Alright, I get that the headline might not make sense to some people. At least to any Steam Deck evangelists. I assure you, though, that Nintendo's handheld game is not to be entirely dismissed, even when it comes to consoles we've not played yet.

The Nintendo Switch 2 is due to be out later in 2025, with its full reveal set for April 2, 2025. Before any of that happens, there are a few examples I know I can call out now that are always in which the Steam Deck simply won't be able to match up against the Nintendo Switch 2.

4 Portability

A hybrid device should actually be a hybrid device

Ever since I got my first Nintendo Switch as a gift from my wife, it's come with me pretty much everywhere. Tucked into its case, snug as a bug in my cross-body bag, it has always been the perfect on-the-go device for me. Before we were all stuck inside for two years, any time I was commuting to work by public transit, which was pretty much every time, my Switch was my companion through it all.

And then, when I got home, I could relax on my couch, controller in hand, and continue my gaming without any real interruption. I know the same experience is possible with the Steam Deck, but when you live a commuter lifestyle, you learn what actually works, and what doesn't work, with your route. If the Steam Deck had been around in 2017, I wouldn't have taken it with me. Even today, it wouldn't be my device of choice on any commute.

The Steam Deck is a great device to have and play handheld while at home, or to take on a big trip with you, because in that case you'll likely have more than one bag/piece of luggage by your side. Taking the Steam Deck with you on a daily commute or any short distance necessitates you always carrying a massive backpack, or carrying the case that the device comes with in one hand, at all times.

I've lived in a big city all my life. I don't use public transit daily anymore, but I still use it almost every week. I want a device that can fit in the one and only bag I'm carrying with me. A Steam Deck simply doesn't fit that bill (pun intended), without me needing to make concessions for it that simply don't exist with my current Nintendo Switch, nor will they with the Nintendo Switch 2.

Yes, even with the Nintendo Switch 2's bigger dimensions. It might be getting closer to the size of a Steam Deck, but it still won't be as big, and it'll still weigh less than a Steam Deck. It'll feel just as portable as its predecessor.

3 Nintendo games are only on Nintendo devices

Mario isn't jumping to PC anytime soon

Yes, yes, yes, there are many Nintendo games I could emulate and play on a Steam Deck if I wanted to. But I'm not talking about wanting to play Yoshi's Island with me wherever I go. I'm talking about playing Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Or Metroid Dread. Or Super Mario Odyssey, and none of those are even Nintendo Switch 2 games.

I'm not going to try and say that the game library available on Nintendo Switch now, or the one that'll be available on Nintendo Switch 2, could beat, or even match, what's available on the Steam Deck. I know that's a quantity race that Nintendo just won't win.

What I do know, is that I'm not going to be able to play the next mainline 3D Mario platformer on the Steam Deck when it arrives (hopefully) sometime this year. Or any other upcoming Nintendo release, for that matter. I've been a Nintendo fan all my life, and like a lot of Nintendo fans, I will continue to purchase Nintendo consoles to play their games.

2 Versatility

On its own, the Steam Deck just can't do as much.

Of course, the Steam Deck is a very versatile device, in the sense that you can open it up and make a number of your own modifications to it. The Nintendo Switch 2 is not built to be taken apart and modified, but you can use it in multiple ways without needing to make any modifications to it.

You can use it handheld, or docked, right away, because the Nintendo Switch 2 will come with a dock, just like the original Switch. You'll also be able to pull out the kickstand, grab the Joy-Cons and play it in a tabletop mode.

It's possible to do both of those things with a Steam Deck, but in both cases you'll need to buy something extra. You'll need to have a controller to play your Steam Deck in tabletop or docked mode, and, quite obviously, you'll need a dock to play it on your TV. Oh, also, you'll need to grab a stand for your Steam Deck, if you want to comfortably prop it up while trying to play in a tabletop setting. You won't need to go out and buy anything like that for the Nintendo Switch 2 when you open yours up on launch day.

1 Nintendo Switch 2 will have style, right out of the box

The Steam Deck makes you work on it

Facing facts, Valve will never release a special edition Steam Deck that's tied to any game or franchise with the device's design. A limited edition white Steam Deck and a translucent one are the most we'll probably ever get from Valve. I won't spend any time dreaming about a Half-Life or Portal-themed Steam Deck. Making that happen requires a lot of custom pieces and skills that I don't have.

I can, however, trust that there will be a special edition Nintendo Switch 2. Whether its themed around a new Mario game, or Zelda, I know that'll look great, without me needing to do anything. Sure, the Steam Deck doesn't look bad in its all-black standard, but I'm more than a little tired with the 'cool' tech look that so many devices go for with that kind of design. I want something that's going to be stylish and paired with a game franchise I love.

The Steam Deck can't be everything

I know that not all of these reasons will resonate as important to everyone, and that there are a lot of people who would deal with the many cons of a Steam Deck for its many pros'. I get it, there are a lot of ways in which the Steam Deck is a better buy for people.

But I'm not trying to tell you that the Nintendo Switch 2 is going to be the overall better choice. I'm just pointing out a few key ways, where the Steam Deck will almost always fall short of the Nintendo Switch, and the Nintendo Switch 2.