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.
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For me it's more about the games I can play on the device. In that regard, I think the switch has a very different selling point compared to the Linux/Windows devices. If you like the Nintendo IP's that's more important to me than the form factor. I still have a Switch 1 but I don't play it that often anymore.
I personally bought a Steam deck a while ago and while it's a little bit bulky I like the portability and the ability to hop in and out of games. I've started using my desktop less and spend more time in the living room with my partner.
Do you ever use your Steam Deck handheld for long gaming sessions? I don't mind the size but the weight give me cramps.
I usually play until it needs to be charged again or until I want to do something else. The longest I've played in one sitting is probably 2 hours and for that time it was still fine for me.