The Nintendo Switch 2 is beating every other gaming handheld where it matters most

When I first bought my steam deck, I momentarily believed that Nintendo Switch 2 For lack of a better term, was washed. Here was a powerful, ergonomic device by Valve, which punched 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-troubled ecosystem, destined to be replaced by the dawn of the next console generation.

But then the Nintendo Switch 2 was actually released, and I was transported back to the spring of 2017, when the first Switch was the most popular piece of gaming hardware on the market. The Switch 2 didn't provoke the same frenzy, but it was still very successful: Nintendo says that the Switch 2 has sold only 20-million units by March 2026, and that the device has sold 3.5-million units in its first four days alone. Valve doesn't release sales information like Nintendo does, but a 2025 report by market analysis firm IDC estimates that the Steam Deck moved about 4-million units in its first two years on the market. For reference, Switch 2 launched on June 2025. If the above figures are correct, this means that the Switch 2 has sold almost five times as much as the Steam Deck, more than ten times faster – significant differences, especially since the Steam Deck is the most accessible and popular handheld PC on the market.

A handheld PC is losing Nintendo's brand identity and image

Nintendo is the most recognizable mainstream name in gaming, no contest. Sure, like non-Nintendo games Grand Theft Auto 6 and Call of Duty Cemented in the zeitgeist, but not in the same way. Nintendo intentionally casts as wide a net as possible with its products, thoughtfully designing the Wii and Switch systems with group play and innovation in mind. This is to say nothing of its many party games, eg Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros., which are generally beloved among non-gamers as well.

However it's not as simple as succeeding on the back of Nintendo's best exclusives. It's more about the company's general philosophy towards gaming and entertainment in general. Nintendo has a very whimsical approach to its products and branding, leaning into ideas that its competitors ignore, such as motion controls, and implementing them in ways that appeal to consumers. This feature is somewhat ephemeral, which is why it's so hard for other companies to replicate it, try as they might. Make no mistake, Nintendo is as smart and business-oriented as any other major gaming company, but one could argue that its goals align more closely with consumer interests, as accessibility and fun are prioritized over depth and friction.

Image via Nintendo

Handheld PCs occupy an entirely different corner of the market, which is necessarily more niche. While some gamers use a handheld PC as their primary driver (for example, it's especially useful for those who don't have room for a full tower), they're usually sold as accessory machines rather than full consoles. While few handheld PCs surpass the Switch 2 in terms of raw power, they still feel like compromise experiences because, in a sense, they are: No handheld PC measures up against a traditional, high-end machine. Meanwhile, the Nintendo Switch 2 can safely call itself the only home of games 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 PC

Here's where things get even dicier. As many gamers and tech enthusiasts are all too aware, we are in the midst of a serious component crisis due to massive, bullish AI investment around the world. This is often called scarcity, and it is a little more accurate because of the Iran war, which has blocked trade through the Strait of Hormuz, a situation that would be more accurate to call hoarding. There's plenty of RAM, but AI companies are buying it all up, driving wafer and raw material prices sky high. To put things into perspective, OpenAI—one of the leading AI companies among many—owns about 40% of the world's RAM supply.

This is why the PS5 and Xbox Series X, despite turning six years old this year, are both more expensive than ever. The Nintendo Switch 2 has also gone up in price, but that really reveals why it's in such 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, up from $499.99 last year to $549.99. The price of the one-year-old Switch 2 has increased, but that brings it to the same price as the PS5 in 2020, while the six-year-old PS5 has gone far beyond that point.

These price increases are a direct result of global component issues, but the Switch 2 is apparently less affected. We can assume that this is at least 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. The Steam Deck also boasts 16GB of integrated RAM. Given the current situation, an additional 4-6GB of RAM can make a huge difference in production costs. Long-term storage is also affected by the hoarding crisis, and the Switch 2 has much less integrated storage than the Steam Deck, as the former starts at 256GB, and the latter starts at 512GB with higher-capacity options.

Going forward, Nintendo could sit in the less-demanded hardware space, preferring its first-party games, indies, and technically compromised AAA titles from third-party developers. No one expects PC-grade performance from the Switch 2, but the same can't be said for the Steam Deck, Lenovo Legion Go, or Asus ROG Companion. The Switch 2 is thus very well equipped to weather the current component crisis, as it can be built for less while not necessarily suffering from its lack of raw power.