Regarding Nintendo Handhelds, was the Switch concept inevitable?

[The_Liquid_Laser]

Mr Puggsly said:

Conina said:

Okay, and your opinion in graphic discussions will be worthless for many others in future discussions. They won't care what you say.

I think he's trying to say the Switch can handle PS4 games to some extent, some better than others, but his statement obviously just comes off ridiculous. I mean you can't compare Wolfenstein II and say its essentially the same. Or maybe he looks at a game like Tales of Vesperia and determines Switch and PS4 are about equal.

Its kinda like boasting a cheap video card can play the same stuff as an expensive video card. One just might look like garbage in comparison.

Actually what I'm talking about is diminishing returns.  In previous generations there was a noticable graphical leap when a new generation came out.

PS1 -> PS2  "Wow look at the huge difference in graphics"
PS2 -> PS3  "These HD visuals look amazing"
PS3 -> PS4 "Meh, it looks a little better...I guess"

If you've got a handheld with PS1 level graphics, like the DS, and it's out at the same time as the PS3, then visually it just doesn't compare.  Obviously people are going to like the looks of a PS3 much more than a DS.  On the other hand if you've got a handheld at PS3 levels, then people might not care about playing a PS4 at home, because it's just a minor upgrade at that point.

Well the specs on a Switch are much better than a PS3.  Specs on Switch are much closer to PS4 than PS3.  At that point you can only tell the difference with a side by side comparison.  Most people won't bother with that.  (I certainly don't bother with it.)  Instead most people will say, "Switch looks good enough."  The portability becomes a much bigger factor than the minor graphical upgrade. 

In fact even against the PS5, the Switch will look good enough.  A person has to have a pretty big 4K TV and/or be at the right distance to get the full value of 4K.  Most people will still think the Switch looks good enough.  I mean, more people bought a Wii than a PS3, and the graphical difference there was extremely noticable.  Because of diminishing returns, PS5 won't even seem like that much better over Switch.  Most people are just not going to get a 70" 4K TV so that they can tell the difference.  

This is why Switch was inevitable.  Handheld graphics have essentially caught up to home graphics.  Because of diminishing returns, the differences barely matter anymore.