8 There Are No Detachable Joy-Cons
One of the most unique features of the Switch is the detachable Joy-Cons. You can play handheld with these attached to the sides of the Switch, or use them as a separate controller when playing docked. Many games even let each one be its own controller for simple multiplayer functionality.
Unfortunately, they are not the most comfortable and there is a small epidemic of malfunctioning analog sticks known as “Joy-Con drift”. Steam Deck’s design excludes this feature. In fact, the controller layout and analog stick placement more closely mirror the Wii U than the Nintendo Switch.
7 Steam Deck Is Way More Powerful
Nintendo Switch has been the most powerful handheld for four years now, but it is starting to show its age. Plenty of ports run notably worse on Nintendo’s platform.
Videos for Steam Deck already show it running high-end games like Control and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. The former is particularly impressive because it ran badly on the PS4 and Xbox One. With Nintendo Switch falling behind technologically, Steam Deck could be the answer to those who want to bring multiplatform games on the go.
6 Nintendo Switch Is A Lot Cheaper
Nintendo Switch is $299, with the Lite model coming in at one hundred dollars cheaper. The upcoming OLED model is going to be $50 more expensive, but it is still $50 cheaper than the least expensive model of the Steam Deck.
The base model of Valve’s upcoming handheld starts at $399, and the most expensive model is $649. The hardware remains the same, but the main difference is storage space and loading times. Considering what the Steam Deck is offering, the price is actually quite generous.
5 Switch Has Notable Exclusives
There are significantly fewer true console exclusives these days. Microsoft is putting all of its games on both Xbox consoles and PCs, and even Sony is porting some of its exclusives to PC.
Nintendo still keeps its IPs close to its chest, however. Heavy-hitters like Zelda, Mario, Metroid, and so on are all exclusive to Nintendo consoles. Do not expect that to change anytime soon, either. Switch still has a lot of upcoming exclusives on the horizon to look forward to, including Breath of the Wild’s sequel, Bayonetta 3, and Metroid Prime 4.
4 Steam Deck Is Basically A Portable PC
Where Nintendo Switch is mostly about games, Steam Deck is basically a handheld PC. With that notion comes almost all the customization and functions standard to Desktops and Laptops. Even though it comes with Steam OS installed, you even have the option to wipe it and install Windows.
One main difference is certain multiplayer games like Destiny 2 and Rainbow Six: Siege will not be playable. All the same, this level of control will come as welcome news to those who bemoan the Nintendo Switch’s UI and lack of features.
3 They Have Different Screens
The differences between the two consoles’ screens are subtle but worth mentioning nonetheless. The standard Switch model comes with a 6.2-inch screen capable of 720p resolution. Steam Deck’s screen slightly outdoes it with a 7-inch screen boasting a 1280X800 resolution. Nintendo Switch Lite has an even smaller, 5.5-inch screen.
To be fair, the upcoming OLED model has a 7-inch screen as well. While the resolution seems low for both, it is not as noticeable when you are playing on such a small screen.
2 Steam Deck Has A Bigger Library
Steam Deck has the ability to play almost your entire Steam library right out of the box. By being connected to Steam owners also have the advantage of taking advantage of the plentiful sales and discounts on the Steam store.
Nintendo Switch has its share of re-releases and remasters, but the library is not even comparable. Additionally, first-party Nintendo games rarely go on sale and often stay at full price forever. If you already have a plethora of Steam purchases, you start out with countless games to play on day one with Steam Deck.
1 Steam Deck Is A Larger Machine
At 11.7 inches wide, Steam Deck is significantly larger than Nintendo Switch, which is just 6.8 inches wide. This is quite a difference, which will either be a plus or a minus depending on the size of your hands. The major question is “how sturdy is it?”
Nintendo makes notably durable handhelds that can withstand falls and other impacts. Will Steam Deck similarly be able to take a beating without malfunctioning or cracking the screen?
