Best Gaming Consoles 2021

How do you choose the best game console? Which one is better? The PS5? The Xbox Series X? or would you rather buy a portable hybrid like the Nintendo Switch OLED? What about streaming devices like the Nvidia Shield or portable consoles like Switch Lite? Furthermore, last-gen consoles like the PS4 and Xbox One still remain popular. 

The existence of a game console is a necessity for many of us. However, it is expensive and each one offers something different, not just graphical power, but also design, as well as the availability of games. There are a lot of choices out there if you’re not a hardcore gamer. That’s why we have ranked some of the best gaming consoles currently on the market so that you can get a proper idea of what you should buy. 

Remember that you can still get old consoles and games at much cheaper prices, and if you want to make sure you’re getting the best price, check out the best games deals.

However, if you’re looking for the ultimate game console, keep reading.

PlayStation 5

The PlayStation 5 offers significantly higher visual quality than the PlayStation 4, with five times the graphical output of the original PlayStation 4, and more than double the graphical output of the PS4 Pro half-step. With a native 4K resolution at up to 120 frames per second and support for up to 8K content, the result is a smooth, crisp, and extremely detailed game world. Moreover, the SSD storage significantly reduces loading times, which makes it possible to enjoy a much smoother play experience.

With Sony’s DualSense controller, the triggers can be adjusted for better simulation of gun triggers or bow pullbacks before firing, and the haptic motion allows things to feel much more realistic. Comparatively, the combination of these two technologies represents a tremendous leap forward over the Xbox controller, which offers only minimal differences.

A wide array of launch games are included on the PS5-both with and without a disc drive-including Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Demon’s Souls, which are both excellent.

Specification

• GPU: AMD Radeon RDNA 2
• CPU: AMD Ryzen
• Storage: 825GB SSD
• Optical Drive: Yes
• Dimensions: 15.4″x4.1″x10.2″

Price: ₹49,990

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Xbox Series X

It offers 4K@120fps performance with ray-tracing, enhanced textures, and particle effects, similar to the PS5, and although less fast than Sony’s dedicated SSDs, including an SSD so that games process quickly helps. Xbox 360 offers a wide range of games, offering backward compatibility as far back as the original Xbox. On the other hand, the PS5 offers only PS4 titles outside of its PS Now service. 

This console stands 30 cm tall and sports an all-black design with green accents within the vent atop the console, which is much more muted than the competition. The Xbox controller’s ‘safe’ update is what lets it down when it comes to the title of the best console. Microsoft, meanwhile, appears to have concentrated on the tower itself while Sony, on the other hand, has gone all-in on every aspect of the new console experience.

Specification

• GPU: AMD Navi/RDNA 2
• CPU: AMD Ryzen Zen 2
• Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD
• Optical Drive: Yes, 4K Blu-ray
• Dimensions: 5.9 x 5.9 x 11.9 in/151 x 151 x 301 mm

Price: ₹49,990

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Xbox Series S

In terms of 4K gaming, the Xbox Series S doesn’t offer the same framerate as the PS5 or Series X, but it offers major upgrades such as the faster SSD and the updated Xbox UI. Additionally, it’s substantially cheaper than either of these hero consoles.

Especially if you’ve got a TV with 1440p resolution, it could make for a great TV-side companion – especially when you consider its smaller size as compared to the other next-generation consoles. Furthermore, if you play on another console primarily, it could be a cheap-ish way to get your hands on Microsoft exclusive titles, especially since Microsoft recently purchased Bethesda. 

You can play all the same Xbox Series X games on the console, plus it is backwards compatible, so you have access to a wide range of games. The Series S can be used with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, a monthly subscription service that grants you access to an extensive library of titles.

Specification

• GPU: Custom AMD RDNA 2 GPU 52 CUs @ 1.825 GHz
• CPU: Custom 8-core AMD Zen 2 CPU @ 3.8GHz (3.6GHz with SMT)
• Storage: 1TB PCie Gen 4 NVME SSD
• HDMI: No disk drive
• Dimensions: 151 x 151 x 301 mm (5.94 x 5.94 x 11.85 inches)

Price: ₹34,990

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Nintendo Switch (OLED)

The Nintendo Switch (OLED) doesn’t provide an increase in graphic power as some might have expected, but it does come equipped with a 7-inch OLED display that offers more vivid colours and deeper blacks for a more immersive gaming experience. Those OLEDs on the Switch make Zelda look like it’s never been before!!

With both the 2017 and 2018 versions of Switch, there is more than just a display upgrade; you get better battery life, boasting anywhere from 4.5 to 9 hours depending on the game you’re playing. There are also improvements to the buttons as well, including the improved shapes of the buttons, which replaced the previous flimsy kickstand.

You don’t need the OLED model if you have the newer Nintendo Switch which offers better battery life. However, if you own a 2017 release Switch or have not yet upgraded to one, the OLED model is worth the upgrade.  

Specification

• GPU: NVIDIA G20M Maxwell-based GPU
• CPU: ARM Cortex Octa-Core
• Storage: 64GB HDD
• HDMI: Yes (via Dock)
• Screen-Size: 7 inches

Price: ₹39,999

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Nintendo Switch

Nintendo’s most popular console is proving to be quite a rarity at the moment. A hybrid of a handheld and a home console, the Switch can be hooked up to your TV for big-screen gaming, or taken on the go as a handy handheld. It offers many controls options depending on which setup you are using. This model is a little dated in comparison to the newer OLED model, but it still offers the same gaming experience as the upgraded model, with no graphical enhancements.

The Switch does not have the necessary graphical power to run the latest AAA titles, but it features an array of Nintendo exclusive, indie, and third-party titles. This console lets you play the latest Zelda and Mario games, as well as versions of massive games like Skyrim that are portable and easy to play.

Specification

• GPU: NVIDIA G20M Maxwell-based GPU
• CPU: ARM Cortex Octa-Core
• Storage: 32GB HDD
• HDMI: Yes (via Dock)
• Screen-Size: 6.2 inches

Price: ₹27,445

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