What Console Should You Buy This Summer?

The gaming industry is one that has been soaring to success in recent years. The number of gamers and the profits enjoyed by the industry both seem to be rising with unstoppable momentum.

These new fans around the world are choosing games from a wide range of genres. Whether it is poker gaming or role-playing games set in fantasy worlds, people want to play them in 2023.

Plus they are doing so using many different electronic devices, including PCs, mobiles and consoles. Console technology has improved immensely, which is making playing games on them better for fans.

There are a fair few consoles in the stores though. So in this overview we are looking at the best ones to consider buying.

Best Consoles

The main console brands on the market are Nintendo, PlayStation and Xbox. Choosing the best one is a matter of weighing up different factors: the cost, the games available for each and the technical specs. 

PlayStation 5

PlayStation is the most popular gaming console from a global perspective, even if it is beaten by Xbox in US sales terms. The PlayStation 5 demonstrates why it has the edge in most other countries, although the actual hardware specs are fairly similar to those of the Xbox Series X.

They include graphics in 4K, so the stunning visuals of modern games really leap out the player. However, the PS5 costs $100 more in shops than an Xbox S and the main reason for that is its superior performance when playing ultra-high-end titles.

That is due to upgrades like the DualSense controller with haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, which can make playing games on it a more immersive experience.

PS5 also currently has a better choice of exclusive games than the Xbox, although that may change in the future. Even with the greater cost, many would argue that the PS5 is still the best value for money overall then and a lot of observers rate it the hottest on the market right now.

Xbox One X 1TB

The Series X range are the new generation of Microsoft Xbox consoles and the company still dominates the American market. At a time when more women are console gaming too, that market has never been bigger than it is now – and that is also true of the stakes.

The Xbox One X 1TB has the same 4K graphics functionality as the PS5, but one improvement that is unique to it is something called ‘ray tracing’. This is part of the graphics rendering process and makes elements like shadows appear more realistic than before.

Another reason to consider this console instead of others is the Game Pass subscription service. For only $15 per month, it provides access to a games library featuring hundreds of titles, including the Fallout and Halo franchises owned by Microsoft, and Call of Duty.

It also comes with a disk drive, unlike the PS5, while the processor is a little more powerful.

Nintendo Switch OLED

The third big brand on the market is Nintendo and the Switch OLED is the pick of the various Switch series consoles. It retails at around $50 more than the standard one, but provides a great deal for that extra cash outlay.

This includes a better dock, sound quality and screen, but overall the specs do not match the Sony and Microsoft models. What puts the Switch OLED among the top consoles is the actual games.

Nintendo has a range of quality titles that are exclusive to its consoles, including the iconic Super Mario Bros ones. If you want to play, Super Mario Odyssey, this is the console you will need. 

That makes it the only choice for someone who particularly enjoys Nintendo games, but the quality of the graphics is lower and the overall hardware is also inferior.

Outside of these more mainstream choices, so gaming fans favor retro consoles. That market was opened up by Nintendo when it issued the NES Classic Edition seven years ago and that console now retails at steep prices. 

More affordable alternatives are the early 1990s-style PC Engine CoreGrafx Mini and 1980s-inspired Evercade VS. These are for people who want to relive lower-tech eras though, rather than those who want the latest high-end functionality. 

For the latter, there have been comparisons made of the main choices, in an attempt to determine the best overall value console. The Switch OLED can only really be chosen by those who love Nintendo games.

Most people will be deciding between the X 1TB and the PS5. Microsoft wins on overall gaming power, but the Sony console delivers the best blend of specs, games choice and ease of use.

Both the Xbox and PlayStation consoles are fine, but the PS5 just edges it.