10 Best Game Consoles 2025 in the United States

The PlayStation 5 Pro Console steps up the gaming experience with impressive technical capabilities and an expansive game library, making it particularly appealing for dedicated gamers. One of its standout features is the PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR), which enhances image clarity on 4K TVs, ensuring a visually stunning gaming experience. The optimized console performance allows for higher and more consistent frame rates, which is crucial for a smooth gameplay experience, especially in fast-paced titles. Additionally, the incorporation of advanced ray tracing technology adds a level of realism to game worlds that is hard to overlook.

With a generous 2TB SSD, storage is ample for a large number of games, which is a plus for gamers who tend to download and play various titles. The PS5 Pro also supports backward compatibility, allowing players to enjoy many PS4 games, which broadens the gaming options significantly. However, it's important to note that not all games may fully utilize the PS5 Pro's enhanced features, as this varies by title.

In terms of online services and multiplayer options, the PS5 ecosystem is robust, providing users with a solid platform for online gaming. However, the console does not come with a disc drive, which could be a drawback for those who prefer physical copies of games. Portability is limited, as the console is relatively large and weighs 10.6 pounds, making it less convenient to move around. It also lacks native virtual reality support out of the box, which might disappoint VR enthusiasts. The user interface is designed to be intuitive and easy to navigate, appealing to gamers of all experience levels.

The Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle builds nicely on the original Switch’s strengths, especially with its versatile design that lets you play on a TV, in tabletop mode, or handheld. The new larger 7.9-inch touch screen supports HDR and a smoother 120 fps experience, making games look vibrant and run smoothly. It has 256GB of internal storage, which should hold a good collection of games, and you can add more with a microSD card if needed. It supports the full existing Nintendo Switch game library, which means lots of options right away, including the bundled Mario Kart World for fun racing action.

Multiplayer options are well-covered with local wireless, same-system play, and online services, plus cool new GameChat that allows voice and video chatting during games. The dock now supports 4K on compatible TVs, great for better visuals during TV play. The Joy-Con 2 controllers add some new functions like mouse control in certain games, but the console remains similar in weight and size to the original, keeping its portability strong.

This console fits well for those seeking a flexible and family-friendly gaming system with a wide range of beloved games and improved screen quality. Storage can fill up fast without expansion, and while it does not offer virtual reality support like some other consoles, it delivers an enhanced gaming experience overall.

The Xbox Series X All Digital is a powerful gaming console designed for serious gamers who want high-quality performance without a physical disc drive. It offers impressive 4K gaming at up to 120 frames per second, making games look sharp and run smoothly. The 1TB SSD storage ensures fast load times and quick resume between games, which means less waiting and more playing. One of the standout features is its backward compatibility, allowing you to play games from four previous Xbox generations, often with improved visuals and performance.

This model is digital-only, so all games must be downloaded, which might be a downside if you prefer physical discs or worry about storage space over time. The console supports Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, giving you access to hundreds of games, including new releases on day one, which adds great value if you enjoy trying many titles. Online multiplayer and services are robust, making it easy to play with friends.

While it excels in gaming, the console’s media capabilities are solid, supporting various entertainment apps, though it’s primarily a gaming device. It does not natively support VR, so if virtual reality is a priority, this might not be the best fit. At around 13 pounds and a fairly large size, it isn’t very portable, so it’s better suited for home use. The Xbox Series X All Digital is a top choice for gamers wanting high performance, a large game library, and modern features like quick load times and backward compatibility, but less ideal for those wanting physical games, VR, or portability.