Reviews Rate the $649 PS5 Highest of Six Consoles

Going by the reviews, the highest-rated console is the slim PS5: 4.5 out of 5 at TechRadar and Tom’s Guide and 4 at PCMag, an average of 8.7 out of 10, at $649 on PlayStation Direct. It has the highest average of the six home and hybrid consoles here, and it is the one of Sony’s three that has a disc drive built in.

The shortlist, at a glance

Console	Best for	Outlet average	Spread	US list price, 12 Oct 2026
PS5	Most people	8.7 / 10	1.0	$649
Nintendo Switch Lite	The cheapest way in	8.4 / 10	1.0	$229.99
Nintendo Switch 2	Families, play away from the TV	8.3 / 10	2.0	$499.99
Xbox Series X	Game Pass	8.3 / 10	1.0	$799.99
PS5 Pro	The most power	7.7 / 10	1.0	$899 (unavailable at Sony)
Xbox Series S	A disc-free TV console	7.3 / 10	1.0	$499.99

Each average is three published scores converted to ten: TechRadar and Tom’s Guide for every console, plus IGN, or PCMag for the PS5. The spread is the gap between the highest and lowest of the three. Prices are list prices on PlayStation Direct, Nintendo’s US store and Xbox’s US store, all read on 12 October 2026. The “best for” column is ours, read off what the reviewers and their roundups single out.

Why the PS5 leads

TechRadar and Tom’s Guide each gave the slim PS5 4.5 out of 5 and PCMag 4, and Tom’s Guide names it its best console overall. The reviewers’ complaints about it are small ones: both TechRadar and Tom’s Guide count the vertical stand being sold separately, and PCMag found it not much smaller than the original.

Sony sells it in three forms, and the names do not say which has a disc drive. The $649 PS5 does; the $599 Digital Edition does not, and neither does the Pro. Which PS5 model to buy sets out the differences line by line, and the Digital Edition is the way to save $50 if every game you buy is a download.

The disagreement: Switch 2

TechRadar and Tom’s Guide each gave the Switch 2 4.5 out of 5, and TechRadar names it its best console overall. IGN gave it 7 out of 10, calling its improvements “mostly playing catch-up” at a big price jump. A spread of 2.0 is the widest on this page, and it is why the Switch 2 sits level with the Series X rather than near the PS5.

The reviews agree on more than the scores suggest. All three credit the step up in performance over the original Switch, and TechRadar and Tom’s Guide both list poor battery life in handheld mode as the main con. What none of the others here does is move from the TV to the hand: Nintendo lists a 7.9-inch 1080p screen and 4K output when docked. For a household that plays in both places, that is the reason to choose it.

The cheapest way in is a handheld

The Switch Lite costs $229.99 on Nintendo’s store and averages 8.4, second only to the PS5. Tom’s Guide names it its best-value handheld and Wirecutter its budget pick.

It is handheld-only. Nintendo sells it as “dedicated to handheld play” and says it runs Switch games that support Handheld mode, and Tom’s Guide lists “no TV mode support” among its cons. Nintendo still sells three original Switch models; whether one is still worth buying covers how far its game list has fallen behind the Switch 2’s.

Xbox: the reviews were written at lower prices

The Series X averages 8.3, the same as the Switch 2. Tom’s Guide names it its best Xbox; TechRadar’s main con is that its exclusives are lacking without Game Pass. At $799.99 on Xbox’s US store it costs about $150 more than a PS5 with a disc drive, so it suits someone already paying for Game Pass.

The Series S averages 7.3, the lowest here, and its reviewers judged a cheaper machine. IGN’s verdict describes a console that “only costs $300”; Xbox now lists the 512GB model at $499.99, the same as a Switch 2 and about $100 under the $599 PS5 Digital Edition. Microsoft states it plays digital games only and targets 1440p, against native 4K on the Series X. The subscription you need for online play also costs more on Xbox than on Nintendo, as what a console costs after you buy it sets out.

The PS5 Pro: power, at a price its reviewers questioned

TechRadar and Tom’s Guide name the Pro their premium pick and gave it 4 out of 5; IGN gave it 7. All three questioned its price, IGN’s at $700, and PlayStation Direct now lists it at $899 and showed it as currently unavailable on 12 October. It also has no disc drive, a con both TechRadar and Tom’s Guide list.

What is not here

Handheld PCs such as the Steam Deck OLED play a PC library rather than a console one, and our handheld shortlist averages their reviews separately. The Switch OLED and the original Switch are still sold, but the Switch 2 and Switch Lite cover the two readers this page is for. TechRadar’s picks for retro and children’s consoles are a different kind of machine and are left out.

What to actually do

• Start with the PS5 if the console lives under a TV. It has the highest average here and a disc drive.
• Choose the Switch 2 if it will also leave the house, or if the household plays Nintendo’s games.
• Spend $229.99 on a Switch Lite for one player who only plays in the hand.
• Buy the Series X for Game Pass, and the Pro only if you know the games you play are enhanced for it.
• Price the Series S against today’s list, not the $300 its reviews describe.
• Check a Black Friday price against these list prices. Black Friday is 27 November 2026.

Questions people ask

What is the best gaming console right now?

Going by the reviews, the PS5: it averages 8.7 out of 10 from TechRadar, Tom’s Guide and PCMag, the highest of six current consoles, and PlayStation Direct listed it at $649 on 12 October 2026. TechRadar’s own top pick is the Switch 2, which averages 8.3. We have not tested any of them.

What is the best gaming console for kids and families?

Among these six, the Nintendo Switch 2 is the one that plays on the TV and in the hand, and TechRadar names it its best console overall. It lists at $499.99 on Nintendo’s store. For a cheaper handheld-only machine, the Switch Lite is $229.99.

What is the cheapest game console worth buying?

The Nintendo Switch Lite, at $229.99 on Nintendo’s US store on 12 October 2026. It averages 8.4 out of 10, second on this page. It does not connect to a TV. The cheapest one here that does is the Xbox Series S or the Switch 2, both at $499.99.

Is the PS5 Pro worth it?

Its reviewers were less sure than they were about the PS5: 4 out of 5 at TechRadar and Tom’s Guide and 7 out of 10 at IGN, an average of 7.7. All three questioned the price, IGN’s verdict at $700; PlayStation Direct lists it at $899 and showed it as unavailable on 12 October.

Should I get a PS5 or an Xbox Series X?

On review scores the PS5 is ahead, 8.7 against 8.3, and on Sony’s and Microsoft’s stores it is cheaper, $649 against $799.99, both with a disc drive. The Series X makes more sense if you already pay for Game Pass, which TechRadar says its exclusives rely on.

Is the Xbox Series S still a budget console?

Not at Microsoft’s current price. Xbox’s US store lists the 512GB model at $499.99, the same as a Switch 2. The reviews that call it good value, TechRadar 3.5 out of 5, Tom’s Guide 4 and IGN 7 out of 10, judged it when IGN described it as a $300 console.

How are these consoles ranked?

By the average of three published review scores per console, each read from the review page’s structured data and converted to ten. Every score is linked on this page. bitcritiq has not tested these consoles and gives no score of its own.