(Pocket-lint) – Buying a games console can sometimes feel like it means more than it really does – if you’d believe the raging hordes on Twitter and other social media platforms, it’s like you’re pledging undying fealty to one console above any others.

• Xbox Series X vs PS5: Battle of the powerhouses

The reality is very different, of course, and owning more than one console is entirely allowed and encouraged. However, if you’re looking to pick up a console and only have room or time to get one, which should you go for? That’s a big question, but we’ve gathered the very best around for you to pick from below. See what you think!

Xbox, PlayStation, or Nintendo Switch – which is the best games console for you? 

PlayStation

PlayStation 5

squirrel_widget_2679939

We’re going to start our list off on the very cutting edge, with the most recent additions to the console lineup, and first up it’s the PS5, Sony’s new console. 

Sony’s latest brings a super-quick SSD to make load times zippy and boosts the graphical performance. Whether you want it or an Xbox comes down to games, for us, and currently, the PS5 edges it. Plus, you can look forward to titles from the likes of Naughty Dog and Insomniac down the line. 

• Sony PlayStation 5 review: A glorious new era

Xbox

Xbox Series X

squirrel_widget_351765

Microsoft has got a really impressive hand to play this console generation, too, though, and the Xbox Series X is its new flagship. It’s the most powerful console ever, too.

An SSD and huge power means it’s right up there with the PS5, and the prices are similar too. However, Microsoft’s console might be a cheaper one, in the long run, thanks to Game Pass, a membership scheme that makes it affordable to play a huge range of games for a monthly fee.

After buying Bethesda recently, too, Microsoft should catch up on the exclusives front in the next couple of years, making the Series X an equally great choice. 

• Xbox Series X review: A next-gen powerhouse

Enrique Vidal Flores on Unsplash

Nintendo Switch

squirrel_widget_140007

Of course, even if it’s no longer super new, the Nintendo Switch has to be part of any console conversation – it’s an absolute classic, portable and for home use all in one package.

No one can beat Nintendo’s lineup of first-party games from franchises like Mario Kart, The Legend of Zelda, and mainline Mario titles, and it’s also great for playing older titles bought digitally. 

If you’ve got a family, we think this is the best choice by far – you’ve got some of the best games ever, in an amazing package, and most of them are family-friendly. 

• Nintendo Switch review: Redefining the games console

Xbox

Xbox Series S

squirrel_widget_351324

Microsoft has another next-generation console – the Xbox Series S is a more affordable, less powerful alternative to the Series X.

It’s designed to play games at 1080p or 1440p instead of 4K, which will still satisfy many people, and you’ll get all the next-gen games goodness coming to the Series X. If you want the latest games, getting a Series S and an Xbox Game Pass membership is the most affordable way to do it. There’s no disk drive here, though, so don’t expect your discs to work!

• Xbox Series S review: Next-gen lite

Pocket-lint

Nintendo Switch Lite

squirrel_widget_160842

Nintendo wasn’t done when it released the Switch and followed it up with the absolutely stellar Switch Lite, a portable-only console that holds its own against the big boys. 

Being portable makes it a bit different from the others here, but if you don’t have space for a full console and want to play some stone-cold classics, it’s an affordable and practical way to do so, with a great screen and really comfortable controls. Not being able to dock it to play on a TV is a bit of a drawback, though. 

• Nintendo Switch Lite review: Practically perfect in every way

Sony Interactive Entertainment

PlayStation 5 Digital Edition

squirrel_widget_2679895

The PlayStation 5 is here in two variants, and this more affordable Digital Edition could work nicely for a lot of people. It has all the same power and storage of the standard PS5 but simply loses the disk drive.

That makes for a chunky saving on the cost upfront, and if you’re happy to buy your games digitally it could be perfect, especially since it makes the console a little smaller, too. However, that lack of disks could be an issue for some people, so consider your approach!

Sony Interactive Entertainment

PlayStation 4 Pro

squirrel_widget_138763

Of course, though there are new consoles out there, that doesn’t mean you can’t pick up an older one. The PS4 Pro still has pretty great power to call on relative to the current generation and a huge library of stunning games it can run.

We’d advise you to get a PS5 instead, at the moment, but if you see a PS4 Pro for cheap there’s every reason to pick it up. 

• Sony PS4 Pro review: 4K HDR gaming for PlayStation fans

Pocket-lint

Xbox One X

squirrel_widget_141329

On the other side of the aisle, the Xbox One X makes arguably an even better case for itself, as Microsoft seems likely to continue supporting it with games for longer than Sony with the PS4 Pro. 

Again, we still think you’d be better off plumping for an Xbox Series S or X, but if you see a knock-down price for the Xbox One X you could still have a great time playing older titles on it, and some newer releases, too. 

• Xbox One X review: The most powerful console available today

Writing by Max Freeman-Mills. Editing by Britta O’Boyle.