Nintendo Joy-Con Pair (White)
Controller · 2017
Xbox Series S
Zen 2 · 4 TFLOPS RDNA 2 · 1440p target
Xbox Series S takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, Nintendo Joy-Con Pair (White) lands at 78 and Xbox Series S at 82. That puts Xbox Series S ahead by 4 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick Nintendo Joy-Con Pair (White) if…
- ✓Hall-effect sticks (select SKUs)
- ✓Hot-swap triggers (elite tier)
- ✓Cross-platform compatibility
Pick Xbox Series S if…
- ✓Cheapest path into Game Pass + Quick Resume
- ✓Compact white form factor
- ✓120 FPS target at lower resolutions
Winner by scenario
Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate testGames
Nintendo Joy-Con Pair (White)Compared on the games sub-score
Nintendo Joy-Con Pair (White) leads on games (86 vs 84).
Features
Xbox Series SCompared on the features sub-score
Xbox Series S leads on features (86 vs 76).
Performance
Xbox Series SCompared on the performance sub-score
Xbox Series S leads on performance (80 vs 78).
Value for money
Nintendo Joy-Con Pair (White)Specdex score per dollar at MSRP
Nintendo Joy-Con Pair (White) more score per dollar ($79 vs $299).
Score breakdown
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | Nintendo Joy-Con Pair (White) | Xbox Series S |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Controller | — |
| Color | White | — |
| Release year | 2017 | — |
| CPU | — | Custom AMD Zen 2 8C @ 3.6 GHz (3.4 GHz with SMT) |
| GPU | — | Custom RDNA 2, 20 CUs @ 1.565 GHz, 4.006 TFLOPS |
| RAM | — | 10 GB GDDR6 (8 GB @ 224 GB/s + 2 GB @ 56 GB/s) |
| Storage | — | 512 GB internal SSD |
| Output | — | 1440p target up to 120 FPS |
| Dimensions | — | 275 × 151 × 65 mm |
| Weight | — | 1.93 kg |
Nintendo Joy-Con Pair (White)
- +Hall-effect sticks (select SKUs)
- +Hot-swap triggers (elite tier)
- +Cross-platform compatibility
- −Battery replacement paid on some
- −Software dependency
- −Stick drift still possible (non-Hall)
Xbox Series S
- +Cheapest path into Game Pass + Quick Resume
- +Compact white form factor
- +120 FPS target at lower resolutions
- −512 GB SSD fills fast
- −10 GB total RAM splits between 8 GB fast + 2 GB slow
- −No disc drive
FAQ: Nintendo Joy-Con Pair (White) vs Xbox Series S
Which is better, Nintendo Joy-Con Pair (White) or Xbox Series S? +
Xbox Series S scores 82 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 4. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is Nintendo Joy-Con Pair (White) worth the price? +
At $79, Nintendo Joy-Con Pair (White) delivers a Specdex score of 78 — strongest in games.
Is Xbox Series S worth the price? +
At $299, Xbox Series S delivers a Specdex score of 82 — strongest in value.
Does Nintendo Joy-Con Pair (White) or Xbox Series S last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.
Which is better for games, Nintendo Joy-Con Pair (White) or Xbox Series S? +
Nintendo Joy-Con Pair (White) — leads on games (86 vs 84). Compared on the games sub-score.
Which is better for features, Nintendo Joy-Con Pair (White) or Xbox Series S? +
Xbox Series S — leads on features (86 vs 76). Compared on the features sub-score.