Steam Deck Vs. Switch: Valve's Portable Gaming PC Is Impressive, But Nintendo's Handheld Is The Best Option For Most Gamers

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• Valve's Steam Deck is an impressive portable device released in early 2022.
• Steam Deck borrowed the design from the popular Nintendo Switch, but became much more powerful.
• While the Switch is technically a weaker device, its innovative features provide more value and ease of use.

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Valve's Steam Deck is a portable computer designed to keep your games with you wherever you go. At first glance, the Steam Deck looks similar to the popular Nintendo Switch, but there are some key differences between the two portable systems.

Steam decks are only sold through Steam, the most popular PC game store. Orders placed online may take one to two weeks to ship. Meanwhile, the Nintendo Switch is widely available at various retailers, with over 114 million consoles sold since its launch in 2017.

The Steam Deck is designed to be significantly more powerful than the Switch, but that doesn't mean the console is better overall for most gamers. In practice, the complexity of the Steam Deck operating system makes it more difficult to use than the Switch, which has a large library of exclusive games made specifically for the platform.

PC fans will appreciate the performance and customizable nature of the Steam Deck, but a few of the device's flaws show why the Switch is so innovative and popular with new and casual gamers alike. Here's a comparison of the two phones and why you might choose one.

The Switch is an all-in-one gaming console that can be played on the go or plugged into your TV at home. This is a great buy for casual gamers and fans of many Nintendo franchises.

Valve's Steam Deck is a powerful portable system compatible with thousands of games. It's an impressive device, but it's best suited for tech gamers and game lovers.

Steam Deck vs. Nintendo Switch: Technical Specifications at a Glance

Steam Deck vs Edit: Price

In terms of price, the Nintendo Switch offers a more affordable handheld gaming solution, ranging from $200 to $350. Meanwhile, Steam decks range in price from $399 to $650.

The Steam Deck has three options to choose from, priced primarily based on storage space and drive speed, with higher-end models offering larger, faster NVMe drives. Meanwhile, different Switch models (Switch Lite, Switch, and Switch OLED) offer different design features, such as improved screens or the ability to connect to TVs.

However, overall CPU and graphics performance remains the same across the Switch line and Steam Deck line.

Steam Deck vs Change: Size

While the Steam Deck and Switch are portable consoles with the same screen sizes, the Steam Deck is significantly larger. The Standard Switch and OLED Switch also feature detachable Joy-Con controllers, further reducing their footprint when placed in the built-in stand.

At 11.7 inches wide, the Steam Deck is almost two inches larger than the Switch OLED, which is 9.5 inches wide. The evaporative panel is also 1.8 inches thick from the front of the screen to the back, compared to 0.55 inches for the Switch OLED.

The extra space on the steam deck allows for multiple touch controls on the front of the console, four additional trigger buttons on the back, and multiple internal fans for cooling.

The Steam Deck weighs 1.47 pounds, while the OLED Switch weighs just under 1 pound with the Joy-Con attached, making the Steam Deck heavier than the size difference suggests.

Steam Deck vs Change: Graphics and Performance

In terms of graphics performance, the Steam Deck easily outperforms the Switch with more modern and powerful hardware. The visual output of the Steam Deck is comparable to the PS4 and the console is capable of running more games at 60fps than the Switch.

Users can also manually tune the game's Steam Deck performance and use the system's built-in frame limiter to maximize battery life, which can range from two to eight hours depending on game requirements. The Switch has a more consistent battery life of 4.5 to nine hours, but the visual quality can't be compared to Steam Deck.

The game switching frequency is limited to 30 frames per second, and sometimes even lower, without the ability to adjust the quality. Popular Switch games like Animal Crossing and The Legend of Zelda use stylized graphics to make up for the console's limited hardware, but the difference in visual performance becomes apparent when comparing Switch versions of cross-platform games like Fortnite and NBA 2K to Steam. deck mates

Steam Deck vs Switch: Games

Steam offers the largest library of PC games on any modern platform, but not all of them can be played on Steam Deck. With over 5,000 games reviewed by Steam Deck, the selection is certainly huge, but some popular titles like PUBG: Battlegrounds and Tekken 7 remain unplayable. Some games, like Cyberpunk 2077, may also have Steam Deck bugs that don't appear on regular PCs.

The biggest benefit of the Steam Deck library is that PC gamers who already own Steam games don't have to create a new collection. Steam Deck can even be configured to run other desktop stores like the Epic Games Store.

On the other hand, the Switch library also offers many games, including exclusive Nintendo franchises such as Super Mario, Pokemon, and The Legend of Zelda, which add value to the catalog. However, recent Switch games like Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are starting to show the age of the console due to performance issues.

Games available on both platforms, like Monster Hunter Rise, usually look a lot better on Steam Deck than they do on Switch. However, when developers port a certain game to Switch, they make sure that the game will at least work properly on the console; something that was not promised in the Steam Deck release for PC.

Steam Deck vs Switch: Connect to TV

The Standard Switcher and OLED Switcher can be easily connected to your TV using the included docking station, while connecting the Steam Deck to an external display will require you to purchase a separate USB-C docking station. The official Valve port costs $89, but you can find cheaper third-party options with similar features.

The switch can provide a maximum resolution of 1080p, which means that a 4K TV should upscale the picture quality. Steam Deck can be set to output 4K or even 8K when docked, but most games will not work properly with these settings. It's probably best to run the Steam Deck at 1080p, which will allow it to beat the Switch in overall performance.

Steam Deck vs. Link: Play with Friends

The Standard Switch and OLED Switch are designed with multiplayer in mind, starting with two detachable Joy-Cons. The built-in Switch stand is perfect for portable split-screen gaming, while the Steam Deck requires a separate dock or stand for mobile setup.

Steam Deck supports multiple controllers via USB-C or Bluetooth, but individual games may require additional configuration to properly set up the second controller.

The Switch also supports local connections, so many Switch owners can use their console for multiplayer games like Mario Kart 8. This type of connection is technically possible on Steam Deck, but is not a standard feature and requires a setup process. complex configuration.

What is the best portable gaming device?

In the end, choosing between a Steam Deck or Switch isn't as easy as picking a clear winner, or just picking a more powerful or more affordable option. Both portable consoles are designed for different types of gamers, and you should choose based on your gaming priorities.

The Switch is the best buy for casual gamers, diehard fans of Nintendo franchises, and young gamers who don't mind better graphics. The Switch and the standard OLED Switch also offer more value at a lower price than the Steam Deck thanks to the included Joy-Con and dock controllers.

While the Switch's hardware is showing its age, there are still plenty of quality games on board. Buyers don't have to worry about setting up settings to get Switch games to work properly, and there's no need to buy additional hardware to connect the console to a TV or play games with friends.

Meanwhile, the Steam Deck is an impressive piece of hardware that is best suited for tech-savvy users who have a PC as their main gaming platform. Players who already have a large library of PC games on Steam benefit the most as they can bring them directly to the Steam Deck.

A lot of tweaking is required to achieve the best performance, but Steam decks are highly customizable, giving users more options to choose how the game looks. Emulation and cloud gaming fans will also use Steam Deck for much longer, and it offers all the extra benefits you get with a working PC.

Kevin Web

video game reporter

Steam Deck Review | two months later | Switch OLED RIP!