Best Video Gaming Consoles for Every Gamer.

Best Video Gaming Consoles of 2024 has been an exciting year for video games, and I’ve spent a lot of my time attending international game conventions, testing new hardware, and playing as many games as I could get my hands on. Whether you’re a hardcore gamer or a more casual player, there’s a game console for everyone. Here are the top choices you can buy right now.

Quick Review

PlayStation 5 Pro: Ultimate Performance and Stunning Graphics

The market right now also features the most expensive gaming console: the PlayStation 5 Pro. Before the introduction of this console, gamers had to make trade-offs when deciding how they wanted their games to look and feel. If they wanted the best graphics at a 4K resolution, it meant capping the frame rate at around 30 frames per second. Conversely, if they wanted the game to run smoothly at 60 FPS, it meant lowering the resolution to around 1080p.

The PS5 Pro achieves both of these goals simultaneously, meaning your graphics will look incredible, game environments will be dense, and movement will feel seamless. In certain situations, it can even go beyond expectations. Games like EA Sports F1 24 can now reach 120 frames per second or offer 8K visuals, depending on the mode you select.

This power doesn’t come cheap—the Pro is priced at $700, making it the most expensive console on the market. It also lacks a disc drive, meaning you’ll need to purchase the $80 external drive to read physical media. However, with increased power and storage, the Pro justifies its price, offering stunning visuals and excellent game performance. This easily makes it the top gaming console of 2024 and a must-have for gamers looking for the best of the best.

But gaming isn’t just about playing at home. Even with all the power in the world, portability remains an important factor for many gamers. The best handheld gaming console as of 2024 is the Steam Deck.

Steam Deck OLED: Stunning Display, Portable Power, and Better Battery Life

The Steam Deck OLED is an update to the original handheld, which launched in early 2022. This new version came a little over a year later. While it doesn’t have increased power—so games don’t run better—it includes several other much-welcomed improvements.

The most notable upgrade is the OLED display, which gives visuals a brighter and richer look, with deeper blacks. The screen is also about half an inch larger. Additionally, the Steam Deck OLED is lighter, thinner, and has better battery life than the original LCD model.

The Steam Deck OLED retails for $550 for the 512 GB storage model and $650 for the 1 TB version. It allows you to take your Steam library with you on the go, which is a big deal, especially if you travel frequently.

Nintendo Switch OLED

Switching to the List: Is the OLED Model Still the Best? The OLED model from 2021 is the best version of the Switch. The platform is fantastic and one I still frequently use, though primarily for Nintendo exclusives. At one point, it was a haven for indie games, but much of that focus has shifted back to the Steam Deck.

While Nintendo continues to support the platform with first-party exclusives, such as this year’s The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, the video gaming console is starting to show its age—now 8 years old.

We’re expecting a successor to the Switch console next year, and I’m extremely hopeful for what’s to come.

Xbox Series S: The Best Budget Gaming Console.

The Xbox Series S gaming console is perfect for those on a budget. This tiny device retails for around $300 for the 512 GB version, but I’ve seen it go as low as $150 for a refurbished model. If you want to double your storage, there’s also a 1 TB model available for just $50 more.

Although it’s the least powerful of the current-gen consoles, the Xbox Series S gives you access to the most modern game library at the cheapest price. Best of all, if you’re an Xbox Game Pass subscriber, you’ll have access to hundreds of games ready for immediate download.

In addition, Game Pass Ultimate members can access cloud-streaming games, meaning you don’t even need to download the game to your console to play it. Instead, you’re connecting to a Microsoft server running the more powerful Xbox Series X hardware, delivering better visuals and performance than the console itself could provide.

From gaming on the go to enjoying the most power possible, the Xbox Series S holds its own among the best video gaming consoles on the market. But I want to hear from you—do you agree with these choices? Let me know in the comments