Xbox Series S

Unless they were a gamer themselves, it is doubtful that very many parents have ever said, “What this family really needs is a video game system.” But even if you have never uttered those words your kids probably have. So what video game console is best for families the Playstation, Xbox, or the Nintendo Switch console?

Console

Nintendo Switch – OLED

Nintendo Switch

Nintendo Switch Lite

Play on TV

Play as Handheld

Screen Size

7 inch OLED Touch Screen

6.2 inch Touch Screen

5.5 inch Touch Screen

Battery Life

4.5-9 hours

4.5-9 hours

3-7 hours

Can Play Physical Games

Can Play Digital Games

Buy Now

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Console

Nintendo Switch – OLED

Play on TV

Play as Handheld

Screen Size

7 inch OLED Touch Screen

Battery Life

4.5-9 hours

Can Play Physical Games

Can Play Digital Games

Buy Now

Buy on Amazon

Console

Nintendo Switch

Play on TV

Play as Handheld

Screen Size

6.2 inch Touch Screen

Battery Life

4.5-9 hours

Can Play Physical Games

Can Play Digital Games

Buy Now

Buy on Amazon

Console

Nintendo Switch Lite

Play on TV

Play as Handheld

Screen Size

5.5 inch Touch Screen

Battery Life

3-7 hours

Can Play Physical Games

Can Play Digital Games

Buy Now

Buy on Amazon

Console

Xbox Series X

Xbox Series S

Xbox One S

Play on TV

Play as Handheld

Exclusive Games

Although there are still some exclusive games for the Xbox like Forza Horizon 5, Sea of Thieves, Microsoft Flight Simulator, and the Halo Series, Microsoft has opened up many of its games, like Minecraft, to other consoles.

Xbox owners may not have as many exclusives as they used to, but there is still plenty of current and previous kid- and family-friendly games to choose from like Lego Star Wars, Plants vs. Zombies, Rocket League, sports games like NBA 2K, and games with characters like Spyro, Sonic the Hedgehog.

Although there are still some exclusive games for the Xbox like Forza Horizon 5, Sea of Thieves, Microsoft Flight Simulator, and the Halo Series, Microsoft has opened up many of its games, like Minecraft, to other consoles.

Xbox owners may not have as many exclusives as they used to, but there is still plenty of current and previous kid- and family-friendly games to choose from like Lego Star Wars, Plants vs. Zombies, Rocket League, sports games like NBA 2K, and games with characters like Spyro, Sonic the Hedgehog.

Although there are still some exclusive games for the Xbox like Forza Horizon 5, Sea of Thieves, and the Halo Series, Microsoft has opened up many of its games, like Minecraft, to other consoles.

Xbox owners may not have as many exclusives as they used to, but there is still plenty of current and previous kid- and family-friendly games to choose from like Lego Star Wars, Plants vs. Zombies, Rocket League, sports games like NBA 2K, and games with characters like Spyro, Sonic the Hedgehog.

Can Play Physical Games

Can Play Digital Games

Best For

The Xbox Series X is a powerful console that allows you to play games in 4K, making it a great choice for serious gamers. Plus, it gives you the flexibility to buy both digital and physical game copies as well as take advantage of the backward compatibility that is built into the Xbox Series X.

This digital console is perfect for those who like to buy digital copies of games to avoid the clutter of physical games. With the Series S, you can enjoy games at up to 1440p resolution. It's not quite as powerful as the Series X, but it's more affordable. Plus, you can enjoy a huge library of older digital games on your Xbox Series S thanks to its backward compatibility feature.

The Xbox One S, which is not as powerful as the Xbox One X or S, has been officially discontinued. However, you can still find both new and used versions of this console for a reasonable price. The Xbox One S can be a great option for those who are new to gaming, as it is compatible with most new games as well as the long list of backward-compatible titles.

Buy Now

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Console

Xbox Series X

Play on TV

Play as Handheld

Exclusive Games

Although there are still some exclusive games for the Xbox like Forza Horizon 5, Sea of Thieves, Microsoft Flight Simulator, and the Halo Series, Microsoft has opened up many of its games, like Minecraft, to other consoles.

Xbox owners may not have as many exclusives as they used to, but there is still plenty of current and previous kid- and family-friendly games to choose from like Lego Star Wars, Plants vs. Zombies, Rocket League, sports games like NBA 2K, and games with characters like Spyro, Sonic the Hedgehog.

Can Play Physical Games

Can Play Digital Games

Best For

The Xbox Series X is a powerful console that allows you to play games in 4K, making it a great choice for serious gamers. Plus, it gives you the flexibility to buy both digital and physical game copies as well as take advantage of the backward compatibility that is built into the Xbox Series X.

Buy Now

Buy on Amazon

Console

Xbox Series S

Play on TV

Play as Handheld

Exclusive Games

Although there are still some exclusive games for the Xbox like Forza Horizon 5, Sea of Thieves, Microsoft Flight Simulator, and the Halo Series, Microsoft has opened up many of its games, like Minecraft, to other consoles.

Xbox owners may not have as many exclusives as they used to, but there is still plenty of current and previous kid- and family-friendly games to choose from like Lego Star Wars, Plants vs. Zombies, Rocket League, sports games like NBA 2K, and games with characters like Spyro, Sonic the Hedgehog.

Can Play Physical Games

Can Play Digital Games

Best For

This digital console is perfect for those who like to buy digital copies of games to avoid the clutter of physical games. With the Series S, you can enjoy games at up to 1440p resolution. It's not quite as powerful as the Series X, but it's more affordable. Plus, you can enjoy a huge library of older digital games on your Xbox Series S thanks to its backward compatibility feature.

Buy Now

Buy on Amazon

Console

Xbox One S

Play on TV

Play as Handheld

Exclusive Games

Although there are still some exclusive games for the Xbox like Forza Horizon 5, Sea of Thieves, and the Halo Series, Microsoft has opened up many of its games, like Minecraft, to other consoles.

Xbox owners may not have as many exclusives as they used to, but there is still plenty of current and previous kid- and family-friendly games to choose from like Lego Star Wars, Plants vs. Zombies, Rocket League, sports games like NBA 2K, and games with characters like Spyro, Sonic the Hedgehog.

Can Play Physical Games

Can Play Digital Games

Best For

The Xbox One S, which is not as powerful as the Xbox One X or S, has been officially discontinued. However, you can still find both new and used versions of this console for a reasonable price. The Xbox One S can be a great option for those who are new to gaming, as it is compatible with most new games as well as the long list of backward-compatible titles.

Buy Now

Buy on Amazon

Console

PlayStation 5

PlayStation 5 Digital Edition

PlayStation 4 Slim

Play on TV

Play as Handheld

Can Play Physical Games

Can Play Digital Games

Buy Now

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Console

PlayStation 5

Play on TV

Play as Handheld

Can Play Physical Games

Can Play Digital Games

Buy Now

Buy on Amazon

Console

PlayStation 5 Digital Edition

Play on TV

Play as Handheld

Can Play Physical Games

Can Play Digital Games

Buy Now

Buy on Amazon

Console

PlayStation 4 Slim

Play on TV

Play as Handheld

Can Play Physical Games

Can Play Digital Games

Buy Now

Buy on Amazon

Read more

In previous years there was only one way to purchase video games. You went to your local store and bought the video game which was on a disc or cartridge.

Now video game systems along with the technology that supports them have advanced to the point where we have another option – Digital Copies. These digital copies are downloaded directly to your video game console and allow you to play the game just as you would with a physical copy of the game.

So what type of copy (physical or digital) should you buy when you purchase your next video game? Is one type better than the other?

Physical copies and digital copies both have their own advantages and drawbacks. So we decided to examine this topic by taking a look at the pros and cons of each option. As part of this examination, we are taking a look at this issue from the perspective of someone who wants to pre-order a video game that hasn’t been released yet.

If you are new to the world of gaming you might not be familiar with the concept of pre-ordering games. You can read more about what pre-ordering of video games is here.

So let’s begin.

Read more