To curb the spread of COVID-19 and flatten the curve, most of us would have found ourselves spending a lot more time at home. Working and studying from home has become part of the new normal. Gaming is also an activity that we can easily pursue in the comfort of our home.
With the arrival of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, two powerful systems have entered the market, and they will undoubtedly be the frontrunners for the next few years. Alternatively, you might save money by purchasing a Nintendo Switch, which, despite its age, is currently still the greatest portable console for gaming on the go.
Playstation PS5 — From $698.90 On The Sony E-Store
Source: Playstation 5
With the PS5, Sony has reimagined essential aspects of the PlayStation experience, from a simplified setup, a new well-thought-out user interface, reimagined DualSense Wireless Controllers and hyperrealistic graphics. Sony’s latest brings a super-quick SSD to make load times zippy and boosts the graphical performance.
Weighing in at 4.5kg, the PS5 is one of the tallest and largest game consoles we have ever encountered. It boasts a unique aesthetics with the white faceplates serving as a space-age shield for the actual console unit wedged between them.
The plates, as demonstrated in the PlayStation official deconstruction video, can be removed, and hides the large fan units which act as a solution to the overheating difficulties that plagued PS4 Pro owners.
Thanks to titles like Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Sackboy: A Big Adventure, and Demon’s Souls, the PS5 managed to outshine its next-gen counterpart, the Xbox Series X, in this area of having a sufficient variety of first-party games during the initial launch period.
S5 also offers unusual sensitivity to customers about existing game libraries. It is virtually compatible with a great majority of PS4 games, which is something we haven’t seen with a Sony console before: perfect backward compatibility.
For
- Up to 4K/120 gameplay, 8k/60fps support
- 120fps-enabled
- Silent running
- Superb, fast new user interface
- Substantially faster loading times
- Free PS5 game in the form of Astro’s Playroom
- Backward compatible with numerous PS4 titles
Against
- Size-wise, it takes up a lot of space
- The 825GB internal SSD only has 667GB available to the user (fills up quickly)
- No Dolby Vision or Dolby Atmos
Xbox Series X — From $699.00 On The Microsoft Store
Source: Hardware Zone
The Xbox Series X is Microsoft’s new flagship product. It is also the most powerful console available today. It is right up there with the PS5 in terms of power and storage, and the costs are comparable. However, thanks to Game Pass, a membership program that makes it affordable, Microsoft’s console may end up being a cheaper option in the long term.
The Series X is lightning fast, surprisingly quiet, and delivers performance traditionally reserved for high-end gaming PCs, ensuring that old and new games look and perform better than ever. It also has immediate access to thousands of compatible games in the existing ecosystem, many of which have been enhanced and optimized.
However, the launch list isn’t quite as exciting as the PS5’s, with no ‘must-have’ exclusives or brand-new games to tempt you to buy the new Xbox on the first day. To get the most out of the Xbox Series X at launch, consider subscribing to an Xbox Game Pass subscription, which gives you access to hundreds of titles for a monthly fee.
Overall, the Xbox Series X is a console that is not only technically amazing, with dramatically reduced load times and increased visual fidelity in games, but it also boasts several quality-of-life features to make your gaming experience more enjoyable.
For
- 4k/60fps gameplay, 4k/120Hz support
- Extremely powerful
- Significantly faster loading times
- Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support
- Built to last in both body and specs
- Backward compatible with various games
Against
- No Dolby Vision support for 4K Blu-rays (yet)
- Minimal user interface upgrade
- Launch library is lacking
Xbox Series S — From $459.00 On The MS Store
Source: Tecobuy
The Xbox Series S is a next-gen console that is supposed to provide the same generational jumps as the Xbox Series X, such as high frame rates, ray tracing, and super-fast load times, at a far cheaper price – but with a few important trade-offs.
It has substantially less storage than the Series X, yet it has a gaming resolution of 1440p that upscales to 4K when connected to an ultra HD monitor. Although some games, such as Ori and the Will of the Wisps, are capable of native 4K, this is a console designed to play games at 1080p or 1440p rather than 4K, which should suffice for most people. The Xbox Series S also lacks the Series X’s 4K HD Blu-Ray drive.
The controller is backward compatible with the Xbox One. Similarly, previous controllers are forward compatible, so if you have any laying around, you can just connect them for two-player gaming. All previous Xbox One accessories, including first-party and third-party, should function with the Xbox Series S as well. The 512GB SSD for storage is the other highlight of the internal components.
It allows for substantially faster loading times and what Xbox refers to as “rapid resume.” Depending on the size and breadth of the games, the latter feature can pause up to six of them, allowing you to switch between games fairly immediately. Unfortunately, the storage fills up rather quickly – it only caters for roughly 9 games.
When it comes to the system’s internals, the Xbox Series S outperforms the One X thanks to its far more powerful CPU and technically proficient GPU, courtesy to AMD’s RDNA 2 architecture, which enables cutting-edge capabilities like ray tracing.
All that said, getting a Series S and an Xbox Game Pass membership is the most cost-effective method to access and play the latest titles. However, there is no disk drive here, so don’t expect your CDs to operate.
For
- Small and compact
- Adds ray-tracing and faster loading times
- Provides great value when coupled with Game Pass
- Silent operation
Against
- 512GB internal SSD storage fills up very fast
- Native next-gen games list is light at launch
- No disc drive
Nintendo Switch — From $499 For Gen 2 Asia Edition On The Courts E-Store
Source: Gadgets 360
The Nintendo Switch is a true classic that is both portable and suitable for usage at home. The Nintendo Switch makes up for its lack of graphic capability with its convenience. This pocket-sized gaming device allows you access to thousands of games that you may play anywhere, at any time. The Switch’s best asset is its versatility.
Nintendo’s selection of first-party games from franchises like Mario Kart, The Legend of Zelda, and mainline Mario games is unrivalled, and it is also ideal for playing older digitally purchased titles. However, there are not nearly as many third-party games or apps as there are on other platforms.
If you have a family, we believe this is by far the greatest option: you get some of the best games ever, in an incredible bundle, and the majority of them are family-friendly. Do note that this console’s internal capacity is limited, so you’ll probably need to buy a separate microSD card at some time.
For
- Portable and lightweight design
- Great first-party exclusives
- Versatile – can be played at home or on the go
- Joy-cons are well-built
Against
- Relatively expensive
- Less extensive third-party game selection
- Not as powerful as other home consoles
- Still no fully-fledged online service e.g. movie streaming apps like Netflix
- Only 32GB storage without buying a microSD card
Read Also: 5 Cheapest Cars In Singapore That You Can Buy In 2020
Nintendo Switch Lite — From $289 On The Courts E-Store
Source: Polygon
The Nintendo Switch Lite, a dedicated handheld alternative to the original Switch, is the most recent addition to the Nintendo family. The Switch Lite has the same processing power as the original Switch but in a smaller, lighter package.
Keep in mind that the Lite is primarily a mobile device that, though compatible with Joy-Cons, is designed for a single player. In other words, you won’t be able to dock it, and it won’t come with any Joy-Cons. It also means that you won’t be able to play all of the Switch games, particularly those that require docked mode or are party games.
However, if you don’t have room for a full console and want to play some stone-cold classics, it is a cost-effective and practical option, with a fantastic screen and extremely comfortable controls. However, not being able to dock it to play on a TV is a disadvantage.
For
- Compact and lightweight design
- Plays all Switch games at their best
- Great first-party exclusives
- Nice selection of colours
Against
- Relatively expensive
- Limited to handheld games
- In-game text can appear tiny on its 5.5-inch screen
- Still no fully-fledged online service e.g. movie streaming apps like Netflix
- Only 32GB storage without buying a microSD card
Read Also: Asus VS Lenovo VS Dell: Price Guide To Getting The Biggest Bang For Your Buck In Laptops For 2021
In an age of working from home and being confined to your home, next-generation gaming consoles can go a long way to help you tide over the boredom of having to work all the time with no chance to play. With PlayStation, Nintendo and Xbox all competing to create the best gaming experience, you can be assured what your investment will yield you a good ROI in terms of entertainment value.
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