Best Gaming Consoles: Top Picks for Home, Handheld and Retro Play

For most players we chose the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition, because its listing pairs 16GB of GDDR6 RAM and an 825GB SSD with up to 120Hz and 8K output in an all-digital console that includes a wireless controller. If you prefer Xbox, the Series X lists a 1TB SSD, 4K gaming and up to 120FPS. The right choice depends on the ecosystem and games you want, so match the console to where you already play.

A home console like the PS5 or Xbox Series X plugs into a TV and runs on wall power, while a handheld like the Lenovo Legion Go S has its own 8-inch 120Hz screen and plays on the go. Home consoles here list higher output figures such as 4K and up to 8K, while the handheld trades that for portability and a built-in display. Pick based on whether you play mostly at a TV or away from one.

Among our picks the Xbox Series S is the budget-minded current-gen option, listed as an all-digital console with a 1TB SSD and up to 120FPS. It skips the disc drive to keep things simpler, and it still includes a wireless controller. The retro consoles are also lower-cost ways into classic gaming, though they do not run modern titles. We do not quote prices here, so check the live price on Amazon.

Digital Edition and all-digital mean the console has no disc drive, so games are downloaded rather than played from physical discs. The PS5 Digital Edition and the Xbox Series S both list this design in our lineup. It keeps the hardware simpler, but it means you cannot play or trade physical game discs, so factor that in if you own a disc library already.

Retro consoles like the two in our picks focus on classic games through built-in emulators, with listings citing 9 emulators and 25,250 plus games on one and 23 emulators with 20,000 plus games on the other. They are built for nostalgia and plug-and-play classic play on a TV, not for modern AAA titles. The listings do not name every included game, so confirm the content and output details on Amazon before buying.

By the listings, the PS5 Digital Edition states up to 120Hz and 8K output, and the Xbox Series X states 4K gaming at up to 120FPS, so those two lead on raw output. The Xbox Series S lists up to 120FPS but does not state a 4K resolution. The Lenovo Legion Go S handheld lists a 120Hz 8-inch display. We only repeat the figures each listing provides, so verify them on Amazon.

Storage varies across our picks. The PS5 Digital Edition lists an 825GB SSD, both the Xbox Series X and Series S list a 1TB SSD, and the Lenovo Legion Go S lists 512GB of storage. The two retro consoles bundle thousands of built-in games instead of quoting a storage size. Modern games can be large, so many players expand storage later, but we only list the capacities each listing states.

Start with where and how you play. Choose a home console such as the PS5 or Xbox Series X for TV gaming with the highest listed output, the Lenovo Legion Go S if you want a portable handheld, the Xbox Series S for a lower-cost current-gen entry, or a retro console for classic libraries. Then match the ecosystem and games you want. We do not quote prices here, so confirm the current price and specs on each Amazon listing.