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More important to you, Portability or Graphics?

The better, and more honest, question would have been "do you prefer portability or power?"

The way the question is phrased doesn't touch on the difference between the two, and how the latter not only enables the graphics alluded to in the OP, but also the possible mechanics, gameplay, complexity and breadth a non-portable system can have that portables can't hope to compete with.

A portable has Zelda: BotW. It can go toe to toe with any PS4/Xbone game in terms of mechanics, gameplay, complexity and breadth. The graphics aren't too shabby either.
 
Gaming Laptop = why not both? Just kidding... 'dat battery...

On topic: they co-exist, for me.

My 3DS is my favorite system ever, given its library and its being highly portable.

But when I am home, and not simply unwinding in bed, well, then I get to enjoy the diverse gameplay afforded by my gaming PC... which happens to have graphics as gravy. ;)
 
Portability

Why? Well, for the same reasons sometimes I prefer see Youtube in my phone than in my laptop/PS3, even if I'm in my room.
 
Sonic Forces is the first case where I'll be choosing Switch over PS4 for a multiplatform game specifically because I prefer having portability over 60 FPS. I didn't have a problem playing Generations at 30 FPS so unless the technical performance on Switch is shockingly bad I don't think it'll be a dealbreaker.
 
Portability is invaluable to me, but it has nothing to do with playing games outside of the house. Being able to play a game while in bed, on the couch while someone else has the TV, in the bathroom, in other situations where I can squeeze a few minutes of play in is incredibly helpful. I like still being able to play games and be communal rather than absolutely glued somewhere.
 
Just a friendly reminder that portability doesn't mean you have to take it outside your house. I use my Switch basically 95% handheld mode and I've taken it out of my house maybe 2 or 3 times in 6 months.

Portability at home is incredibly convenient for some people.

Nah come on now what are you chattin' breh? Everyone knows portable gaming consists only of parked benches and bus trips, it's all a gimmick for casuals and something-something artificial scarcity.

/s obviously.
 
At home always, never really enjoyed games on a portable device.

Most western demographics also prefer video games in the living room on the big screen. That trend probably won't change any time soon.
 
What if you could play Zelda BOTW at a stunning 4K 60 FPS on a PS4pro
would you still get the switch version?

:D

Of course I would. This isn't even a question. Zelda on Switch is FAAAAAAAAAAR better than a PS4 Pro 4K maxed out BotW could ever be to me due to the portability factor.
 
If I have to choose one, the answer would be graphics. I've never been a huge fan of portable-only gaming.

But my real answer is convenience

Switch isn't appealing because it's portable. It's appealing because it's flexible and allows the user to experience it based on their lifestyle. Right now my Switch is used 99% of the time in its dock. In the future, that's probably going to change. But the games I play won't change.

Also, because the Switch needs to account for portable usage, the system is designed to fully wake from sleep in around three seconds. This alone has greatly added to the amount of time I play games. Easily being able to jump into a game for 5-10 minutes is huge for me.

So yeah, convenience

Good post.

My further take on this: Not even the best mobile consoles (#1 Switch, #2 Vita) have the ergonomics to make first person shooters as enjoyable, as they would be on a stationary console, with a proper controller.
I'd have bought Splatoon on the PS4 if i had the chance :P

On the other hand, unless it's a multiplayer shooter or the game's a story-heavy, very immersive experience, i see myself opting to get Switch versions over PS4 versions of games, unless they don't review favourably.

Mario+Rabbids is such a fantastic experience on the Switch and it would be a much worse game on a console like the PS4, because the game's designed to be consumed piecemeal and i can do so in bed, or while my girlfriend uses the living room TV. - also, i have the attention span of a 5-year-old and i pratically need to watch Giantbomb videos or listen to podcasts while playing games :P

I feel that's where many of the port-begs for switch ports come from - more and more people wanting to be able to play games at sufficient graphical fidelity, with decent to good controls (depending on the genre) without being (permanently) tethered to their stationary PC or console.
 
I lean more towards portability. I can pick up my Switch and play it in my living room, bedroom, on the go, etc., and the graphics are good enough that I enjoy the portable experience. I don't have as much time anymore to sit in one room and play games.
 
What do people mean by graphics?

For me all I don't care about the technical details outside of FPS, I just care about the end product and that is usually the artwork.

And I think all of the current gen consoles (including the Switch) are capable of putting out really beautiful games.
 
Portability is invaluable to me, but it has nothing to do with playing games outside of the house. Being able to play a game while in bed, on the couch while someone else has the TV, in the bathroom, in other situations where I can squeeze a few minutes of play in is incredibly helpful. I like still being able to play games and be communal rather than absolutely glued somewhere.

Exactly. I feel like this is the type of situation that adults with families will find incredibly appealing once they give it a try.

In college or right afterwards I had no issues being tied to a TV console, but now with a wife and kid on the way there's just no time for that. It's a lot easier to sneak a bit of game time into your day when you can just pick up a device, hit the sleep button and be playing within 5 seconds, wherever you are.
 
Honestly, I don't care about graphics.

More is better, of course, but I'm 41 and have been gaming since the 2600 days. Some of my favorite games of all time that I still play are Tecmo Super Bowl, Street Fighter 2 Turbo, Sim City 4, and these games have long been surpassed graphically. Not to mention all the quality indie stuff out there.

The hybrid/portable aspect of the Switch has been a complete gamechanger for me. I really appreciate the ability to dock the system when I'm home and take it when I travel.
 
Depends on the game.
Visual Novel? Portability
Sonic Mania? I would have bought for PSVITA but it was only on PS4, happy anyway.
A new Uncharted? Home Console (liked the VITA one, but it's the kind of game you want on the big screen, both for gameplay and cinematics)
God of War? Loved both on PSP and PS3, the game mechanics were solid in both so really didn't care about the graphic downgrade

It's never really about the graphic for me if are available version for both.
 
My further take on this: Not even the best mobile consoles (#1 Switch, #2 Vita) have the ergonomics to make first person shooters as enjoyable, as they would be on a stationary console, with a proper controller.
I'd have bought Splatoon on the PS4 if i had the chance :P

Splatoon without a pro controller..

fTqXYBB.png
 
Neither are huge deals for me.

I never bring with me portable gaming outside my apartment. (well outside of the occasional LAN with laptops. ) but the ability to play an game on an smaller screen at the same time as watching the big tv is nice. Turn-based games are optimal for this.

I think games have reached an high enough level that I don't really care all that much but impressive graphics can be very nice.
 
I'll take portability if gameplay is not compromised. I'm pretty easy to please with graphics as long as it doesn't look awful.
 
Graphics. While I understand the appeal of portability to others I wouldn't be much affected if handhelds didn't exist, providing I could play the games on consoles. Generally, just not how I like to play games.
 
I didn't know I cared about portability until I bought a Switch. Now that I can just relax in bed and play Breath of the Wild, portability is more important. Gameplay is king, though.
 
Portability it literally the last thing I care about in terms of games. I don't have a commute that uses public transportation so the entire portable gaming market is pointless to me. Gameplay > AI > Physics > Player Choice > Graphics >>>>>>>>>>>> Portability.
 
I don't game when "portable" so frame-rate

And yes, before you ask I consider frame rate graphics.
"Do you prefer chocolate or vanilla ice cream?"

"Im allergic to chocolate so strawberry

and yes, before you ask I consider strawberry vanilla."
 
At this point in my life, I'd much rather have portability. Graphics don't mean much to me these days and I can't imagine that will change any time soon. Being able to take a game anywhere is far more useful and allows me to actually play games. Were it not for portable gaming, I'd go many days without even touching a game.
 
Graphics/power by far. Portability is a step backwards and hinders progress for the sake of mobility. I mean Zelda BoTW wouldnt be possible on 3DS, but is on a more powerful machine. Now yes Switch machine is portable, but not in a conventional sense like previous handhelds. Battery life is poor and is quite large. Still, i could imagine how much better the game would be if it released on hardware on par with Pro/X.
 
The portable flexibility given with the Switch makes me want to throw my PS4 in the trash. I share a house with my wife and one child so commandeering solo time with the living room TV is a premium ask. Hanging out in my office gets a little lonely and gaming in the bedroom feels like something out of a teenager playbook.

Being able to game in the living room with the family in close proximity and being able to put the device away at a moments notice makes the experience as convenient as a smartphone while providing the larger scale experiences typically only found on consoles or PC. The ease of bringing it to a friends home for a gaming night is easy as hell too which is an enormous bonus.
 
If you asked me two months ago, I'd have said graphics. PC gaming preferred, since I have a comfortable set up.

But since my schedule changed I found myself struggling to fit gaming into my life, and Switch has made all the difference. Right now, I have hours of time to play games on Switch that I couldn't on console and so I'd be willing to trade off graphics to be able to actually have time to play.
 
Portability, I guess? Consoles feel like a bigger time commitment to me, even if it's the same game. I guess if I'm playing Switch or 3DS, it's like, I can set it down for a few minutes/hours/whatever and do other stuff, but with a console I feel more compelled to sit and play.
 
Graphics/power by far. Portability is a step backwards and hinders progress for the sake of mobility. I mean Zelda BoTW wouldnt be possible on 3DS, but is on a more powerful machine. Now yes Switch machine is portable, but not in a conventional sense like previous handhelds. Battery life is poor and is quite large. Still, i could imagine how much better the game would be if it released on hardware on par with Pro/X.

Portable isn't a step backwards, it's a step in a different direction. And it can't be a hindrance considering portables always follow in the steps of boxes connected to a display device. It's basically a convenience over power product.
 
Portability (with dock).

My PC is hooked up to a TV - which means it jostles for position with Netflix and all sorts of other stuff.

Removing the need to be attached to a TV is a massive benefit.

I wouldn't be aggrieved if PC's gradually started to shift away from towers and towards portability. Surface form factor to become the new normal. Plus I'd love the shitstorm if fixed component hardware started to become a norm on PC.
 
Graphics/power by far. Portability is a step backwards and hinders progress for the sake of mobility. I mean Zelda BoTW wouldnt be possible on 3DS, but is on a more powerful machine....

Wat

Edit: Oh, I read bad, Lol. Even, the battery life argument is very silly. Any 3DS owner know the shitty battery it has.
 
For me it would be graphics in this case because portability means little to me since even with my 3DS and Switch (and Vita before that) I just played in different areas in my house and never took it while traveling. I am just worried about losing it or something happening to them such a scratches etc.
 
Graphics/power by far. Portability is a step backwards and hinders progress for the sake of mobility. I mean Zelda BoTW wouldnt be possible on 3DS, but is on a more powerful machine. Now yes Switch machine is portable, but not in a conventional sense like previous handhelds. Battery life is poor and is quite large. Still, i could imagine how much better the game would be if it released on hardware on par with Pro/X.

Pro/X would be significantly poorer gameplay experience on a train.
 
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