The Witcher 3 Remastered: Switch 2 Takes On an RTX 5090 PC

The new remastered edition of The Witcher 3 is out now, and one of the questions the community kept asking was how it would hold up on Nintendo's hybrid console. IGN Spain, the source this article is based on, has published a graphics comparison that puts the Switch 2 version head to head with a PC running a 5090 with every setting maxed out. The verdict on the handheld is clear: it looks genuinely good.

Why does it matter? Because this is no mere facelift. The remaster arrives with dozens of quality-of-life improvements, a reworked combat system, a significant graphical leap and a new expansion on the horizon. Fitting all of that into a console you can carry in your backpack says a lot about where Switch 2 ports are right now, and it opens the door for plenty of players who never set foot on the Continent to finally do so.

What you need to know

• The Switch 2 version runs at a fairly stable 30-40 fps, in both handheld and docked mode.
• Resolution is 720p in handheld and 1080p in docked mode.
• There is no ray tracing on Switch 2, one of the key differences compared to PC.
• Nintendo gets exclusive features: touchscreen support, gyro aiming and mouse-style Joy-Con controls.
• The remaster includes revamped combat, quality-of-life improvements and a new expansion on the way.

Switch 2 vs. PC: where the difference lies

IGN Spain's comparison pits two extremes of the market against each other: a PC with one of the most powerful graphics cards available and everything maxed out, versus a hybrid console with a very limited power budget. Naturally, the PC wins on fidelity, and the lack of ray tracing on Switch 2 shows in the lighting and reflections. But the underlying message is that the visual gap is much smaller than you might expect at first glance.

As the source itself points out, at this stage a good port on Switch 2 is no longer that big a surprise. The console has been building up a track record of solid adaptations of demanding games, and this one confirms the trend. The exclusive features also give it an identity of its own: gyro aiming, for example, could be a welcome addition for anyone who enjoys more precise control with the crossbow.

Our take

Here at the Underworld Lordz newsroom, we're clear on this: technically, this port is an achievement. Squeezing an ambitious remaster onto a hybrid and making it look this good deserves credit. If you want to experience Geralt's story on the couch, on the train or in bed, few options can compete with this.

That said, with demanding players in mind, we have to be honest. A 30-40 fps range is acceptable for a story-driven RPG, but when the combat has been completely redesigned, smoothness matters more than ever. Dodges, parries and reading enemy attacks all feel different with a fluctuating frame rate, and that's something a powerful PC handles without breaking a sweat. If you want to master every detail of the new combat system, the definitive experience is still on PC.

For content creators, there are two ways to look at it. If you're going to record or stream with the best possible visuals, the PC with ray tracing is the obvious showcase. But the Switch 2 version offers a very compelling angle: comparisons, performance tests, gyro-aiming challenges and handheld playthroughs are all formats audiences eat up. It isn't the prettiest version, but it may well be the most interesting one to cover.

What do you think?

The Witcher 3 remaster proves that Switch 2 can handle far more than it seems, but raw power still carries weight. What about you: do you prefer the convenience of playing on Switch 2 even at 30-40 fps, or would you only give the new combat a shot on PC with everything maxed out? Let us know in the team chat or on our Discord.