The best games consoles of 2026

Astonishingly, it’s almost fifty years since the first mass market games console was released.

Earlier machines like 1972’s Magnavox Odyssey didn’t really live up to their billing, displaying rudimentary black and white dots which only supported primitive games like Pong.

The Atari VCS (also known as the 2600) is commonly cited as the first successful console, launched in 1977 and exploiting breakthroughs in microprocessor technology.

Today, even affordably priced games machines serve up cinematic graphics and sprawling open-world games which wouldn’t look out of place on a high-end gaming PC.

At the opposite end of the spectrum – and that word is used advisedly – are retro gaming machines which hark back to a more joyful age when graphics were secondary to gameplay.

These are the best games consoles of 2026, including three market leaders and three leftfield suggestions.

The best games consoles of 2026

Sony PlayStation 5

Launched: 2020. Units sold: 85 million.

Many people still remember the jaw-dropping graphics showcased by the first-generation Sony PlayStation when it debuted in 1996.

This Stormtrooper-esque fifth-generation model has lost the original’s wow factor, though it offers almost 1,100 titles including backwards compatibility with almost every PS4 game.

There are base and Pro versions, with the latter offering extremely impressive processing specifications, albeit at a £200 premium. The standard PS5 should suit most modern buyers.

Microsoft Xbox Series S/X

Launched: 2020. Units sold: 35 million.

The fifth-generation Sony PlayStation has far outsold the latest versions of Microsoft’s long-standing Xbox rival.

That’s despite the presence of two Xbox variants – the compact and affordable S, or the more powerful X, hosting a disc drive and 4K output.

Both consoles tie into the Microsoft ecosystem, which regular PC users may welcome, though both also have a relatively unintuitive user interface compared to the PS5.

Nintendo Switch

Launched: 2017. Units sold: 165 million

The oldest of the Big Three consoles, and by far the most popular, Nintendo’s family-oriented Switch focuses on cute characters and colourful (yet surprisingly addictive) games.

Again, there are two devices on sale – the evergreen original, preferably with an OLED display, and the newer Switch 2 with full backwards compatibility and superior performance.

The Switch’s detachable controllers can be frustratingly glitchy, but this machine’s USP is its ability to operate either as a handheld console, or through a TV using a docking station.

A few alternatives

Retro Games The Spectrum is a clunky title for a highly authentic Sinclair Spectrum emulator, sold with 48 games pre-loaded onto it and more accessible via USB sideloads.

Unlike the rubber-keyed computer it resembles, The Spectrum can play 128K games from later Sinclair iterations, and it’ll even rewind gameplay by up to 40 seconds at a time.

Steam OLED is a Switch-style handheld console, albeit one which plays games from the vast Steam library familiar to PC owners. It runs on the Linux OS.

A limited battery life and modest screen are significant drawbacks, but there’s an enormous archive of games from both mainstream and independent developers.

Finally, the Atari 2600+ brings this article full circle, following the re-release of Atari’s first – and arguably greatest – machine.

The 2600+ looks and feels authentic thanks to timber trim and well-weighted one-button joysticks. It’ll also play 7800 games, with hundreds of cartridges on sale including numerous classics.