We’ve finally got our first official look at the Nintendo Switch 2, and the internet is very excited. Rightly so, I suppose, as the next-generation of Nintendo’s uber-popular handheld gaming console has been rumoured, speculated on, and pontificated about for some time. And while I hate to be the naysayer of the group (who am I kidding, I love it), put me down as “curious, but not particularly thrilled.”
That’s not to say I don’t like the Switch in general, nor has my appetite for new gaming hardware diminished. But with so many excellent handheld gaming PCs cresting the horizon (and many wonderful options already available), I can’t really get my blood up for what looks like a fairly average one, ringfenced inside Nintendo’s notoriously restrictive ecosystem.
I’m not opposed to an odd bout of Mario Kart, and the Zelda franchise has its merits. Still, I’d say that makes me something of an outlier when it comes to the traditional opinions on these monoliths of gaming. Many times I have listened to someone wax lyrical over the fantabulousness of Nintendo games, and I’ve tolerated it politely with an occasional indulging nod.
That said, compared to the PC gaming ecosystem? It’s likely going to be a pretty limited spread on the Switch 2’s launch. And yes, I’m well aware you can experience the likes of Dead Cells on a Switch these days—but I’ll take a wide plethora of gaming options over a limited set, any day of the week.
And that’s before we get to the hardware inside. We’re still not sure exactly which chip will live inside the Switch 2, but good money can be placed on the bet that it’s a customised octo-core Arm chip called the Nvidia Tegra T239.
That’d be fine and all, but compared to what we’re about to see from PC gaming handhelds featuring the new AMD APUs (and Lunar Lake handhelds , err, looming), I’m willing to also bet that performance-wise, the Switch 2 will be massively outmatched by what’s available in the handheld market right now, never mind by the time of its release.
Of course, there’s always upscaling to consider. There have been rumours of the Switch 2 using DLSS, which would certainly help even the performance odds. And it must be said, Nintendo has usually been pretty good at optimising its big releases for decent performance out of the box.
It looks like a pretty machine, no doubt, but seems like a bit of a chonker, too. A leak late last year suggested that it would be significantly larger than a Steam Deck OLED, although it does have a slightly larger screen. I’m all for pushing screen sizes on handhelds to a degree, but there’s a point where they feel a bit unwieldy, and nothing I’ve seen so far suggests the Switch 2 is anything but.
That’s something to be ratified when I get one in my hands, of course, as is all the speculation here. But with the handheld gaming PC market booming, and so many upcoming options looking promising, part of me feels like the Switch 2’s lunch may have been eaten before it gets out of the gate.
Still, you won’t be bouncing around as Mario and Luigi on your Steam Deck, at least not in the latest games. Nor shall you be Pokémon-ing about (stick with it, I’m trying to make it a thing) on a Lenovo Legion Go S. For many, this will be the draw, and I understand that.
But that’s not going to stop me from pulling the PC superiority card over here, even if it means someone’s going to put stickers of Bowser flipping the bird through my letterbox.
And as for backwards compatibility, of which the Nintendo fans seem to be most excited? A Steam Deck LCD 256 GB currently retails for $399, and you get access to decades worth of games. Some of them are rubbish or non-Steam Deck certified, sure. But so many are worth exploring on a handheld, and the entry level Deck is still very reasonably priced.
Which I’m willing to bet the Switch 2 won’t be, at least when it comes to actually getting hold of one through the inevitable stock shortages and potential scalping to come.
And besides, new handheld gaming PCs are looking exciting as heck right now—so I’ll be over here, trying to figure out which is best, while all the cartoonish funtimes happen somewhere else. It’s the way I like it, y’see.
