The handheld gaming market has exploded in 2025. Two giants dominate the space: Nintendo’s brand-new Switch 2 and Valve’s refined Steam Deck OLED. This Nintendo Switch 2 vs. Steam Deck comparison will help you understand which device offers the best value for your gaming needs.

Nintendo Switch 2 Vs Steam Deck: All the Features You Should Know

Which one deserves your hard-earned money? We’ve spent extensive time with both devices. Here’s everything you need to know to make the right choice.

Design and Build Quality

The Nintendo Switch 2 feels familiar and refined. Nintendo kept the Joy-Con attachment feature, but everything is bigger and more solid. The 8-inch screen dominates the front panel. The bezels around the screen are thinner than the original Switch. Overall, the build quality feels very premium.

The weight of the unit with Joy-Cons is roughly 740 grams. This is a bit heavier than the Switch, but it still should feel really manageable after long sessions of use. The kickstand is also much better – wider and more stable compared to first iteration of the Switch.

Steam Deck OLED is an altogether different beast. At 640 grams, this is lighter than the Switch 2, even though it looks chunkier. The ergonomics when you get used to the size are fantastic. You can wrap your hands around the gadget easily.

The OLED version feels so much better than the first generation LCD version. The fan is quieter, the buttons have better feel and tactile feedback this time around. You get the sense that everything has been done with purpose around longer use and gaming.

Winner: Steam Deck OLED for ergonomics, Switch 2 for portability.

Image: Games Radar

Performance

The Steam Deck OLED is powered by AMD’s custom APU, featuring RDNA 2 graphics. When it comes to the CPU, it can manage nearly all modern games at medium settings. In more demanding games such as Cyberpunk 2077, it can manage around 30-40 fps depending on the tweaks made to settings (medium settings). The 16GB of RAM is beneficial for multitasking and loading games.

The OLED version of the Steam Deck features faster 6400MHz even though the original Steam Deck only had 5500MHz. This means the OLED version has a slightly better performance and has faster wake times. It would be unreasonable to expect huge performance improvements for the new Steam Deck, but every second counts.

The Nintendo Switch 2 will feature a custom NVIDIA Tegra processor. Nintendo has yet to disclose full specifications. Early test reports are suggesting performance will fall in between the Steam Deck and Steam Deck OLED performance levels.

The Nintendo Switch 2 games look absolutely astounding because developers are designing and optimising their hardware. For example, Mario Kart World is set to run at 60 fps lock in handheld mode and docked mode!

Winner: Steam Deck OLED for raw power, Switch 2 for optimized performance.

Game Library

This is the biggest differentiator between these devices in our Nintendo Switch 2 vs. Steam Deck comparison.

The Steam Deck OLED runs your entire Steam library. Thousands of games will work without issue. The Verified program identifies compatible games and gives you quality assurance. In addition, you can also download other popular game services such as Epic Games Store, GOG and more.

The Steam Deck OLED rules with indie and older, AAA titles. Most recent blockbuster games require substantial settings reductions to run. However, raw emulation for retro gaming devices like the Wii and GameCube work fabulously. The Device’s flexibility is incomparable.

The Nintendo Switch 2 launches as a typical first-party Nintendo platform demonstrating, surprisingly, how excellent it can look. Mario Kart World is absolutely gorgeous on Switch 2. The Legend of Zelda games run similar to the enhanced remakes on Switch from the last decade (the polish is unbeaten).

Third-party support already looks promising. Respected publishers follow a trend of supporting these releases with current-gen games rather than a portfolio of ports from PS4/XV/Xbox One to Switch 2. The immediate addition of GameCube’s collection is an immediate boon for retro games.

Backward compatibility with the original Switch games too makes it more attractive. You already own a library of many great Nintendo games with an expectation of expansion.

Winner: Steam Deck OLED for variety, Switch 2 for exclusives and polish.

Image: Polygon

Battery Life

Pricing places these two devices in completely different categories. The Nintendo Switch 2’s starting price is $450 for the base model. The model with Mario Kart World comes in at $500, and the bundle represents way better value because the game by itself costs $80.

The Steam Deck OLED starting price is $549 for the 512GB version – how refreshing! And the 1TB version is priced at $649. The pricing includes a carrying case and premium anti-glare screen, and no game. You’ll probably own many of them already compatible with the hardware!

The Switch 2 has additional subscription fees for online play, cloud saves, and overall Nintendo experience. The Steam Deck has everything included from day one.

The internal expandable storage situation is quite different. The Switch 2 uses only expensive Nintendo-licensed microSD cards for top performance. The Steam Deck can accept any microSD card and allow internal SSD upgrades.

Winner: Nintendo Switch 2 for upfront cost, Steam Deck OLED for long-term value.

Price and Value: Premium vs Accessible

Pricing puts these devices in different categories entirely in this Nintendo Switch 2 vs. Steam Deck comparison.

The price for the Nintendo Switch 2 is $450 for the base model and a bundle with Mario Kart World is $500. The bundle is actually a better deal because Mario Kart World costs $80 by itself.

The Steam Deck OLED starts at $549 for the 512GB version, and the 1TB version is $649. They both come with carry cases and premium anti-glare screens. No games are included, but I’m sure you already own some compatible games.

Unlike Nintendo Switch 2, the Switch 2 will require is purchase online gameplay, cloud saves, and other things to have the full Nintendo experience. All of those have been included on the Steam Deck.

The method of upgrading storage varies a lot. The Switch 2 can only use Nintendo licensed microSD cards for best performance, which are more expensive. The Steam Deck accepts any microSD card, and you can even perform an internal SSD upgrade.

Winner: Nintendo Switch 2 for upfront cost, Steam Deck OLED for long-term value.

Online Features and Ecosystem

The Steam Deck OLED effortlessly integrates with Steam’s ecosystem, meaning that all of your friends lists, achievements, and cloud saves are just the same as they are on PC. The Steam Deck also features Remote Play, so if you also have a gaming PC, you can stream games off of it. The Steam Workshop also supports mods for compatible games.

SteamOS is constantly being improved with frequent updates, and Valve also adds features based on feedback from the community. There’s also a desktop mode that allows you to turn it into a full Linux PC if required.

The Nintendo Switch 2 has Nintendo Switch Online as its online infrastructure for multiplayer, digital game sharing, and cloud saves. It has a yearly membership fee of about $20-50 USD based on the tier. Game sharing for digital games works between family members. The smartphone app supports voice chats and some game features as well.

Nintendo’s online infrastructure is very much behind Steam’s infrastructure. However, the family-friendly business model and focus on local multiplayer is satisfactory for their audience.

Winner: Steam Deck OLED for robust online features.

Portability and Travel

Both consoles are quite usable for travel purposes, but in different ways. The Nintendo Switch 2 has a smaller footprint and is much easier to carry around in bags and backpacks. The detachable Joy-Cons offer players some unique ways to play together. If you’ve ever tried to play tabletop mode on an airplane before, you know how well that works on tray tables.

The new kickstand also gives the system some stability on uneven surfaces. The local multiplayer means you can facilitate impromptu party games, anywhere. Flight attendants likely will not look twice at something resembling a Nintendo device.

Steam Deck OLED is way too bulky for travel purposes. The carry case is really nice but takes up space in your bag. The system looks a lot more like a laptop to security people, so the appearance could confuse them.

That said, the advantages of the Steam Deck when it comes to the library of games come in handy for long trips. You have access to all games, not just ones that are Steam compatible. The new desktop mode also allows for a little basic computing if necessary.

Winner: Nintendo Switch 2 for pure portability.

Who Should Buy What?

Choose the Nintendo Switch 2 if you:

• Love Nintendo exclusives above all else
• Want the most portable gaming experience
• Prefer optimized, consistent performance
• Value local multiplayer gaming
• Don’t mind paying for online services

Choose the Steam Deck OLED if you:

• Own a large Steam library already
• Want maximum game variety and flexibility
• Enjoy tweaking settings and modding games
• Prefer raw performance over optimization
• Value long-term software support

The Verdict: Different Excellence

Neither device is objectively better than the other in this Nintendo Switch 2 vs. Steam Deck comparison. They serve different audiences with different priorities. The Nintendo Switch 2 perfects Nintendo’s portable gaming vision. The Steam Deck OLED brings PC gaming truly portable.

Your existing game library probably determines the winner. Steam users will love the Deck’s flexibility. Nintendo fans will appreciate the Switch 2’s polish and exclusive games.

Both devices represent the current peak of handheld gaming. You can’t go wrong with either choice. The real winner is anyone who loves portable gaming in 2025.

Final Scores:

Nintendo Switch 2: 8.5/10

Steam Deck OLED: 8.5/10

The handheld gaming renaissance continues with these two excellent devices leading the charge.