Best Gaming Consoles for Storage Capacity (2024)

1

ROG Ally

Score: 8/10

ROG Ally

The ROG Ally offers substantial storage with options for expansion, though it lacks support for a full-length M.2 SSD.

Storage Capacity

8/10

M

Mrwhosetheboss

The ROG Ally comes with 512GB of storage, which is significantly more than the Switch's 32GB.

M

Mrwhosetheboss

Despite having ample storage, the ROG Ally does not support a full-length M.2 SSD.

Graphics Performance

8/10

The ROG Ally delivers impressive graphics with a 1080p display and 120Hz refresh rate, powered by a robust AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip.

Quotes from Reviewers

M

Mrwhosetheboss

The ROG Ally features a high-resolution 1080p display with a 120Hz refresh rate, providing a smooth and crisp gaming experience.

M

Mrwhosetheboss

It is powered by an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip, making it significantly more powerful than both the Nintendo Switch and the Steam Deck.

M

Mrwhosetheboss

The performance of the ROG Ally can be hindered by its battery life, which is significantly shorter than that of the Switch.

Game Library

8/10

The ROG Ally supports a vast library of PC games and emulation, though it lacks Nintendo exclusives and has less convenient multiplayer options.

Quotes from Reviewers

M

Mrwhosetheboss

The ROG Ally can play full PC-quality titles and has a vast library of games available through platforms like Steam.

M

Mrwhosetheboss

It also supports emulation, allowing access to a wide range of older console games.

M

Mrwhosetheboss

The ROG Ally does not have access to Nintendo's first-party games, which are exclusive to the Switch.

Online Services

7/10

The ROG Ally offers fast WiFi 6E connectivity and supports cloud gaming, but Windows is not optimized for handheld gaming.

Quotes from Reviewers

M

Mrwhosetheboss

The ROG Ally benefits from fast WiFi 6E connectivity, which provides better online gaming experiences.

M

Mrwhosetheboss

Unlike the Nintendo Switch, it does not require a subscription to play online.

M

Mrwhosetheboss

Windows is not optimized for handheld gaming, resulting in a less polished online experience compared to the Switch.

Controller Design

7/10

The ROG Ally features responsive controls and customizable lighting, but its bulkiness and rear button placement may cause discomfort.

Quotes from Reviewers

M

Mrwhosetheboss

The ROG Ally's controls are leagues ahead, featuring responsive and smooth console-quality buttons and joysticks.

M

Mrwhosetheboss

The device also features customizable RGB lighting for a personalized touch.

M

Mrwhosetheboss

The ROG Ally is heavier and bulkier than the Switch, which makes it less comfortable for extended play sessions.

2

PS5 Slim Digital Edition

Score: 7/10

PS5 Slim Digital Edition

Offers expandable storage with SSD support, but limited usable space may require upgrades.

Graphics Performance

9/10

The PS5 Slim Digital Edition delivers excellent graphics performance with 4K visuals and ray tracing, enhancing the gaming experience.

Quotes from Reviewers

P

Proper Honest Tech

When playing PS5 games, loading times are instantaneous.

P

Proper Honest Tech

When paired with ray tracing, the worlds just look lifelike.

Game Library

8/10

The console boasts a vast library of exclusive and third-party games, with backward compatibility for PS4 titles.

Quotes from Reviewers

P

Proper Honest Tech

The PlayStation has always been the holy grail of gaming, and the PS5 is no exception.

P

Proper Honest Tech

These games can only be played on PlayStation and nowhere else.

Online Services

7/10

Offers integrated PlayStation Store and Remote Play, but PS Plus lacks value compared to Xbox Game Pass.

Quotes from Reviewers

Controller Design

8/10

DualSense controller offers immersive gameplay with haptic feedback and adaptive triggers.

Quotes from Reviewers

P

Proper Honest Tech

Sony absolutely knocked it out of the park with the DualSense controller.

P

Proper Honest Tech

The DualSense has a built-in microphone to talk to your friends or people online.

3

Valve Steam Deck Oled

Score: 7/10

Valve Steam Deck Oled

Offers models with up to 1TB SSD and supports microSD cards, but base model storage is limited and upgrades can be costly.

Storage Capacity

7/10

L

Linus Tech Tips

You only get the premium etched glass on the 512-gigabyte model.

L

Linus Tech Tips

Now, in terms of storage, that is not going to be enough.

L

Linus Tech Tips

Now, the SSD is not upgradable.

Graphics Performance

8/10

The Steam Deck OLED delivers excellent performance for a portable device, with a powerful CPU and GPU capable of running AAA games at impressive frame rates. The OLED display enhances visuals with vibrant colors.

Quotes from Reviewers

L

Linus Tech Tips

It's a Zen 2 CPU with 4 cores.

L

Linus Tech Tips

It's going to have some kind of RDNA 2-based GPU integrated into it.

L

Linus Tech Tips

We've never seen any kind of PC built with that level of memory bandwidth for an integrated GPU.

L

Linus Tech Tips

A scenario where you're supposed to have that super sharp cinematic look, as opposed to a game where 1080p would have been nice for content consumption.

Game Library

7/10

The Steam Deck offers access to a vast library of Steam games and supports various game stores, though not all games are optimized for the device.

Quotes from Reviewers

L

Linus Tech Tips

This is not a game console like the Nintendo Switch, which is a completely locked-down device.

L

Linus Tech Tips

Valve was very particular about which games were running.

L

Linus Tech Tips

We had to obtain permission from the developer in order to run it.

Online Services

6/10

Supports online services through SteamOS and Windows, but some features require workarounds and lack seamless integration.

Quotes from Reviewers

L

Linus Tech Tips

So, if you weren't already convinced that this is a full-fat PC, you should be now.

L

Linus Tech Tips

Essentially, what you're doing is just bookmarking a webpage.

L

Linus Tech Tips

I would like to try the USB-C DisplayPort input.

Controller Design

7/10

Ergonomic and comfortable layout with responsive controls, but trackpads and back buttons may be awkward for some users.

Quotes from Reviewers

L

Linus Tech Tips

Ooh, the D-pad is smooth to roll and has a good click for each individual direction.

L

Linus Tech Tips

These are touch-sensitive joysticks, so as soon as I put my finger on them, they respond.

L

Linus Tech Tips

This is quite an unusual control scheme.

4

Nintendo Switch Oled

Score: 7/10

Nintendo Switch Oled

Improved storage with the OLED model, but still requires expansion for larger game libraries.

Storage Capacity

7/10

9

91Tech

The OLED model also has double the amount of internal storage, with 64 GB compared to only 32 GB on the LCD version.

9

91Tech

Micro SD cards are incredibly cheap, and you definitely should buy one if you're going to be downloading any games.

Graphics Performance

6/10

The OLED model enhances visuals with a vibrant display, but the hardware struggles with performance in some games.

Quotes from Reviewers

9

91Tech

The OLED model was released in 2021 and features a larger OLED screen that displays significantly more vibrant and robust colors.

9

91Tech

Ultimately, this is a 2017 tablet that could probably be beaten by an iPhone 7 in terms of power.

9

91Tech

For every masterpiece, there are two or three lazily thrown-together ports done solely as a cash grab.

Game Library

9/10

The Switch boasts a massive library of quality games, including exclusive Nintendo titles and a thriving indie collection.

Quotes from Reviewers

9

91Tech

The catalog and backlog of amazing games for the Switch are overwhelming, from both Zelda titles to many Mario games.

9

91Tech

There are too many games for the Switch that have launched with performance that is practically unplayable.

9

91Tech

The game library is absolutely stacked, and many of the best games are from Nintendo itself.

Online Services

6/10

Affordable online service with classic games, but lacks advanced features and has confusing systems.

Quotes from Reviewers

9

91Tech

Nintendo Online starts at only 20 bucks a year, which is much cheaper than PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live subscriptions.

9

91Tech

The $20 plan grants you online play, cloud saves, and access to a large selection of classic Nintendo titles from the NES, SNES, and Game Boy.

Controller Design

7/10

Versatile Joy-Cons with innovative features, but durability issues persist with stick drift.

Quotes from Reviewers

9

91Tech

The Joy-Con controllers are infamous for developing stick drift and becoming unusable seemingly at random.

9

91Tech

Joycons, as a whole, are pretty awesome with their easy sliding on and off the system.

5

Xbox Series S

Score: 6/10

Xbox Series S

Limited storage space fills up quickly, but external drives and cloud saves help.

Storage Capacity

6/10

I

IGN

The downside, though, is that you have only a woefully small 364 gigabytes of usable space to install games and apps.

I

IGN

Sure, you can expand the storage using the slot on the back, but the one-terabyte Seagate expansion card is a horrible buy with the Series S.

Graphics Performance

7/10

Runs games at 120fps with quick load times but limited to upscaled 1440p resolution.

Quotes from Reviewers

I

IGN

The Series S's hardware is similar to the Series X's RDNA 2 architecture, but its CPU is clocked down, and it has less RAM.

I

IGN

I noticed some minor screen tearing and mild frame rate choppiness in The Falconeer at 120 frames per second and in Gears 5's Versus mode at 120 frames per second.

I

IGN

The Series S maintained the same whisper-quiet noise level as the Series X, registering just 38 decibels in Dirt 5.

Game Library

9/10

Offers a vast library through Game Pass and backward compatibility, but lacks some big exclusives.

Quotes from Reviewers

I

IGN

You know, I'll say that there are a lot of original Xbox, Xbox 360, and Xbox One games available on Game Pass.

I

IGN

Many people have pointed to Baldur's Gate not supporting the Xbox Series S in split-screen mode as an example of why the Series S is holding this generation back.

Online Services

8/10

Good online gaming experience with Game Pass access, but lacks Wi-Fi 6.

Quotes from Reviewers

I

IGN

Another advantage of the Series S is that you're not really getting a lesser experience when it comes to playing online titles.

I

IGN

For example, take something like Overwatch 2. I was just playing on the standard model.

Controller Design

7/10

Practical design compatible with Xbox One accessories, but lacks significant upgrades.

Quotes from Reviewers

I

IGN

For a controller, it uses the exact same one that the Series X does, and it's compatible with just about all of the Xbox One's accessories.

I

IGN

The interface is essentially identical to what we've had on the Xbox One for years now, so it's an unexciting upgrade.

6

Sony PlayStation 5

Score: 6/10

Sony PlayStation 5

The PS5's SSD offers fast load times, but limited usable storage and large game files can be problematic.

Storage Capacity

6/10

M

Marques Brownlee

The PS5's SSD provides fast load times, enhancing the gaming experience.

M

Marques Brownlee

The actual usable storage is significantly less than advertised, with only about 670GB available after the operating system installation.

M

Marques Brownlee

Large game files can quickly fill up storage space.

Graphics Performance

8/10

The PS5 offers impressive graphics with ray tracing and high resolution, though it struggles with high frame rates when ray tracing is enabled.

Quotes from Reviewers

M

Marques Brownlee

The PlayStation 5 offers impressive graphics with ray tracing and high resolution, providing a next-generation gaming experience.

M

Marques Brownlee

The console's faster SSD results in quicker load times and smoother gameplay.

M

Marques Brownlee

Console graphics still do not match the quality of high-end PCs.

Game Library

7/10

The PS5 has a large game library with PS4 compatibility, but the selection of exclusive titles is limited at launch.

Quotes from Reviewers

M

Marques Brownlee

The PS5 is compatible with most PS4 games, allowing players to enjoy a vast library of titles.

M

Marques Brownlee

The game catalog is expected to grow and improve over time.

M

Marques Brownlee

Some bugs have been reported regarding PS4 game compatibility.

Online Services

6/10

The PS5 offers a user-friendly UI and Remote Play, but PS Plus lacks value compared to Xbox Game Pass.

Quotes from Reviewers

M

Marques Brownlee

The new UI is fast and user-friendly, enhancing the online experience.

M

Marques Brownlee

The PlayStation Store is well-organized, making it easy to find games.

Controller Design

8/10

The DualSense controller offers advanced haptics and adaptive triggers, though its larger size may not suit everyone.

Quotes from Reviewers

M

Marques Brownlee

The new DualSense controller offers improved haptics and adaptive triggers, providing a more immersive gaming experience.

M

Marques Brownlee

Some games do not fully utilize the new controller features, which leads to underwhelming experiences.

M

Marques Brownlee

The controller is larger and has good battery life.

7

Nintendo 3DS

Score: 6/10

Nintendo 3DS

The 3DS supports physical cartridges and SDHC cards up to 32GB, but accessing the memory card slot is cumbersome.

Storage Capacity

6/10

S

Simple Alpaca

The cartridges themselves are very similar; the only noticeable differences are the colors and the little hook on the 3DS cartridges.

S

Simple Alpaca

Acquiring games for the 3DS through official means has become challenging.

S

Simple Alpaca

The rapid increase in 3DS piracy is simply a natural response to the company's actions.

Graphics Performance

6/10

The 3DS provides improved graphics over previous models with unique glasses-free 3D technology, though the 3D effect is limited by viewing angles and aging resolution.

Quotes from Reviewers

S

Simple Alpaca

I really appreciated the graphic improvement compared to the previous consoles.

S

Simple Alpaca

The 3D effects, heavily advertised as the new standout feature, worked only at a very specific angle, and many users complained about headaches.

S

Simple Alpaca

The new 3DS is more of an iteration than a complete overhaul of the existing 3DS system, but that's not to say its changes aren't substantial.

Game Library

8/10

The 3DS boasts a vast library with backward compatibility, though new releases have ceased, and some games are becoming expensive collector's items.

Quotes from Reviewers

S

Simple Alpaca

The Nintendo 3DS is probably one of the most interesting consoles you can buy.

S

Simple Alpaca

The 3DS is one of the last handhelds to have a uniquely specialized lineup of games.

S

Simple Alpaca

The 3DS has one of the best game lineups of any so-called old handheld.

Online Services

5/10

The 3DS has unique social features but lacks online multiplayer support and has limited multitasking capabilities.

Quotes from Reviewers

S

Simple Alpaca

Online support for multiplayer games was shut down in April of this year.

S

Simple Alpaca

Thanks to the efforts of passionate modders, the 3DS has become relatively easy to modify.

S

Simple Alpaca

The online store is gone, and physical games have become collector's items with an ever-increasing price tag.

Controller Design

7/10

The 3DS features a joystick, touchscreen, and additional controls, though some design choices may be uncomfortable.

Quotes from Reviewers

S

Simple Alpaca

The exterior of the 3DS was a very interesting design from Nintendo.

S

Simple Alpaca

The C stick itself feels like a slightly inferior option compared to a second circle pad.

S

Simple Alpaca

Overall, I really like the button layout and the feel of the system.

8

Microsoft Xbox Series X

Score: 6/10

Microsoft Xbox Series X

Fast SSD with expandable storage, but limited internal space and expensive expansion options.

Storage Capacity

6/10

A

Austin Evans

If you want more than one terabyte of space on your Series X, you're going to want one of these devices.

A

Austin Evans

Essentially, this means that you can expand with another SSD directly into the back of the system.

A

Austin Evans

So you're getting 2.4 gigabytes per second, pretty much consistently.

Graphics Performance

8/10

The Xbox Series X delivers smooth, native 4K gaming with 60fps as the new standard, though the leap from Xbox One X isn't massive.

Quotes from Reviewers

A

Austin Evans

Onboard, we have twice the graphics horsepower of the Xbox One X.

A

Austin Evans

This is running at 4K60 with all the ultra PC presets enabled.

A

Austin Evans

When you turn it on, it makes a huge difference.

Game Library

7/10

Solid library with backward compatibility, but lacks power-hungry next-gen exclusives.

Quotes from Reviewers

A

Austin Evans

Keep in mind that the games I'm playing are not optimized at all for the Series X.

A

Austin Evans

One very cool feature of this Series X is its ability to perform HDR reconstruction.

A

Austin Evans

The technology of this generation is so transformative.

Online Services

8/10

Xbox Game Pass and Quick Resume enhance the gaming experience, though Quick Resume has reliability issues.

Quotes from Reviewers

A

Austin Evans

So, if you have your Xbox One games on a hard drive, you can plug it in.

A

Austin Evans

You can imagine what this might look like.

A

Austin Evans

The choice between them is not necessarily a simple one.

Controller Design

7/10

Comfortable design with minor improvements, but still uses AA batteries.

Quotes from Reviewers

A

Austin Evans

A new console is nothing without a new controller, and the Series X has some interesting differences.

A

Austin Evans

Therefore, it is better suited for smaller hands.

A

Austin Evans

Now, if we open up the back, you will see that we have the exact same setup as the Xbox One.

9

Nintendo Switch Lite

Score: 5/10

Nintendo Switch Lite

Limited built-in storage with easy expansion via microSD card, but no increase in capacity since launch.

Storage Capacity

5/10

I

IGN

I also wish there were a version with more than 32 gigabytes of built-in storage.

I

IGN

Adding an SD card is still easy to do.

Graphics Performance

6/10

The Switch Lite offers vibrant graphics on a smaller screen with improved pixel density, but is limited to 720p resolution and lacks TV docking.

Quotes from Reviewers

I

IGN

The switch's clean matte finish and surprisingly lightweight design immediately felt great in my hands.

I

IGN

The screen itself is smaller at 5.5 inches compared to the standard, which is 6.2 inches.

I

IGN

The speakers sound noticeably weaker, but it's nothing drastic.

Game Library

8/10

The Switch Lite boasts a vast game library, including major titles, but lacks support for games requiring motion controls.

Quotes from Reviewers

I

IGN

The idea that a 200-dollar device, legitimately small enough to fit into my pocket, is able to play massive games like Breath of the Wild, Skyrim, Doom, and The Witcher 3 is incredible.

I

IGN

Some games are effectively unplayable as a result of their inability to dock and play on a TV.

Online Services

6/10

Offers basic online services with cloud saves and access to classic games, but lacks broader entertainment options.

Quotes from Reviewers

I

IGN

Switching from an old switch to a new light switch is fairly easy.

I

IGN

You can't just transfer your SD card from one device to another; you have to reformat it.

Controller Design

7/10

Improved button design with a new D-pad, but lacks detachable Joy-Cons and motion controls.

Quotes from Reviewers

I

IGN

Most of its buttons represent a tangible improvement over regular Joy-Cons.

I

IGN

The new D-pad, which replaces the left Joy-Con's directional buttons, is also a fantastic addition.

10

PlayStation 4

Score: 5/10

PlayStation 4

The PS4 allows for storage upgrades but the base 500GB fills up quickly and uses slower hard disk drives.

Graphics Performance

7/10

The PS4 delivers smooth gameplay with HDR support, though it struggles with load times and lacks 4K resolution.

Quotes from Reviewers

I

IGN

The PlayStation 4 is an attractive system with a sleek, modern appearance.

I

IGN

Games load impressively quickly, and you can immediately pause the action.

I

IGN

The PS4 is locked at 60 Hertz, so let's power up the console and hear that sound once again.

I

IGN

In the most loaded scenes, I experience some drops to 45, but I don't see any lags, and the game looks surprisingly good.

Game Library

9/10

The PS4 boasts an impressive game library with numerous exclusives and PSVR support, though its launch lineup was limited.

Online Services

6/10

PlayStation Plus offers exclusive content, but online multiplayer requires a subscription, and the service lags behind Xbox Game Pass.

Controller Design

7/10

The DualShock 4 is comfortable with innovative features, but its battery life and durability could be improved.