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Door staff@engadget.com (Roger Fingas) - 25 Oct 2026
You can immediately ignore anything from Sony or Microsoft. Following price hikes, the discless PlayStation 5 Digital Edition is $600, and even the scaled-down all-digital Xbox Series S is $500. You might be interested in one of the two for their game libraries, but most people wouldn't consider $500 cheap, especially when there's no way of buying used games for either console.
Without disc drives, you're limited to whatever discounts appear on Sony and Microsoft's online stores. Major releases are usually $60 or $70, with GTA VI coming in hot at $80. Game Pass or PlayStation Plus can provide savings if you play a lot of games, but the additional $10 to $23/month might not be feasible if you're looking to minimize spending.
A slightly better deal is the Nintendo Switch 2. That also starts at $500, but you can at least buy some used Switch games on physical cartridges, rather than getting everything digitally via the Nintendo eShop. If you're willing to spend a little bit more, you can also get the console bundled with Mario Kart World or Nintendo Switch Sports Resort, giving you something to play from the jump.
For the lowest initial cost, the winner is another Nintendo product: the Switch Lite. It's just $230, putting in the same pricing bracket as a lot of those generic Android devices. Keep in mind that the Switch Lite is a variation of the original 2017 Switch, meaning it can't play Switch 2 exclusives. It also lacks the ability to dock with your TV. But if you're okay with this, there's an incredible game catalog available. Apart from major first-party titles like Super Mario Odyssey and Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, there's a wealth of third-party and indie standouts like Hades, Portal and Undertale.
Without disc drives, you're limited to whatever discounts appear on Sony and Microsoft's online stores. Major releases are usually $60 or $70, with GTA VI coming in hot at $80. Game Pass or PlayStation Plus can provide savings if you play a lot of games, but the additional $10 to $23/month might not be feasible if you're looking to minimize spending.
A slightly better deal is the Nintendo Switch 2. That also starts at $500, but you can at least buy some used Switch games on physical cartridges, rather than getting everything digitally via the Nintendo eShop. If you're willing to spend a little bit more, you can also get the console bundled with Mario Kart World or Nintendo Switch Sports Resort, giving you something to play from the jump.
For the lowest initial cost, the winner is another Nintendo product: the Switch Lite. It's just $230, putting in the same pricing bracket as a lot of those generic Android devices. Keep in mind that the Switch Lite is a variation of the original 2017 Switch, meaning it can't play Switch 2 exclusives. It also lacks the ability to dock with your TV. But if you're okay with this, there's an incredible game catalog available. Apart from major first-party titles like Super Mario Odyssey and Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, there's a wealth of third-party and indie standouts like Hades, Portal and Undertale.