In a move to establish its own hold on the handheld gaming device market, Valve has surprised gamers with the launch of the Steam Deck. It’s a powerful handheld gaming device that essentially offers you a PC gaming experience on the go. No doubt done to combat the newly launched Nintendo Switch OLED, the Steam Deck is a powerhouse of latest hardware in a small form factor. But how does it compare to the popular and much-loved Nintendo Switch? Plus, does the Steam Deck pose a threat to Nintendo Switch? That’s exactly what we will try to find out in this comparison between Steam Deck vs Nintendo Switch, so read on till the end to know which one to buy.
This comparison discusses in detail various features of both handheld gaming devices, including the design, display, performance, game compatibility, and more. You can use the table below to jump to and learn about a specification feature you are interested in.
- Steam Deck vs Nintendo Switch: Specifications
- Design
- Display
- Internals
- Battery Life
- Steam Deck vs Nintendo Switch: Game Library
- Functionality
- Buttons & Controls
- Ports and Connectivity
- Steam Deck vs Nintendo Switch: Price and Release Date
Steam Deck vs Nintendo Switch: Specifications
Before we compare the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch in detail, first take a look at the specifications of both handheld devices.
Steam Deck vs Nintendo Switch: Design
Starting off, let’s take a look at the design of the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch and how they imbibe portability while offering immersive on-the-go gaming experiences to users.
Steam Deck’s design has been tailored to Valve’s expectations of making this device more of a gaming PC rather than a handheld console. Being longer, taller, and thicker than the Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck weighs in at 1.47 pounds (0.6kg). It is also quite ergonomic and boasts a design that curves in onto itself.
Steam Deck vs Nintendo Switch: Display
One of the things you want on any gaming device is a beautiful screen that offers you an immersive gameplay experience. While both the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch have been designed with excellent display quality in mind, there are some differences. Image Courtesy: Valve
Steam Deck vs Nintendo Switch: Internals
Now it’s time to dive in and see what’s under the hood. The Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch both have powerful hardware, but being a more recent release, the Steam Deck features newer technologies.
Coming to direct performance comparison, Steam Deck’s CPU and GPU are clocked at 2.4-3.5GHz and 1.0-1.6 GHz, respectively. That means it is significantly more powerful than Nintendo Switch’s 1.02GHz CPU and 768MHz GPU. Furthermore, Steam Deck’s GPU also delivers an impressive 1.6 Teraflops, putting it in the same league as the PS4 and Xbox One S.
The battery life is paramount when portability enters the conversation. Whether you are running Portal 2 on a Steam Deck or Breath of the Wild on Switch, you want your device to last as long as possible.
On the other hand, Nintendo boasts a battery life of 4.5-9 hours for both the Switch OLED and original Switch. However, depending on the use case, the projected battery life can vary. For instance – The Switch will last for around 5.5 hours when playing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
This is where the battle between the two devices gets interesting. Since the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch rely on two different ecosystems, there is a difference between the game libraries, availability, and price models. Image Courtesy: Valve
Moreover, the Steam Deck is expected to attract a boatload of PC gamers who wish to take their gaming on the go. If it becomes popular enough (which it will), Steam Deck might also feature seamless cross syncing between PC and Deck Gaming.
While we understand you want a handheld device for gaming on the go, it is also worth noting what else it can do besides gaming.
As per the announcement, Steam Deck surpasses our expectations and delivers a full PC experience. Powered by a custom Linux operating system, called Steam OS, the Steam Deck does everything you want and more. Besides being able to connect hardware like a mouse and keyboard, you can also connect an external monitor to the Steam Deck via a dedicated dock. It supports video output up to 4K/120 Hz or 8K/ 60 Hz resolutions. Image Courtesy: Valve
The Steam Deck by design is an ambitious mix of the standard buttons you would find on a handheld console and some new additions. First, the button and joystick placement is quite different but is comfortable to use, as per first impressions online.
The Nintendo Switch, by comparison, is decent. The Joycons, which is what the company calls its controllers, come with the classic buttons you would see on any controller. There are only minor differences here and there like the directional buttons replace the D-Pad. You will also find a Capture and Home button on either side of the display. While you can remap these buttons for accessibility, there’s no back button on the Nintendo Switch.
While both the handheld consoles have limited ports by themselves, Valve is looking to edge out the Switch in the dock department.
However, if you end up buying the official dock for your Steam Deck, you get access to more ports than Nintendo Switch’s dock. Here’s the complete list of ports on the dock:
And finally, to what we all have been waiting for, the price and release date. Check out the pricing for all the Steam Deck variants and Nintendo Switch OLED, along with their release dates right here.
The Steam Deck is priced at $399 for the 64GB base variant, where you also get a carrying case in the box. Then, you have the 256GB variant with a $529 price tag, and it goes all the way up to $649 for the high-end 512GB model. The top-tier Steam Deck comes with the fastest storage available, along with other added features such as a premium anti-glare etched glass, an exclusive carrying case, and a virtual keyboard theme, among other things.
At the end of the day, it boils down to you and your preferences. If you are a die-hard Nintendo fan who wants to enjoy all those exclusives games, save yourself a couple of hundred dollars and get the Switch. However, if you are a veteran PC gamer with a full Steam library, perhaps it’s better to spend a bit more and buy the Steam Deck.
