Greetings everybody,
A quick foreword, I have a bit over 4000 hours total in FFXIV, and I'd assume a bit over 200 of those on Steam Deck (mostly OLED), and I consider myself a bit of a Steam Deck power user, as in lots of tinkering and experimenting. I've been playing the Switch 2 version all week and have about 15 hours clocked by the time I'm writing this.
TL;DR the Switch 2 version of FFXIV is great, I have very few issues with it (after today's hotfix) and I assume it'll also get better over time for reasons I'll explain further below. However, if you happen to own a Steam Deck there's almost no reason to get the Switch 2 version of FFXIV since the Steam Deck naturally has so many advantages over the Switch 2 version because the Steam Deck already plays your existing PC version of the game and comes with all the benefits of being a PC.
Steam Deck advantages
The main advantage here is that you're playing the PC version of the game, on a handheld PC. This comes with multiple benefits:
- You're playing your potentially already owned PC version of the game, no need to re-purchase the game or buying another subscription.
- It's fully customizable, just like the PC version. Want certain aspects of the game to look better? Increase the graphical fidelity. Don't care about shadows? Turn them down to the minimum for increased performance.
- XIVLauncher / plugin / third-party tool support. Even if the Steam Deck natively runs on Linux, pretty much every plugin and every tool runs and is supported for it, and mostly fully integrated into the experience if you go through the setup.
- It supports pretty much every input device and method imagineable.
A few other advantages that are more related to the Steam Deck themselves, and might be a bit more subjective:
- The game tends to perform better across the board on Steam Deck. The Switch 2 (in handheld) in hard-locked to 30 fps, while the Steam Deck usually reaches and holds 45-60 fps in most casual content. Some raids and trials can dip below those frame-rates, and high player count content like alliance raids or field operations will run at lower frames, but generally never under 30 fps.
- The game *can* look slightly better on Steam Deck than on Switch 2. The Switch 2 version of the game seems to be using the horrible implementation of FSR the game has instead of the slightly less horrible DLSS implementation, which causes some pretty jagged edges and lots of artifacting; I'm not exactly sure why they decided to use the FSR implementation considering the Switch 2 supports DLSS, but I assume this is something that could potentially be patched in the future. Regardless of this, with the Steam Deck being a handheld PC, you have access to third-party tools like OptiScaler or Lossless Scaling, which allow you to use newer and better implementations of FSR, which considerably improve visual quality and performance over the existing implementation.
- This is specific to the OLED version of the Steam Deck, but the Steam Deck OLED screen is much better than the Switch 2 LCD screen. I assume Nintendo took lots of compromises with the Switch 2 screen to reduce power draw, but even compared to the Steam Deck LCD screen it doesn't feel great.
- The Steam Deck "handheld controller" feels more comfortable than the Switch 2 joy-cons, and the Steam Deck handheld controller experience is MUCH more customizable with the fully configurable track pads and 4 included back buttons.
Switch 2 advantages
- This remains to be seen, but I assume the Switch 2 version generally will just work. This might seem like a bit of a no-brainer point, but might be an important one for some users; the Steam Deck experience isn't nearly as stable as your average console experience despite Valve constantly advertising it as such. In my 4 years of Steam Deck usage, I've ran into countless issues that were either attributed to Linux, SteamOS or Proton (the compatibility layer that runs Windows applications), and while most of those issues eventually get fixed or can be fixed through tinkering, it's never smooth sailing like on a conventional console.
- Official Square Enix support. I know for a fact that Square Enix has acknowledged the Steam Deck's existence and has put out patches which specifically fix Steam Deck issues, but this is a rare occasion and shouldn't count as official support of the hardware. Switch 2 will most likely be officially supported for years to come, and any issues will most likely get quickly acknowledged and fixed.
- The game runs surprisingly stable on Switch 2, in my 15 hours I've ran into pretty much no issues (outside of the now fixed load times). Steam Deck *generally* tends to run better, but there are occasional hiccups and rare crashes which I've not experienced so far on the Switch 2.
- The Switch 2 runs at 1080p compared to the Steam Deck's 800p, giving slightly more space for HUD placement and slightly better overall game sharpness.
- The Switch 2 has a native "auto-login" and you don't have to keep re-entering your password. While you could use XIVLauncher on Steam Deck and also completely skip the login process there, it's not "natively" built-in and therefore I'm counting this as a Switch 2 advantage.
- The Switch 2 is cheaper. After the recent price increases of the Steam Deck, even the cheapest models are quite a bit more expensive than the Switch 2, and it'll potentially get even worse in the coming months / years instead of getting better.
- The Switch 2 has a better battery life. No matter what I've tried, I could never push past 3 hours of battery time on my Steam Deck OLED while holding a stable game experience, and it's even worse on the Steam Deck LCD which can barely push 2 hours. The Switch 2 version seems to last for about 4.5 hours.
- Better tabletop experience and built-in docking. The Switch 2 naturally has a better tabletop experience with the built-in kickstand and the detachable joy-cons, and it already comes with a dock for TV gaming, which the Steam Deck does not. Docking the Switch 2 is also a lot faster and smoother than the Steam Deck, the Steam Deck docking experience overall feels very unstable at times.
- The Switch 2 is smaller and lighter than the Steam Deck; I personally don't have a problem with the Steam Deck's size and weight but yeah objectively the Switch 2 is smaller and lighter.
- The Switch 2 runs the game effectively silent at most times, compared to the Steam Deck LCD which runs as loud as a jet engine and the Steam Deck OLED which doesn't run quite as loud as the LCD, but still quite a bit louder than the Switch 2.
Overall, as already laid out in the TL;DR above, the Switch 2 version of FFXIV is great and runs very stable, and I assume it'll only get better over time. However, compared to the Steam Deck it's a very very tough recommend for many reasons, for me personally it's the lack of customization and third-party tool support on Switch 2 that'll most likely make me keep playing on Steam Deck.
If there're any questions about either version of the game, I'm happy to help out and respond wherever I can.
submitted by /u/ReaperRevillo
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A quick foreword, I have a bit over 4000 hours total in FFXIV, and I'd assume a bit over 200 of those on Steam Deck (mostly OLED), and I consider myself a bit of a Steam Deck power user, as in lots of tinkering and experimenting. I've been playing the Switch 2 version all week and have about 15 hours clocked by the time I'm writing this.
TL;DR the Switch 2 version of FFXIV is great, I have very few issues with it (after today's hotfix) and I assume it'll also get better over time for reasons I'll explain further below. However, if you happen to own a Steam Deck there's almost no reason to get the Switch 2 version of FFXIV since the Steam Deck naturally has so many advantages over the Switch 2 version because the Steam Deck already plays your existing PC version of the game and comes with all the benefits of being a PC.
Steam Deck advantages
The main advantage here is that you're playing the PC version of the game, on a handheld PC. This comes with multiple benefits:
- You're playing your potentially already owned PC version of the game, no need to re-purchase the game or buying another subscription.
- It's fully customizable, just like the PC version. Want certain aspects of the game to look better? Increase the graphical fidelity. Don't care about shadows? Turn them down to the minimum for increased performance.
- XIVLauncher / plugin / third-party tool support. Even if the Steam Deck natively runs on Linux, pretty much every plugin and every tool runs and is supported for it, and mostly fully integrated into the experience if you go through the setup.
- It supports pretty much every input device and method imagineable.
A few other advantages that are more related to the Steam Deck themselves, and might be a bit more subjective:
- The game tends to perform better across the board on Steam Deck. The Switch 2 (in handheld) in hard-locked to 30 fps, while the Steam Deck usually reaches and holds 45-60 fps in most casual content. Some raids and trials can dip below those frame-rates, and high player count content like alliance raids or field operations will run at lower frames, but generally never under 30 fps.
- The game *can* look slightly better on Steam Deck than on Switch 2. The Switch 2 version of the game seems to be using the horrible implementation of FSR the game has instead of the slightly less horrible DLSS implementation, which causes some pretty jagged edges and lots of artifacting; I'm not exactly sure why they decided to use the FSR implementation considering the Switch 2 supports DLSS, but I assume this is something that could potentially be patched in the future. Regardless of this, with the Steam Deck being a handheld PC, you have access to third-party tools like OptiScaler or Lossless Scaling, which allow you to use newer and better implementations of FSR, which considerably improve visual quality and performance over the existing implementation.
- This is specific to the OLED version of the Steam Deck, but the Steam Deck OLED screen is much better than the Switch 2 LCD screen. I assume Nintendo took lots of compromises with the Switch 2 screen to reduce power draw, but even compared to the Steam Deck LCD screen it doesn't feel great.
- The Steam Deck "handheld controller" feels more comfortable than the Switch 2 joy-cons, and the Steam Deck handheld controller experience is MUCH more customizable with the fully configurable track pads and 4 included back buttons.
Switch 2 advantages
- This remains to be seen, but I assume the Switch 2 version generally will just work. This might seem like a bit of a no-brainer point, but might be an important one for some users; the Steam Deck experience isn't nearly as stable as your average console experience despite Valve constantly advertising it as such. In my 4 years of Steam Deck usage, I've ran into countless issues that were either attributed to Linux, SteamOS or Proton (the compatibility layer that runs Windows applications), and while most of those issues eventually get fixed or can be fixed through tinkering, it's never smooth sailing like on a conventional console.
- Official Square Enix support. I know for a fact that Square Enix has acknowledged the Steam Deck's existence and has put out patches which specifically fix Steam Deck issues, but this is a rare occasion and shouldn't count as official support of the hardware. Switch 2 will most likely be officially supported for years to come, and any issues will most likely get quickly acknowledged and fixed.
- The game runs surprisingly stable on Switch 2, in my 15 hours I've ran into pretty much no issues (outside of the now fixed load times). Steam Deck *generally* tends to run better, but there are occasional hiccups and rare crashes which I've not experienced so far on the Switch 2.
- The Switch 2 runs at 1080p compared to the Steam Deck's 800p, giving slightly more space for HUD placement and slightly better overall game sharpness.
- The Switch 2 has a native "auto-login" and you don't have to keep re-entering your password. While you could use XIVLauncher on Steam Deck and also completely skip the login process there, it's not "natively" built-in and therefore I'm counting this as a Switch 2 advantage.
- The Switch 2 is cheaper. After the recent price increases of the Steam Deck, even the cheapest models are quite a bit more expensive than the Switch 2, and it'll potentially get even worse in the coming months / years instead of getting better.
- The Switch 2 has a better battery life. No matter what I've tried, I could never push past 3 hours of battery time on my Steam Deck OLED while holding a stable game experience, and it's even worse on the Steam Deck LCD which can barely push 2 hours. The Switch 2 version seems to last for about 4.5 hours.
- Better tabletop experience and built-in docking. The Switch 2 naturally has a better tabletop experience with the built-in kickstand and the detachable joy-cons, and it already comes with a dock for TV gaming, which the Steam Deck does not. Docking the Switch 2 is also a lot faster and smoother than the Steam Deck, the Steam Deck docking experience overall feels very unstable at times.
- The Switch 2 is smaller and lighter than the Steam Deck; I personally don't have a problem with the Steam Deck's size and weight but yeah objectively the Switch 2 is smaller and lighter.
- The Switch 2 runs the game effectively silent at most times, compared to the Steam Deck LCD which runs as loud as a jet engine and the Steam Deck OLED which doesn't run quite as loud as the LCD, but still quite a bit louder than the Switch 2.
Overall, as already laid out in the TL;DR above, the Switch 2 version of FFXIV is great and runs very stable, and I assume it'll only get better over time. However, compared to the Steam Deck it's a very very tough recommend for many reasons, for me personally it's the lack of customization and third-party tool support on Switch 2 that'll most likely make me keep playing on Steam Deck.
If there're any questions about either version of the game, I'm happy to help out and respond wherever I can.
submitted by /u/ReaperRevillo
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Continue reading...