PC price hikes make Switch 2 the best value handheld

Nobody likes price hikes, and both the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch 2 have seen substantial price increases since launch—but Nintendo Switch 2's was executed in such a way that the handheld still provides a more performant gaming experience versus cheaper PC handhelds from Anbernic and even more expensive handhelds like the ROG Xbox Ally. 

In terms of pure gaming performance, the Nintendo Switch 2 handily outclasses both the AMD Ryzen Z2 A leveraged by most entry-level PC handhelds and the custom AMD "Aerith" SoC used by the Steam Deck. PC handhelds don't get stronger than the Nintendo Switch 2 until you start breaching AMD Z1 and Z2 Extreme-based handhelds...and those are scarcely available below $1000 if you're not buying used. Add in Nintendo Switch 2's developer tailoring and "mini DLSS", and it becomes difficult to justify spending twice as much for only marginal performance gains in titles like Cyberpunk 2077.

As a lifelong PC gamer, it's an unfortunate admission for me to make that Nintendo Switch 2 has effectively flipped the script from when the Steam Deck launched. While Steam Deck LCD was indeed slightly more expensive than the Switch 1 at $399 USD over $299, it was substantially more powerful in the same games and included tons of extra features thanks to being a fully-fledged PC beneath its controller-friendly SteamOS interface.

Steam Deck OLED's launch at $549 changed the argument slightly, but with Switch OLED costing $349, the argument to spend $200 on a powerful handheld PC rather than Switch's antiquated Tegra X1 chipset was strong. Steam Deck OLED's launch pricing was so strong, even, that technically-superior handheld PCs without OLED screens struggled to compete with the device. 

Even now, handheld PCs launching without an OLED display are criticized for cost-cutting even as they push 1080p and 120-144 Hz. That omission is really the only major weakness of Switch 2 compared to PC handhelds at this point, but Nintendo's latest & greatest is running circles around them when it comes to price-for-performance. Sadly for handheld gamers, handheld PCs have become harder than ever to justify buying.