I recently was deciding between the Steam Deck and a Switch 2, and at the end I chose the Switch 2 because of the lighter weight. I thought the Steam Deck would be too heavy for my weak hands. After spending some time with the Switch 2, I found it also being too heavy for longer gaming sessions.I bought a grip case to make it more ergonomic to hold, but still it gets tiring in less than an hour.
The Switch Lite has the perfect weight, but too many games have tiny text and UI designed for bigger screens.
Image credit: www.windowscentral.com
Never had one growing up so I can't say. I've only ever used the updated model that was a bit smaller, but I do like the feel of it.
I've always held my N64 controllers from the two side "horns", never the intended way. My fingers can reach all the buttons fine.