Why I Would Choose a Steam Deck Over a Nintendo Switch 2

After spending about a week Nintendo Switch 2I have to admit it is a good console. The elegant form factor and the performance it offers are priced in a fair way and the game graphics continue to be more complex, while adjusting Nintendo to stay relevant. And still, for my own personal tastes, it is still not my hand I prefer. Instead, I will stick to the Steam deck of Valve, the first and still general hand gaming computer, at least it goes according to the money value. And if you don’t care about Nintendo’s special games, you have a chance to be a better option for you.

Steam deck is cheaper than Key 2

Outside the door, the most prominent reason for getting a steam deck over a Nintendo Switch 2 is the price. Starting from $ 400 for a new modelThe Switch 2 is just cheaper than $ 450, but it’s just a part of the story. Valve is also a CERTIFIED RENEWED PROGRAM This offers only a cosmetic stained deck for up to $ 279. The restocks are rare, because Valve can only sell as much as he is sent back to him, but when they happen, this is a big thing.

However, there is a capture. Offering a larger, more colorful display and a larger battery, OLED is more expensive than the key 2 starting from $ 549. However, since it does not use the Switch 2 OLED display and comes with less storage, it may be unfair to compare the two. If the only thing you care about is the basis (I am completely satisfied with my LCD model), the basic steam deck is good enough – it has a newer performance. And this performance was equal to Switch 2 in my test, at least Cyberpunk 2077 (One of my Ge-to be benchmark games).

Steam deck is more comfortable than Switch 2

This is a slight bullet here, but this is a little firing depending on your preferences. Nintendo Switch 2 is a completely flat and slightly compact profile, while targeting, Instead, the steam deck allows him to extend herselfAnd even though it’s a little larger and a little heavier, I think it’s more comfortable.

I will not deny that the Switch 2 can not make a start for some of this against the 1.41 pounds against 11.73 x 4,5 x 0.55 inches against the 1.41 pounds against the 1.18 pound of the Switch 2. But personally, I still feel the steam deck on top and thanks to this ergonomy.

I’ve never been a big fan of Nintendo’s Joy-Con controllers, and the Joy-Con 2 controllers of Switch 2 develop with larger buttons and bars in Switch 1, while more places to hold on to them are still pale.

In Key 2, there is no grip to wrap your fingers. There is on the steam deck. Since the triggers shine more and the console is wider, your hands can be slightly stretched instead of drowning on the device. After a while, holding the steam deck can be a bit heavy, but I still prefer this approach in general, and if you have a surface to listen to the steam deck (such as a plane tray table), weight is not a problem.

In addition, there are some extra bonuses that come with the additional area. The steam deck has large touched surfaces on both sides of the device and four grip buttons behind it and offer you extra inputs to play. Beautiful.

A slightly less carable and slightly heavier, but the steam deck for my adult hands is better shaped for them.

The steam deck has a cheaper library larger than Switch 2.

This is the striking. Although there are cheap games that can work with the permission of Switch 2’s retrospective compatibility and third -party Eshop headings, big system drawings (such as titles developed by Nintendo Mario Card WorldFor example) can be as expensive as $ 80. Not to say that the steam deck does not have expensive games Also, but in general, I think it is easier to get cheap and free games on the steam deck than Eshop.

This is because, as a hand -movable gaming computer, Steam deck can benefit from many sales and Freebies PC game stores. These take place a little more often than the console on the PC, which is because there is more competition on the PC. While someone on PC can download games from Steam or Epic, someone in the Switch 2 can only download games from Nintendo Eshop.

Therefore, even depending on Just Steam, you can access normal weekends and mid -week sales, three -month activity sales, and developer or publisher sales. This is usually more sales activity than you will find in Nintendo Eshop, and if you’re looking for cheaper first -side games, forget. Nintendo’s own games, even years after being released, almost never on sale.

But it’s just the beginning. Although it is called Steam deck, the device can actually run games from other stores. This is an easily installed Linux program Heroic launcherThis is free and allows you Download games from your Epic, Gog and Amazon Prime Games and play It calculates in just a few clicks.

Credit: Hero Games Starter

This is a game exchanger. Epic and Amazon Prime are also inadequate in the PC game field, and therefore both provide free games to support their numbers. Especially if you are a Twitch user, especially when offering an free PC game every week, you can notice a good but rare notification that allows you to request a free Amazon Prime games. Some of these are big headings – this way exists Batman: Arkham Knight And Star Wars Battlefront II. With a simple installation and a few months waiting, it can be a steam deck filled with games that you do not pay. You can’t do this in Nintendo.

And then there is an elephant in the room: accumulated work. If you’re something like me, you probably have a Steam library with hundreds of games that are big. Perhaps it was before the Switch 1 was released – regular sales tend to create the amount of games you have. By selecting the steam deck as your hand, you will be able to play these games while moving, and you can instantly give you a full library that does not have any additional costs. If you switch to Nintendo Switch 2, you’ll have to start with a new library or at least a library as old as Nintendo Switch 1.

Basically, although the hardware of the Switch 2 is only $ 50 more expensive than the steam deck, it will be easier to fill your Steam deck with higher quality, cheap games than Switch 2. If you don’t care to access Nintendo special games, it’s a big draw.

TV game is a mixed bag

Finally, I would like to admit that the steam deck is still not a better option than Switch 2 for everyone. That’s why I write here from a personal perspective. Like all gaming computers Get a little bit about To ensure that some games are run, the switch 2 is definitely out of the box. I have less battery life than my tests. But the biggest departure point is the TV game.

Playing your portable games on a TV on Switch 2 is as simple as attaching it to the pier. You need to buy a separate dock with a steam deck ( $ 79 with the official) And even then, you need to connect your own controller and find the appropriate TV graphics settings for each game manually. It’s not so easy or flexible.

And still, for people like me, I’m ready to say that even the TV game is better. Or, depending on what kind of PC player you are, watch the game.

Because you are not limited to playing your vapor deck games on the deck, whether or not. Instead, you can play on the deck while away from your home, and then you can exchange your normal gaming computer when you return. Your support will automatically upload your records to the cloud and your computer will download them smoothly. Although it is not as intuitive as attaching your Switch 2 to the 2 docks, the benefit here is that the immovable game is not limited to the power of your portable device, whereas the placed key 2 is still kept back by working on portable hardware.

Stone swap, in addition to a steam deck, is more expensive to protect a special gaming computer, but perhaps more importantly, it requires more effort ( Create a cheap gaming computerFinally). And I think that’s the key point here. Simple to use, collection and play hand transport, Switch 2 is the perfect choice for you. But if you are like me and are not afraid to download some initiators and sometimes dive into compatibility settings or trade between two devices, Steam’s deck can still be the best hand game device for you even three years later.