Gaming has become an even more expensive hobby due to import tariffs and surging memory prices. The Play Station 5 Pro debuted in 2024 for $700; today it costs $900, and resellers like Game Stop charge upwards of $1,400. If you want to play Grand Theft Auto VI at launch, you might need to take out a loan.
You can immediately ignore Sony and Microsoft for budget picks. The discless Play Station 5 Digital Edition is $600, and the Xbox Series S is $500. Without disc drives, you're limited to digital discounts, and major releases usually cost $60 or $70, with GTA VI at $80. The Nintendo Switch 2 starts at $500 but allows physical used games.
For the lowest upfront cost, the winner is the Nintendo Switch Lite at just $230. It can't play Switch 2 exclusives or dock with your TV, but offers a massive catalog including Super Mario Odyssey and Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Handheld PCs are shockingly expensive: the Steam Deck OLED starts at $789, and the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X is $1,000. However, PC storefronts like Steam and GOG offer deeper discounts on older games.
Source: Engadget · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing