If you like your consoles looking like they were designed by aliens who’ve spent too much time watching sci-fi movies, then the PS5 is your jam. With its sleek, curved design, it’s more “spaceship aesthetic” than “box under the TV.” The PS5 is like that friend who’s annoyingly good at everything—it’s fast, it’s powerful, and it’s got a controller that vibrates so realistically you’ll swear you can feel the in-game rain. But be warned: finding one is about as hard as convincing your parents that gaming is a career choice.
If you’re into exclusive games like “God of War,” “Spider-Man,” and whatever else Sony decides to drop from the heavens, then the PS5 is the way to go. Plus, you get to brag about your DualSense controller like it’s the next best thing since sliced bread (or at least since the PlayStation 2).
If the PS5 is a spaceship, then the Xbox Series X is the monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey—solid, serious, and probably plotting your doom. This thing is built like a tank, and with a design philosophy of “box but make it cool,” it’s the ultimate console for those who think that minimalism means “black rectangle.”
The Xbox Series X is all about power, speed, and Game Pass, which is like Netflix for games but without the guilt of rewatching the same thing for the tenth time. Plus, it’s backward compatible with basically every Xbox game ever, so you can relive your glory days of getting wrecked in “Halo 3” multiplayer.
Can’t decide between gaming at home or on the go? Why not both? The Nintendo Switch is the console for people who like options, and maybe also chaos. Want to play on your TV? Cool. Want to play while lying upside down on the couch because life is exhausting? You got it. The Switch is like the Swiss Army knife of consoles—it does everything, and it does it with Mario.
But beware: the games are so fun and wholesome that you might forget what sunlight feels like. Whether you’re catching Pokémon, crafting the perfect island in “Animal Crossing,” or desperately trying not to fall off Rainbow Road, the Switch will keep you entertained until your battery dies. And then you’ll just plug it in and keep going.
Look, there’s no right or wrong choice here—just different flavors of awesome. If you want raw power and a console that looks like it came from the future, go with the PS5. If you want a beast of a machine that can run every game ever and comes with a game subscription service that’s almost too good to be true, go with the Xbox Series X. And if you’re all about flexibility, creativity, and yelling at your friends in “Mario Kart,” grab a Nintendo Switch.
Or, if you’re really feeling it, get all three. Who needs savings anyway?