Which gaming console

If you prefer gaming on your PC, here are the best gaming PCs of There are also plenty of new PS5 games in the pipeline to get us excited about the future. From big upgrades like the super-fast NVMe SSD and powerful GPU that enable higher frame rates and ray tracing, to subtle touches like the built-in microphone on the DualSense controller that can serve as a quick stand-in for a headset, the PS5 feels like it was built for ease of use as well as pure power.

Buy this if you want: a taste of next gen without losing your PS4 games, you're tired of loading screens and want higher frame rates and you plan on buying a next-generation game console in the next six months. Think it's the console for you? The PlayStation 4 Pro plays all the same games as the standard PlayStation 4, so if you're upgrading you won't have to start your library afresh and you won't need to pay any more for new 4K games either.

You may, however, see an improvement in how they look and perform compared to the standard PS4 - though they won't look or perform as well as they would on PS5. The PlayStation 4 Pro was the most powerful console in the PlayStation lineup until the PlayStation 5 came along , capable of outputting native and upscaled 4K in games that have been patched to make that possible. Like the standard PS4, this console has an excellent library of games and some fantastic exclusives as well as Playstation VR support.

Though it's capable, it's not every game that will output native 4K on the PS4 Pro — many of them will be upscaled as the console just doesn't have quite the degree of power required to maintain native 4K resolution and run a large game with consistent frame rates - if you want that then the PS5 is probably a better option.

The PS4 Pro also has the same problem as the PS4 in that there isn't good backwards compatibility for previous console generations. There's also no built-in Ultra HD Blu-ray player so if you're looking for a console that will play your physical 4K media, this isn't the one.

It will, however, still play standard Blu-rays and DVDs, and can stream in 4K from compatible services. But it is a cheaper gateway to 4K gaming than the PS5. Think you might make the jump to 4K? Available in standard or slim versions, the PS4 is the baseline console offering from Sony, sitting underneath the PS4 Pro and the new PlayStation 5 in terms of power.

Since it launched eight years ago, the PlayStation 4 has been a firm fan favorite, even cementing its place second bestselling home console of all time. Key reads: Make sure you check out our full PlayStation 4 review and our picks of the best PS4 games. These are the best PS4 deals you can get right now. To truly get the most out of the Xbox Series X, we advise picking up an Xbox Game Pass subscription that enables you to access hundreds of games for a monthly fee and definitely helps the Xbox platform stand apart from its competitors.

With mobile streaming available as part of Game Pass Ultimate, the Xbox is finally able to offer a portability that steps on the toes of the Nintendo Switch but only very slightly. It will, however, see you playing older titles on your new console rather than brand-new games, which is a bit anti-climactic for a new console generation even if some games are optimized.

However, there are some great new Xbox Series X games in the pipeline that could change that. Buy this if you want: You want minimal loading times and smoother gameplay, a great audiovisual multimedia experience, to keep access your older Xbox games and accessories and more control over your storage. The Xbox Series S is a next-gen console that takes a radically different approach.

It's designed to offer the same generational leaps as the Xbox Series X , such as high frame rates, ray tracing and super-fast load times, at a considerably lower price — and inevitably, this means it comes with a few key compromises.

It has significantly less storage than the Series X, and targets a resolution of p for gaming and upscales to 4K when connected to an ultra HD display. A couple of titles are capable of native 4K, such as Ori and the Will of the Wisps, but this is a machine designed to run games at a lower resolution. Games on the Xbox Series S are impressive, with smoother frame rates, increased resolutions when compared to Xbox One and Xbox One S and faster load times The Xbox Series S is a great entry point into next-gen gaming, then, without the sizable financial outlay required to own a full-blown next-gen console.

As we've alluded to already, there are drawbacks to consider. If you prefer to purchase games physically, or have amassed a large collection of physical Xbox One games over the years, the Xbox Series S's lack of disc drive may put you off. The other factor that may deter people from buying Microsoft's more affordable Xbox is the fact that outputs at p for gaming. A more compact replica of the iconic original, the console is preloaded with 42 iconic games from the '90s, including Sonic the Hedgehog, Shinobi III, and Earthworm Jim, just to name a few.

We like that the console looks just like the legendary original from decades ago, only a tad smaller. We do wish, though, that Sega had included the smaller six-button controllers in the box, but, thankfully, those are available as separate accessories.

For handheld gaming on the go, there's no better option than the Nintendo Switch Lite, the more affordable and more compact variant of the Nintendo Switch. Available in several eye-catching colors yellow, turquoise, blue, and gray , the Lite looks even more adorable.

The Switch Lite is compatible only with games that support handheld mode. The Apple TV 4K has a powerful A10X Fusion chip, so it's a highly capable option for casual gamers, as well as for iPhone and iPad users who like to game on a larger screen via AirPlay screen mirroring. There are plenty of cool titles to choose from in the App Store, too.

Of course, the Apple TV 4K is primarily a home entertainment platform. Gift Ideas. Type keyword s to search. Today's Top Stories.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below. Microsoft walmart. The PlayStation 5 is an ideal choice for players looking for the best-looking games , while the Xbox Series X S boasts visually impressive experiences too, but with a focus on the Xbox Game Pass subscription service.

From impressive visuals to smooth performance and the ability to take your gaming experiences on the go, these devices have something for everyone. These are the best video game consoles to buy in With lightning-fast load speeds, a new controller, and a phenomenal lineup of launch titles including fan favorites and new exclusives , the PS5 is the best plug-and-play gaming platform available.

First off, the PS5 currently has the upper hand when it comes to games. The PS5 simply has the best game library out there right now. Slightly larger than the DualShock 4, the new DualSense controller refines haptic feedback, incorporating a precise sense of touch into the gaming experience that force feedback never achieved.

The new technology, combined with ongoing support for PSVR, makes for a more immersive gaming experience. Speaking of peripherals and hardware, both iterations of the console use AMD chips across the board, including an eight-core CPU running on a modified version of the Ryzen line. Everything else, including the launch lineup, remains the same.

Read our full PlayStation 5 review. The Xbox Series X is a tech powerhouse. The power in this next-gen console is sure to wow gamers — that is when there are true next-gen games available for it. Luckily, there will likely be a slew of great games for Xbox Series X down the road , including the long-awaited Halo Infinite, State of Decay 3, a new installment of Fable , and plenty of other titles.

In the meantime, Xbox Series X owners have no shortage of games to play. The Xbox also is home to Game Pass, the best deal in gaming. With more than heavy-hitting games on the roster and promises of Project xCloud integration , gamers can explore and test out new titles for a low monthly fee. From the beginning, Xbox understood the rising importance of online play, with its integrated ethernet port and robust Xbox Live infrastructure.

Suddenly, whole families could compete together, from the youngest to the oldest — and Nintendo sold more than m units as a result. A victory for utilitarian design over technological obsession. The machine saw an array of idiosyncratic titles — Jet Set Radio, Shenmue, Seaman, Rez, Phantasy Star Online — that either invented new genres or utterly revolutionised old ones.

But the lack of support from western developers and the sheer might of the PS2 ensured that its life was as brief as it was beautiful. The Switch is a brilliantly flexible home console, seamlessly switching local multiplayer between the living room and the world at large, somehow combining the genius of the Wii and the Game Boy. He designed an architecture that was powerful yet easy to develop for and focused on pushing 3D shapes around the screen as efficiently as possible.

Sony then solved its lack of development experience by purchasing UK studio Psygnosis and inking an exclusive deal with Japanese arcade veteran Namco. This machine changed everything. Like Hoover and Aspirin before it, the brand was so synonymous with the activity that it became genericised. But the games, oh the games. Based around similar tech as the Xbox One and launched almost simultaneously, the PS4 saw Sony concentrating on games rather than multimedia functionality, immediately winning the PR war against Microsoft.

By building an architecture capable of accurately converting arcade hits such as Golden Axe, Strider and Altered Beast, and bullishly marketing at teenagers, Sega made Nintendo look fusty and old-fashioned. This punk attitude was amplified further in by the arrival of Sonic the Hedgehog, a speed-obsessed, spiky-haired dude-bro perfectly in tune with earlys MTV culture. The Mega Drive would go on to sell 35m units and host a wide range of experiences from romantic role-playing adventures to real-time military sims.