Steam Machine vs. Switch 2: Which Console is Better?

When thinking about the price-and-performance philosophy, it's a comparison between the Steam Machine and Nintendo's Switch 2 platform. One is a mini-PC focused on raw power, and the other is an access-priced portable console focused on accessibility. Playing each game on both systems reveals which games benefit from no price differential and which have a price difference that can no longer be ignored.

First up, the Steam Machine's unboxing experience was quite remarkable. The packaging was modular and well-considered, and the unboxing process made the console look great. The unit itself is compact and has a GameCube-like shape, and swapping out faceplates will allow for a degree of customization without being gratuitous.

Unboxing and Design

The wood-grain faceplate added a nice touch to the console, complementing a wide range of setups. Easy to place with USB front and rear, Ethernet, power & HDMI output. A blue light bar along the front provides a few extra visual cues, particularly during downloads, when it reflects off a TV screen.

Less dramatically, the included Steam Controller also features a few things that add a fine finish. The initial positioning of the trackpads on the controller is close to the thumbsticks, but this isn't noticeable during longer play. Two cables (HDMI and power) are the only ones required for the setup, and the console even comes with a charging puck as a simple stand.

When running SteamOS, the Steam Machine's console appearance is felt even though it's a PC beneath. You can play games directly from the interface; the store is easy to navigate, and most day-to-day tasks are efficient. One of the biggest problems with it is that, unlike on a console, the graphics and resolution of every new game are still a bit hit-or-miss and will need some fine-tuning. 

That trade-off is a two-way street. On consoles such as PlayStation and Xbox, you can only choose from quality or performance settings with little flexibility to change them, and if you do, you never have to wonder whether you've got the settings set just as they should be. Be it 3D or 2D, that background tinkering never truly leaves the Steam Machine, even though the whole experience is more reminiscent of a console than a gaming PC.

Gaming Performance Comparison

This wasn't the case in Cyberpunk 2077. This was a new build for Switch 2 and isn't simply a port of the other version. Despite that, I ran it on the Steam Machine at 1440p with low ray tracing at 60 fps, and the performance gap was evident. Switch 2 version doesn't sound like a cut-down version of the game, even with that in mind.

With price and portability taken into consideration, the comparison is more even, but overall, the Steam Machine still outshines the other on purely visual and performance criteria. The difference between the two was greatest with The Witcher 3. Switch 2 was never released as a specific version of the game; instead, it is played via the original Switch port, which cannot display it correctly.

When running The Witcher 3 on the Steam Machine at 1440p on the maximum setting (with the ray tracing disabled because of visual glitches), the results were much closer to the original game. Steam Machine's ability to render some scenes in greater detail, such as a wheat field that looked more like a muddy swamp than a wheat field, was very apparent.

By default, Red Dead Redemption 2 runs at ultra and medium settings, and even at 1440p, testing showed 60 fps with no dropped frames. The outcome is especially noteworthy, as the game doesn't include a 60 fps patch for PlayStation 5, which runs at 30 fps instead. 

But that is a huge plus for Steam over fixed console hardware, as performance and settings can be tweaked without waiting for the developer to patch the console. The balance is still the same as price – the Steam Machine's entry-level price is comparable to that of a PlayStation 5 Pro.