wide range of topics but with a particular focus on gaming and streaming. When he’s not reviewing the latest games, searching for hidden gems on Netflix, or writing hot takes on new gaming hardware, TV shows and movies, he can be found attending music festivals and getting far too emotionally invested in his favorite football team.