3 features I need the Steam Deck 2 to copy from the Switch 2

I've fallen in love with the Nintendo Switch 2, but that's largely despite what the console is capable of, not because of it. I'm primarily a PC gamer, so as much as I've loved tearing through Mario Kart World, the lack of my Steam library has been a sore point. I normally reach for my Steam Deck when playing PC games on the go, but the Switch 2 has highlighted a few missteps with the original design that I hope Valve addresses with the Steam Deck 2.

3 Dual USB-C ports for charging and accessories

It just makes sense at this point

If there's one feature I'd consider a must-have on the Steam Deck 2, it's dual USB-C ports. The Nintendo Switch 2 has two USB-C ports, but even other handheld gaming PCs are beating Valve on that front. The ROG Ally X has access to two USB-C ports, replacing the proprietary XG-Mobile connector, and the Legion Go S comes with two, as well, even with the version that has SteamOS pre-installed. The original Steam Deck only has one, and Valve stuck with the same design on the Steam Deck OLED. The Steam Deck 2 needs a second port.

Ideally, it would come with ports split across the top and bottom similar to the Switch 2, and that's for a few reasons. First, charging. Depending on where you have your power adapter plugged in, it's sometimes more convenient to use a port on the top or bottom of the device, and it's a small feature of the Switch 2 that I never anticipated I'd appreciate as much as I do. Second, a bottom port could give third-party dock makers more options. Every Steam Deck dock needs to have a cable hanging off the end, but a bottom port would allow for a cableless docking experience, similar to the Switch and Switch 2.

More than anything, though, a second USB-C port just makes it more convenient to connect multiple things to the Steam Deck at once. Sure, you can pick up a cheap USB-C hub to connect your peripherals to the original Steam Deck, but considering most other handhelds have two USB-C ports now, it's hard to imagine the Steam Deck 2 without the feature.

2 A universal chat button

Not GameChat, but a universal chat button

Steam has plenty of chat features, and I certainly don't want Valve to build some Discord clone that only works on its hardware — that was a real great idea, Nintendo. Not that Valve would lock users to its platform anyway, nor charge a premium subscription to use it like Nintendo does with GameChat, but I still think the Steam Deck 2 could learn from this feature. GameChat is a miss not only due to the fact that it's locked to the Switch 2 and exclusive to Nintendo Switch Online users, but also because most external webcams don't work with the Switch 2. The one thing Nintendo got right was a dedicated button.

The Steam Deck already has a lot of buttons between your standard controls and two buttons exclusive for navigating the OS, but a dedicated button for social apps would be incredible. It would probably look something like a macro button, allowing you to tie different applications to the button. Technically, you can do this with the back buttons on the Steam Deck, but I'm really looking for something that's out of the way. I'd be pulling up Discord accidently way too often if I had it set to launch off one of the back buttons.

I'm not sure how Valve would go about adding this type of feature to the Steam Deck, but it'd probably look like either an official integration with Discord, or some sort of framework that allows developers to leverage a multi-use button for social features. Out of everything on this wishlist, this seems the most far-fetched for the Steam Deck 2; that doesn't mean it wouldn't be great to see.

1 A purpose-built docking solution

You should have more power when you have access to, well, power

Valve has an official dock for the Steam Deck, though I suspect the vast majority of people with a Steam Deck dock chose a cheaper third-party option — I'm partial to JSAUX accessories, for what it's worth. Valve's use of a standard USB-C port with power delivery and DisplayPort Alt mode means you can use just about anything to get the Steam Deck to output to a display, be it the official dock, a cheap third-party knock-off, or even a USB-C hub. With the original Switch, Nintendo used a very odd power configuration, which meant that some third-party docks could brick your device. I'm not sure what the situation is with the Switch 2, but I'm not going to be the one to roll the dice.

One thing that Nintendo did right with the Switch 2 dock, however, was give the device access to more power. When you're playing in portable mode, the Switch 2 consumes somewhere around 12W, but when you dock it, that ramps up to over 20W. With the Steam Deck, you have the same 15W maximum TDP, regardless of if you're connected to external power or not. The Steam Deck is designed to be a handheld console with docking capabilities. It isn't designed to pull double duty like the Switch 2.

With the Steam Deck 2, I'd love to see more power to the chip when it's plugged in. Maybe that comes in the form of a dock from Valve similar to the Switch 2, where you have a dedicated fan for cooling and increased power, but it could be as simple as the solution we've seen on devices like the ROG Ally X. When a power adapter is plugged in, you can run the chip inside at a higher TDP. Even if that only accounts for a small performance bump, there's no reason to limit power when you're, well, not limited by power.

Two different devices, two different purposes

The Steam Deck and Switch 2 have different focuses, and it'd be a disaster for Valve to try and ride Nintendo's coattail with the Steam Deck 2 — it likely wouldn't, anyway, and we can all be thankful for that. Still, it's worth highlighting what the Switch 2 gets right, and how it improves the capabilities of a handheld gaming device. Valve shouldn't trim the power and lock down the capacities of the Steam Deck 2 — that'd be horrible for everyone — but it could still take a few pointers from the Switch 2.