The Best Gaming Consoles in 2023

Thanks to a vast selection of new AAA and indie titles coming out, now is as good a time as any to buy a new console. As new game bundles and discounts emerge across multiple platforms, it’s becoming more rewarding to play on the console. Moreover, manufacturers continue to update their respective libraries to enhance user experience.

Related: The Best Portable And Handheld Gaming Consoles For 2023

With numerous gaming consoles offering top-tier performance and specs along with an ever-growing library, picking one is a difficult task. Thankfully, each gaming console has its fair share of strengths and weaknesses. This makes it easier to narrow down to a couple of console options, and eventually settle for one.

When choosing a gaming console, consider the following factors

• Pricing: Create a budget that takes into consideration the desired console’s cost, the cost for upgrades, and peripherals.
• Specs: Consoles offer diverse features, so it’s best to choose one whose offerings closely match one’s gaming needs.
• Game Library: While some games are available on multiple consoles, exclusive titles are tied to a particular console. As such, it makes sense to get a console that supports one’s favorite titles in this case.

These are the Best Gaming Consoles in 2023

The Sony PlayStation 5 remains Game Rant’s best gaming console thanks to its stellar catalog of exclusives and 3rd party titles. The newly released exclusive Spiderman 2 has further endeared Sony’s console to fans. Users unsatisfied with the console’s 825GB SSD storage can extend it manually using any off-the-shelf M2 SSD, so long as it’s PCI-E 4.0 and meets a minimum of a 5500MBPS spec. While it has an excellent appearance, users might be less thrilled given its tendency to stick out, especially in the living room, unlike the Xbox Series S and X which have an easier time blending in with sound bars and cable boxes. Many users compare it to a larger version of some internet routers. A new “slim model” variant was launched in October 2023, but rather than come in a less conspicuous build, it brought changes like a detachable disc drive.

Related: The Best Consoles of Each Generation, Ranked

Regarding storage, the PS5 comes up a little bit short with its 825GB offering compared to the rival Xbox Series X’s 1TB. Although its SSD is slightly faster than the Series X, it skips on a quick resume feature. That could change soon via software updates. With support for up to 120Hz at 4K resolutions thanks to the HDMI 2.1 interface on the PS5, it can deliver great visuals or high refresh rates, though rarely both. This allows for a built-in performance or graphics and fidelity mode option for gamers, depending on their preferences.

With portability being one of its biggest selling points, the Nintendo Switch performs well both in docked and handheld mode, offering a little more power in the former, but a lot more flexibility with the latter. The Switch is a favorite for many gamers, including younger gamers and users looking to play retro titles or exclusives like Zelda and Mario.

This makes it a one-stop shop for people looking to experience the best that the Japanese manufacturer has to offer. The newer variant delivers on these promises, and then some, with a new gorgeous 7-inch OLED display and double the internal storage of the original Switch. If one does go for the Nintendo Switch or its OLED variant for living room use, the team at GR recommends picking up a Switch Pro Wireless controller as part of the package.

The Nintendo Switch does lag behind the Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5, offering a fraction of the processing power of the two beefier home consoles. It makes up for its low processing power in terms of its versatility and excellent game library. Regardless of its lackluster performance, the Nintendo Switch OLED is a stellar option that is hard to beat, despite many attempts by various competitors to crack the handheld gaming market. The fact is, Nintendo currently dominates the handheld world, thanks to its global mass appeal that the Switch OLED model continues to build on.

Microsoft’s Xbox Series X is arguably the most powerful console available to purchase. And while it trades blows with the PS5 and loses the upper hand on some titles, it has more tricks up its sleeve than raw power alone. The Series X offers a larger 1TB SSD with plug-and-play expansion slots, an excellent quick resume feature, and support for the latest standards in both VRR (AMD FreeSync) and HDR tech (Dolby Vision).

Thanks to its 12 TFLOPs of power, the Series X is, on paper, the most capable console for home gaming. Add to this the fact that Xbox Game Pass offerings maintain Microsoft’s commitment to publishing all first-party exclusive titles on release day to subscribers. Game Pass is so lucrative for players that competitors such as Sony now push competing memberships, too.

The Series X has its own value proposition that is nothing to scoff at, even as it remains a distant second in terms of raw console sales to the PS5. However, Microsoft’s proprietary SSD expansion slots do result in much costlier upgrades for end users who are already forking over nearly $500 for the most expensive current-generation console. This makes it a less appealing prospect than getting a cheaper SSD upgrade for, say, a PS5.

Note: The above product tag is the Xbox Series X bundle with Diablo IV. The standalone console is available on Amazon and online stores.

The Nintendo Switch Lite offers budget-conscious gamers the chance to play diverse titles on the go. Unlike the regular Switch or OLED variant, the Lite’s Joy-Cons are built into the console. This build style seems to present fewer problems with stick drift compared to older Joy-Cons that overwhelmingly experienced drift issues. Clocking in at just about $200, the Switch Lite is essentially a smaller, more portable version of the Nintendo Switch. As such, it’s no surprise that it can play all the titles that the main console typically runs in handheld mode.

Offering between 3 and 7 hours of battery life, the Switch Lite is a fine handheld companion. While it does not offer a docked mode, its affordability is a decent compensation. While not all users are a fan of its smaller display, it does make for sharper image quality due to its higher PPI and its denser pixel counts. These visual upgrades make it a formidable and cheap way to access Nintendo’s burgeoning game library that houses famous franchises such as Mario, Zelda, Fire Emblem, and more.

The Xbox Series S is a powerful console in its own right, engineered alongside the more powerful Xbox Series X. This Xbox console dials down on the memory, storage, and GPU on offer, but retains compatibility for all the latest titles. For lack of a better word, many consider it the “Xbox Game Pass” console thanks to the strong value proposition of Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass or Game Pass Ultimate combined with the fact that the Xbox Series S has no disc drive on offer.

With a fast 512GB SSD, a capable AMD Zen 2-based CPU, and a price tag that makes it considerably more appealing than its nearest competitor, the Series S offers great value. Priced far lower than the Xbox Series X and PS5 Disc editions, the Xbox Series S is one of the best gaming consoles money can buy.

Much like most current-gen gaming consoles, Valve’s portable Steam Deck is closer to a PC than many from the last-gen. This makes it a powerful gaming computer for PC gamers who want to run their favorite titles in handheld mode. It runs a custom build of Linux as part of its SteamOS offerings while providing multiple storage options and upgrades (SSDs or MicroSD cards), depending on user needs.

It comes backed by an extensive Steam game library, with many titles being ported over or certified for the console over time, running at its custom sub-HD resolution with ease thanks to its faster hardware on offer compared to most of its competition. At the same time, the Steam Deck sees considerable competition from a faster, but pricier ASUS ROG Ally that runs a customized version of Windows.

The Steam deck is plagued by some issues, including a noisy fan, and some game problems with titles that do not have certification by Valve. There’s also the fact that its large bezels make it a less portable option than Nintendo’s smaller Switch Lite. It makes up for this by offering better options for retro gamers, more customizability out of the box, and the ability for modders to play custom titles that are not possible on any other console on offer currently.

Despite being barely a year old, the ASUS Rog Ally has made quite an impression in the handheld console market. While the segment features competition from the likes of Valve’s Steam Deck and the Ayaneo 2, the Ally stands out thanks to AMD’s Z1 series processor. The Ally’s powerful processing power along with access to more PC gaming libraries like Nvidia GeForce Now, Cloud Gaming from Xbox, and even Steam. It retails for $700, making it more expensive to purchase than the competition.

Built to allow users to game easily, the Ally features a great ergonomic design that makes reaching each button an effortless task. Although the Ally packs a disappointing battery life compared to the Steam Deck, owners can go from 0-50% in 30 minutes thanks to the console’s fast charging feature. In GameRant’s hands-on review, the Rog Ally was deemed to be a console that can deliver a premium handheld gaming experience with minimal shortfalls. That’s if buyers are willing to overlook its inferior battery life and underwhelming Windows experience.

There are times when gamers want to get away from the thrill of modern-day titles and slip into the classics that made their childhood memorable. The Evercade EXP is an incredibly competent console for playing many classic hits, including 18 built-in games from CAPCOM. What’s more, the Evercade is a handheld console, making it perfect for on-the-go gaming. It sports a 4.3″ IPS screen which not only delivers bright visuals for gaming but provides wide viewing angles for an immersive experience.

Although it competes with the more powerful Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and Asus ROG Ally, it manages to hold its own as a dedicated console for retro gaming. The EXP’s design is simple and functional, with a circular D-Pad and tactile functions being two of its most captivating features. It supports over 380 games, including titles from the 8-bit to 32-bit eras and Arcade.

Speaking of Arcade, the EXP allows players to enjoy Arcade titles the way they were meant to be: vertically. It achieves this through a special feature called the TATE mode. Enjoy retro Arcade hits like Capcom’s 1942 and Atari’s Centipede through this mode. The EXP also comes with modern connectivity features like a USB-C port for charging, a Mini HDMI out port, and Wi-Fi for updates.

How to Choose The Best Gaming Console in 2023

Before hitting the online or physical store to get a new console, it’s worth learning the extent of its performance. To do this, buyers need sufficient information and reviews from previous owners to help guide their purchase. Whether the buyer is a hardcore gamer or is shopping for a console for the first time, below are three important factors to consider.

Pricing: Thanks to market demand, storage, refresh rate, and a few other factors, consoles are priced differently. Therefore, it pays to compare prices across different stores to get the best deal.

Specs: It’s worth researching a gaming console’s specs (CPU, system storage, GPU, etc.) to get a better idea of how they’ll perform. Reading user reviews along with watching YouTube video reviews to see how consoles like the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series S/X handle the same game is strongly recommended.

Game library: Although some games can be played on different platforms with different frame rates, some titles are exclusive to a console. For instance, The Legend of Zelda games have only been released on Nintendo consoles. It’s worth confirming that a console supports one’s favorite games and offers some irresistible exclusives.

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FAQ

Q: Is the PS5 better than the Xbox Series X?

While both the PS5 and Series X are two powerful consoles, the Series X offers more power than Sony’s product. With up to 12 TFLOPs of computing power, it is easily ahead. However, it doesn’t offer as many exclusive titles as the PS5, a fact potential buyers should know when comparing both options.

Q: What is the most successful console?

The PS2 is considered the best-selling video game console with over 158 million units sold as of May 2023.