Well there is variance, but the Native Performance before DLSS is pretty much a PS4 in portable mode and a PS4 Pro when docked.
And the CPU is infinitely stronger than the PS4 or PS4 Pro in both configs so that is why I make the comparison to the Series S after DLSS for Portable mode and the PS5 after DLSS for Docked (As the Series S and PS4 Pro are similar in GPU performance)
So on the low end, sort of expect something with better Image Quality than Series S overall but maybe at reduced settings on Portable mode, and similar case for PS5, or trading Resolution output for graphical settings.
I’d caution using this type of language when describing the system to those that don’t follow tech related discussion like that especially as we don’t know the full details yet. It can set some really extreme expectation and lead people to believe one thing and if it doesn’t come to happen then it spurs a whole other type of perspective on the matter.
The things we seem to know is that the GPU is much more performant than what we had anticipated, where in portable mode it can trade blows with the PS4 (non-DLSS) and in docked mode it can get close enough to the PS4 Pro where it is similar to an XB1 vs PS4 level of performance difference between the two. Again, before DLSS.
Post DLSS, well portably it’s doesn’t matter much for this device as nothing would come close to it I think. And docked, again it’s hard to say exactly but it can probably trade blows with the PS5 in some aspects as it is not actually expending resources to render at a full 4K or an attempt to render at 4K. It would target a much lower resolution and utilize DLSS to aim higher. Currently, PS5 games that hit 4K have the fidelity of a system that is not using the full 10.28 TFLOPs.
Likewise for the Series X. Quite frankly, GPU seems to be the least of concerns for the new device. It’s a pretty potent GPU in my opinion.
CPU wise? Well, again, this will be weaker than the other consoles. Better than the PS4, XB1, PS4 Pro and XB1X but definitely weaker than the Series X, Series S and PS5 who all sit very close to each other in terms of CPU.
I think just saying that it’s somewhere in between the XBox One X and XBox Series X|S gives a good indication of where the CPU stands. athis can aid in game engine support and thus a game can run on the platform with the developer effort, being easier to do for future titles that can’t run on the One X but can run on the Series consoles, not at the same level mind you, but it makes the work a lot less painful than running it on the One X or hell, the One S. There’s more reasons, but a better CPU helping with engine support is one of the reasons for being excited about that.
Memory is a unique case, the switch OS (Horizon) doesn’t occupy a lot of space, so it isn’t in the same position as the Series and the PS5 who have an OS that does take up more room. Even if they went for 10GB, devs still have 9-9.5GB to work with most likely unless Nintendo for some bizarre reason decides to have a bigger OS footprint, and they haven’t been keen on doing such a thing before or now. The switch philosophy follows the principle of being minimalistic, simple to understand and a convenient product regardless of the qualms a developer has with developing for it or an enthusiast has for the performance offered from it. To the general public it is an appealing and convenient product.
I do understand you are pretty excited about this, though relaying it in a way that helps others understand it in the most organic and natural way possible helps them comprehend it better.
Just by 2 cents, I’ve noticed some want to participate in these but they get intimidated because it’s too confusing to understand what it means exactly, while others try the best. they can.