Many media and gamers are finding similarities between Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck, the new hybrid console announced by Valve. However, there are also some clear differences.
Trusted Reviews have shared a total of 6 key differences between these two hybrid consoles, apart from the price. These are as follows:
- Steam Deck has a slightly shorter battery life than Nintendo Switch (2-8 hours vs. 4.5-9 hours), something that’s likely due to the fact that Steam Deck’s power would be at a similar level to PS4 and Xbox One for PC games
- Steam Deck runs on SteamOS and Nintendo Switch uses its own operating system with completely different game catalogues.
- Steam Deck weighs twice as much as the standard Nintendo Switch (669 grams vs. 399 grams with Joy-Con included)
- Steam Deck offers more storage options as standard (64 GB, 256 GB and 512 GB), although Nintendo Switch supports microSD cards up to 2 TB. In addition, Nintendo Switch games have a much smaller download size than PC games.
- Steam Deck controllers are not unlockable and therefore cannot be played in multiplayer mode as Nintendo Switch does offer. However, Steam Deck also features Bluetooth, so you can connect a PS4 or Xbox controller.
- Steam Deck can output up to 8K @ 60Hz or 4K @ 120Hz via USB-C, while Switch has a slightly smaller 6.2-inch LCD touchscreen with a resolution of 1280 x 720 and a refresh rate of 60Hz and is capable of displaying up to 1080p via HDMI in TV mode or up to 720p in handheld mode.