In the last two years, gaming has gotten exponentially more expensive. From President Trump's tariff wars to the ongoing AI-caused RAMageddon, prices have not been kind to our wallets.
We're in the tail end of the current generation of consoles when prices historically start to go down, but both the PS5 and Xbox Series X are more expensive than at launch. Then there's the Nintendo Switch 2, which launched last year with a price tag that's $200 higher than its predecessor.
With that in mind, I looked around the market today to figure out which gaming console is worth your money. I also asked my fellow Tom's Guide gamers, and while several different consoles were picked, one leapt to the top of almost everyone's list.
Read on to find out which console we think you should buy in 2026.
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The price of gaming in 2026
As mentioned, nearly every console has seen a price hike in the last two years, largely blamed on rising component costs and, in 2025, tariffs.
In 2026, the Switch 2 and PS5 both received price hikes. Nintendo Switch 2 was the most recent victim, going up $50 from $449 on September 1.
Sony's PlayStation 5 lineup prices shot up $100 or more for the PS5, PS5 Digital and PS5 Pro in March of this year. That was the second hike following an increase in August 2025.
And that's before we get to the Steam Deck and Steam Machine, which both saw price increases, the Steam Machine before it even released.
Here's how much each console will cost you right now:
Console |
Price |
|---|---|
Nintendo Switch 2 |
$499 |
PlayStation 5 |
$649 |
PlayStation 5 Pro |
$899 |
Steam Deck |
$789 |
Steam Machine |
$1049 |
Xbox Series X |
$799 |
I've highlighted the base prices for these consoles. It should be noted that most offer larger storage options that are slightly more expensive, or digital-only versions that are cheaper than their disc-supporting sibling.
The PS5 Pro and Nintendo Switch 2 only have one storage size option. However, the Switch 2 comes in multiple bundles that feature games including the launch title Mario Kart World and the more recent Nintendo Switch Sports Resort bundle; those cost $549 and $529, respectively.
Nintendo Switch 2
Of the consoles highlighted here, the Nintendo Switch 2 — despite the recent increase — remains the least expensive option available.
It's also just an excellent follow-up to the original Nintendo Switch. The larger size gives you more real estate, the display is gorgeous, and the performance boost is a welcome upgrade to years of downgraded ports.
Personally, the revised Joy-Con 2 controllers are flat-out better, snapping to the console and feeling more comfortable in the hand, even when playing with just a single Joy-Con in multiplayer titles.
Backwards compatibility is one of the best features of Nintendo's latest console. While there isn't a standout game that you need to buy the Switch 2 to play, between the best Nintendo Switch games and the best Nintendo Switch 2 games, there are a lot of titles to occupy your time.
To name a couple of worthwhile titles, Mario Kart World is an interesting take on the long-running kart racing series, even if it comes with a few speed bumps. And for those looking for something a bit cozier, Pokémon Pokopia is a delight that I still can't wait to play more of.
PS5 and PS5 Pro
The PlayStation 5 is a great console. It's everything surrounding Sony's machine that has become a problem. From the company controversially killing physical discs to the annoyingly high current price, it's hard to recommend.
Still, some of the best games of the current generation are on the PlayStation. Our picks for the best PS5 games include a slew of titles that you can't play anywhere else, alongside cross-platform games that you'll want to play only on PS5.
At $649, the base PS5 isn't cheap, but it's still a good console.
A couple of months ago, I might have suggested the PS5 Pro for the gamer who doesn't mind the big price tag. But the high-end PS5 has been mostly unavailable recently, and even used machines are selling for more than $1,500. Look, the performance and visuals are excellent, but not at that price. If you can spend that kind of dough, consider one of the best gaming PCs instead.
However, as my colleague Jason England points out, "PC gaming as a hobby is just too damn expensive to get into right now, whereas the PS5 is just annoyingly overpriced (rather than remortgage the house levels of money)."
Steam Deck and Machine
Steam Deck
Valve may have taken the biggest hit from the tariffs and component price increases. Honestly, if it weren't for the hikes, I'd put the Steam Deck head-to-head against the Switch 2.
Earlier this year, Valve discontinued the LCD version of the Steam Deck and started selling only the OLED variant at a new, significantly higher price. The 512GB Steam Deck OLED now costs $789, up $240 from $549, while the 1TB variant now costs $949, up $300 from $649. As of this writing, both models are available for purchase from Steam.
Valve specifically blamed rising memory and storage costs for the increase.
Before other companies caught the handheld fever, the Steam Deck was one of the best consoles available. And it's still our overall pick for the best handheld gaming console.
The OLED display is vibrant; it has a light, ergonomic design and improved cooling. It also has one of the stronger batteries in the category. Valve claims it'll last you three to 12 hours depending on the games you play, but we found it closer to three most days.
For comparison, the recently released Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20 ($200 more expensive) hit 2 hours and 47 minutes in our battery tests.
Lastly, compared to Nintendo and PlayStation, you can take advantage of Steam sales to update your library. Those sales often bring even popular games down to amazing prices, whereas Nintendo rarely discounts its games, and PlayStation can be stingy about what gets discounted and for how long.
Steam Machine
Even before the Steam Machine dropped this past summer, it was clear that Valve was disappointed in the price, and then the $1,049 tag was revealed.
In our Steam Machine review, we found that the Machine is a great intersection between a gaming PC and a console. However, at $1,049, the underpowered internals are disappointing and honestly make the higher prices of other consoles seem reasonable.
That said, some graphics updates and a little investment in a microSD card recently had us reconsidering the Steam Machine. It's not quite ready to take over your living room yet, but for the curious, it might be worth picking up.
Xbox Series X
Microsoft has raised the price of the Xbox Series X three times since May 2025. What once cost $499 for the disc version is now a hefty $799. The last increase, in June of this year, was blamed on AI and rising component costs.
So, is it still worth the squeeze?
Here's the thing: if you can get your hands on an Xbox Series X, it has a lot to offer. Game Pass is genuinely a good value for discovery and trying games.
While the Xbox Anywhere push was a bit of a fluff, it still works. Start a game on Xbox, finish it on your PC, or play it on your phone or handheld console in the cloud. The Xbox controller remains one of the best in the business and that's just the base model. The Elite and third-party options are even better.
But at $789? It's hard to justify, especially as everything else is more expensive.
Alternatives
Handheld consoles
While console prices have been going up, the niche handheld console market has been steadily growing with new devices from major manufacturers including Asus, Lenovo and MSI.
For the most part, handheld consoles are expensive and run on a modified version of Windows 11. The Asus ROG Xbox Ally is the outlier at $599, offering real value but lacking AAA performance; if you're an indie gamer, maybe that doesn't matter more than the lower price.
Price can get quite high, though; the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is probably the best PC gaming handheld we've tested, but at $1,799...I mean.
The outliers
If you don't mind getting a little silly, there are tons of retro gaming devices that pack in hundreds of classic titles or are made for a singular game like Tetris.
There are also devices like the Evercade Nexus that offer a Linux- or Android-based system that can play older games, and it even has physical cartridges.
If you're tired of the rigmarole of modern gaming, there are fun, odd little devices that are far cheaper than anything new you can get today.
Tom's Guide's top pick
With all of that laid out, which console do we think you should buy?
I polled my colleagues, and a majority picked the Nintendo Switch 2 as the console to buy. The PS5 came in a close second, though the price is clearly an issue.
"$500 is pretty fair for what you're getting handheld and docked, and already a wildly stacked library," Phil Rodrigues said.
Anthony Spadafora added that the Switch 2 "delivers the most console-like experience" with its snappy UI, fairly quick loading times, and lack of ads or other nonsense on the home screen.
For my part, I agree. The Nintendo Switch 2 at that price offers real value and plenty of enjoyable games. Even if you don't prefer the Nintendo aesthetic, the Switch 2 can actually play third-party games like Elden Ring or the new Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4.
In an age of more PC-like gaming machines and ever-higher prices, the Switch 2 still feels like a console with a matching price. That alone is worth the recommendation.
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