Popular Gaming Consoles

Gaming is great fun. It provides an alternate reality where one can act out all of their fantasies and bring out the super hero in them. They are much needed entertainment to unwind from the pressures of life. Games can help you alleviate stress and overcome the boredom when alone. Playing games is a great way for getting together and bonding as a family. Education has also adopted the use of games to further learning and make the student become more interested in school. All this is made possible through games by gaming consoles. They are the unsung heroes that process the graphics and logic required . Gaming consoles come in different shape and sizes and below is a compilation of some of the popular ones.

Sony Interactive released the PlayStation 5 (PS5) in November 2020 as a successor to the PS4. The PS5 comes in two models which are the base model and the digital addition model. Key difference between the two models is that the base model contains an ultra HD Blue-ray-compatible optical disk drive that is absent in the digital edition. This makes the digital edition cheaper and more directed to consumers that prefer purchasing games via digital download. The user interface in PS5 is revamped and different from the PS4 interface. The Astro’s playroom game comes preinstalled with each PS5.The console has access to online services such as PlayStation Network and PlayStation Now.

Photo by: Kerde Severin

Main features of the Sony PS5 include:

• 16 GB Memory
• Custom 8-core AMD Zen 2 CPU
• Custom 825 GB solid state disk
• Backwards compatible with most PS4 and PS VR games

This game console form Microsoft also comes in two variants that are series X and Series S. The series X is the higher end model which costs more than the series S. A usb port and an optical disk drive to read CD, DVD, Blue-ray and UHD Blue-ray disc are both available in the series X whilst the series S only houses a usb port. The console supports the Microsoft online services such as Xbox Live and Xbox Marketplace.

Photo by: Xbox

Main Features of the Xbox Series include:

• 16GB Memory for series X, 10GB for series S
• Custom 8-core AMD Zen 2 CPU
• Backwards compatible with all Xbox games and select Xbox 360 and Xbox titles
• Series X has 1TB solid state disk, series S has 512GB solid state disk

Released in October 2016 by Nintendo, the switch takes a hybrid approach to gaming as it can operate in two modes. In one mode it’s a full-blown handheld gaming tablet that you can take anywhere and enjoy. In another mode, when it’s placed on its docking station it becomes a good home gaming console. The Nintendo switch comes with wireless Joy-con controllers which can be attached via side rails with a locking mechanism and detached with a small release button on the rear sides. It has support for online services such as Nintendo Switch Online and Nintendo Eshop. A handheld-only version called the Switch lite is also available and can play most games supported by the original Nintendo Switch.

Photo by: Sara KurfeB

Main features of the Nintendo Switch include:

• ARM 4 Cortex-A57 Core Processor
• 4GB Memory
• 32GB Storage Disk
• Detachable wireless controllers
• Docking Station