It's a neat piece of hardware, but I have a hard time believing it will be any more than a fad. Who is this for? Serious PC gamers? Why not just play on the "real" PC they already have, with the super-expensive monitor, graphics card, and input devices they carefully assembled? Casual gamers that don't care so much about those things and want to play meatier games on the go? Why wouldn't they just buy a Switch (which already carries many "PC" games, large and small)?
The Index was genuinely revolutionary, despite also being punishingly expensive. It's hard not to feel a sense of envy on seeing one in action. But this? No one will care in a year (or maybe even six months).
I have a gaming PC and a switch. I buy and play lots of indie games. Each time I have to pick a platform.
Steam: more support, lower price, won't have to buy it again if another "version" of the hardware comes out
Switch: portable, multiple controllers for local multiplayers.
Now I don't have to choose anymore. And I already have a big library of games. I will only need a switch for exclusive games and local multiplayer games.
I have exactly the same use case and everytime I had to choose a platform before buying I was hoping Valve would release a handheld machine, my wish was granted :).
I game casually and did not buy a switch, simply because I do not want to plonk $300 on a single-use device that does a marginal job at gaming (mediocre graphics, expensive games).
Steam Deck is a slightly more expensive gaming device, but it does so much more. Previous attempts at these palm sized gaming PC failed because they were half assed, software and hardware wise. Steam deck isn’t.
I never saw the switch as a device for games in general. It is mostly the vessel for the next iteration of Nintendo-exclusive games. Those games don’t need super fancy hardware because the point of the games isn’t to show you the latest graphics.
The switch isn’t “just a handheld games console like any other.” It is “this thing you must buy to play the latest mario/Zelda/animal crossing game.” Obviously if you aren’t interested in those games there isn’t so much of a point.
The Index was genuinely revolutionary, despite also being punishingly expensive. It's hard not to feel a sense of envy on seeing one in action. But this? No one will care in a year (or maybe even six months).