With major gaming companies pushing for a digital future, a big question now becomes whether it is worth buying a next-gen console or investing in something like a full-fledged gaming PC. The answer is: it depends. Plenty may jump to getting a new gaming PC, but sadly, the reality is that the RAM and memory crisis does make a major impact on what you’re getting. Even a pre-built can sometimes be cheaper than building your own due to rising component costs.
As such, times are grim, and nothing suggests component prices are coming down, which is why paying for what’s financially your situation (can you wait or not wait), as well as the type of gamer you are/what appeals to you the most. For example, console gaming is usually more casual and more accessible, with family-friendly options like couch co-op play
However, that line has slowly blurred as hybrid systems have been introduced, like the famously expensive Steam Machine, a portable console-game-like computer. But that doesn’t replace native experiences like “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” on the original Nintendo Switch or “Astro Bot” on the PlayStation 5 in the living room. On the other hand, a gaming computer has many upsides because of its versatility: it can be used as a productivity machine for college projects or even for streaming, while also being extremely potent for gaming if it’s equipped with a high-end CPU and GPU.
The pros and cons of buying a console as your next purchase
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The three major companies offering strong console experiences are Nintendo, Microsoft Xbox, and Sony. Nintendo’s Switch 2 is a safe choice if you want the cheapest gaming entertainment, as its price will only increase to around $500 after September 1st, 2026. It only came out in 2025, so it has a long lifespan ahead of it and is as close to next-gen as possible. The latest consoles from Xbox and Sony are old enough that a new successor is bound to come out in the next few years, but no one knows when or what the final price will be. So you might be waiting a long time.
However, the hardware experience of the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 is premium compared to the Switch 2 (due to hardware differences), making AAA games much more comfortable and stable (supporting 4K and 60 to 120 FPS). The Switch 2’s main attraction is its first-party franchises, like “Donkey Kong,” “Fire Emblem,” and “Pokémon.” So if you’re already partial to any of those, the Switch 2 becomes a no-brainer. It has also been improving with third-party support.
The drawbacks are that all three systems are very ecosystem-centric. Microsoft has Game Pass, working natively on Xbox (and will likely be a mainstay for Project Helix), and it sometimes supports cross-play with PC before other consoles, but it is still quite isolated. Second, you only deal with one storefront for each console, which can lock you heavily into a pricing scheme. Games may also be timed exclusives, or fully exclusive, so you’ll want to research which console’s gaming library appeals to you the most. Though, generally, it takes a while for next-gen consoles to build their library.
The pros and cons of buying a gaming PC as your next purchase
A gaming PC should last you as long as a console, but the beauty of making the switch is being able to accumulate a library that can last a few decades. You can purchase games on Steam, Epic Games, and GOG, and set up classic emulation for long-lost titles. PC gaming is flexible, and that’s one reason users are drawn to buying a PC over a console. Mods are easier to install to enhance the gaming experience, and online servers aren’t usually hidden behind an extra paywall.
It just isn’t as easy to set up a gaming PC — and sometimes difficult to maintain — especially because Windows is denser (some may even say bloated) than console software. Plus, for instance, finding compatible GPU drivers to improve in-game stability could add an unwanted layer of complication, compared to loading the console version for that same newly released title. If something goes wrong, you end up spending time troubleshooting hardware or software faults, and not everyone is ready for that — unless you are a tech enthusiast.
Building or getting a pre-built computer isn’t always straightforward due to the range of options; you can either buy a budget, entry-level mini-PC that handles more casual games, go for a mid-range budget, balanced rig, or aim sky-high for high-end hardware that’ll cost you a pretty penny, but it should be enough to future-proof your activities for quite a while.
