• Refreshed screen and better FPS

  Steam Deck OLED

  Dimensions

  11.7 x 4.6 x 1.9 inches (298mm x 117mm x 49mm)

  Brand

  Valve

  Weight

  1.41 pounds (640 grams)

  Chipset

  Custom AMD Zen 2 APU (4 cores/8 threads, up to 3.5GHz boost)

  RAM

  16GB LPDDR5 6400MT/s

  Storage

  512GB or 1TB NVMe SSD, microSD card slot

  The Steam Deck OLED is a revamp of the original, and it has many features that shoot it up the list of best handheld consoles. Besides the new 7.4-inch OLED screen, you get better battery life, higher frame rates, a longer charging brick, improved cooling, and HDR support.

  Pros & Cons

  • Better battery life
  • Control feels more fluid
  • Brighter OLED display with HDR

  • Only HDR games can use HDR support

  $549 at Steam
• Affordable handheld console

  Nintendo Switch OLED

  Dimensions

  4 x 9.5 x 0.55 inches

  Playing Time

  3-9 hours (content-dependent)

  Brand

  Nintendo

  Weight

  0.71lbs without Joy-Cons, 0.93lbs with Joy-Cons

  Chipset

  NVIDIA Custom Tegra processor

  RAM

  4GB

  The Nintendo OLED Switch might be identical to the original version, but it has a better and brighter OLED display, more storage, and a better dock. It retains the overall design, meaning it's still comfortable to hold, and the joy cons offer excellent sensitivity.

  Pros & Cons

  • Brighter OLED display
  • Has more storage
  • Improved kickstand

  • No performance increase

  $350 at Best Buy

The Steam Deck OLED is a revamped version of the original, bringing many improvements with it. Not only does it feature a brighter OLED screen with HDR, but it also comes with battery, charging, and design improvements. These top-ups make you want to see how it's doing against the most popular handheld gaming console, the Nintendo Switch OLED. While both devices now offer 7-inch OLED displays, there are many differences between them that might make one more worth your money over the other. Let's take a closer look at each of them, so you can ultimately choose the ideal one for you.

Steam Deck OLED vs Switch OLED: Price, availability, and specs

The Steam Deck OLED was announced on Nov. 9, 2023, and available starting Nov. 16. You can order it directly from Valve, and unlike the original version, which starts at $349, this OLED version starts at $549 for the 512GB version and $649 for the 1TB version. You get 16GB RAM and a high-speed microSD card slot to expand your storage.

On the other hand, the OLED Switch launched in October 2021 and has since been available everywhere. You can purchase it from Nintendo and third-party retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. It costs $349 and comes with 4GB RAM, 64GB storage, and a microSD card slot that allows you to expand the storage up to 2TB.

• 	Steam Deck OLED	Nintendo Switch OLED
  Dimensions	11.7 x 4.6 x 1.9 inches (298mm x 117mm x 49mm)	4 x 9.5 x 0.55 inches
  Brand	Valve	Nintendo
  Weight	1.41 pounds (640 grams)	0.71lbs without Joy-Cons, 0.93lbs with Joy-Cons
  Chipset	Custom AMD Zen 2 APU (4 cores/8 threads, up to 3.5GHz boost)	NVIDIA Custom Tegra processor
  RAM	16GB LPDDR5 6400MT/s	4GB
  Storage	512GB or 1TB NVMe SSD, microSD card slot	64GB
  Wireless Connectivity	Wi-Fi 6E & Bluetooth 5.3	Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac compliant) / Bluetooth 4.1
  Display	7.4-inch OLED 1280 x 800 touchscreen, up to 90Hz	7-inch 1280x720 OLED display
  Ports	1x USB-C (with DisplayPort support), 3.5mm combo audio jack, microSD card slot	USB-C
  Battery	50Wh	4310mAh Lithium ion battery

Design: The Steam Deck is bigger and heavier

While Valve didn't do a complete overhaul on the design of the Steam Deck OLED, it made some little changes that improved the overall look of the console. The OLED Steam Deck retains the same dimensions as the original version, meaning it's 11.6 inches long and 4.6 inches high. However, it now has a new orange power button and grayish ABXY buttons, weighing 29 grams lower than the original version at 640 grams or 1.4 pounds. The build quality is still solid, but even with the reduced weight, you might experience hand fatigue the longer you play.

This handheld PC also retains the all-black color scheme and connection ports, including a DisplayPort over Type-C, which supports 8K up to 60Hz and 4K up to 120Hz. Valve claims to have made the Steam Deck OLED better in terms of repairability, especially when fixing the screen. You don't need to remove the back cover before getting to the display, and since the bumper switch is now on the joystick board, you can get to it and fix it easily. The speakers are also better than what you have on the original version, as they now sound louder and better.

On the Nintendo side, the Switch OLED is shorter at 9.5 inches long and 4 inches high with the Joy-Con controllers attached. It comes in multiple colorways, including Neon Blue/Neon Red, red, and white. Unlike the Steam Deck OLED, the Switch is more portable and comfortable as it weighs 320 grams without the Joy-Con controllers and 444 grams with them attached.

The dock is another advantage the OLED Switch has over the Steam Deck OLED. Nintendo ships the dock with the OLED Switch, while Valve offers the Steam dock separately. With the dock, you can connect your Switch to your TV and enjoy 1080p over HDMI; otherwise, you'll get 720p on the handheld. The dock also has ports for LAN, allowing you to easily connect your console to your router for a stable connection.

Display: Steam Deck OLED is slightly bigger and better

The display of the Steam Deck is arguably the most significant improvement here. The new handheld console now sports a 7.4-inch OLED display compared to the 7-inch LCD on the original version. This new display features HDR support, meaning you can play games that offer HDR support, such as Spiderman Remastered. The new screen is brighter at 1000 nits max brightness for HDR content and 600 nits for SDR compared to the base 400 nits on the LCD version.

While the resolution remains the same at 1280x800, the OLED screen now supports RGB and DCI-P3, meaning you'll enjoy better colors, dark scenes, and contrasts. And thanks to its 90Hz refresh rate and less than 0.1ms response time, your game will feel more fluid and responsive compared to the LCD version. The touch screen on the Steam Deck OLED has also been improved, as it now sports a 180Hz polling rate, providing faster and more accurate responses to touch.

The Nintendo Switch also has an OLED display, though it retains the seven-inch size of its original model. The resolution here is 1280x720, meaning it won't be as sharp or smooth as the Steam Deck OLED. Also, its brightness maxes out at 343 nits, and its 60Hz refresh rate makes it less of a contender for the best screen category. It also doesn't have HDR support, meaning you won't enjoy the life-like colors you'd get on the Steam Deck. While both consoles have OLED displays, the Steam Deck's display is undoubtedly the better option.

Performance and battery life: Upgraded processors and enhanced cooling

Valve added some tweaks to the innards of the Steam Deck OLED to provide better efficiency and more performance than the original version. It now has a 6nm AMD APU for better efficiency and an improved 6400MT/s memory, which makes for better power management and reduced latency. The slimmer OLED panel allowed the company to pack in a thicker thermal module, improving its cooling and, by extension, the console's overall performance. The fans are also bigger and quieter compared to the original model.

This device also has a faster Wi-Fi 6E card, meaning you can download games faster. Since we have yet to get it, we can't provide precise benchmarks on refresh rates, stability, battery life, and cooling. However, we expect the new Steam Deck to offer more in these departments compared to the original version.

On the flip side, the Nintendo Switch OLED changed nothing from the original model. It uses the same NVIDIA custom Tegra processor, Bluetooth 4.1, and wireless card, so there's no real improvement in the inner workings.

Battery life and charging: Longer playtime

You get a new 50Wh battery on the new Steam Deck OLED compared to the 40Wh battery on the original version. Valve mentions that you can get between 3–12 hours of battery life on this OLED version compared to the two to eight hours on the original Steam Deck. While this might not look like a significant jump, it's still an improvement that ensures you can play games longer. Also, the Steam Deck OLED has a longer 2.5-meter charging adapter and better charging speeds, as it can now charge from 20 to 80% in just 45 minutes.

The Switch OLED has a 4310mAh battery that lasts three to nine hours. So, in general, you get more power on the Steam Deck compared to the Switch. As for charging, the Switch is slow to charge, as you'll need up to three hours to get it to full steam.

Which is right for you?

Both handheld consoles are excellent devices with OLED displays, but our money is on the Steam Deck OLED. It has a brighter and bigger display with HDR support, an improved thermal system, bigger fans, a higher refresh rate, better battery life, and improved charging speeds. You also get a higher native storage that can be expanded with the microSD slot, better Bluetooth technology, a more responsive touchscreen, and a Wi-Fi 6E card for faster downloads.

The only advantages the Switch OLED has over the Steam Deck OLED are portability and out-of-the-box ports. The Switch is lighter, which means less hand fatigue, and you don't need to fork out extra cash to get a new dock. So which should you choose? While personal preferences will undoubtedly come into play, the Switch would be an excellent option if you have a restrictive budget, and portability and colors mean a lot to you.

On the other hand, if high performance, a colorful display, better refresh rates, a more responsive touch screen, better battery life, and more are what you're after, the Steam Deck OLED is the more suitable option. Keep in mind that your options aren't limited to these two. While they might be the most popular options, there are many alternative handheld consoles that offer top-notch performance you'll love. Check them out, and you might find an option that suits your needs perfectly.