Why I sold my Xbox (and other devices) to fund a Switch 2

I’m in the final stages of selling several devices on eBay to fund a Switch 2. I’m really excited, as I’m drawn to Nintendo devices, even if I don’t fully agree with all of their business decisions. Maybe it was because I grew up as a Nintendo kid (and maybe it’s because I’m a Xenoblade freak), but I enjoy Nintendo devices. While basking in my anticipation, I’m also reflecting on the devices I’ve sold to get to this point. Let’s walk through it.

Xbox Series X

Let’s get this out of the way: from a hardware perspective, I love the Xbox and have since the Xbox One S days (my first Xbox console). And my optimism back in 2019-2022 for the brand was high. Sure, I have a thing for rooting for an underdog. While it feels funny referring to a company that prints money like Microsoft as an underdog, it’s hard to argue that with PlayStation and Nintendo’s dominance in the gaming space, Xbox especially at that time was the scrappier of the three companies.

My issue with them has been a promise vs delivery dynamic. I bought into the promise, but every year it feels like they keep promising but never delivering. Each Summer Game Fest showcase feels like it presents the same games that I saw three years ago, waiting for them to release, and they stay in development hell costing more and more money. Only for Xbox to either cancel the game for money reasons, let the game come out and then close the studio, or a combination of it all. And that has been hard to watch/support the last few years.

To be clear, I sold my Xbox before the last round of studio closure rumors/news (Compulsion, Ninja Theory, Double Fine). I decided to sell it after watching what I thought was a pretty damn good showcase — but it all felt the same. Ultimately, it came down to, would I be happy with a Switch 2 in my hands at the expense of not having an Xbox Series X collecting dust on my desk. And the answer was a major yes.

PlayStation Portal

The decision to sell my PlayStation Portal came down to one thing: consistent performance. I was not one of those people who were offended by the concept of the device. In fact, I was intrigued by the idea of having a device dedicated to streaming from my console in exchange for a lower cost of entry. And for a while, the thing worked amazingly. I was able to tear through a lot of Final Fantasy VII Remake from my couch.

When it worked, that little device had me grinning ear to ear. But then the cracks started to show. Some sessions would be so blurry or laggy, or sessions would disconnect altogether. And nothing with my internet setup would’ve changed. It was just dependent on the day. So the reliability became more and more questionable, which for me is a non-starter. And maybe it’s my internet, but if the device can’t “just work” with my tier of internet, I don’t see it working for me any time in the near future. Once I noticed I’d gone a couple months without touching it, I knew I’d be okay with letting it go. After seeing the Xenoblade Genesis trailer, I was already typing out the eBay listing.

Retroid Pocket 4 Pro

Let’s get this out of the way right now. There is nothing wrong with this device. For its size, it’s powerful. It feels good to hold. This was a classic case of “It’s not you, it’s me.”

When it comes down to it, I don’t really enjoy emulation on Android. Even when I spent a lot of time carefully setting up each app and frontend to make Android meld into the background, it still felt invasive. Every time I had to navigate folders, I was reminded how clunky it feels in that touch format on the RP4 Pro. Also, judging by my track record with emulation devices in general, maybe it says more about my feeling toward the devices in general than specifically about the Retroid Pocket.

Again, this came down to, would I be okay with playing Kingdom Hearts 4 in my hands at a coffee shop if it meant I no longer had a Retroid Pocket 4 Pro I hadn’t picked up in months? Indeed.

BOOX Onyx Leaf2

I think that name is correct?

This post isn’t meant to pile on Android. I like Android. I just don’t like Android in certain applications, and I discovered that eink devices are one of those. This device feels great, feels premium. You can do a lot with it. But after getting it in my hands for a year, I realized that…I don’t want my ereader to do much. In fact, I don’t want it to really do anything.

I recently published a post about the viral sensation Xteink X4, and one of the things I like most about it is the lack of bells and whistles. The custom firmware I flashed to it gets the hell out of my way, and I can just focus on reading.

With the Leaf2, from powering on the device to having a book open ready to read, it took 65.83 seconds on my last testing (one minute ago). It’s not necessarily a patience thing for me — I can be okay with slower devices. But when it comes to reading on a device that, being an eink reader, has a ton of limitations, one of those limitations shouldn’t be how quickly I can access words on the page. The Xteink has given me that lack of friction, so I was okay with parting from this premium reader.

Switch 2 Family

Ultimately, I’m a believer in the devices you use making you feel a certain way. I like to use tech that sparks an emotion in me. Nintendo devices do that. And the devices listed here had either lost that spark or was never able to conjure it from the beginning.

I hope it was clear throughout this post that none of these devices are bad, but they just didn’t provide me personally with enough value to keep them over the prospect of a Nintendo Switch 2.