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Console gaming buying guide

Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo consoles are brilliant for gaming, but which is best for you? Let’s help you out, by taking a look at everything from graphics to games.
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Types of console

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Types of gaming console

PlayStation 5 (PS5)

The PlayStation 5 (or PS5) is Sony’s next-gen console. And there are two types to choose from. The standard PS5 has a 4K Blu-ray disc drive, while the Digital Edition is designed for downloads only.

The PS5’s main features are:

  • Graphics upgrades - With the right game and display, the PS5 supports 4K resolution at 120fps and up to 8K resolution for video. You’ll see all your game’s tiny details, and get seriously smooth motion too. It also uses ray-tracing tech, which make games look more lifelike.

  • SSD storage - Thanks to its custom SSD storage, games load fast. That makes for a totally seamless transition between different levels, with nothing to interrupt your flow.

  • Improved controller - You can actually feel what’s going on in-game with enhanced haptic feedback. Adaptive triggers create a more realistic experience too, since you’ll feel different levels of resistance depending on what you’re pushing, pulling or shooting.

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Things to consider when buying a PS5

Exclusive console games

Sony love an epic, story-driven third person game. And that’s exactly what you can expect from some of the PlayStation’s biggest exclusive franchises – The Last of Us, God of War, Unchartered, Rachet & Clank and Spiderman.

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Online gaming with your console

PlayStation Plus

If you want to play multiplayer games online, you’ll need a PlayStation Plus subscription. You can sign up for 1 month, 3 months or 12 months. While the shorter subscriptions give you more flexibility, the longer ones tend to be better value.

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Learn more about PlayStation Plus

Choosing a controller

The PS4 and PS5 each have their own official controllers - the DualShock for PS4 and the DualSense for PS5. Both have an ergonomic design to keep you comfy while playing, but only the DualSense has enhanced haptic feedback and adaptive triggers.

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For most of us, a digital only console will do just fine. But if you want to play your old physical games, buy second-hand games, or have the odd Blu-ray knocking about, make sure you get a PS5 with a disc drive.

Chloe, Currys tech expert

Backwards compatibility

PS5

Don’t want to chuck out your game library? The PS5 is backwards compatible with most PS4 games. You can even redownload any games you bought digitally on your old PS4, as long as you’re using the same PSN account on the PlayStation store.

PS4

Unfortunately, the PS4 isn’t backwards compatible. So you wouldn’t be able to play any PS3 games if you have them lying around. And you won’t be able to play PS5 games either.

a pixelated game with the words play again?

Xbox Series X

Microsoft has not one, but two next-gen consoles. The largest and most powerful is the Xbox Series X. If you want a serious gaming machine with access to Xbox exclusives, this may be your best bet.

The Xbox Series X’s main features are:

  • Sheer processing power - Its GPU (that’s a graphics card to me and you) runs at a massive 12 teraflops with 16GB RAM, letting developers create huge, data-hungry games without any issue. To put it in context, the Series X is twice as powerful as the Xbox One X.
  • Graphics upgrades - The Series X can run games at up to 4K at 120fps – as long as you’ve got the display to match. And ray-tracing makes games look ultra-real.
  • Quick resume - Because the Series X is so powerful, you can run multiple games at once. Started playing one thing, then want to play a quick campaign of something else with your mates? Switch between them in seconds, picking up exactly where you left off.

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Xbox Series S

The Xbox Series S has a bunch of next-gen hallmarks – like a powerful GPU and fast SSD storage. But, unlike the Series X, it’s digital only (no disc-drive), much smaller and costs a bit less too.

The Series S’s main features are:

  • Compact design - The Series S is 60% smaller than the Series X – perfect if you plan on putting it away when it’s not in use.
  • Graphics upgrades - Like the Series X, you’ll get a ton of features to keep your games looking their best, like VRR and ray-tracing. Game in 1440p Quad HD resolution at 60fps – which is great if you’re not ready to invest in a 4K TV or monitor yet.
  • Quick resume - Although the Series S has less SSD storage (512GB compared to 1TB for the Series X), it has enough that you can still use the handy quick resume feature.

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Things to consider when buying an Xbox

Exclusive console games

Big action-focused titles are the name of the game with Xbox. Their most famous exclusives have got to be the Halo franchise, Gears of War and Forza Motorsport. So, if you’ve been itching to play any of those, get yourself an Xbox.

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Online gaming with your console

Xbox Game Pass

Xbox Game Pass has exploded in the last couple of years, granting access to more and more games every month – like every Bethesda game, critically acclaimed indie titles and massive AAA adventures. There are extra perks too, like discounts and access to Xbox Game Studio titles the day of release.
With Xbox Game Pass Ultimate you get three passes in one subscription - Game Pass for Console, Xbox Live Gold and Game Pass for PC. If you’re always playing online or you game on PC and mobile as well as Xbox, Ultimate makes a lot of sense.

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Choosing a controller

If you get an Xbox Series X|S, it’ll come with an Xbox wireless controller already. And your old Xbox One controllers will work with it too. But the newer controller does come with some extra features, like a sharing button, a USB-C charging port and a slightly more comfortable build.

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Backwards compatibility

You can play pretty much every Xbox game ever. Xbox’s next-gen consoles support old Xbox 360 games, and even original Xbox games if you’ve managed to keep a hold of them!

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Nintendo Switch

The original hybrid console, Nintendo Switch has a built-in screen and two Joy-Con controllers you can attach or detach from either side. So you can get it out in tabletop mode, play it on the go as a handheld, or hook it up to your TV like a traditional console.

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Nintendo Switch OLED

The Nintendo Switch OLED’s biggest draw is (surprise, surprise) its OLED screen. OLED tech makes colours way more vivid, so you get an eye-popping picture when you’re going portable. A new white design and enhanced sound are also pluses.

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Nintendo Switch Lite

A grab-and-go handheld, the Switch Lite is a great little travel companion. You can’t hook it up to a TV like the regular Switch or Switch OLED, but its slimmed-down size makes it great for travelling and keeping little hands busy.

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Things to consider when buying a Switch

Exclusive console games

Mario, Pokemon, Zelda and Animal Crossing – Nintendo’s known for their imaginative, family-friendly games full of zany characters. And you won’t be able to enjoy them on anything but a Switch.

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Online gaming with your console

Nintendo Switch Online

Nintendo’s combined its online and games subscription into one bundle. So you can play online and get access to a bunch of old NES and Super NES games.
There’s also an Expansion Pack you can add to your Nintendo Online subscription. It opens up even more vintage games – this time from the Nintendo 64 and SEGA Genesis.

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Choosing a controller

The Switch Lite doesn’t come with or need any controllers (as they’re built in). But if you’re getting a Switch or Switch OLED it’ll come with two Joy-Con controllers. You can use them as separate controllers for multiplayer games or click them onto the console to turn your Switch into a handheld.

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All the major consoles have parental controls, making it much easier to set healthy boundaries for your kids. Most are easy to adjust too, with more limits for little ones and more freedom for teens.

Mish, Currys tech expert

Backwards compatibility

In terms of physical copies, the Switch only works with Switch cartridges – so no backwards compatibility there. But you can play digital versions of most classic Nintendo games, from the 64 to the NES with their Nintendo Switch Online subscription.

a pixelated game with the words play again?

Having a console that supports 4K doesn’t necessarily mean that’s what you’ll see onscreen. Your console and display need to work together to make it happen. If you’re not sure your TV’s up to scratch, check our TV buying guide.

Katrina, Currys tech expert

Console gaming tech explained

Next-gen console

This is basically shorthand for the latest consoles from Xbox and PlayStation – PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, released in 2020.

4K and 8K

Want a super sharp picture? 4K and 8K are types of Ultra High Definition (UHD) resolution. They have 4x and 8x the pixels of a Full HD display respectively. And that, in turn, creates an image with much finer detail – down to the blades of grass in your favourite fantasy RPG.

Solid state drive (SSD) storage

SSD storage (rather than traditional HDD or hard disc drive storage) is used in next-gen consoles because it loads things way faster. This is a massive plus if you’re playing a huge open world game, since you won’t have to wait when you’re moving into different areas of the map.

Haptic feedback

This is where your controller vibrates in your hand, to mimic what’s going on in game. Like if you were facing a giant mechanised boss, you might feel the rumble of its footsteps as it chased you. Or if you were racing, the shake of the steering wheel as you turn at high speed.

Ray-tracing

Ray-tracing is a clever bit of tech that simulates the way light behaves in the real world. That could be the way it bounces of a reflective surface or falls into shadow. It makes games look much more life-like.

Frame rates

Frame rates or refresh rate is measured in frames per second (fps) or Hertz (Hz). This is how many times a second your monitor updates the image onscreen. The higher it is, the more closely the action onscreen will match what your console is doing. You’ll be able react faster and even the most frantic combat sequences will look super smooth.
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