Which is the best version of the Persona 3 Reload? Switch 2, PS5, Xbox, PC, PS4, and more compared

Persona 3 Reload finally made its way to Nintendo Switch last year, but the port was not great. I wrote about the state of the game in my Persona 3 Reload Switch 2 port review. Ahead of the holidays, Atlus pushed out an update to bring in a performance mode targeting 60fps and address the frame pacing issues. I was planning on doing this comparison when the Switch 2 port launched, but Atlus mentioned working on updates. I decided to wait, and that brings us to today's comparison feature covering Persona 3 Reload on PS5, Switch 2, PS4, Steam Deck, ROG Ally, PC, and Xbox Series X. As with other comparisons, I will cover Persona 3 Reload's differences across platforms going over visuals, performance, load times, input lag, and help you find the best version to buy based on your requirements. 

Persona 3 Reload release timeline

Before getting to the versions and other differences, I'm going to quickly cover Persona 3 Reload's journey from announcement to release across platforms.

• June 2023: Persona 3 Reload is announced for Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Series, Xbox One, PC Steam, PS4, and PS5 release.
• February 2024: Persona 3 Reload launches for Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Series, Xbox One, PC Steam, PS4, and PS5 release.
• September 2024: Persona 3 Reload's major DLC Episode Aigis launches for Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Series, Xbox One, PC Steam, PS4, and PS5 release.
• July 2025: Persona 3 Reload is announced for Nintendo Switch 2.
• October 2025: Persona 3 Reload launches for Nintendo Switch 2 worldwide with no DLC included.
• December 2025: Persona 3 Reload for Switch 2 gets updated to address frame pacing issues and add a performance mode.

Persona 3 Reload content differences by platform and DLC

Persona 3 Reload on every platform is sold as a base game or included in two different editions featuring additional cosmetics, music, and more. No edition on any platform includes the Persona 3 Reload Expansion Pass. This means you will need to buy the base game and the expansion pass to get all story content in Persona 3 Reload. As of this writing, all versions of Persona 3 Reload digitally are priced the same. When the Switch 2 port launched, it was priced $10 less than other platforms, but every platform is at price parity now. I have covered all the DLC including cosmetics, music, and more in my dedicated P3R DLC guide here.

Persona 3 Reload visuals

Persona 3 Reload, a remake built in Unreal Engine 4, was a cross generation game when it launched. It targeted 60fps at 4K with ray tracing (reflections) on PS5 and Xbox Series X with the PS4 Pro version I tried out offering a 30fps experience, but without the same reflections. The PS4 Pro version is well above 1080p though. On PC, it was a bit rough at launch when you had the reflections enabled, but it improved a lot soon after with Persona 3 Reload easily hitting 60fps on Steam Deck and even higher on ROG Ally without reflections enabled. 

On Switch 2, Persona 3 Reload runs at 30fps by default in both docked and handheld configurations at the same 1080p resolution. This means it is actually running at a lower resolution than the PS4 Pro as well. When docked, an optional performance mode is available with some cuts to shadows and ambient occlusion.

Note: The image above uses images taken via a 4K capture device for the game running on PS5, PS4 on PS5, Xbox Series X, and Switch 2's quality/default mode. The captured images were then cropped to show the reflection differences and resolution differences between consoles.

As of today, Persona 3 Reload on Switch 2 is better than it was at launch, but it should have been a lot better. When docked, the quality or default mode looks the same as handheld, but the performance mode cuts are very noticeable in a few areas. Persona 3 Reload already didn't have the best lighting with many areas looking too bright compared to how they were in the original Persona 3, but I'm a bit disappointed that Atlus is still being so conservative with the Switch 2 release compared to even last generation consoles. 

When looking at PC handhelds, Persona 3 Reload shines on ROG Ally with its 1080p output and 60fps (or higher) frame rate without trouble. The Steam Deck version runs at 720p and delivers a solid 60fps experience as well, albeit with reflections turned off. Reflections on PC handhelds can cause issues in parts of Tartarus, but they aren't as big of a problem on ROG Ally. 

Note: The image above uses screenshots taken via the Steam screenshot functionality on Steam Deck and ROG Ally alongside the Switch 2's screenshot feature since there is no other way to get handheld screenshots from a Switch 2 right now. The images were then cropped to show the image quality and reflection differences between the game running at 60fps on Steam Deck and ROG Ally alongside the sole 30fps mode on Switch 2 handheld.

Persona 3 Reload performance: frame rates and input lag

As for performance, Persona 3 Reload on PS5 and Xbox Series X delivers a stable 60fps experience. Persona 3 Reload on PS4 Pro targets 30fps and has some frame pacing issues, but they aren't as bad as the launch day Switch 2 experience. Speaking of Switch 2, the frame pacing issues have thankfully been completely fixed with the December 2025 update. It now correctly runs at a stable 30fps or a 60fps target with minor drops docked. Persona 3 Reload's deadzone implementation for the analog sticks on the controller is quite bad though. This makes it feel worse than it should with more lag, and there seems to be no fix or option to adjust this on console at 30fps. When playing at 60fps, the higher frame rate and lower input lag by default make it feel better, but this is something that needs addressing in general on all platforms with it feeling the worst on Switch 2. 

The PS5 and Xbox Series X suffer from almost no dips below 60fps while delivering the full 4K experience and with reflections enabled. The Switch 2 at 60fps drops more often, and this is despite having some additional visual cutbacks compared to the default mode. The Steam Deck and ROG Ally deliver the best portable experience right now with the latter being the best performing one, but the Steam Deck OLED offers the best portable screen with 60fps right now.

Note: The image above uses docked capture from Switch 2 in the performance mode and the default 30fps mode both captured via a 4K capture device. The images were then cropped to show the ambient occlusion differences between the modes. 

Persona 3 Reload load time differences across Switch 2, PS5, PS4, Xbox, PC, and Steam Deck

When it comes to load times, every version of the game wastes your time on the initial load from dashboard to title screen with the many logos and warnings you cannot skip. Even after speeding things up and mashing A/X to get through everything as quickly as possible, it takes longer than should on every platform. For my testing, I installed Persona 3 Reload onto my PS5 internal storage, Xbox Series X internal storage, Switch 2 internal storage, Steam Deck internal SSD, ROG Ally internal SSD (Steam and Xbox on PC versions), PS4 version on my PS4 Pro, and the PS4 version on my PS5 external hard drive. The results are below with all times in seconds. If there is a range visible, it is because I got results in that range when testing a few times.  The save file I loaded was to the school building during the early game. 

As you can see, Persona 3 Reload takes too long for its initial load on all platforms because of the forced unskippable warnings and splash logos. The only way around this is using sleep mode on Switch 2 or Quick Resume on Xbox on the console side. As for loading the save file and loading within a save, the PS5 is the fastest as expected with Xbox Series X being a very close second. No platform takes too long for anything here thankfully, but the PS5's load times for initial load and the in-game loading are the fastest overall.

Which is the best version of Persona 3 Reload?

Just like I did with Final Fantasy VII Remake, I'm going to pick one version for TV play and one for portable play as what I consider the best for both. I'm sure there are some people who played Persona 3 Reload on Game Pass or PlayStation/PC and want to revisit it on the go. Right now, the PS5 version is the best console version for TV play with all the visual features and fastest load times. The Xbox Series X version is close. The Switch 2 version is unfortunately not close to the best, but it is not bad. It is just lacking thanks to a conservative port from Atlus even after the patch. Speaking of the patch, at least I can now recommend it without big caveats. If you want the freedom of portable play and docking your Switch 2 to play on TV seamlessly, it is a fine way to play Persona 3 Reload.

For the best portable version, Persona 3 Reload shines on the ROG Ally with full 1080p, all the reflections, fast load times, and even support for frame rates above 60fps that benefit from the VRR screen. The Steam Deck OLED is close or even better if you play at 60fps since the screen is incredible for Persona 3 Reload's colorful aesthetic. If the Switch 2 version offered a similar 60fps mode like docked play, it would be close, but right now it is not the best way to play Persona 3 Reload on the go. Even at 30fps, the input lag is annoying, but I will say that it is a very good option if you don't have access to PC handhelds and want to play on the go. The full 1080p output on the larger screen is good to see.

Which version of Persona 3 Reload should you buy?

To conclude this Persona 3 Reload comparison, I'm going to list the advantages of each platform's version below:

• Persona 3 Reload on PS4: If you only have a PS4, it isn't terrible, but the load times hold it back in addition to some frame pacing issues. If you buy it digitally or physically, it has a free upgrade to the PS5 version though, which is a lot better.
• Persona 3 Reload on PS5: If you want to play on your TV, want the fastest load times, and don't care about portable play (unless you stream to a PlayStation Portal or phone), this is the version to get and the best console version of Persona 3 Reload. The faster load times push this above the Xbox Series version as far as I'm concerned.
• Persona 3 Reload on Switch 2: If you only own a Switch 2 or see yourself playing both handheld and docked, this is a good way to play Persona 3 Reload right now. It still is a conservative port given how Atlus should offer a performance mode handheld and higher resolution docked, but at least it is now in a place where I can safely recommend it to those who play on Nintendo's new hybrid console. If you see yourself mostly playing docked, consider playing it on PS5 or Xbox Series X.
• Persona 3 Reload on Steam: If you play on Steam Deck or PC in general, this is the only version you should consider. It plays fantastic on Steam Deck (and better on ROG Ally) out of the box, looks amazing on the OLED screen, and lets you scale up if you also play on your main PC with support for 120fps. There is no disadvantage to the Steam release.
• Persona 3 Reload on Xbox: If you have access to a PC handheld or play on Xbox Series consoles and PC, the Play Anywhere feature is a big selling point in addition to the Quick Resume feature on Xbox for Persona 3 Reload. This lets you save time compared to every other platform that wastes your time on the initial load. Unfortunately, the load times are longer here as with all Xbox on PC or Xbox versions thanks to how long syncing takes, but it isn't too much worse on the console itself. I don't know how it is on Xbox Series S, but I have no complaints with the visuals or performance on Xbox Series X.

Hopefully this helped you decide which version of Atlus' newest remake you should buy, and if you already owned it, got you to revisit or boot it up for the first time and play an excellent version of one of the best RPGs out there. I will update this guide if any more updates are released for the Nintendo Switch 2 port. While my comparison focuses on Persona 3 Reload only, I assume some readers are curious about how Persona 3 Reload compares with the older releases. I recommend watching AustinSV's detailed comparison video here.

Persona 3 Reload is now available on Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC (Steam).