The gaming landscape has been going through a massive transformation in recent times. On one side, a few gaming studios are facing shutdowns, and on the other, big names in the industry have been working on some of the most renowned franchises to bring exciting games. In 2025, multiple renowned games are scheduled to come, including GTA 6. Therefore, next-gen consoles are required to have smoother gaming experiences. So, here are the top next-gen gaming hardware that one must grab this year.
PlayStation 5 is undoubtedly one of the best existing gaming consoles. Last year, Sony released the PlayStation 5 Pro, an enhanced version of PS5 that offers an upgraded GPU, AI-driven upscaling, and improved ray tracing capabilities. Released on November 7, 2024, this console has proven its capabilities of improving gaming experiences. Currently, it is available at a price of $699.99, and gamers mustn’t miss the chance to grab this console this year.
After Sony’s PS5, the next name that comes to mind automatically when listing consoles is Microsoft’s Xbox. These two consoles have been reigning the console market for years already, and over the years, Xbox has launched several consoles but the most powerful one is the Xbox Series X. This gaming console possesses 12 teraflops of graphical processing power, with ultra-realistic visuals and smooth gameplay at 4K resolution with up to 120 FPS. Additionally, it has a 1TB custom NVMe SSD that ensures rapid load times. Therefore, this year, gamers who want to play games like GTA 6 must not miss this console.
After tons of rumors and speculations, finally, Nintendo is bringing its next-gen console this year. It’s been seven years since Nintendo Switch was released, and it’s time for Nintendo gamers to upgrade. Switch 2 is about to make its presence known in the gaming market this year with upgraded features like the hybrid design of the original to allow gamers to have both handheld and docked play modes. This next-gen console will feature an 8-inch LCD and improved hardware performance. These will offer an enhanced version of Switch games. Most importantly, it will come with backward compatibility. So, it’s one of the best choices to grab this year.
Valve’s Steam Deck is among the finest options for gamers who are looking for portability without compromising performance. Indeed, the handheld console market is mostly captured by Nintendo consoles, but the Valve Steam Deck serves as a handheld PC gaming console. The console comes with a 7-inch touchscreen display with high resolution to provide powerful gaming experiences during travel.
While talking about gaming consoles, it is hard to miss the PlayStation 5 Slim. Basically, it's an enhanced version of PS5 that comes with the core feature of the original console but with a more energy-efficient design. This console gives 4K gaming support with DualSense controller’s feedback and adaptive triggers. It provides an immersive experience.
Finally, if players have been looking for a budget-friendly alternative to Xbox Series X, they can easily go for Xbox Series S. The console offers 1440p resolution gaming with a physical disc drive. Aside from that, it comes with a 512GB SSD. This console is weaker than its counterpart, but for a budget-friendly option, one can easily go for it.
These are the most suitable console options one can have to experience next-gen gaming. Each of these consoles comes with their specific strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, whether one is looking for a PlayStation 5 or advanced handheld consoles, here are the top recommendations that shouldn’t be overlooked.