Comparing the Nintendo Switch 2 to the Steam Deck is dumb. I said that already, and I stand by it. But as people all over the world watch price tags climb, especially in Trump’s America, I can’t help but do a double-take at Nintendo’s $450 price tag for the Switch 2.

After the Switch launched, a new wave of handhelds emerged. The Steam Deck was able to carve out its own audience, but can it compete with the new Switch 2?

In terms of the Steam Deck, by way of comparison with another popular handheld of the moment, Valve reports their machine to have a battery life of between 2 and 8 hours. So this all seems fairly reasonable given that the Switch 2 and Steam Deck are very close on specs.

Look, I get that the Nintendo Switch 2 dock was probably the least exciting part about today's Nintendo Direct. But, the showcase did reveal some details that have firmly piqued my interest as a Steam Deck enthusiast.

Battery life for gaming handhelds is always a challenge but the tradeoffs for the Switch 2 appear to be particularly brutal. Nintendo has confirmed that the next-gen device will run for anywhere from 2-6.5 hours on a single charge depending on what you’re playing. It ain’t great. In fact, it’s somehow even worse than that of the original Switch.

I spent a day playing a whole bunch of games on Nintendo's next-gen Switch. Here's what it told me about Nintendo's $450 console sequel.

Switch 2 and ROG Ally are very different gaming devices, so I've compared them against each other to help you figure out which one you should buy.

The impending release of the Nintendo Switch 2 has sparked intense discussions within the gaming community, particularly regarding how it measures up against Valve's Steam Deck. Releasing on June 5, 2025,