Switch Steam Deck or Switch 2?

[HyperTurboFox]

Since the Switch 2 price is $450/$500 and it's games are $80 & $90?!
This is a important questions to ask?

 

[maciintosh]

I personally think the Steam Deck is a far better value, but it really just depends on what you're playing.
Already have a healthy library on Steam, and just want to play your games on a handheld? I don't see why not. But if you're looking to play the next Nintendo games, as overpriced (subjectively) as they seem to be (although, I feel it's important to mention that from what I've seen, DK Bananza is $70, rather than $80/90 like Mario Kart World. Still a little egregious, but it's farther away from an entire $100, at least), then a Switch 2 would probably be the better option. It's just about what you're looking to play, really. But me, personally, I'm gonna have to go with a Steam Deck.

 

[Johnathan Smikey]

Steam Deck.

Is this is even a debate?

 

[t3mpt0n]

Steam Deck. Any day of the week.

 

[HITMAN_99]

you should add a third option, Neither.

 

[Potapota]

Steam deck plays the vast backlog of games you already own, emulates comfortably up to gen 7, goes as far as switch, is VERY open and moddable as far as commercial products like this go and uses standard parts and standard ports.
Switch 2 plays mario kart for 80 bucks. Connects to internet for another 20 bucks a year.
I'm being a bit hyperbolic here but still..

 

[beefbowl]

Wait until you can pirate stuff on switch 2 easily and buy a switch 2.

 

[Bonkers225]

Steamdeck. Switch 2 is probably going to end up being jailbroken within a year.

 

[NeonKnights]

After seeing the details of the Switch 2 digital only physical games and other blunders, I feel so much better about my Steam Deck OLED. Now I just need to soft mod it.

 

[SBLAST91]

Steam deck is objectively better value, as Steam as a marketplace actually sells games at a sane price, and you get all the freedom a normal PC would provide you. However you do not get the exclusives that come from owning a Nintendo console and the switch 2 itself is technically more powerful, so you could go either way.

 

[Leo-Dash]

Absolutely Steam Deck

You have a Handheld PC designed to play High End videogames and infinity potential (Steam Libraries, GoG Libraries, Indies, Emus)

And I have seen Artists on Tumblr connecting their Drawing Table with Steam Deck so they can Draw during college!
It's still a PC after all!

 

[iamthemilkman]

I don't really do handhelds nowadays. I mainly played my Switch docked. The worse performance and/or resolution in handheld mode often made me feel like I was playing a lesser game than I would be on my TV. So yeah, Switch 2 for me. If I play PC games, I play them on a desktop PC.

 

[Xeno]

I will never buy a locked console again. I love how I can do anything I want with the Steam Deck right out of the box.

 

[Hotwer]

Steam Deck absolutely.
May I suggest retro handhelds like Retroid Pocket 5 too, plays PS2 and below easily.

 

[Egg (McMuffin) Man]

It depends on what you want to play. If you want to play Nintendo games than go for the Switch, if you want to play your Steam library than go for the Deck. If you want to play specifically new releases than go for the Switch because it's hardware is more powerful than the Deck.

Switch 2 digital only physical games

This is simply untrue. The game-key cards are only a replacement for the Switch 1 games that have the big blue label on the cover, this is only a minority of games and will continue to be a minority of games. The vast majority of games will be fully on the game card.

 

[SpikeSlania]

In terms of game libraries with a steam deck you have full access to steam readily easy, a few tinkering steps to set up emulators and gog, depending on how willing you are to learn more about Linux you can also set up Epic, Battle.net, Ubisoft, and EA game Launchers. And you can set up flatpaks to get access to ports of the Sonic Robo Blast 2 fan games and a PSO BB private server with Linux support.

Switch 2 you will have access to most Switch 1 games, all Switch 2 games, and the emulators/roms that Nintendo provides to you ($20 or $50 a year fee). Online play does have a fee but isn't as bad as Sony's/Microsoft's fees.

But in terms of technology yes the Switch 2 will have the Steamdeck beat. Steamdeck games can make use of FSR but Switch 2 games can make use of FSR, DLSS, and Ray Tracing. So if you want more technology features with the Switch 2 being newer and on Nvidia architecture you will have more options just it's stuck in a walled selection of content.

This is simply untrue. The game-key cards are only a replacement for the Switch 1 games that have the big blue label on the cover, this is only a minority of games and will continue to be a minority of games. The vast majority of games will be fully on the game card.

I'm not sure if I will say the Vast Majority of games will be fully on carts since third parties decide for themselves. Like it is head scratching why Square Enix is putting the Bravely Default Remaster on one of the keycards when it's only 11gbs. But the majority of First Party games will be fully on game cards. I am tempted even though I have Cyberpunk on steam to buy the Switch 2 port just because it will be the full game and dlc on a game card which is very interesting to me.

 

[Egg (McMuffin) Man]

it is head scratching why Square Enix is putting the Bravely Default Remaster on one of the keycards when it's only 11gbs

Such a shame too! I would have bought it on release day if the game we actually on the cartridge, instead I'll be avoiding it entirely.

I missed out on that game back in the day but really wanted to play it. Maybe I'll find a used 3ds copy instead.