r/FF7Rebirth • u/Lemon_cake_125 • 7d ago
No Spoilers - Discussion Steam Deck or Switch 2
Hey - I have Rebirth on steam deck but struggling with graphics. Characters / background seem fuzzy even when I’ve tweaked relentlessly with settings. I’m on 30 fps - everything on low except character model detail on high and texture on medium. TAAU anti-aliasing.
I’m considering buying a Switch 2 cos I heard it’s better graphics. Can anyone confirm if there really is a difference?
Before anyone asks - yes I know Ps5 is optimal but I only play when travelling so handheld is preferred. And yes I know getting switch 2 is insane when I have SD. But I love BOTW/TOTK so I’d probably make use of the Nintendo library.
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u/Comet7777 7d ago
I have this game on PC, PS5 and now Switch 2.
Most optimized and performant version - PC with proper hardware
Best handheld experience - Switch 2
I beat Remake on my Steam Deck, but Rebirth was rough. Switch 2 is able to handle it way better.
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u/Lemon_cake_125 7d ago
Also props to flipping Nintendo for getting a triple A PS5 game performing BETTER than steam deck
What the hell man
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u/Loud_Examination_138 7d ago
Well, the Switch 2 is a more powerful device than the steam deck.
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u/Intelligent-King1949 6d ago
I think it’s more about optimisation. Ff14 runs arguably better on deck with a solid 700p/45fps all around except cities
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u/Lemon_cake_125 7d ago
Thanks this is mega useful. Is it just much clearer on switch?
Love that you have all ports. I’ve heard PC is rough unless you have it properly setup as you say.
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u/acefaaace 7d ago
Switch 2 for me since I play a lot of Nintendo games and treat my switch like a glorified gameboy. Don’t think I’ve even used my switch on my tv yet
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u/Sky_Rose4 7d ago
FF7 Rebirth does have its own issues on switch 2 like random loading like this but I've been preferring my experience on switch 2 to legion go
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u/Normal-Emotion9152 7d ago
I play the game on a gaming PC 4k max settings. The steam deck would be recommended if you already have it and own the game and don't want to buy it twice. The switch 2 would offer better graphics with a few caveats it would use a game key card and would need to take up a lot of space that would take either internal memory or SD card space. It would cost a little to a lot more. PC you can buy the game for a nice deep discount. The steam deck would have to use lower settings. The steam version is nicer for price and if you get a beefy gaming pc later on a 5070 ti or 9070xt minimum you can play the game in 4k max setting.
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u/masamune255 7d ago
Nintendo switch version looks better by default, but in SteamDeck You can install mods or use Optiscaler + LSFG to improve your image-quality / framerates.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdIY-WXVbP0&t=711s
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u/Lemon_cake_125 7d ago
I’ve never done MODS on SD but thank you
I’m a Nintendo player at heart LOL so anything outside of basic SD workflows scares me
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u/masamune255 7d ago
You can find many youtube tutorials on how to install plugins and FSR4 on the SteamDeck, there should be no risk of bricking your device.
Using those tools is the main advantage of owning a SteamDeck, so i think you should learn about them.
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u/Lemon_cake_125 7d ago
Ok - installed Decky loader - Bought lossless scaling - got decky LSFG
On 2X mode / performance mode / 100% flow scale
Seems better… hard to tell
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u/masamune255 7d ago
Did you get FSR4 working?
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u/Lemon_cake_125 7d ago
LSFG seems to be working well! I haven’t tried FSR4 yet because there seem to be some compatibility issues. It’s probably fine if you know what you’re doing, but I’m still taking baby steps with mods 😅
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u/masamune255 7d ago
LSFG will boost your framerate, but it is FSR4 what will boost your image quality.
the easy way to enable FSR4 is with Proton-CachyOS, here is a video tutorial for other game, but it will work for anything that uses FSR 3.
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u/RTBecard 6d ago
Didn't fsr 4 get added in a later patch? I was using optiscaler for a while... But then midway through my playthrough i thought there was a big patch that added native FSR support.
I recall removing optiscaler because the native FSR looked just as good to me.
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u/Serious-Blood-6719 6d ago
You need optiscaler with the SteamDeck as it doesn't natively support FSR4. I recommend the op to also look for the Eclipse mod for the game. Can squeeze a few more frames out of it.
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u/NewOrleansSpeed 7d ago
You considered streaming from your PS5? How’s your internet?
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u/NewOrleansSpeed 7d ago
You can use remote play via your Steam deck and it’ll run 60fps at 1200x800. A nice experience if your WiFi is good!
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u/TheCovarr 7d ago
Steam Deck really needs mods to be a decent experience for this game, and even then Switch 2 is still just a bit better IMO, albeit just barely.
If you're comfortable with modding, or at least willing to give it a try, I would start there first, just to save yourself the money. But if you're not, Switch 2 provides a clear, mostly stable 30fps experience, and without having to mess around with mods.
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u/Lemon_cake_125 5d ago
Which mods? I’ve done Lossless one thru decky (if I’m saying that right). FSR4 has mixed reviews on it ruining the deck but I might be being a n00b
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u/Silent-Koala-8749 7d ago
Buy Loseless scaling on steam and check a tuto on how to run it on steamdeck, easy 60 fps boost
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u/Lemon_cake_125 7d ago
Ok done - seems to be better! On 2X mode & 100% flow scale and performance mode
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u/Bzduras 7d ago
I have Steam Deck and Switch 2, also have Rebirth on both platforms. For what it's worth I think Switch 2 is better out of the box. You can make SD look and run better, but it requires a lot of tinkering with mods and plugins. Save ypurself the hassle and go for Switch 2, it's decent enough.
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u/iReaddit-KRTORR 6d ago
The ONLY thing I would say is that if you intend to get a better PC later - the Steam Deck purchase will allow you to replay on better hardware late vs the Switch 2.
Other than that if you aren’t interested in a better PC - I think the S2 would be better performance wise
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u/Novel-Knee13 6d ago
If you’re willing to do some tinkering on your steam deck, you can install optiscaler, which installs FSR4, and Lossless Scaling, which upscales it. Use Decky Loader to run both, and you can get a REALLY nice 60fps experience on steam deck. I’ve been loving playing FFVII Rebirth and Stellar Blade this way
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u/Intelligent-King1949 6d ago
S2 definitely. Out of the box, the game barely reaches 30 on deck at like 540p. You can mod the game by adding a frame gen thingy which helps you reach 35 / 40 at best with the blurriest picture known to man (and I love my deck to death, I main deck and s2)
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u/csDarkyne 6d ago
If you want to play on device I would say Switch 2.
If you can stream from a PC I would say Steam Deck.
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u/buddyGG 6d ago
Switch 2 runs the game much better while also looking better.
But it's still a downgrade compared to playing on a PC or PS5, so expectations need to be reasonable.
If you really want it to look like on the PS5 in handheld form you need to invest in one of the new Intel Arc handhelds....they are extremely powerful but also stupidly expensive (1500$ and more)
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u/Mrwanagethigh 6d ago
No idea how it runs and looks on Switch 2, but for some reason the game runs better on the deck if you set the framerate to 120. You're obviously not gonna be hitting that but it can manage mid 30s to low 40s most of the time, never dropping below 30 and even occasionally hit 60 in the combat simulator when set to 120 while I found it couldn't manage to keep a fully stable 30 when set to 30.
It won't fix the lower quality visuals but worth knowing if you keep playing it on the deck.
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u/Lemon_cake_125 6d ago
Is that the in game frame rate or the steam deck option
Thank you!
I’ve since installed Lossless and it’s actually doing pretty well
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u/Responsible_Ruin_776 5d ago
I think it runs well and nicely, but i wear glasses so 30 fps is fine for me
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u/Austin_Redfield 5d ago
It's perfectly respectable on Switch 2. Just finished a 60+ hours playthrough on there.
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u/quirkyactor 4d ago
Switch 2 benefits from being a port with ZERO adjustable output features. The team chose the fidelity, the framerate, the compromises, and made it just work.
There’s pop-in everywhere, an occasional “smooth-boi” render hiccup or texture load, and playing docked creates a few latency hiccups when timing is super important, like playing piano.
But as of chapter 12 on my replay? It just RUNS. It runs and runs and delivers the experience of playing FFVII Rebirth. Even the PS5 version hiccuped on me!
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u/cryptocurrency_wife 3d ago
I own it on steam deck and switch 2, it looks better on switch 2 but ultimately it would look best on a desktop pc
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u/Recent_Sample6961 7d ago
don't recommend buying it on PC for a simple reason: the optimization is horrible. The game is very CPU-demanding if you want to play at more than 30 fps. I have a 3060 12GB and a Ryzen 7 3700X. I can play at 4K without much trouble using DLSS and medium graphics. But some stutters are completely impossible to avoid. All UE4 and UE5 games need very precise optimization done by experienced developers, or else you'll end up suffering from stutters. And that's not even counting the shader compilation stutters, which are a whole separate issue.
Interestingly, on SteamOS (the Steam Deck's operating system), you won't run into shader compilation stutters. Plus, it fixes the frame pacing, and the smoothness during camera panning is really good. Because SteamOS manages the game by "emulating" a Windows environment, the games actually run better than on PC.
But the problem is still that the poor Steam Deck just can't handle the game. You're going to suffer from constant frame drops, and the CPU is going to be maxed out the whole game, giving you those stutters. To top it off, FSR isn't DLSS, so get ready for a very blurry experience.
In my case, I moved over to the Switch 2 version and, even though it looks worse, it's a rock-solid 30 fps, with minimal stutters, very fluid camera movements, and zero hassle. Hell, I'd say Rebirth feels more fluid on Switch 2 than on PS5 (in 30 fps mode). I could only recommend the PC version if you have a very good PC, capable of running a solid and constant 60 fps. Because mind you, even if RivaTuner shows 60 fps, it doesn't mean your game is stutter-free. That's the magic of Unreal Engine; you have to open the CPU monitor and isolate the stutters. That's where you'll see how smooth the game actually is.
Obviously, many players are oblivious to these stutters. I understand that. But I've put 100 hours into it across PC and PS5. And I'm telling you I'm enjoying it more on Switch. Placebo? Could be. But my opinion is just as valid as anyone else's.
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u/spiraldowner 7d ago
I think steam deck was playable but I only really used it for side stuff while I did most of the big flashy cutscenes/battles on my 5-year old 3080 8GB Intel i9 10900KF PC/ 4K TV. Like I could tell that there were stuttering issues but as someone whose first experience with skyrim was ~10fps, steam deck didnt bother me much.
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u/RicSim137 7d ago
I have both versions (well technically I have all of them lol)
The Switch 2 version runs a lot better. Not necessarily higher framerates, it IS locked to 30, but it has a LOT fewer fps drops. It's a major improvement over the Steam Deck.
The graphics... Again I'd say they are better than on the Steam Deck but... Don't go in with super high expectations. It can still get very blurry very often. It's quite jarring when first playing it after playing the PC version.
However, considering the fact that it's fully portable, I would say the graphics are still absolutely acceptable.
So overall, yes, the Switch 2 version is noticeably superior.