It’s a great opportunity to buy a PlayStation 5, Xbox One X, or Nintendo Switch right now, if you can locate one in good working condition. However, selecting one of the three methods may seem to be a difficult task. Sony’s PlayStation 5, Microsoft’s Xbox One X, and Nintendo’s Switch are three very distinct systems with three very different game libraries and, possibly, three very different price tags.
Already, I’ve published a lot of console comparisons, such as our PlayStation 5 vs. Xbox One X comparison, as well as our Nintendo Switch Lite vs. Nintendo Switch comparison. However, we want to take a step back and offer a simple starting point for consumers with this comparison. No technical analyses or spec comparisons will be included in this discussion. Our goal is to communicate as clearly as possible the advantages and disadvantages of each system, as well as the games you can anticipate to be able to play on each of them.
If you’ve decided that you’re ready to make the investment in a gaming console, keep reading to learn which one is best for you — and which ones you should keep in mind for the future.
Microsoft Xbox Series X
At a glance:
the Xbox Series X is the most powerful system available, with a more powerful CPU and more storage capacity than either the PlayStation 5 or Nintendo Switch, to name a few examples. The Xbox Series X is a big black rectangle with a disc drive in the front and a multitude of connectors on the rear. It is designed to be used with a television. It’s also a part of the broader Xbox ecosystem, which allows you to store your progress and start-up where you left off regardless of whether you’re playing on an Xbox Series X, and Xbox One, a desktop computer, a smartphone app, or any combination of these devices. It costs $500 to purchase the full-featured Xbox Series X; it costs $300 to get the smaller, less powerful, all-digital Xbox Series S.
Microsoft Xbox Series X Pros:
Consider the following advantages of using an Xbox Games X: Because it is the most powerful of the three consoles, it is probably the finest platform for playing major multi-platform series such as Call of Duty and Assassin’s Creed. Games from Microsoft-exclusive franchises such as Halo, Gears of War, and Forza Motorsport have long been multiplayer favorites, and Microsoft’s acquisition of companies such as Bethesda and Obsidian means that there will be plenty for single-player enthusiasts as well. It has the most extensive backward compatibility of all three Xbox systems, allowing users to play nearly all Xbox One titles as well as many Xbox 360 and original Xbox games on the same machine.
Although it is possible that the most significant benefit of purchasing an Xbox Series X is the ability to take full use of the Xbox Game Pass. More than 300 games are available for download on an Xbox or PC, and you can stream them to an Android or iOS smartphone for $15 a month. No matter where you play, your progress is carried over to the next game. You don’t need an Xbox Series X to make use of this, but the fact that you can play games at 4K quality at 60 frames per second speaks for itself.
Microsoft Xbox Series X Cons:
While Microsoft owns a lot of interesting brands, none of them have yet to make an exclusive appearance on the Xbox Series X console. At the present, we’re stuck between Halo, Gears, and Forza titles, while major RPGs like Starfield and Avowed are still months, if not years, away from release.
Furthermore, because of one of the Xbox Series X’s most significant advantages — its multiplatform environment — you do not need to purchase the console in order to enjoy the finest games it has to offer. An Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership for $15 per month, or a powerful gaming PC, might potentially provide an experience comparable to this. However, it would be more difficult to do this. In addition, although it isn’t a deal-breaker, the Xbox Series X does not include any USB-C connections, making the system a bit less future-proof than it should be.
Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch OLED
At a glance:
the $299 Nintendo Switch is a tiny, lightweight console with a novel concept: it can function as a full-featured portable device As its name implies, the Switch can be used in two ways: either in your hands, where you may play the game on a bright six-inch screen or docked to your television, where you can use a more conventional controller.
On the other hand, the Nintendo Switch OLED, which will be released on October 8th, will have a larger 7-inch OLED display, a wider adjustable stand, and a dock with a wired LAN connection. It will also have 64GB of storage and improved acoustics. Despite the fact that the $199 portable Nintendo Switch Lite does not contain a dock, it is an excellent cheap alternative for people who do not want to play on television.
The Switch, being a Nintendo system, is particularly kid-friendly, housing popular titles such as Super Mario, Pokémon, and The Legend of Zelda, among others. However, it has a lot of appeal for adults as well, thanks to a never-ending parade of innovative independent games as well as third-party ports ranging from Doom to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and everything in between.
Nintendo Switch Pros
It almost goes without saying that the option to pick up your console and carry your games with you wherever you go is a novel concept. Cons: The Switch is, in fact, as smooth as Nintendo promises on its website. When you plug it into the dock, your game appears on television; when you pick up the console, it transforms into a handheld device. This may be a game-changer if you live in a home with just one television, and it’s hard to emphasize how important this is.
It’s also worth noting that the Switch is home to some really great titles, like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which has been dubbed the finest game of the decade. The Switch has the potential to collect dust between big releases, but its first-party offerings, from the expansive Super Mario Odyssey to the incredibly calm Animal Crossing: New Horizons, are frequently a cut above the rest.
Nintendo Switch Cons
Because the Switch is the oldest of the three main consoles on the market, it is also the least powerful of the three. It’s not only that the Switch is built with older components; it’s also because it’s intended to be a lot more entry-level computer. When compared to the 4k/60 fps claims made by the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, the Nintendo Switch only offers 720p in handheld mode and 1080p when connected to a TV; most games operate at 30 frames per second. If you have a UHD TV, this may seem to be simply an aesthetic consideration, but it makes a significant impact.
There is also a related problem to consider: the fact that the Switch has been in production for four years and is already due for a 4K replacement. Despite the fact that the Switch OLED will be available this autumn, it will still have a 1080p screen and a majority of the same components as the standard Switch. If you purchase a Switch today, you may have to replace it as soon as next year if you don’t take proper care of it. Moreover, even if you don’t, you’ll most certainly lose out on some fantastic third-party titles as games adjust to increasingly demanding hardware specifications.
Sony PlayStation 5
At a glance:
The PlayStation 5 is a beast of a system in more ways than one, and it is the fifth edition in the company’s PlayStation lineup. This massive two-toned gadget has the appearance of a massive asymmetrical router. However, underneath its ostentatious exterior, the PlayStation 5 is primarily about the games. It’s not only that the PS5 is home to a number of great Sony exclusives, such as Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart and Spider-Man: Miles Morales, but it’s also a fantastic location to play PS4 titles, due to the system’s outstanding backward compatibility. Despite the fact that the PS5 isn’t nearly as powerful as the Xbox Series X, it is similar, and its 825 GB SSD is one of the quickest available on the market.
Sony PlayStation 5 Pros
Besides being a powerful computer in general, the PS5 offers two notable features: access to Sony-exclusive series and the innovative DualSense controller, which is a first for a gaming console. It goes on and on: Sony has exclusive publishing rights to the Ratchet & Clank, God of War, Horizon, The Last of Us, Spider-Man, Demon’s Souls, Gran Turismo, and a slew of other brands. These games have consistently ranked at the top of “best of” lists throughout the previous generation, owing to their superior game design and high production values, respectively.
A special note should be made of the DualSense controller, which uses a variety of innovative and subtle haptics that are now available on the market. Rather than just vibrating, the DualSense can provide a variety of other sensations, such as footfall, money collection, and even the movement of different kinds of barriers. Additionally, the controller’s adaptable triggers have the ability to become resistive, providing an extra degree of realism in anything from shooting a shotgun to throwing webs across Manhattan.
Sony PlayStation 5 Cons
In addition to being almost hard to come by (it’s certainly the most difficult of the three consoles to get right now), the PS5 is, in some respects, a throwback to the days of old-school gaming systems. Take a Switch with you everywhere you go; stream an Xbox game from virtually wherever you go. It is possible to play a PS5 game on your TV, or on a PC or smartphone screen connected to your local network. Although it offers a limited number of streaming applications, it lacks the cohesiveness of Xbox Game Pass’s subscription services. (And even then, wireless controllers are a tough sell.)
The fact that the PS5 is a large, hefty device that is difficult to fit into an entertainment center cannot be overlooked. Adding more internal storage capacity is not currently feasible, and if it becomes viable, it will need a significant amount of additional work. Exclusive series: God of War, Gran Turismo, Horizon, Ratchet & Clank, Spider-Man What about gaming PCs, cellphones, and other consoles?
What about gaming PCs/smartphones/other consoles?
The PlayStation 5, Xbox One X, and Nintendo Switch are not the only gaming consoles available for purchase. On the finest smartphones and gaming PCs, you can have amazing gaming experiences. The Xbox One and PlayStation 4 are still functional gaming systems, plus there is a plethora of cheap vintage gaming to be found on the internet.
All of them are excellent choices that are well worth considering, depending on what you want to get out of a gaming system. However, for the time being, the PlayStation 5, Xbox One X, and Nintendo Switch are the most famous consoles on the market, and they serve as the most accessible entry point into the gaming industry. Unless you have a particular need for something very powerful (such as a gaming PC) or something really inexpensive (such as a cloud gaming service on your smartphone), your options are limited.
