Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade Gets Switch 2 Demo, And It Has A Noticeable Edge Over The Steam Deck

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Ever since its announcement, I have been quite interested in Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade on the Switch 2. It was already quite playable on the Steam Deck, but moving to an even lower-powered device in handheld mode was a feat I didn’t know would be possible. Yet here we are, and a demo has just been released for the Switch 2 version of the game, and I just had to test it out for myself.

After playing for a while, I have to say I am quite impressed with the results. Despite the Switch 2 having less power in handheld mode, its quality seems to be on par with the Steam Deck, which is pretty amazing. The Steam Deck defaults to high settings with a 30 FPS lock, and the Switch 2 version of the game does as well.

The biggest difference between the two at default is going to be resolution, which makes the game look crystal clear on the Switch 2. The Switch 2 pushes to 1920x1080, while the Deck sits at 1280x720. It's crazy how much extra detail is showing on the small screen, and while it isn't so bad on the Steam Deck, I love how much better it looks on the Switch 2. There are still some problem areas that look a little pixelated or blurry on both devices, like looking at chainlink fences, but these are small in the grand scheme.

Moving towards docked mode, it looks about the same quality as both the Switch 2 and Steam Deck, but with an even higher resolution. Docked brings the game up to 2560x1440, making it look even sharper. This is perfect for TVs, and I am overjoyed to see it. I do wish we had the option to push 1080p with a higher framerate, as I usually prefer smoothness over sharpness, but that doesn't change the fact that docked is a nice improvement.

The big angle that the Deck has over the Switch 2 version is framerate. Regardless of handheld or docked mode, the framerate is locked to 30 FPS, but on the Steam Deck, we can push it upwards. Most of the game runs at 40 FPS and above, and by locking it at 40, the action feels significantly smoother. There are still some areas, like Sector 7 Slums, that drop below 40, but the bulk of the game does feel good at 40. In the same area as the demo, the game actually sticks closer to 50-60 FPS, which is a nice edge the Deck has.

As this is a demo, Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade's performance can't be fully evaluated on Switch 2 yet. There are later areas worth testing, and I look forward to doing it. That being said, it looks like the Switch 2 version will have the better visuals, but the Deck will be able to push the framerate for a smoother experience. So, it's tough to say which device will be best to play on if you want a portable experience, but depending on your preferences, it makes the choice easier.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade will be releasing on Switch 2 January 22nd, and is available for purchase on Steam for $39.99. However, the Steam Winter Sale will start later today, so I recommend waiting before purchasing this game on Steam.

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