Best gaming consoles of 2024

Many handheld gaming consoles in the market are still in their first or second-generation iterations. However, some strong options appeal not only to seasoned gamers but also to those new to gaming. Here are the seven best gaming consoles of 2024:

Nintendo Switch OLED

Nintendo Switch is the most popular console on the market, thanks to its hybrid nature and excellent lineup of first-party games. (Image credit: Nintendo)

The OLED-screen Switch, released in October 2021, is the best console of 2024. It may amuse some to hear that Switch consistently dominates the gaming charts every year, but the truth is that no other console can rival its portability and versatility. Now over seven years old and still going strong, and with Nintendo gearing up to launch a successor in early 2025, Switch will likely remain relevant and enjoy strong developer support for years.

The device’s dual nature (playable both handheld and on a TV), its 7-inch vivid display, and a kickstand for tabletop gaming make the OLED Switch an ideal console for both individuals and families. The console isn’t going to take a backseat anytime soon, either. Nintendo’s continued support for Switch is a major reason why you may be playing games on this console for many more years.

Switch’s game lineup, from flagship first-party titles in the mainline Zelda, Pokémon, and Mario franchises to critically acclaimed indie games, ensures it remains more than capable of delivering exciting stuff compared to the current crop of consoles from Sony and Microsoft. Next year might still be an incredible one for Switch, with Nintendo set to release remasters of high-profile titles such as Xenoblade Chronicles X and brand-new titles, including the long-awaited Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. Nintendo Switch OLED has been the best and most affordable mainline console and continues to be The Indian Express’s game console of the year.

Valve Steam Deck OLED

The limited-edition white Steam Deck OLED comes with 1TB storage. (Image Source: Valve)

Valve’s Steam Deck OLED is undoubtedly the second-best console on the market and is also handheld. With the Steam Deck, Valve has achieved what others failed to do in the past: offering the ability to play PC games on the go with just the right balance of features, performance, and an expansive game library.

Some may question Valve’s decision to opt for a custom Linux build over Windows — but given the current state of Windows-based handhelds, the Steam Deck appears to be ageing remarkably well.

The OLED model gets a thumbs-up for its incredible screen, longer battery life, lighter design, and improved Wi-Fi reception, effectively ironing out issues that plagued the original Steam Deck. Everything works seamlessly, and you don’t have to deal with the quirks often associated with other handhelds.

It can play any PC game, stream cloud-based games, connect to a monitor, keyboard, or other accessories like a PC, and features all the buttons and control sticks you would expect from a typical controller — plus a pair of touchpads.

The Steam Deck OLED earns an A+ rating from us. It is a great way to play the massive array of PC games anywhere. It is also a fantastic piece of hardware and sets the standard for how a PC handheld should be.

Sony PlayStation Portal

PlayStation Portal isn’t a game console but it potential to be one. (Image credit: Sony)

At first glance, the PlayStation Portal might be mistaken for a handheld console, but it isn’t a traditional console like Sony’s PlayStation Portable or PlayStation Vita from the past. Sure, it has an 8-inch LCD screen, and the controllers function just like those on the DualSense. However, the Portal is a streaming device for your PlayStation 5, meaning it requires a strong internet connection to perform at its full potential.

Initially launched in late 2023, the Portal received a lukewarm response from critics. However, the device seems to be improving with software updates, including support for a dedicated streaming service, making it a more compelling option for PlayStation 5 owners. And here is the fantastic part: Cloud Streaming isn’t tied exclusively to the PS5.

This could mark the beginning of something much bigger—a new way to transform the Portal into a versatile cloud streaming device. Cloud gaming isn’t mainstream yet, but if Sony manages to crack the code, the Portal could evolve into a handheld console that takes gaming in an entirely new direction.

Panic Playdate

Panic Playdate is a delightful, weird, and fun way to experience games. (Image credit: Panic)

The Playdate is a weird console; it does not play AAA games or mobile games. Its design is equally unconventional — a tiny yellow device about the size of a Post-it note, featuring a black-and-white screen and a mechanical crank protruding from its side. Developed by Panic, best known for its Mac software and publishing games like Firewatch and Untitled Goose Game, the Playdate is a highly experimental device that can best be described as an alternative gaming console.

From its design, which is no bigger than the size of a credit card, to how the Playdate gets a new set of games every season, similar to how Netflix shows release new seasons, the device focuses more on experience and less on graphics and visuals — the elements we typically associate with modern games. That’s where Panic’s unique gaming handheld tries to bring back the element of fun in a way that video game systems just aren’t anymore.

Sony PlayStation 5 Pro

Sony’s PlayStation 5 Pro is currently the most powerful console on the market. (Image credit: Sony)

The PlayStation 5 Pro may have received initial criticism for its price – it is expensive, costing over $700 for a mainstream console – but the mid-generation refresh of the PlayStation 5 is undeniably the most powerful console on the market. And it’s a choice consumers have to make.

The PS5 Pro is a big, graphically enhanced console that isn’t a must-have, but it is exactly what it was always intended to be. Think of it as the new iPhone Pro Max model that Apple releases every year. What Sony promises with the PS5 Pro are incredible graphics, with gaming environments that will be denser and some games reaching up to 120 frames per second or even 8K visuals.

The PS5 Pro is a luxury console, and this kind of upgrade isn’t for everyone. One question that has been on our minds is whether the PS5 will be able to run the highly anticipated GTA 6 at 4K 60 FPS. If that happens, Sony’s most powerful console will have an edge, as the game isn’t expected to hit PC for a long time. Well, only time will tell.

Apple iPad mini

Apple’s latest iPad mini is a terrific gaming device for kids. (Image credit: Apple)

For many, especially first-time gamers and kids, the iPad mini (review) could be the first step into gaming. Hardcore gamers may disagree (and we understand where you’re coming from), but for average consumers, Apple’s smallest iPad excels as a gaming device.

There are tons of fun mobile games available on the Apple App Store, and most of them are free, which is a huge deal for people who aren’t opting for a Nintendo or Sony console due to the high price of games, now costing over $70 a pop.

The iPad mini is small and versatile, doubling as a content consumption device, supporting the Apple Pencil, and becoming a note-taking device. The only thing missing from the iPad mini is ProMotion, and honestly, it does feel a little sluggish when scrolling and swiping. The whole device feels tailor-made for gaming. The iPad mini has great potential; it has the right hardware – the A17 Pro on the newest version is fast – and the software. Maybe all it needs is a little push from Apple (at least in terms of making Apple Arcade service a little better) and accessory makers to think differently.

Honourable mention: Analogue Pocket

Analogue Pocket is a homage to Game Boy. (Image credit: Analogue)

The Analogue Pocket is a tribute to Nintendo’s iconic Game Boy and its subsequent iterations. You can think of it as a modern version of the Game Boy, complete with a colour screen and controls. The hardware on the Analogue Pocket allows the LCD to recreate the original look of Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games. The whole premise of the Analogue Pocket is to relive the golden days of the Game Boy, and that means taking old cartridges and inserting them into the back, just like the Game Boy did all those years ago. And it works, beautifully.