Switch 2 proves that Valve has a lot to upgrade before it releases the Steam Deck 2

Nintendo's Switch 2 reveal has finally arrived. There's a lot to learn about the new handheld and how it can help shape the next Steam Deck.

[Vits]

I don’t disagree that the Steam Deck has room for improvement, but I think it’s a bit too soon for people to treat the Switch 2 as the new standard. A lot of its rumored features might not even be widely used. The fact that Cyberpunk 2077 is targeting 720p at 30 or 40 FPS, depending on the mode, makes it pretty clear that while a nice screen is great, it only really matters if the hardware can keep up. We’ve already seen this with pricier Windows handhelds, where better displays don’t always translate to a better experience.

Battery life is another thing to consider. Nintendo’s own estimates put it at about the same level as the Steam Deck, which isn’t exactly impressive. The difference is that on the Deck, you can tweak power settings to stretch battery life when needed. It’s unlikely the Switch 2 will give players that kind of control, which makes the comparison even less favorable.

Then there’s the controller situation. If someone actually finds Joy-Cons more comfortable than the Deck’s built-in controls, I don’t know what to tell them. But if Valve is going to improve anything, they shouldn’t be looking at Nintendo. They should be taking inspiration from modern controllers with hall-effect sticks, better haptics like what the PlayStation Portal has, and other upgrades that actually make sense for a handheld.

And honestly, we’ve already learned this lesson from Windows handhelds. Fancy features don’t mean much if the hardware isn’t there to support them.

[crazyCoconuts]

I wonder how the latest AMD "mobile" SOC compares to Switch 2's performance. I'd say minimally I'd want the next Steam Deck to be noticeably more powerful than Switch 2 and have faster refresh rate on the screen. If they need to wait another year or two to make that happen I think it would be worth it.
But I agree w/ you on comfort - Steam Deck's controls are way more comfortable, and I doubt the few changes to Switch 2 will change that much.

[Vits]

Well, it depends on the definition of "mobile." Technically, the most recent AMD APU with that focus is the Halo Strix or the Ryzen AI MAX. And those things smoke the Steam Deck performance-wise. The AI MAX 390 is in the same ballpark as the AMD RX 7600 GPU, whereas the top-of-the-line AI MAX 395 actually sits between the RX 7600 and the RX 7700. That means the weaker version is a bit below the base PS5 in terms of power, while the more expensive model is slightly above it.

The issue with those is that, while technically "mobile," they consume so much power that you realistically can't use them without being plugged into an outlet. So the more realistic option would be the AI 9 HX 370, which is around 60% faster than a Steam Deck. I fully expect the Switch 2 to be closer to the Radeon 780M that powers the Asus Ally and other Windows-based handhelds, based solely on the performance targets shown in Cyberpunk 2077. So around 20% to 30% faster.

[CrimsonWing69]

I’m curious how downgraded the games will be on Switch vs Steam Deck. The thing that I can see being easier with S2 is you don’t have to tweak settings to get a game to run on it in handheld mode.

[Yui_Suzumiya]

Switch 2 is a Hella ton more powerful than Steam Deck though. I love the Switch and Steam Deck but facts are facts. Switch 2 is essentially a Steam Deck 2.

[CrimsonWing69]

What are the specs?

[mkis007]

Where are you getting this information from? We don't have any comfirmed specs on the cpugpu in the switch 2. Leaks I've read is saying it's slightly more powerful, but the higher ram in steam deck makes up for it.

[mouzone]

so we just making up our own facts now

[Inverno]

The Deck does everything the Switch 2 will do and never do and non behind a paywall. I don't think Valve has anything to learn from Ninty. Valve just needs for a true generational leap in hardware, which it's what they're doing, features and software they've been consistently working on. I don't wanna sound like a fanboy but Valve has been actually put in quite a bit of effort when it comes to Steam OS. There'll never be a fair comparison between Deck and Switch because the Deck will always be better than it in everything that counts and no saying "you can't play Nintendo games" doesn't justify the BS Ninty is doing. I skipped this gen of PS cause I can't stand the cockyness of SONY, I won't accept it from Ninty.

[UltimateOwnage]

Honestly with the switch 2 software pricing I’ll be sticking with SteamDeck for most things going forward. Steam Sales make it the best value in handheld gaming by far, and every game will get graphical boosted on all newer SteamDeck hardware releases, no risk of the Steam Store closing either. I’ll get a Switch 2 eventually but it’s gotta have some killer games and I wish it had an OLED panel as well. My “old” Switch OLED will be just fine for a few more years.

[CDbiggen]

At least Steam deck has a nice UI. Been sick of that basic Switch theme for years and they've not even bothered to change it.

[z2g]

A) the Switch 2 is so new it hasn't even been released yet so not really a fair comparison to the first gen SteamDeck, nor do we even know what the SteamDeck 2 will have

B) I'd still rather have a SteamDeck.

[PapaBop]

Yeah, they better "upgrade" the steam store and starting charging £80 for games /s

[Goodguy01]

What sucks most is we can't have dlss on all these pc handhelds as Nintendo has a deal with them. What valve needs to do is strike a deal with amd to implement good upscaling and frame gen tech native to steamOS.