Price, exclusives, convenience – how to choose the right console?

Choosing a console in 2023 is not an easy task, given the unstable dollar rate and the speedy release of the PS5 and Xbox Series X. But what if you want to play, and even Dota 2 lags on a PC? Cybersport.ru explains how to choose a console so as not to mess up.

What is better than a console PC?

They are convenient to operate. There are always a bunch of problems with a PC. Is something not working with sound? We climb onto the Internet and find a thousand tips from “reinstalling the drivers” to “dancing with a tambourine”. The game lags, although the system requirements are quite suitable for the configuration? “The video card must have burned out.” And so in everything! Any problem on a PC turns into a whirlpool of googling, experimentation, and error.

Consoles give a magical feeling of convenience and reliability that even the most sophisticated computer cannot always provide. No mistakes, incomprehensible problems and dances with tambourines.

But are they more expensive?

No, on the contrary, they are much cheaper than a gaming PC. I will explain with a specific example. The best graphics card for gaming today is RTX 2060. According to Yandex.Market, as of April 24, the cheapest option costs $ 25.5 thousand.

And this is just a graphics card! But you still need a processor, motherboard, RAM, power supply, monitor, keyboard with mouse, headset or sound system.

Now we look at the console.

PC doesn’t seem so cheap anymore, right? For the console, you only need a TV, because Wi-Fi has long been in every home.

But what about the games? On Steam they are cheaper!

If we talk about the cost of games, then their price, even on Steam, is quite high. Some AAA title like Doom Eternal will cost you $ 2 thousand, and in Origin, games have long cost $ 3.5 thousand.

On consoles, prices are certainly higher. The basic version of the conditional Ghost of Tsushima on PS4 will cost $ 4.5 thousand. But here sales, services and a good old exchange come to the rescue. For example, on the PS Store, there are now two big sales with discounts on 700 different games, from AAA to indie. And such actions are held regularly – one ends, and immediately begins a new one.

The Xbox One is more complicated – due to Microsoft’s policies, local store prices are in dollars only. However, the American console has an incredible advantage – the Xbox Game Pass. This is a real Netflix for games, the library of which has over a hundred different titles. And we are talking about serious AAA games like Gears 5, The Witcher 3 and GTA V. In addition, the catalog is regularly updated.

The hardest thing with Nintendo Switch pricing. Unfortunately, the company does not like the Russian market too much, and our price tags for components and games are much higher than in other countries. But there is a way out. Firstly, there are also sales on the Nintendo Switch, and secondly, there is always the opportunity to buy a cartridge with a friend and go through the game in turn, and then sell it on Avito. This is done very often.

And then what console to choose?

Three options are available: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. Let’s dwell on each console in more detail.

Playstation 4

Available in two main variations – regular Slim and advanced Pro. The second is more expensive, but allows you to run games in 4K resolution and with a slightly higher frame rate – up to 60 FPS. However, if you have an inexpensive TV and you do not pursue graphics, then you can not buy a “firmware”.

What is good about the PlayStation 4? Among all game consoles, she has the most acceptable price tags for Russians and CIS residents. Sony still takes into account regional characteristics and the solvency of the population, so the price of its products is much lower than that of competitors. An AAA release in the store costs ₽4 thousand, but on sale in six months you can buy it at a discount of 30, or even 40%.

Further, of course, are exclusive games. Many people buy PS4 for the sake of being able to play Marvel’s Spider-Man, God of War, and The Last of Us. The exclusives catalog is small, but their quality is in many ways ahead of the counterparts on other consoles.

The PS4 also has a paid PlayStation Plus subscription, which will cost about $ 4,000 per year. It allows you to play multiplayer and gives exclusive discounts in the store, and once a month, subscribers can download two games that Sony offers for free, and there are not always indies there. For example, in April, users are given Uncharted 4 – one of the best games of the current generation.

The PS4, however, has its downsides. The console does not have the most convenient store interface, and the services are in many ways inferior to competitors. But its “nationality”, exclusives and regular sales provide the console the first place in our peculiar top.

Xbox one

The Xbox One is no worse than the PlayStation 4. Largely due to the fact that it has a cool service that can be a decisive argument when buying, the Xbox Game Pass.

What is a Game Pass? This is Netflix for games. His library has over a hundred different titles, from indie to AAA releases. You can play, for example, in The Witcher 3, GTA V, NieR: Automata and so on. In addition, some games appear in the service on the day of release. So it was with Gears 5 and The Outer Worlds.

There are a couple of downsides that can be highlighted in the Xbox Game Pass. The first – not all games linger in it for a long time, the library is regularly cleaned. But Microsoft reports this in advance in all available sources, so it’s unlikely to miss an ad, and there will be no unpleasant surprises. Second – you can’t buy a subscription online. All vouchers are sold at official points of large networks like DNS, M. Video, and so on. Prices in them also vary, so it is better to spend 20 minutes and look for the best option. In DNS, for example, a key for six months costs ₽3 thousand.

But buying games ignoring the Game Pass is such a pleasure. All Microsoft products in the company store are sold for dollars, and at full cost. So, an AAA release like FIFA 20 will cost $ 60 (~ ₽4.5 thousand). Therefore, if we take the Xbox One, then only with an eye on the Game Pass and rare purchases from the category of “really want to.”

Xbox One has three variations: the version without the Xbox One All Digital drive for ~ 18 thousand, the basic version of the Xbox One S for ~ ₽24 thousand and the advanced Xbox One X for ~ ₽30 thousand. The latter is the most powerful console on the market. And this is not a marketing slogan, but a conclusion from its characteristics. The most “graphite” titles work quite cheerfully on it, and if you have a TV with a resolution of 4K and HDR, then you will be delighted.

The best and most budgetary combination possible: buy an Xbox All Digital for ~ ₽18 thousand and get a Game Pass from the top for six months.

Nintendo switch

The miracle of technology from the Japanese quickly burst into the Russian market and successfully entrenched in it. According to information from retailers, in June 2019, the Nintendo Switch outperformed Xbox One. In addition, Switch has become a haven for indie gamers, Mario, Pokemon and other Nintendo titles. What is this console?

Two variations are available: the basic Nintendo Switch, which costs approximately $ 22 thousand, and the portable Nintendo Switch Lite, for $ 16-18 thousand. You can detach the joysticks (side joysticks) from the first one and also connect it to a TV or monitor. Thus, Switch can be made a real home console. Switch Lite does not have these options, but it has a slightly better battery, classic cross and cool colors – one coral is worth it! Basic Switch can be customized using special joysticks. There are dozens of different variations in online stores.

The main thing to buy Switch for is the Nintendo exclusives. This series of Super Smash Bros., games about Mario, The Legend of Zelda franchise, as well as many exclusives from other studios. For example, Astral Chain – one of the best games of 2019 – was released only on the Nintendo Switch. This console is also ideal for people who often spend time on trips, or for those who do not have a TV – she just does not need it.

With prices, alas, everything is not so good. Switch AAA releases are expensive, especially if you buy them from a digital store. And Nintendo does not reduce the price of games even after a long time after their release. For example, Super Mario Odyssey was released in 2017, but at eShop it still costs $ 4.5 thousand, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate – astronomical ₽5,2 thousand, although it was released two years ago.

There is a solution: you can buy cartridges from retailers or on Avito. Nintendo’s physical copies are significantly cheaper than digital copies for unknown reasons. Avito is generally the best option, since many put up for sale games after passing. For example, I snatched myself Super Mario Odyssey for ₽2.5 thousand.

Another major drawback of the Nintendo Switch is its low reliability. Everyone probably heard about the famous drift of joysticks, to this we can add a strange feeling of the fragility of the device. Don’t get it wrong, holding the Nintendo Switch in your hands is a chic feeling, but the whole time does not leave the thought that it is about to fall apart.

Thanks to this diversity, everyone will choose a console for themselves. If you travel a lot and love the Mario franchise, and also appreciate cool devices, then the Nintendo Switch is perfect for you. If you don’t have a powerful PC and you rarely play, in principle, the combination of Xbox One and Game Pass will be a gift for you. If you already have experience with games and want something new and unknown, then PS4 and its exclusives are your choice.