It’s always a learning curve when researching and deciding which automobile to buy, which pair of headsets will provide the best experience, and which gaming console is the best choice for you. And because we will be discussing the latter, let’s start off by saying that you can’t go wrong with any of them but the nuances in each will ultimately tell the tale as to which suits you best.
Today’s gamers are not only recreational players but there is now prize money in the offing for the best in the world. As a matter of fact, professional tournaments have become so mainstream that odds are being offered on individual players and the teams they represent. States with legal online sports betting will often feature odds on competitions like League of Legends, DOTA 2, Counter-Strike Global Offensive, and Fortnite to name those among the most popular in today’s esports market.
Although there is no universal choice as to the holy grail of gaming consoles, it should be noted that only three manufacturers control approximately 75 percent of the market with the smaller companies trying to find their respective niches. Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo are the heavy hitters in the industry and the vast resources of their R&D departments keep them well ahead of all the others. Without further ado, let’s list the most popular gaming platforms and consoles that will provide endless hours of gaming excitement.
Sony PlayStation 5
Price: $480+
Storage Capacity: 320 GB, 825 GB
Depth: 10.2 inches
Supported Services: PlayStation Network/Plus
The newest iteration of the PlayStation franchise is 4K visual friendly with speeds that render a seamless gaming experience. Good luck trying to find a unit at the retail price of about $500 as it has become a seller’s market and you will likely spend double the amount to get your hands on one. Below are a few reviews that you might find helpful.
Mike Andronico, a Senior Writer at CNNUnderscored, wrote, “With its powerful graphics tech and wildly innovative DualSense controller, Sony’s new console allows for a level of immersion that simply wasn’t possible on previous consoles. The system’s lightning-fast SSD is a literal game-changer, loading games in mere seconds — and in some cases, providing new ways to interact with them.
“However, as we discovered in our PS5 review, Sony’s speedy next-gen system does have its drawbacks. The system’s absolutely massive chassis is a bit inelegant and may prove to be a pain for those with limited space. The new PS5 interface is beautiful and fast, but it feels a little barebones at the moment. And with many of the PS5’s key games available on PS4, the verdict is still out on whether or not you need to upgrade right away.”
Microsoft Xbox Series X
Price: $580+
Storage Capacity: 1 TB
Depth: 5.9 inches
Supported Services: Xbox Live/Live Gold
Like its contemporary heavyweight, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X was released in November of 2020 but is in huge demand and relatively short supply, thus increasing the cost to those who need to get one in their hot little hands.
Roland Moore-Colyer, the U.K. Editor at Tom’s Guide, reviewed the Series X and wrote, “People expecting a new console generation to blow their minds from the previous one might be a bit disappointed, as the graphics leap from the Xbox One X to Series X isn’t mind-blowing. But it does mean a lot of games that may have chugged on older hardware will run much more smoothly and at 4K resolution.
“The Xbox Series X is the one Xbox to rule them all. It’s a single machine that’ll run generations of Xbox games, and run them well. Furthermore, it’ll do so without looking fussy or making a racket. Sure, $499 is still a good wad of cash to drop on a gaming machine that hasn’t yet shown any breathtaking next-gen capabilities.
“But I think it’s a reasonable price to pay for the tech you’re getting. The latest AMD processor and graphics technology promises a lot of power, and the joy of loading games up in mere seconds rather than minutes can’t be underestimated. While PCs have had SSDs for a while now, you’d struggle to build a gaming machine with this power and advanced storage for $1,000, let alone half that price.”
Nintendo Switch 2
*Price: $399
*Capacity: 64GB of Internal Memory
*The information above is speculative as the Nintendo 2 has not been released as of the time of this writing.
Scheduled to be released in October of 2021, Ross Young, co-founder of Display Supply Chain Consultants, discussed the potential for the Switch Pro or Switch 2 to have an OLED display and what advantages and shortcomings such a screen would have.
“LCDs use a maximum brightness, whether it’s a white or black image. And OLEDs don’t,” explained Young. “Their power consumption varies with the content. So, it’s going to depend on the type of content that you’re playing. If it’s video, OLEDs have a big advantage. But if it’s a bright video game with a lot of white, then OLEDs may consume more power.”
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