The development of the gaming industry is as unstoppable as a rushing locomotive, and console manufacturers managed to jump into one of the cars. Modern game consoles are equipped with powerful processors, capacious hard drives, they can be used not only for games, but also for listening to music, watching movies and browsing the Internet.
And in the ranking of the best game consoles, we will consider the most popular models and tell you which game console is most suitable for your needs.
How to choose the best game console
First of all, you should choose what type of game console you need - portable or stationary.
- The portability option is relevant if you travel a lot. With the help of a game console, you can brighten up a boring watch in an airplane or train. Portable consoles are great for restless teens who can't sit still and are cheaper than stationary models.
- Stationary game consoles are the preferred option for a player who wants to immerse himself in the game world without leaving the borders of the apartment. They connect to the TV, support multi-player games and allow you to enjoy great graphics, sound and a huge variety of AAA class games.
But the choice of manufacturers will be small. The lion's share of the market for game consoles belongs to the trinity of Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo. Also on sale, you can find good game consoles in retro style from Sega.
The best stationary game consoles
3. Xbox One S All-Ditigal
The average price is 18 990 rubles
Specifications:
- stationary game console
- wireless controller included
- support for HD resolution and 3D mode
- comes with a 1024 GB hard drive
- Infrared, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi (802.11ac), LAN
This good and inexpensive game console is designed specifically for people who want to get experience with a console without a flagship price tag, and are willing to sacrifice a small amount of power for this.
The Xbox One S All-Ditigal has an AMD octa-core processor with a clock frequency of 1.75 GHz and 8 GB of DDR3 RAM. It only comes with a 1 TB hard drive, which is a good size for digital storage. But the Blu-ray drive is not included. This ultimately benefits the assembly, as this console is noticeably lighter than its optical drive version.
What distinguishes this version of the Xbox One S from other models is its system, which is completely based on downloading games. This is a double-edged sword, because, on the one hand, you save a little money, but, on the other hand, you cannot play DVDs or buy physical copies of games. But if you plan to create a digital collection of games (and let's face it, this is likely to happen), then better than One S All-Ditigal, consoles can not be found.
And if you want a model with a drive, pay attention to the One S 1 TB. The only difference between this model and All-Ditigal is precisely in the support of Blu-ray, DVD and CD.
pros: optimal price-performance ratio, quiet operation, the kit includes one gamepad and three vouchers for downloading games, there is support for ultraHD (4K).
Minuses: high price of games.
2. Microsoft Xbox One X
The average price is 26 980 rubles
Specifications:
- stationary game console
- wireless controller included
- support for HD resolution and 3D mode
- comes with a 1024 GB hard drive
- video playback
- Bluetooth, Wi-Fi (802.11ac), LAN
This console is an improved model of the popular Xbox One, and offers some of the most powerful technologies that you will find in a modern gaming system.
The Xbox One X can handle six trillion floating point operations per second, has 12 GB of RAM, supports 4K HD graphics, and the frame rate in games is 60 fps. This makes games like Call Of Duty: WWII more intense and realistic, detailing everything from loose hair to the rays of the sun and fibers of clothing.
All Xbox One games are compatible and work on the Xbox One X and Full HD display.
pros: compact size, no noise, significantly improved graphics compared to the old Xbox One, a very convenient controller, the power supply is now located inside the case, and not outside.
Minuses: Heats up, power connectors and hdmi are located directly above the place where hot air comes from the cooling system. As a result, the cables stuck in them operate at elevated temperatures.
1. Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
The average price is 29 990 rubles
Specifications:
- stationary game console
- wireless controller included
- support for HD resolution and 3D mode
- comes with a 1000 GB hard drive
- video playback
- Bluetooth, Wi-Fi (802.11ac), LAN
One of the most popular game consoles sold over 64 million copies worldwide. Sony PlayStation 4 still has a steeper result - 100 million copies, but Pro still has every chance to break this record.
The PlayStation 4 Pro model has an increased frame rate for games compared to the “regular” PS4 - up to 60 frames per second - which allows you to play 4K games with high fps. The Pro version also doubled the performance of the GPU.
The system is also good for its multimedia features: playing Blu-ray discs, streaming TV, music and many other features.
Compared to the Xbox One S, Xbox One X, or Nintendo Switch, the PS4 Pro has one distinct advantage: VR. The PlayStation VR is an impressive introduction to the power of virtual reality, presented in the “plug and play” package.
To achieve the best experience, you need PlayStation VR Worlds and PlayStation Camera, which will cost 23 thousand rubles per set.
pros: powerful, compact, high speed Wi-Fi, you can turn on the console with a joystick, the interface does not slow down.
Minuses: many games with a frame rate of no higher than 30 fps, even exclusive ones, are noisy in games that require graphics.
The best portable game consoles
3. Nintendo 3DS XL
The average price is 15 990 rubles
Specifications:
- portable game console
- 3D mode support
- 4.88 ″ display, 800 × 240 pixels.
- with 4096 MB memory card
- battery life up to 6.5 hours
- Wi-Fi (802.11b / g)
Nintendo has come a long way from its eight-bit Gameboy handheld system to the reliable and powerful Nintendo 3DS XL game console with 3D face tracking and other 3D capabilities.
This portable two-screen system has a library of over 1224 games and is backward compatible with Nintendo DS games. It supports both local and network multi-player mode, so you can play games like Super Smash Bros and Mario Kart 7.
pros: large screen, 3D without special glasses, a convenient analog joystick, a huge number of games for all ages (including classic games of the 80s and 90s).
Minuses: screen glare, high prices for games, not easy to find for sale in Russia.
2. Sony PlayStation Portable Slim & Lite (PSP-3000)
The average price is 12,990 rubles.
Specifications:
- portable game console
- display 4.3 ″, 480 × 272 pixels.
- video playback
- runs on battery up to 6 hours
- Wi-Fi (802.11b)
This is an excellent game console, which received positive reviews for high-quality games and convenient controls. It can be connected to a TV, which allows you to enjoy games on the big screen.
And if you’re tired of playing, then you can listen to music and walk around the Network, and even watch movies without leaving the console. So for small (compared with competitors) money you will get an excellent multifunctional device.
pros: capacious battery, excellent picture quality on the screen, loud speakers.
Minuses: the case is easily soiled and scratches easily appear on it, the problem is solved by the purchase of a protective case.
1. Nintendo Switch
The average price is 19 870 rubles
Specifications:
- portable game console
- wireless controller included
- HD resolution support
- 6.2 ″ display, 1280 × 720 pixels.
- runs on battery up to 6 hours
- Bluetooth, Wi-Fi (802.11ac)
The manufacturer positioned the Nintendo Switch as a mobile gaming system with which you can not only play at home on your TV, but also take it with you to play, on the road or on vacation. The innovative Nintendo console makes gaming on the go easy and comes with a split-screen controller that lets you play with friends.
Nintendo Switch is partnering with 50 third-party publishers to develop their future games. In the piggy bank of this console there are such hits as Mario Kart 8, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Mario Odyssey, as well as ported Doom and Skyrim.
Full-featured equipment, including a docking station and Joy-Con mobile controllers, allows you to play with friends without buying additional accessories.
pros: loud and clear-sounding speakers, a huge number of games, including those focused on co-passing, Joy-Con can act as one gamepad, divided into two halves.
Minuses: There is no Bluetooth for connecting headphones, some games are overpriced.
The best gaming consoles in retro style
3. Nintendo Classic Mini: Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The average price is 9,990 rubles.
Specifications:
- stationary game console
- 2 controllers included
- Features: 21 pre-installed game;
- USB powered
Super NES Classic, known in Europe under the long name Nintendo Classic Mini: Super Nintendo Entertainment System, revives the glorious gaming era of the 1990s. It comes with 21 different games, including Starfox 2, Super Mario Kart, and Street Fighter II Turbo.
With the original look of a 16-bit home console (only smaller), Super NES Classic acts as a kind of symbol of the moment when games on consoles reached their peak.
pros: when using, there is a pleasant feeling of nostalgia, convenient gamepads, a simple and convenient menu.
Minuses: Tight cross on gamepads, no power adapter included.
2. Sega Retro Genesis HD Ultra
The average price is 2 990 rubles
Specifications:
- stationary game console
- 2 wireless joysticks included
- features: from 50 to 150 pre-installed games;
- HDMI output
If your pleasant childhood memories are connected with the legendary Sega console, then know that this console has received a new life, without losing the classic outlines of the case.
It comes with 50 games, two gamepads and the ability to connect to a TV. And all this at a price much lower than that of a competitor from Nintendo.
Thanks to the technology of smoothing the image, the picture on the screen is more comfortable for the eyes, which is clearly visible on the big screen. And thanks to the wireless joysticks, you can sit at a convenient distance for you and play for your own pleasure.
pros: compact size, stereo sound.
Minuses: not all users who bought a version with 50 games have a regional switch, so it’s probably not possible to play all games.
1. Sega Genesis Gopher 2
Average price - 3,274 rubles
Specifications:
- portable console
- portable console form: monoblock
- screen size 4.3 "
- architecture: 16-bit
- media type: microSD
- memory card slot
- power supply: battery
- features: 500 games
Originally released in Japan in October 1988, Genesis was one of the top gaming consoles of the 1990s and a major competitor to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). Although Sega later released new consoles such as Saturn and Dreamcast, Genesis is the company's most famous hardware product.
So Sega Genesis came back updated, so you can hold the console in your hands, which helped make video games a household item.
pros: a huge number of games, works fast, works up to 6 hours on a single battery charge.
Minuses: Buttons start to sink very quickly.
The most anticipated console 2019-2020 - Sony PlayStation 5
The next PlayStation console is on its way, and it should become a better and more powerful game console than any PlayStation before it. Its release is scheduled for late 2019 or early 2020, and the price in Russia will be about 33 thousand rubles.
As for the exclusive games, nothing is known yet, but expect all the major Sony franchises, as well as exclusive developments, such as Death Stranding and Ghosts of Tsushima.
According to Sony system architect Mark Czerny, who cites the Wired edition, the updated game console will be based on the 3rd-generation AMD Ryzen eight-core processor, created using the 7-nm process technology. This will increase productivity and reduce the level of heating of the device.
AMD Navi will be responsible for the graphics with hardware support for advanced lighting, virtual cores and ray tracing.
On the console, it will be possible to launch games in 4K UHD resolution with a frame rate of 60 fps and higher, as well as play content in 8K resolution (but at what frequency is still unknown).
