Nintendo Switch vs Steam Deck – Guide
When Valve announced the new 7-inch portable Steam Deck, comparisons were immediately made: Which is better, the Deck or Nintendo’s hugely popular Switch? The Switch will finally be a serious contender for mobile consoles? Will PC gamers be ready to switch to a laptop they can pack in their backpacks? However, upon closer inspection, there are many significant differences that really set these two laptops apart and make them suitable for very different audiences. We’ll go into all the details so you can find out which device is best for you. A quick review of the specs shows just how much the deck’s goals differ from those on the Nintendo Switch. The Deck must have enough power and speed to handle a variety of PC games, such as a laptop, while the Switch should be more of a handheld console for Nintendo titles, which are generally less demanding and don’t require the same power. In our spec list below, note the higher RAM and storage the Deck offers, while the Switch has more output options and better battery life.
Nintendo Switch vs Deck Steam
costing
One of the first things you’ll likely notice on the table is the price difference. The Steam Deck comes in three different versions that get more expensive as the power increases. This is the fourth Nintendo Switch variant. First there was the original Nintendo Switch, then the Nintendo Switch Lite, followed by the Nintendo Switch V2 and now the Nintendo Switch OLED. Regardless of the model, the Nintendo Switch versions cost less than the Steam Deck versions and come with a dock for playing on TV (with the exception of the Switch Lite, which is just a handheld and is $100 cheaper). Valve said the Steam Deck will also have a TV dock. However, you will have to buy it separately. At the moment, we don’t have much information about this dock. Also, no price for the dock has been mentioned, nor has a release date been given. But if Valve’s official concept drawing is to be believed, it looks like it will be a very decent dock compared to the Nintendo Switch console dock. Not to mention that it will have many ports for accessories and other devices. Another pricing aspect is the cost of the games. You can buy Switch games both digitally and physically, and sometimes both digital and physical copies are on sale at different times of the year. Steam, on the other hand, is a digital-only platform, so you won’t find physical copies in stores. However, Steam sales make it very easy to buy games in your wallet. But overall, Nintendo is the best choice if you’re on a budget.
Design and controls
If you look at pictures online of the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck, you might think they have a very similar design. After all, both devices have a screen surrounded by a plastic casing and have ports like USB-C and headphones. However, the Steam Deck is significantly larger and heavier than the Nintendo Switch’s OLED screen. The Steam Deck weighs 669 grams, while the OLED Switch weighs 422 grams. Still, we never found the weight of the Steam Deck uncomfortable, as we were able to hold it for several hours without being uncomfortable. The biggest problem is the size of the portable device. The 49mm thick frame looks incredibly chunky compared to the 14mm thick OLED Switch. That doesn’t just mean it can be a little uncomfortable. wrap your fingers around the various buttons, but it also makes it harder to slip it into a compact pocket. Another advantage of the Switch is that the Joy-Con controllers are detachable, giving the handheld game console more flexibility for desktop or TV mode. Steam Deck controllers are merged into the handheld console, so they cannot be removed from the screen. And while you can connect external controllers via Bluetooth, the Steam Deck doesn’t have a stand to support it. In terms of versatility, the Switch clearly wins. But what about the actual controls? both laptops feature two analog sticks, a D-pad and 4 buttons at the front, but the Steam Deck offers deeper clicks for a more comfortable experience. And while the Steam Deck is still in its infancy, we hope it doesn’t suffer from the same “Joy-Con slippage” issue that plagues the Switch.
battery life
Battery is one of the most important specs for a laptop, and the title of 40 Wh versus 16 Wh might give the impression that the Deck lasts significantly longer than the Switch, but in reality the difference in battery life is less than it appears. . The Switch’s lower hardware specs and the fact that games are often tailored specifically for the Switch mean the claimed battery life is between four and a half and nine hours – but that only applies to the V2 and OLED versions, not to the original Switch or Lite. The Steam Deck, on the other hand, runs full PC games and promises a playtime of two to eight hours. The hardware is thirsty, and even with a bigger battery, that doesn’t mean the Deck will keep playing long after the Switch goes to sleep.
Games
The Steam Deck has the potential to run hundreds, if not thousands, more games than the Switch OLED. That’s because, at its core, the Steam Deck is simply a small PC that has access to the best PC games and the most extensive game library in the world. You can install just about anything on Steam, of course, but Valve also promises you can install and use PC software as normal.” In theory, this means you can play their software if you find a way to download it. (It’s especially interesting to think about how the Steam Deck might work with Xbox Game Pass, but there’s still no concrete details on this potential crossover.) Compare and contrast with the Nintendo Switch OLED, which has access to the best Nintendo Switch games and the entire Switch library. While the Steam Deck’s selection of potential games is much, much larger, the Switch is not without its charms. Nintendo still has a strong selection of exclusive titles, from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild to Splatoon 2 and the excellent Metroid Dread. These games cannot be played on PC, at least not without some tricky and questionable solutions. And Epic Games has confirmed that Fortnite, a popular title on Nintendo Switch, will not appear natively on the Steam Deck. From a library perspective, choosing between a Steam Deck and a Nintendo Switch OLED is like choosing between a PC and a Nintendo Switch. Do you want the biggest selection of games running on the best settings? Or do you want the high quality Nintendo franchises you can’t get anywhere else?
Screen
The Steam Deck has a 7-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 1280×800, which is no different from the standard Nintendo Switch display, which has a 6.2-inch LCD panel with a resolution of 1280×720. However, there is a clear winner in this competition, like the Nintendo Switch OLED features the eponymous OLED technology, which makes colors appear much more vibrant. We were really impressed with the Switch’s OLED panel, as it’s really noticeable how big the difference is. The Nintendo Switch’s OLED screen is the same size as the Steam Deck’s, and while the resolution is still 1280×720, images still look crisp on the handheld’s built-in screen. Both the Switch and Steam Deck have a touchscreen that allows you to make adjustments by simply tapping the screen. You can also send the system image to an external monitor via the USB-C port, although this is easier on the Switch thanks to the included dock. As you can see in the image below, the connection process is less elegant on the Steam Deck. While both the Steam Deck and Switch have great displays, the OLED model of Nintendo’s handheld offers the best display in my tests thanks to its vibrant OLED panel. Games are more contrasting thanks to deeper blacks and are generally more immersive to play.
Final words
Because these game systems are so different, it’s hard to compare them. Basically, the Nintendo Switch OLED is the best choice if you are new to gaming, want to share your console with others, or are looking for an easy-to-use system. Not to mention that it also costs less than the Steam portable. Compared to the original Switch and Switch Lite, it has a longer battery life and features the detachable Joy-Cons that let you play multiplayer anywhere, anytime. Plus, the Nintendo Switch is already an established console with a number of exclusive titles, so you know it won’t be a fad. However, if you’re already a PC gamer with a large library of Steam games or you’re looking for something with fast frame rates, increased memory and processing power, the Steam Deck is the ideal accessory. It lets you play your favorite PC games on Steam independently from a desktop, wherever you have internet access. As it runs on Linux, it is also highly customizable. It’s hard to say how well this device will perform as it won’t launch until 2022, so it could be the next best thing or a flash in the pan.
Final note
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