Nintendo Switch OLED Model vs Sony PlayStation 5 (slim, with disc drive)
Get the Switch OLED for young children. Unless it's for older children or adults who play on the TV: then the PS5.
Nintendo Switch OLED Model
The first Switch at its best, with a lovely 7-inch OLED screen, but the same old chip, and the Switch 2 costs only a little more.
Sony PlayStation 5 (slim, with disc drive)
The console most people should buy: the biggest games, a disc drive for cheaper and second-hand games, and smaller than the first PS5.
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The Switch OLED plays on the TV or in your hands, with Nintendo's family games, for much less. The PS5 is far more powerful, with 4K graphics, a disc drive and the biggest games.
- —It's for young children.
- —You want to play away from the TV.
- —You love Mario and Pokémon.
- —You have a 4K TV.
- —It's for teenagers or adults.
- —You want the big new games.
What verified owners report
Only reviews from checked buyers count, and every 1–3 star review is read by us. How we do this
Owners love the bigger, brighter screen and playing on the TV or on the go, and it's a popular present. The main complaint is Joy-Con that wobble, drift or stop working.
- ✓A hit as a present
- ✓Bigger, brighter screen
- ✓Easy to set up and use
- −Joy-Con wobble, drift or stopped working
Owners are delighted: the graphics, the smaller size and how much of a step up it is from a PS4. Complaints are rare, and most low ratings say nothing.
- ✓Great graphics
- ✓A hit as a present
- ✓A real step up from the PS4
None came up often enough to list.
Key differences
Pros and cons
- +Bright 7-inch OLED screen
- +Plays on the TV or handheld
- +A huge library of Switch games
- −Same chip as the 2017 Switch: 720p handheld and 1080p on the TV.
- −The Joy-Con can drift, wobble or stop working.
- −Handheld battery lasts about five hours in demanding games.
- −The Switch 2 costs only about $100 more.
- +The biggest games, including Sony's own
- +Disc drive for cheaper and second-hand games
- +1TB storage, smaller than the first PS5
- −The stand for standing it upright costs extra.
- −1TB fills up quickly with big games.
- −Coming from a PS4, some games feel like only a modest step up.
- −The disc drive can be taken off, but the digital edition can't play discs until you buy one.
- Is the Switch OLED worth it?
- Is the PS5 worth it?
- PS5 vs PS5 Pro
- PS5 vs Switch 2
- PS5 vs Xbox Series X
- Xbox Series S vs PS5
- Best games consoles
How we reached this verdict
We compared independent expert reviews with the manufacturer's specifications, then checked it's sold at a major retailer where you live. We don't test products ourselves.
Sources: TechRadar, Push Square (PS5 Pro reviews), manufacturer specifications.
Owner reports for the Switch OLED: 2,004 verified buyer ratings at Currys and Target (US), read October 2026.
Owner reports for the PS5: 984 verified buyer ratings at Currys, read October 2026.