The handheld version of *Perception of Quality Existence* really is quite different!

Capcom’s new sci-fi title Pragmata has entered the final countdown to release, and platform performance is starting to become more meaningful than the trailers. Today, ElAnalistaDeBits shared a handheld comparison video between Nintendo Switch 2 and Steam Deck, and the conclusion is quite clear: if we look only at portable play, the Switch 2 version currently appears to be the one receiving more focused optimization.

First, docked mode. Steam Deck uses FSR 3 to upscale from 540p to 1080p, with the frame rate holding at around 30 FPS. Switch 2 also scales from 540p to 1080p, but with DLSS, it maintains a steady frame rate of around 50 FPS. Objectively speaking, neither is outputting at native high resolution, but the final presentation differs by a clearly noticeable tier—especially in sci-fi scenes with frequent action and camera movement, where frame rate affects the experience more than on-paper pixel counts.

The gap in handheld mode is less dramatic than in docked mode, but the trend remains the same. Steam Deck uses FSR 3 to scale from 360p to 720p, delivering about 40 FPS; under the same 360p-to-720p scaling conditions, Switch 2 reaches around 45 FPS with the help of DLSS. A 5-frame difference may not seem large on its own, but for a handheld, stability, image cleanliness, and expected power consumption often combine to determine the overall experience.

More importantly, the key issue lies in visual side effects. The comparison video shows that Steam Deck exhibits obvious flickering artifacts in some complex scenes. Problems like this do not just hurt screenshot quality—they can also increase fatigue during longer play sessions. Switch 2, by contrast, is described as having better image quality overall, with smoother performance and a superior visual experience compared with Steam Deck. From a design perspective, this feels like two different approaches submitting answers at the same target resolution: one relying on broad compatibility, the other leaning closer to custom optimization.

The buying advice can be put quite simply: if you plan to play Pragmata in handheld form, the Switch 2 version is currently the one more worth prioritizing. Steam Deck still has the advantage of an open ecosystem and compatibility with the PC library, but in the current comparison for this game, it has not translated those strengths into better visual performance. If you care more about maximum image quality and stable frame rates, PC, PS5, or Xbox will still be the safer high-performance options.

This comparison also sends a broader industry signal. If Switch 2 can consistently use DLSS to make up for the raw performance gap of mobile chips, its competitiveness in third-party blockbuster titles will be much stronger than that of the previous generation. It may not aim to win on specs alone, but as long as it reduces artifacts and improves frame rates in real-world use, it can establish a clear product position. For Pragmata, the handheld version is no longer just about “whether it can run,” but is starting to enter the discussion of “which version is the better value.”