- PlayStation, Xbox or Nintendo? Experts at GAME are sharing the main features and differences of 3 of the top gaming consoles so parents and gamers know exactly how to use their new console
Sales of game consoles continue to soar worldwide, with the Nintendo Switch selling over 19 million units and the PlayStation 5 selling over 13.9 million units in 2022 alone and the Xbox X & S Series sales at around 21 million units as of April 20231.
Many shoppers have purchased game consoles as Christmas gifts for their children and loved ones, but knowing how to operate them can be confusing!
As Christmas fast approaches, parents of gamers may be left wondering which of the leading game consoles is best suited to their child.
With this in mind, Nick Arran, Managing Director of gaming, tech and toy retailer GAME is sharing everything you need to know about three of the top gaming consoles, for the big day and beyond.
PS5 (PlayStation 5)
Nick explains: “The PS5 is Sony’s next gen-console, featuring two versions: the PS5 and the PS5 Digital Edition. The standard PS5 model features a disc drive, enabling you to play games and movie discs.
“On the other hand, the PlayStation Digital Edition does not contain a disk drive, and so cannot play disks.. Instead, you’ll build your games library digitally by purchasing and downloading games from the official PlayStation store.”
The PS5’s highlighted features:
- New DualSense controller: PlayStation is out with the DualShock and in with the DualSense. With haptic feedback, you will be immersed in gaming like never before. Sony states that the DualSense allows players to feel what they’re playing, for example the “slow grittiness of a car moving through mud”, making the gaming experience more realistic.
- 4K resolution support at 120 FPS: The new PS5 supports 4K resolution with the right supporting display. This is exactly 4 times the amount of pixel density seen in standard HD resolutions. The overall quality of your games will be heightened and details will be more crisp. With support for higher FPS (frames per second), the image output on your displays gets refreshed more regularly, making your gameplay smoother. The PS5 also supports cutting-edge graphical feature ray-tracing, making games look more realistic.
- Virtual Reality: The PS5 is the only next-gen gaming console on the market right now that supports VR, presenting the PlayStation VR2. The new PSVR 2 is four times sharper in resolution, has an increased field-of-view and features a HDR display, creating better immersion.
Xbox
“Microsoft has two next-gen consoles, the Xbox Series X and the Xbox Series S. The Xbox Series X is a bigger, more powerful gaming console, arguably the most powerful console right now on the market. The Xbox Series S is the smaller, budget friendly option that also doesn’t come with a disk drive,” explains Nick.
Xbox Series X features:
- Quick resume: You can run multiple games simultaneously with Xbox’s quick resume. For years consoles have been trying to catch up with the capabilities of PC gaming, and next-gen consoles are getting close. On Xbox Series X you can seamlessly switch from one game to another, with quick resume saving your game in its current state, ready to jump back in right where you left off.
- Ray tracing: The Xbox series X is also catching up with PC gaming capabilities by supporting ray tracing, working just as well as on the PS5. You can immerse yourself in supported games with enhanced graphics and realistic lighting. This feature can be switched off if you want to prioritise gaming performance over graphics.
Xbox Series S features:
- The Xbox S features both quick resume & ray tracing, but also features compact design: The Series S is significantly smaller than the Series X, perfect for saving space as the smallest Xbox ever released. The Xbox Series S console is 60% smaller than the Series X.
Nintendo Switch
Nick shares: “Nintendo released the revolutionary Nintendo Switch back in 2017 and has since released another two versions: The Nintendo Switch Lite and the Nintendo Switch OLED model. The Switch is loved for its versatility and portability, combining handheld and console gaming in one. In a nutshell, the Switch is a tablet-like gaming console featuring a touchscreen.”
Nintendo Switch’s features:
- Hybrid console: There are many ways to play with the Nintendo Switch – play handheld with the Joy Cons attached, or play them in tabletop mode with the Switch stand extended. You can also play the Nintendo Switch by connecting to a TV.
- Joy Cons: Nintendo have brought back similar technology from their past controllers (Wii remotes), and now present the Joy Cons! They feature HD rumble and greatly improved motion sensors, making gameplay more immersive and smooth.
Nintendo Switch Lite’s features:
- Perfectly portable: If the Switch was not portable enough already for you, then the Switch Lite is perfect for you! It’s smaller than the original model in both size and weight and has a smaller screen measuring 5.5” (vs 6.2” for the original). Despite the smaller screen size, the Switch Lite packs the same HD resolution as the original model.
Nintendo Switch OLED Model features:
- Improved display: The Nintendo Switch is an upgrade of the original Switch, functioning mostly the same, but replacing the original’s LCD screen with a bigger 7” OLED display.
- Upgraded storage: The Switch OLED model comes with double the internal storage of the original and Lite models of Nintendo Switch (64GB instead of 32GB). This allows for more games to be installed before expanding storage.
