The top 12 best gaming consoles for 2024. Part 1

Now is a fantastic time for gamers — when it comes to platform choice, there have never been so many options.

You can buy a PlayStation 5 and enjoy its killer lineup of exclusives, or dive into the Xbox Series X’s huge library of games (not to mention the fantastic Game Pass). Fandoms aside, the race between the two major consoles is much more intense than you might think.

The race between the two major consoles is much more intense than you might think.

If portability is important to you, you might consider the time-tested Nintendo Switch, or even try the more experimental Steam Deck.

Whichever console you choose, it’s a great choice for gaming. With impressive visuals, smooth performance and the ability to play outside the home, these devices have something for everyone. So here are the best game consoles you should buy in 2024.

So here are the best consoles to buy in 2024.

PlayStation 5 Pro

PlayStation 5 Pro has all the benefits of the base PS5, but has far more graphical power. Pro-enabled PS5 games look and run better on this console, and yet you can also continue to enjoy PS4 games with backwards compatibility. This console is worth buying for anyone who wants to try out the new product.

Anyone who wants to try out the new product should buy this console.

All the best PS5 games look and run better on it than on the base version, from Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth to Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered. Whereas with most PS5 games you’ll have to choose between 60 FPS performance mode and a higher quality mode, with Pro you get both for maximum results. Pro modes can even utilize better ray tracing to make reflections and lighting look better than they do on the base PS5.

And you can even use better ray tracing to make reflections and lighting look better than on the base PS5.

The main draw is PlayStation’s new spectral super resolution (PSSR). It’s PlayStation’s artificial intelligence technology, similar to DLSS, that allows you to artificially increase the resolution of a game without stressing the system. It’s all rather complicated and technical to understand, but the point is that Pro can make games look better than they actually are.

PSSR is the new PlayStation Super Resolution.

When it comes to accessories, everything that works on your PS5 will work on the Pro. That goes for controllers, headsets, and the PS VR 2.

And that includes the PS VR 2.

The Pro’s only drawback — there’s no floppy drive. You can buy a drive separately and plug it in, but that’s an extra expense you always want to avoid, especially when the console itself isn’t cheap. It’s also not compatible with any of the existing front panels.

The only disadvantage of the Pro — no floppy disk drive.

Playstation 5

With blazing fast loading speeds, a new controller and a phenomenal lineup of games (including fan favorites and new exclusives), the PS5 — is the best gaming platform to play on.

First and foremost, the PS5 is an advantage when it comes to gaming. PlayStation gamers enjoy Sony exclusives like God of War: Ragnarok, Horizon Forbidden West and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Such a list of exclusives, alas, Xbox fans don’t have. Also, Sony has finally made backwards compatibility possible, and most PS4 games can be played on the PS5, so you won’t miss The Last of Us Part II and Ghosts of Tsushima. The PS5 simply has the best game library to date.

The PS5 has the best game library to date.

The new DualSense controller, which is slightly larger than the DualShock 4, improves haptic feedback, giving you a precise sense of touch in gameplay that’s never been achieved before. If you’re stringing a bowstring, for example, or trying to crack a locked door, the hand triggers will convey that tension. But if you’re looking for an even better experience, you can always buy the more advanced DualSense Edge.

When it comes to peripherals and hardware, both iterations of the console utilize AMD chips, including an eight-core CPU running a modified version of the Ryzen lineup. AMD’s GPU delivers 10.28 teraflops of power, supporting resource-intensive processes like ray tracing, which allows for more advanced lighting in games. The floppy drive console can still play 4K Blu-ray compatible discs, which puts it on par with the Xbox One S and Xbox One X. Simply put, the PS5 is technically less powerful than the Xbox Series X, but it still has a lot of potential and represents a significant upgrade over last generation’s consoles.

The PS5 is technically less powerful than the Xbox Series X, but it still has a lot of potential and represents a significant upgrade over last generation’s consoles.

On top of that, the PS5 has its own virtual reality headset, the PlayStation VR2. While the game lineup is a bit sparse, you can also use it with a PC to take advantage of the large number of games.

The PS5’s VR2 headset is a great upgrade over the last generation of consoles.

If you don’t buy games on disk or just want to save a little money — check out the Digital Edition model.

Xbox Series X — 2TB

Xbox Series X — 2TB isn’t an upgrade to the latest generation console like the PlayStation 5 Pro, but it does have its advantages over the base model. Before we talk about that, let’s note that everything you know about the Series X is retained in this version. It has the same powerful internal components that make it more powerful than the previous generation consoles and the Series S console. Unlike the PS5 Pro, games aren’t going to look better on their own.

What makes this version different from the regular Series X is the amount of memory. The base Series X has 1TB of storage, which seems more than enough for gaming. But when you consider that many last-gen games weigh 100GB or more, 1TB doesn’t seem like much. So the Xbox Series X — 2TB doubles the internal space so you can store more games installed and ready to play at the same time. And so that the console doesn’t slow down from memory overload.

And so that the console doesn’t slow down from memory overload.

As you’d expect, all the benefits of the Series X are retained in this slightly updated version. The Xbox Series X — 2TB lets you play Xbox games at the best resolution and frame rate possible, and it’s backwards compatible with all past generations of the console. With near-universal cross-platform support, you’ll also be able to seamlessly save your game on the console and run it on your PC or streaming.

Save your game on the console and run it on PC or streaming without any issues.

At this deep stage in a console’s lifecycle, investing in additional storage is more than worthwhile if you can afford it. With heavyweight titles like Doom: The Dark Ages and Gears of War: E-Day coming in the near future, the last thing you want to worry about is not having enough room on your console for all of your favorite games.

The last thing you want to worry about is running out of space for all of your favorite games.

Xbox Series X

This is a technological breakthrough. The console has 12 TFLOPS and eight times the graphics performance of the Xbox One. The Xbox Series X also features 16GB of GDDR6 RAM and supports Variable Refresh Rate, Variable Rate Shading technology and Low Latency Mode for better gaming responsiveness. The power of this next-generation console is sure to wow gamers — and that’s assuming major next-generation games are available for it.

The power of this next-generation console is sure to impress gamers.

Game lineup comparisons are always at the forefront of the PS5 vs. Xbox Series X debate. Series X’s launch lineup of games was a bit weak, but it has been strengthened over the years, with Halo Infinite becoming a multiplayer hit, Starfield — the best exclusive RPG, and Hi-Fi Rush, according to some, being a dark horse contender to be the best game of 2023. Looking ahead, the list of upcoming games for the Xbox Series X ensures that the console definitely won’t be gathering dust.

A list of upcoming games for the Xbox Series X ensures that the console won’t be gathering dust.

In the meantime, Xbox Series X owners have no shortage of games to play. The Xbox Series X will support all previous generation Xbox games. And with Game Pass available on PC as well, the Series X also offers more cross-platform play than Sony.

And with Game Pass available on PC, the Series X also offers more cross-platform play than Sony.

Although the Xbox Series X —s a powerful machine, it’s also surprisingly quiet. The console’s cooling architecture is incredibly efficient, so much so that you can sometimes wonder if it’s even on. The Xbox One, by comparison, is very loud.

Nintendo Switch

Nintendo has sidestepped the current console arms race by changing not how you use your console, but where you use it. The Switch — is a hybrid device that connects to your TV like the PS5 and Xbox Series X, but also works as a handheld console.

The Switch — is a hybrid device that connects to your TV like the PS5 and Xbox Series X, but also works as a portable console.

While the Switch doesn’t have enough power to play the latest 4K resolution, 120fps games planned for next-gen consoles, it can play Doom at 30fps anywhere, and that’s more than enough for many gamers. In addition to modern games like Yakuza, the Switch —s a great option for playing classics like The Witcher 3, L.A. Noire and Dark Souls Remastered.

The Witcher 3, L.A. Noire and Dark Souls Remastered.

But if you think you can only play old AAA games on Switch, you’re wrong. The catalog of games is constantly being added to. It’s delayed, and it’s a couple months later than on PS and Xbox, but it’s growing. And we’re not just talking about some new games for all platforms, but also about exclusives like Super Mario Odyssey, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Animal Crossing: New Horizons, as well as great indie games like Stardew Valley, Celeste and Ori and the Will of the Wisps. Add to that old school Nintendo nostalgia with a growing list of games for the NES and SNES via Nintendo Switch Online, and the Switch is a great console.

Switch is a great console.

Nintendo Switch is also a good option for those who already own a PlayStation or Xbox console. It can do things its competitors can’t, and offers a lot of great games that will likely never appear on Sony or Microsoft’s systems.

Nintendo Switch is also a good option for those who already own a PlayStation or Xbox.