Consoles

Buying a games console: what matters

With consoles, the technology matters less than which games you want to play, where you play and who you play with. The hardware from all the major makers is mature; the differences lie in the game line-up, the way you play and the running costs.

Games and platform

Start by looking at the games that interest you and whether they are exclusive to one platform. If your friends play together online, the same console is often the simplest choice, even though many titles support cross-platform play. Also check backward compatibility: some consoles run games from the previous generation, so your existing collection stays usable.

Home, hybrid or handheld

Home consoles connected to the TV offer the most performance. Hybrid consoles can be played on the TV and on the go, while handhelds are designed entirely for portable gaming. Many consoles come with or without a disc drive: the digital edition is cheaper to buy, but you can then only buy games from the online store and cannot use, sell or trade in second-hand discs.

Storage, TV and accessories

Modern games often take up many gigabytes, so the internal storage fills up quickly. Check whether and how it can be expanded, for example with an M.2 SSD, a microSD card or a USB drive. For 4K at 120 Hz your TV needs an HDMI 2.1 port, otherwise some of the performance goes unused. Budget for a second controller if two of you play, as controllers are not cheap accessories.

Running costs and price

On most consoles, online multiplayer requires a paid subscription, and higher tiers add a catalogue of games. Factor these costs in over the years. Bundles with a game or a second controller can work out cheaper than buying separately, but only if you actually want what is included. Console prices tend to move around sales events: on every product page at Pricuro you can compare all shops including delivery costs and see the price history for the last 90 days.