Since its original announcement, the Steam Deck seemed to be a clear rival to the Nintendo Switch. Although both consoles have their own strengths and weaknesses, generally the Steam Deck boasts more power, rivaling that of a low-end PC, while the Switch has a much higher level of accessibility. Though due to its power, more often than not, games that are shared between these two portable consoles, generally perform much better graphically, and have more fine-tuned content on the Steam Deck rather than on the Switch. Although this may seem to make the Steam Deck a more obvious choice for those in need of a portable system, the Switch can still run each of these games perfectly fine, leaving the choice mainly a matter of preference.
The largest difference between games on the Steam Deck and Switch, which combined in a recently edited trailer once featuring Switch emulation, is mainly a matter of graphics, including things like frame rate, quality and draw distance, as well as content. Since the Steam Deck is technically the equivalent to a portable PC, the system shares the same content updates and hotfixes as a home PC, which is yet another advantage over the Switch. Some games that many prefer on the Steam Deck are Monster Hunter: Rise, No Man’s Sky, Apex Legends, Disney Dreamlight Valley, and Skyrim.
Monster Hunter Rise Gets a Fresh Coat of Paint On Steam Deck
For fans of the series, Monster Hunter Rise was finally an opportunity to receive a new game that could be played on the Switch. However, not long after its launch, Rise was released to PC, allowing it to easily be played on the Steam Deck as well. This version of the game, on top of Monster Hunter’s usual co-op game modes, also boasts some more impressive graphic and frame rate capabilities that the Switch normally couldn’t handle, leading many players to claim that the Steam Deck gives a smoother experience overall. Although many still hold onto the Switch version due to its convenience, the improved textures and load times of the Steam Deck are hard to beat, leaving many Monster Hunter: Rise fans to migrate over to the PC version of the game.
No Man’s Sky Runs Well On Switch But Better On Steam Deck
No Man’s Sky, a massive game focused on planetary exploration and space travel, seems as if it would be difficult to run smoothly on the Switch. However, despite the challenges, many players enjoy the Switch version, as well as No Man Sky’s new 4.0 Waypoint update, which possesses playable frame rates and controls that don’t hinder gameplay, yet even with all these improvements, still fall short of the Steam Deck version of the game. The Steam Deck version, much like with Monster Hunter Rise, boasts better graphics, frame rates and better content. On top of this, the PC version of the game on the Steam Deck, also has access to all the latest patches and hot-fixes that generally are available to PC before consoles. This combination of better content and graphics makes No Man’s Sky on the Steam Deck an easy choice over the Switch.
Apex Legends Recently Came To Steam Deck & Runs Great
Apex Legends, a hero-based, first-person battle royale, is another game that functions markedly better on the Steam Deck than on the Switch, especially for players looking to get a competitive edge. One of the main concerns, besides Apex Legends‘ lack of a ranked solo queue, for the Switch version is reported low frames, and input delay. On top of this, players’ draw distances are also lower on this system giving many players with more powerful consoles an advantage in combat. The Steam Deck Version on the other hand, boasts great resolution and frame rates, making the game much less muddy than its Switch counterpart, as well as no impacts to draw distances. Some even go as far as saying that the Steam Deck, in regard to Apex Legends, outperforms even the PlayStation 4. While some may be okay with the disadvantages, the Steam Deck version is much better for any player looking to win games and grind rank.
Disney Dreamlight Valley’s Problems Are Even Worse On Switch
Disney Dreamlight Valley is a new life-sim adventure game which tasks players with completing quests, and activities featuring an ever-expanding roster of Disney heroes and villains coming to Dreamlight Valley, the eponymous setting. The game, despite being very fun and engaging, has its issues, plaguing especially those who chose to try it on the Nintendo Switch. Again, as is the problem with many game comparisons between these two systems, is the lack of graphical quality and power, with the Switch featuring worse graphics, and awful lighting choices. The Steam Deck Version of the game, again, fixes these issues, as well as remaining easily portable, featuring the power and graphics that many players have come to expect from their home PC. Although many of these issues may be fixed after the game’s initial release, so far, the Steam Deck is the clear choice for anyone looking to play Disney Dreamlight Valley on the go.
Skyrim Doesn’t Have Mods On Switch
Since its release, Skyrim has been ported to many systems, including both the Switch and the Steam Deck. Although the same problems are present, including frame rate, loading times and draw distance, on the Switch, the main thing separating these two versions of the game is mod accessibility. One of the best parts of Skyrim is the massive library of community-created mods that players can download to help create completely new experiences and adventures within the game. However, none of these mods are available on the Switch, leaving many fans disappointed with this specific port of the game. Although it may take a bit of mod expertise, computer knowledge and third-party software, Valve’s mobile PC is a huge opportunity for those looking to get the best out of Skyrim‘s gameplay with mods.
Although from these above examples the Steam Deck may seem like an obvious choice over the Switch, the lack of simplicity and the price tag that the Steam Deck has may still make the Nintendo console the better choice. These consoles seem easy to compare, but they still have separate niches to fill, with each possessing their own demographic. Still though, when it comes to raw computational power and graphical bells and whistles, the Steam Deck is definitely the choice for portable consoles.
