To begin, the Nintendo Switch and the Xbox One S cater to distinct demographics, which is the primary difference between the two. True, Nintendo is aiming more for a family audience with very innovative and colorful games, while Microsoft is clearly targeting pure gamers who do not have a huge budget and want to play the best titles of the moment.
That’s why the Nintendo Switch is rarely bought as the central system by anyone besides kids. It’s common for gamers to own an Xbox One, Playstation 4, and a Nintendo Switch. At $299.99, the Nintendo Switch and the Xbox Series S are less expensive than the Xbox One X and the PlayStation 5. Both consoles are less expensive, yet they also have their own advantages and disadvantages.
It can be difficult for players on a tight budget to choose between the two options that provide a high-quality gaming experience. They may be debating between the next-generation Xbox Series S and the highly successful Nintendo Switch.
Affordable
The Xbox Series S is one of the most economical consoles ever made, despite the high cost of games in the year 2020. The differences between this console and the Xbox One launch are striking. The Xbox One launched at $499, making it the ninth most expensive console ever when adjusted for inflation. As a result, Xbox is ready to usher in a new era of widely available gaming for millions of people around the world.
Because of its low price tag of $299, Microsoft is targeting both thrifty gamers and people who already own rival consoles. Many gamers who currently own a Nintendo Switch or PS5 would be easily tempted to acquire a Series S in the future, especially if the upcoming Fallout and The Elder Scrolls titles are Xbox system exclusives.
This low cost is probably also related to Game Pass. Xbox will seek to revolutionize the game for those on a tight budget with a $299 console and a subscription service that offers you access to hundreds of games for $9.99 per month. If large games like The Elder Scrolls 6 were available right away, Sony might finally have some competition.
On November 10, the Xbox Series S will be released with the Series X. Even though Microsoft has sold a lot of pre-orders, they plan to release more units during the rest of the year. In only a few months, the Xbox Series S will try to revolutionize the game by giving gamers access to the next generation of gaming at an affordable price in a year where everything else feels so pricey.
Price, strength, and size
The Xbox One S outclasses the Nintendo Switch in terms of raw power because its larger form factor makes room for beefier components. As a result, the Nintendo Switch sometimes falls short of the recommended 1080p HD quality, and additional visual concessions are required to run major 3D titles like DOOM and Wolfenstein II on the portable device. The Nintendo Switch is a portable gaming system that allows you to take your games with you almost everywhere and has respectable battery life, but this portability comes at a cost (made even more decent with a USB-C external battery).
The S, on the other hand, can only be used in conjunction with a TV, but it has superior media capabilities as a result. While many other platforms, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Crunchyroll, YouTube, Hulu, Microsoft’s own Movies & TV service, and many more, offer material in resolutions up to 4K UHD for media fans, the Nintendo Switch includes only YouTube as a media app at the present time.
The Xbox One ecosystem has been available since 2013, and it has a far larger content spread than the Nintendo Switch in 2019. This is because the Xbox One ecosystem includes the Xbox 360 library and certain games from the original Xbox library. Also, since some of the games are a little bit older, they tend to show up on sales more often and can be bought at a lower price. In addition, the Nintendo Switch competes with Microsoft’s Xbox One, which offers a premium subscription service called Xbox Game Pass that grants access to hundreds of games for $10 a month.
On the other side, Nintendo and Microsoft reserve the right to terminate your account at any time, making it impossible for you to access the digital games you’ve purchased. Sure, you’d have to violate the terms of service in a major way for it to happen, but we have seen cases when games have gone from digital shops owing to licensing concerns. Physical cartridges for Nintendo Switch game libraries may be purchased, and while they may be more expensive initially, they can be recycled once the fun is over. Because the Xbox One S All-Digital lacks a disc drive, you can only play games that are purchased digitally.
Final Words
Whether you should buy a new Xbox One S or a Nintendo Switch comes down to two factors: price and portability. Many of the top third-party titles for Nintendo Switch, like DOOM, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and Minecraft, can be found for less money on Xbox One S due to the console’s more developed ecosystem.
Getting the S is a better investment if saving money is a priority. On the other hand, the Nintendo Switch has a number of interesting exclusive titles planned and in development, many of which are based on Nintendo’s extensive library of storied properties. Microsoft has not demonstrated the same level of dedication to its video game franchises as Nintendo. Also, you may get a lot more use out of your Switch investment due to its portability and flexibility, since you can take your gaming experience with you everywhere you go instead of being limited to playing in front of a TV.