When I first bought my Steam Deck I thought for a moment that it Nintendo Switch 2 was, for lack of a better term, washed. Here was a powerful, ergonomic device from Valve, one that punches well above its weight in terms of fidelity and performance, and there was a still-underpowered hybrid machine from Nintendo, stuck in Nintendo's often problematic ecosystem, ready to be replaced by the dawn of the next console generation.
But then the Nintendo Switch 2 was actually released, and I was thrust back to the spring of 2017, when the first Switch was the hottest gaming hardware on the market. The Switch 2 didn't quite inspire the same frenzy, but it was still wildly successful: Nintendo says the Switch 2 sold just under 20 million units by March 2026, and that the device sold a staggering 3.5 million in the first four days alone. Valve doesn't release sales data like Nintendo does, but a 2025 report from market research firm IDC estimated that the Steam Deck moved around 4 million units in its first two years on the market. For reference, the Switch 2 launched in June 2025. If the above figures are correct, this would mean that the Switch 2 has sold roughly five times as much as the Steam Deck, more than ten times faster – remarkable gaps, especially given that the Steam Deck is the most accessible and popular handheld on the market.
No handheld beats Nintendo's brand recognition and image
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Image via Nintendo -
Image via Nintendo -
Image: Nintendo
Nintendo is the most famous mainstream name in gaming, no contest. Sure, non-Nintendo games like Grand Theft Auto 6 and Call of Duty cemented in the zeitgeist, but not at all in the same way. Nintendo intentionally casts the widest possible net with its products, thoughtfully designing the Wii and Switch systems with group play and novelty in mind. This is to say nothing of its many party games, such as Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros., which is universally loved even among non-gamers.
However, it's not quite as simple as Nintendo succeeding with great exclusives. It's more about the company's general philosophy towards gaming and entertainment in general. Nintendo takes a very whimsical approach to its products and brands, leaning into ideas that its competitors overlook, like motion controls, and implementing them in a way that appeals to masses of consumers. This feature is somewhat ephemeral, which is part of why it's so hard for other companies to replicate it, try as they might. Make no mistake, Nintendo is as savvy and business-minded as any other major gaming company, but one could argue that its goals happen to be closer to consumer interests, as accessibility and fun are prioritized over deep and grueling experimentation.
PDAs occupy an entirely different corner of the market, one that is necessarily more niche. While some gamers use a handheld PC as their primary driver (it's especially useful for those who don't have room for a full tower, for example), they're usually sold as add-on machines rather than complete consoles in their own right. While some handhelds surpass the Switch 2 in terms of raw power, they'll still feel like compromised experiences because, in a sense, they are: no handheld will measure up to a traditional, high-end machine. At the same time, the Nintendo Switch 2 can safely call itself the only home for games that Donkey Kong Banana and Metroid Prime 4. There is literally no comparison.
RAMageddon: How the Nintendo Switch 2 could be more future-proof than a handheld
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Game Rant | Source images: Asus, Microsoft
This is where it gets even more difficult. As many gamers and tech enthusiasts are all too aware, we're in the midst of a serious component crisis thanks to massive, bullish AI investment worldwide. This has often been called a shortage, and while this is somewhat more accurate in the wake of the Iran war, which has disrupted trade through the Strait of Hormuz, it would be more accurate to call the situation a hoarding. There is plenty of RAM, but AI companies are buying it all, causing commodity and commodity prices to skyrocket. To put things into perspective, OpenAI – one major AI company of several – owns about 40% of the world's RAM supply.
Nintendo intentionally casts the widest possible net with its products, thoughtfully designing the Wii and Switch systems with group play and novelty in mind.
That's why the PS5 and Xbox Series X, despite turning six this year, are both more expensive than they've ever been. The Nintendo Switch 2 has also received a price increase, but this actually reveals why it is in an advantageous position. The Switch 2's MSRP was raised from $449.99 to $499.99 this year, while 2026 saw the PlayStation 5 go from $549.99 to $649.99, after rising from $499.99 to $549.99 last year. The one-year-old Switch 2 has had a price increase, but that brings it to the same price as the PS5 was in 2020, while the six-year-old PS5 has gone well past that point.
These price increases are a direct result of the global component issues, but the Switch 2 is obviously less affected. We can speculate that this is at least somewhat related to the console's 12GB of total RAM (3 system, 9 VRAM), compared to the PS5's 16GB, or the PS5 Pro's 18GB. Steam Deck also has 16 GB of unified RAM. Given the current situation, an additional 4-6 GB of RAM can make a big difference in manufacturing costs. Long-term storage is also affected by the hoarding crisis, and the Switch 2 has much less built-in storage than the Steam Deck, with the former starting at 256GB and the latter starting at 512GB with higher-capacity options.
Going forward, Nintendo may settle into the less demanding hardware space, prioritizing its first-party games, indies, and even technically compromised AAA titles from third-party developers. Nobody expects PC performance from the Switch 2, but the same can't be said for the Steam Deck, Lenovo Legion Go or Asus ROG Ally. The Switch 2 is thus much better equipped to handle the current component crisis, as it can be manufactured for less without necessarily suffering from the lack of raw power.
