PC Gaming

About that RAM argument, Steam includes Chromium that can consume up to 1.5 or even 2 GB for some people depending on circumstances (I checked myself when I had the Deck, it used 1.5 in desktop mode). I assume the OS on Switch is much more optimized. I wish Valve switched to something else, something more native.

I agree, it really seems like the author doesn't know what they're talking about. However:

The Switch 2 has a bigger screen that runs at 1080P. That great.

It's actually not, in my opinion. 800p is high enough density on a 7.4" display. Higher resolution will impact battery life. I would, however, prefer 16:9, as almost no games I play support 16:10. And I don't feel like it needs to be any bigger, I think it's a good size. The argument that bigger = better is absurd.

But the Steam Deck has an OLED panel which the Switch 2 does not.

Pros and cons. The Switch has a 120Hz VRR display. SD unfortunately is only 90Hz/no VRR. I've not seen any VRR OLED displays in this size.

As for a dock itself, sure the official Steam Deck Docking Station costs C$109. However, I can buy a 3rd party docking station off Amazon for C$40. So that's not much of an argument.

Not sure why the SD dock is so expensive but having a first-party devices guarantees everything works the way it should, which its very much not with 3rd party docks.

Will games look better on Switch 2?

They sure seem confident that it will...

They are both good options ¯_(ツ)_/¯

I'm just going to point out some things.

-1: The comparison comes from price point and the fact that both systems are handheld play anywhere systems with docking capability for couch play.

-2: There are already arguably better spec's handhelds in this category that would outperform both these systems, but the cost of them is largely a deciding factor and it comes with some tradeoffs that include OS (since these are windows only handhelds with the exception of the Legion Go S, meaning that if you don't want windows you have to go to the added trouble of installing something like Bazzite).

-3: We know that just about every handheld on the market has some tradeoffs. The Legion Go has a beautiful screen and joycon-like detachable controllers. But it's also heavier than the switch, and the steam deck and arguably less comfortable to hold for some. We know the the original ROG Ally had a bunch of problems including the fact that it would destroy its own SF card slot and potentially any SD card installed in it. It's newest iteration is great (lots of fixes, better GPU/CPU, larger SDD, better battery life, better ergonomics, fixed SD card slot etc), however it's also close to $1000. The Legion Go S had a different storage capacities depending on which OS you chose at launch. Even now there's different variants that give different performance at different price points (Z1 extreme vs Z2 Go). The Switch OG lacks emulation for a lot of newer games (Wii and DS games specifically). Those games are coming probably but they are available on other handhelds with just a little bit of extra work.

-4: Ease of play and ease of emulation are things people who aren't buying these devices to tinker want. So the Switch 2 wins there. Just buy the subscription and you can emulate quite a lot of their gaming library with more to come.

-5: Expecting a publication largely catering to the fans of Nintendo to offer up its competition as the better bargain for the money is just... Silly. It doesn't make sense.

The switch 2 doesn't add enough things to the table to make me want to spend $450+ to buy it. It's launch titles are not particularly compelling for me, and when you add their anti-emulation litigation to the pile and DCMA abuse, I just don't feel like it's something I'm currently willing to buy. On top of that there's lots of accessibility improvements I would love to see including joycon styles for 2D platformers that I clude a real D pad, GameCube style Joycons, or even just Joycons that would allow those with partial impairment or disability. There's a lot of unexplored territory for the design and execution of this product that doesn't include better graphics or being able to play cyberpunk 2077 and I think people forget that. Can you get such things on a steam deck? Yeah. Probably. But not natively docked to the system in handheld mode.

Yep, and a wireless VR headset for your home gaming PC has steamdeck beat. So steamdeck only has value if you don't already have a gaming computer. Or if you need to play on a bus and couldn't handle added latency in the game you plan on playing.

In a VR headset, you have a 4k screen, or more than one, or a triple-wide 5760x1080 screen, or anything else you want, at 120hz. And you don't have to look down at your hands to play it or hold your hands up. Virtual desktop is about 6ms latency for your own desktop(s) in your house, and about double that for your own desktop from someone else's house or business. But tethered to a cell connection, latency can start to get out of hand. Or if you want to stream your computer from half-way around the world. Still useable, but it does limit the types of games you can play at that point.

But, having said that. I'm probably still gonna get a Switch 2. I still like Nintendo first-party games, and I don't plan on stealing them.

And I still have a Steamdeck, I just rarely find a use for it.

Edit: also you can do perfect 3D monitors in a VR headset. Not to mention also VR....