Switch 2 Rivalry Intensifies with Handheld PCs

The Nintendo Switch 2 is set to arrive in the very near future. Although we know quite a bit about it, its hefty $449.99 price tag and $79.99 games make me less eager to invest than I initially expected. Since picking up my Asus ROG Ally, my original Nintendo Switch has barely seen any use. Many of the issues I had with the first console only seem magnified in its successor, particularly in a world now full of handheld gaming PCs.

The Asus ROG Ally Meets All My Needs

I have loved handheld gaming since I was a child, moving from the Game Boy to the Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable. It remains my preferred way to play—nothing is more comfortable than curling up under a blanket and gaming from bed. I was even one of the small but dedicated PlayStation Vita fans, using it daily on my college train commute.

The Nintendo Switch amazed me when it launched in 2017, but despite buying one early, I only played exclusive titles on it. PC gaming doesn’t feel as comfortable, so whenever a game seemed better suited for handheld play due to its controls or graphics, I mentally reserved it for the Switch. I had a sort of mental block that stopped me from enjoying those games on any other platform.

However, if a game was available for free through the Epic Games Store, Game Pass, PlayStation Plus, or Humble Choice, buying it again on the Switch made me feel wasteful. Switch games are known for having fewer and less significant discounts compared to other stores, which only deepened my dilemma. This constant tug-of-war between “Why spend money on something I already own?” and “But I really want to play this on a handheld” always ended the same way: I ended up not playing the game at all.

That all changed in 2023 with the arrival of the Asus ROG Ally. As a Windows 11 handheld gaming PC, it gives me access to Steam, Game Pass, Epic Games, and more. Now, the games I avoided playing on my PC due to discomfort can be enjoyed just as comfortably from my bed.

Now I spend my time exploring a wealth of indie titles on my Ally, steadily working through my backlog. Without it, I might never have played Celeste, Little Nightmares II, or the Resident Evil Remake—all of which are now personal favorites. I didn’t have to buy them again, as I would have on Switch, and the Ally has become my handheld of choice while saving me a lot of money.

Even so, I was excited about the Nintendo Switch 2 announcement, because Nintendo’s games have always held a special place for me. After the Switch 2 Direct, though, I’m not sure where the new console would fit into my life.

When the original Switch launched, its appeal went beyond exclusive games. Its unique design and lower price compared to alternatives made it a compelling ecosystem to join. It was the only truly viable handheld at the time: affordable, packed with great exclusives, and completely unique.

The Switch 2 Now Faces Real Competition

With a starting price of $449, the Nintendo Switch 2 enters a much more competitive market. That launch price brings it close to the $499 PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. In fact, the digital edition PS5 launched at an even lower $399. To make matters more challenging, the original Switch’s design has inspired competitors. The trend kicked off with the Steam Deck in 2022, and now we have handheld gaming PCs like the Asus ROG Ally, Lenovo Legion Go, and MSI Claw. Some even speculate that Xbox may be working on its own handheld device. The Switch 2 is no longer the only option, and it mainly makes sense as a purchase if you don’t already own a handheld—which I do.

Handheld gaming PCs come with powerful hardware that handles indie and third-party games with ease. They offer a much broader library and let you access games you already own, making them an excellent all-in-one platform. The chipsets inside these devices are constantly improving, too. The AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme is waiting to power even more capable systems, meaning it won’t be long before the Switch 2 feels outclassed.

For those who already own a handheld gaming PC and are interested in new Nintendo exclusives, the price of entry is high for what may become a rarely used device. If a system like the Asus ROG Ally can play everything from indies to third-party titles, then a Switch 2 would likely only be used for Nintendo’s first-party games.

The high cost of those exclusives adds to the challenge. Games like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza are launching at $79.99 and $69.99 respectively. And given that Nintendo rarely drops prices on first-party titles, it’s hard to feel enthusiastic about buying them.

To be clear, Nintendo’s exclusive games offer exceptional quality and entertainment. The company has created some of the most celebrated games of all time, and for many players, the upcoming Switch 2 library will easily justify the console’s cost. But for handheld gaming PC owners like me, the Switch 2 needs to offer a little more to be worth the investment.

The Nintendo Switch 2 isn’t the right choice for everyone, especially if you already have a handheld gaming PC. Systems like the Legion Go offer strong performance and a huge catalog of indie and third-party games. My Asus ROG Ally handles everything I once relied on a Switch for, and with access to multiple storefronts, it’s simply a better platform for gaming.