There is a growing trend following the official full reveal of the Nintendo Switch 2 where forced comparisons are being made to the Steam Deck. While there are clear similarities between the two handhelds, the idea that these are competing devices, or that one makes the other redundant, is very misplaced.
The Steam Deck is still, without doubt, one of the best handheld gaming PCs that your money can buy. In fact, you can buy one for considerably less than a Nintendo Switch 2, but that’s of little relevance right now. Instead, the key point is that the Switch 2 and Steam Deck are distinct enough that it makes sense to own both rather than suggesting they are in some kind of ‘one or the other’ battle.
One misconception a lot of people seem to have is that the Switch 2 is in the same market as the Steam Deck or other handheld gaming PCs. This is unfair on both the Switch 2 and PC handhelds, as they’re just not as comparable as some seem to think. Just because a number of Steam Deck vs Switch 2 articles exist, it doesn’t make the point relevant.
The Switch 2 is still ultimately more akin to a home console thanks to its physical game market and the limited options when it comes to game settings. If you buy a Switch 2 to play Cyberpunk 2077, it’s reported that you can expect a 40fps frame rate when docked. If you think this isn’t acceptable, there is nothing you can do about it. The recent reveal of Nvidia DLSS being on the console might change this somewhat, but we’re still in the dark about how it will be implemented.
With a Steam Deck, you can immediately start tinkering with settings to find those extra frames, even if it’s at the cost of graphical fidelity. It’s this level of control, as well as the underlying fact that each handheld gaming PC can also double as just a PC, that creates a fairly large distinction.
While there will be plenty of game crossover between the Switch 2 and handheld gaming PCs, Nintendo’s exclusive first-party lineup of games is, for many gamers, worth the cost of entry alone. For Steam Deck owners, the idea that every game they buy can also be played on a gaming PC or laptop is an equally attractive proposition.
The Nintendo Switch 2 and Steam Deck can easily live in harmony without needing to be compared to each other at every opportunity, as is being forced right now by small pockets of each community.
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