PS5, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch… Which game console to choose in 2024?

The ninth generation of home consoles arrived in 2020, with the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X and Series S. The Nintendo Switch was released in 2017. After periods of shortage, particularly concerning the PS5, things have more or less returned to normal. You can now easily obtain the console that you prefer.

The console war still rages between Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo. This includes their on-demand game services, including the titles offered, such as Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus.

But then, which console to choose in 2024? It all depends on your gaming preferences, budget, or graphics requirements... To help you choose, here is a complete overview of the games console market in 2024.

The best home game consoles

All the Game Pass offers: Microsoft Xbox Series

With the Xbox Series

First observation: the machine is massive! To the point of not fitting into many TV units, particularly if you want to place it vertically (which is recommended for better cooling). In action, the machine is indeed very quiet, even with demanding titles.

On the software side, we appreciate the interface, simple to use and perfectly fluid. Microsoft also impresses with Xbox 360 and Xbox One backward compatibility. Not only do the vast majority of titles work, but they see their resolution and framerate increase. It's a great way to rediscover your game library.

The list of games now available is as long as an arm. The Redmond company also has a huge wild card to play with its Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. This subscription at 14.99 euros per month gives access to a very large catalog of games. Promising upon release, it is constantly gaining momentum and is proving to be a huge argument in favor of Microsoft's console.

The Xbox Series X is therefore a very good console, even if its price ended up increasing to 549 euros, an increase linked to inflation in 2023.

The cheaper Xbox: Microsoft Xbox Series S

If it was usual to release a more powerful console in the middle of the latter's life cycle, Microsoft has reversed the paradigm here by offering a lighter version of its flagship from the release.

Among the main changes: a less powerful graphics part, going from 12 to 4 Tflops, less RAM (from 16 to 10 GB), and an SSD of only 512 GB.

In practice, this gives a console halfway between the Xbox One The overall quality of the rendering is also degraded, with a reduced level of detail.

This “  downgrade  ”, however, has its advantages, with a console that is significantly more compact and still very quiet. There is also the Xbox Game Pass for access to many games in exchange for a monthly subscription.

Still, if the Series S is a good console for playing in Full HD without breaking the bank, we are entitled to ask ourselves some questions about its long-term viability. The reduced size of the SSD is also a little petty given the increasingly large size of games. The Xbox Series S is therefore an interesting option for casual gamers.

Enjoy Playstation exclusives: Sony PlayStation 5

First observation: the machine is a real tank. Like Microsoft, Sony had to put all this power somewhere and this resulted in a device even more imposing than the Xbox Series may not appeal to everyone.

If noise pollution is more controlled than with the PS4 Pro, we cannot say that it is completely silent. We also notice that the noise varies depending on the model, more consistency on this point would have been appreciable.

The interface is also evolving in the right direction, generally becoming clearer and more fluid. As for storage, we are entitled to an 825 GB SSD of which only 667 GB are usable. At a time when most major titles exceed 100 GB, we will quickly find ourselves cramped. Fortunately, adding a second SSD in M2 format is possible.

The PS5 mainly has its fans because of its catalog, and its exclusives, like God of War: Ragnarok or Horizon. This time the backward compatibility is almost perfect. It is currently the best way to enjoy your PS4 games.

Unlike that of the Xbox, the PS5 controller evolves quite significantly. In addition to a revised look, it is now larger, which makes it easier to hold. The rear triggers are now adaptive, with resistance varying depending on the context.

The feeling is convincing, but we will have to see if the developers take advantage of it. Vibrations are also improved.

In Europe, due to inflation, the PS5 rose to 550 euros and the PS5 Digital Edition to 450 euros. This, of course, if you manage to find stock!

And the PS5 Digital Edition?

Without an optical drive and sold for 100 euros less, the PS5 Digital Edition could tempt some people, especially when stocks are limited.

Although it is a little more compact and offers the same performance as its big sister, the transition to all digital comes at a certain cost. Not only do you pay more for your games, but the opportunity door is closed to you. Same penalty for your PS4 game collection. If you have them in physical version you will only have your eyes to cry.

The result is a console that is certainly quality, but which will cost you much more in the long term. With a Microsoft “Game Pass”, this console would have been more interesting, but for the moment we recommend the classic PS5.

The Sony Slim version console: Sony PlayStation 5 Slim

A new addition to the PlayStation catalog, this Slim version is first of all a restyling of the original console. In its construction, this PlayStation 5 Slim is shortened by a few centimeters and loses a kilo on the scale. At the heart of the machine, there is little change.

Inside, it has 1 TB of usable storage with a brand-new cooling system. In terms of price, it is displayed at the same price as the original version and is also available in a Digital version at 100 euros less. Our advice: if you already have a PS5, it's not worth investing in this new version. Ultimately, this version is intended to replace the base model.

Portable game consoles

The family console: Nintendo Switch OLED

The Nintendo Switch, released in 2017, is a hybrid console, usable both in portable mode and on a television. After years of rumors, it was ultimately not a Switch Pro that we were treated to in 2021, but an OLED Switch, which therefore still does not offer a Full HD screen. As its name suggests, it swaps the LCD display of the original console for an OLED panel.

Beyond the technology change, Nintendo also took the opportunity to use a larger screen with thinner edges. While the dimensions of the console itself hardly change, we gain 0.8 inches to reach 7 inches. If we appreciate the additional space, the definition does not change and the image is therefore a little less fine.

The move to OLED is still real progress. The very bright colors and infinite blacks lend themselves very well to the game. If the brightness does not increase, the feeling is more pleasant due to the significantly higher contrast. On the other hand, don't plan to play in direct sunlight.

The latest changes can be found on the dock, which displays a slightly revised design and above all an Ethernet connector. No need to use a USB adapter to directly connect your console.

Base storage increases to 64GB, which is better, but a microSD card will still be essential for most gamers. Under the hood, nothing else changes, we find the same Tegra processor and the same battery.

Unfortunately, we also find the same Joy-Con which will undoubtedly have problems in a few months, even though Nintendo claims that they are constantly being improved. Please note that Nintendo now repairs Joy-Cons affected by Joy-Con drift issues free of charge, even if they are no longer under warranty.

The OLED Switch is the best version of the console, but it doesn't warrant an upgrade if you already own an original Switch.

Furthermore, if your budget is more restricted, you can always get the classic Switch, which generally sells 60 euros less than the new OLED version.

Overall, the purchase of a Switch is justified simply by the Nintendo games catalog, which is difficult to access without the Kyoto firm's console. If you want to play Zelda, Pokémon, Mario, or even Splatoon ... you will need a Switch.

Note that the launch of the successor to the Nintendo Switch would be planned for 2024. We should not expect a revolution, but the console should in any case be more powerful.

A purely portable Switch: Nintendo Switch Lite

If you don't want to play Switch games on a TV, know that a "Lite" model is also available. This new version has the particularity of leaving aside the hybrid dimension to focus only on the experience in portable mode. As a result, it is impossible to connect it to a television or unhook the controllers at the ends.

This allows it to be more solid and lighter without the frames on the sides which normally accommodate the Joy-Con, but also more compact thanks to its 5.5-inch screen (compared to 6.2 inches on the classic model). Finally, it also benefits from the improved battery life of the new 2019 Switch models, estimated at 6 hours depending on your usage.

The interest? Simply take advantage of the console's immense catalog while saving around a hundred euros compared to the classic model. However, it should be taken into account that not all games will be compatible, especially those that heavily use motion detection.

After the first model of Steam Deck which had several defects, Valve released an improved version of its portable console, namely the Steam Deck Oled, which we recommend much more.

With its Game Gear appearance, the Steam Deck is therefore a real small portable PC adopting a console format. If this means anything to you, it's normal: the concept has come up very regularly since GP2X more than 18 years ago.

In its construction, Valve has chosen a rather massive product. It will not necessarily be easy to transport unless you provide a dedicated backpack in addition to its bag. The console offers many means of interaction to offer a wide variety of gameplay. The construction is not entirely satisfactory since the choice of materials is rather “cheap” which does not provide any real guarantees of long-term solidity.

The new Steam Deck has a 7.4-inch Oled screen, 1280 × 800 pixels. For storage, two configurations are offered to you: 512 GB by default or 1 TB. The battery has been improved, from 50 Wh compared to 40 Wh before. In terms of performance, the RAM has been improved, as has the AMD Zen 2 APU, engraved in 6 nm.

Comfort and performance in the pocket: Asus ROG Ally Z1 Extreme

Asus is stepping into Valve's footsteps with a portable console, the ROG Ally. With a successful design, exemplary handling, a beautiful screen, and satisfactory performance, Asus has succeeded in this first version.

The console is surprisingly compact, close to an OLED Switch, and is lightweight (608 grams). The handling is good, as is the layout of the buttons, triggers, and sticks. The 7-inch LCD touchscreen (1920 x 1080 pixels) supports a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz which does a lot of good.

Thanks to the presence of Windows, you have access to all your stores, in particular Steam, but also the Xbox Game Pass or the Epic Store. So you can have all your PC games in your pocket. And the performance is there because most games will run at 60 fps thanks to AMD's Z1 Extreme chip.

The Asus portable console has two main weak points: autonomy, which can quickly be reduced to nothing (1 hour) in Performance mode on a slightly demanding game, and the optimization of Windows is not yet perfect.

Still, Asus has produced an excellent first attempt that will please enthusiasts.

The Logitech G Gloud

Among the new manufacturers who are getting into the portable console game, we will also mention the Logitech G Cloud... which is unfortunately not a huge success, without being bad either.

This small portable console has been entirely designed for cloud gaming, and it runs well overall, being easy to use and very durable. However, we will regret the absence of an Oled screen, 5G chip, and generally not very pleasant buttons. But it is above all its price which makes it quite unattractive. By improving its copy on a future iteration to come, Logitech would however have a card to play and a place to take in the future.

The “console” according to Nvidia: Nvidia Shield TV (2019)

The last possibility, play GeForce Now (cloud gaming) directly on your TV using the Shield TV. Yes, Nvidia's Shield TV is not a game console. It is primarily designed as an Android TV box rather than a console, but its advanced features related to video games make it a good side console. Nvidia obliges, so it integrates all the streaming features of your local PC games, and the firm's cloud gaming: GameStream and GeForce Now respectively. Since it runs on Android, you also have access to the Google Play Store games library.

Which video game console to buy?

What are the three big game consoles at the moment?

The console market has been dominated by three giants for many years: Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft. They respectively designed the Nintendo Switch, the PS5, and the Xbox Series X and S. With the recent release of the latter two in 2020, the Switch is starting to show its age a little. However, it still has its hybrid function as well as the unique Nintendo catalog.

What's new on next-gen consoles?

The PS5 and the Xbox Series X are remarkably close. Both are built around a processor and graphics circuit combo designed by AMD. The general architecture remains x86, which greatly facilitates cross-platform development and backward compatibility with the previous generation.

Without going into technical details, we will note some particularly interesting points for players.

The first is the abandonment of platter hard drives in favor of SSDs using a PCI-Express bus. Coupled with a few tips for data decompression, this results in significantly reduced loading times. In our tests, they were divided by ten on certain titles. Suffice it to say that the good old loading screen seems to be on the way out.

Both consoles also adopt HDMI 2.1. In addition to a higher maximum resolution (we go up to 8K…), this new standard brings refinements previously reserved for the PC. We are thus entitled to automatic switching of the television to low latency mode, but also to VRR ( variable refresh rate ).

Behind this barbaric term hides an automatic adjustment of the screen refresh rate according to the number of images per second on the television. In short: no more tearing of the image and a strongly enhanced impression of fluidity. The only downside is that these functions are reserved for HDMI 2.1-compatible TVs.

What are the criteria to study before choosing your console?

It is important to think about the games you want to play before buying a console because the catalog can vary enormously from one machine to another. For example, we will find the most popular games on home consoles belonging to Sony and Microsoft rather than Nintendo ( Call Of Duty, Forza, Assassin's Creed, Grand Theft Auto, FIFA, God of War, etc. ). Conversely, the Kyoto firm benefits from numerous exclusives from its in-house licenses ( Mario, Pokémon, Zelda, etc. ) that you will not find anywhere else.

Want to play online with your friends? In this case, you will probably need to have the same platform as your loved ones, because cross-platform is extremely rare even today. Furthermore, if you like to play with several people in the same room, the Switch is ideal, being one of the rare consoles to focus on local multiplayer. It is therefore ideal for families.

You will also need to pay attention to the functionalities of the consoles. Some allow you to play in 4K, others to play Blu-ray or even act as a multimedia hub.

Finally, the price criterion is of course important, a Switch is not at the same price as a PS5.