I'm currently looking for a monitor to buy before GTA VI comes out. I have a standard PS5 and a budget of $200 to $300, and I will not be upgrading to the Pro. I would appreciate any suggestions or opinions!

In my 40s, other than a Covid game heater, I have not touched a controller much since college...

Read an article saying gaming reverses brain aging, and then IG “suggested” reels got me with remote play and old games I liked getting updates for new systems.

I started off messing with my son’s PS5. Remote play from the couch with my Mac + DualSense while watching sports on the big TV before bed, or in the hotel when I travel for work. Would love to play the 2-5 nights a month I am gone. Healthier than the hotel bar, haha.

Buy a disc, beat the game, sell the game, and start over. Currently doing the MGS series in Chronological Canon order.

I have hit some shortcomings and can’t make heads or tails of my unique use case.

Mentally, I like Xbox. I had a 360 and then owned a One during Covid. Had PS1 - 2, and it seems like PlayStation is dominating, but a Switch might kill all my remote play issues?

Can someone sell me on one or the other? Looks like with a $400 budget, I can easily acquire any of these.

PS5 - most used games available, remote play with a Portal or Mac. Feels redundant to buy a second PS5?

Xbox - Game Pass is interesting (could play GoW, Halo, etc.). If Remote Play is not working, could try cloud gaming with the Play Anywhere feature? Who knows how easy finding used discs is?

Switch 2 - Solves any issues with remote play, I just take it with me! Don’t like the controller as much, will be missing some games (LIKE MGS V - but use the PS5 as a backup plan?), and I think I will try GTA VI once I am done with MGS, but it probably won’t come to Switch? But maybe I just do Tomb Raider or Resident Evil next?

Can anyone get me to stop over thinking this one and pick a route?

I’ve been slowly putting this setup together since August, and my latest additions are a pair of Beolab Penta speakers!

I’ve also just picked up a DIN cable to connect the TV to the hi-fi system, meaning I can now enjoy proper stereo sound through the floor-standing Pentas when watching TV, VHS tapes or playing games.

The setup consists of a Bang & Olufsen Beosystem 5000 stack, Beovision LX4500 CRT television, Beocord VX7000 VCR and a PlayStation 2 Slim.

It’s all coming together nicely, and I’m really pleased with how the whole setup looks and sounds now.

I am thinking about getting a PS5 right now as a student (I’m 18) with my own savings, which are limited right now. I want a device that I can use to relax and game till the end of my college years, which is the middle of 2030. So, should I invest in a PS5 now? I am very confused as to whether it will be a waste of money because the PS6 is going to release in a year or so. If not, and if you think the PS5 will be worth it till the time I’m hoping for, then please do let me know.

Title: First time buying a gaming device – Nintendo, PlayStation, Xbox, or PC? Need some advice
Hi everyone!
I’m thinking about buying my first gaming device, but I’ve never owned a gaming console or gaming PC before, so I’m not sure which option would be best for me.
A little bit about me: I live in Munich, Germany, and work in a hotel. I’ll continue working after I graduate. I don’t really have friends here or a girlfriend, so I’d like to find a fun hobby to enjoy in my free time, relax after work, and have something to look forward to.
I already have two monitors, one 23-inch and one 27-inch, so I’m considering getting a gaming PC. However, I’m also interested in the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox.
The problem is that I don’t even know what kind of games I would enjoy yet. I’ve never really been a gamer, so I don’t know whether I’d prefer story-driven games, open-world games, shooters, racing games, casual games, or something else. I’m hoping to find a platform that will let me explore different types of games and discover what I enjoy.
My main concerns are:
Nintendo Switch: Is it worth buying if I mainly want to play games at home? Is it a good choice for a complete beginner?
PlayStation 5 or Xbox: Which one offers better value for money, especially for someone who doesn’t know what games they like yet?
Gaming PC: Since I already have two monitors, would building or buying a gaming PC be a smarter long-term investment? Or would it be too expensive for someone who is just starting out?
I mainly want to play games for fun, relax after work, and maybe watch YouTube or movies. I’m not a competitive gamer, and I don’t need the most powerful device.
I’m also concerned about the total cost, including the device itself, games, subscriptions, and other accessories. I don’t want to spend too much money on something I might not use often, but I also don’t want to buy something too cheap and regret it later.
If you were in my situation, living in Germany and buying your first gaming device, what would you choose and why?
Would you recommend starting with a console because it’s simpler and potentially cheaper, or investing in a gaming PC because it’s more versatile and offers more options?
I’d really appreciate honest advice, especially from people who have experience with more than one platform. I’d love to hear what you would do differently if you were starting from zero today.
Thanks for reading and sharing your experience!

Hello, I wanted to ask if there are still active MMO games that can be crossplay, I’m on ps5 and friend is on PC, we wanna start playing MMO together.

I did some research but the games I did see a lot of ppl keep saying theyre dead etc. maybe there’s some upcoming once?

Free to play is highly wanted but open even if it isn’t.

Apex Legends Showdown - Switch Vs Series S

https://youtu.be/JBgZIO7_YS4?is=FS-THkkxfEVSovt-

Ok so i recently was able to boot up my old ps3 slim (CECH-2501A) and it works fine. Can play all my discs and earn achievements for most games and such. However, it hasn’t been updated since i played on it when i was like 10 back in 2018. Considering this, i was wondering if it’s worth it to just update the console, or figure out how to jailbreak it? I have NO idea how to jailbreak it but I’m willing to try if that’s the best solution.

Trying to decide between Series X or PS5 Pro. I like Xbox because of its play anywhere features and how I could play on PC if I wanted to (once I get a good one). But the Pro is the best console you can get right now and pretty much everyone I know has a PS5. If the next Xbox has Steam integration that could be huge. But PS exclusives won’t be on PC. Ugh!! Why can’t it be an easy decision?

I've been wanting to get the PS5 Pro for a while now, but the price is just so high at the moment. Honestly, I should've bought it last year before the price hike. 😭

Now I'm stuck wondering whether I should just bite the bullet and buy it now or wait for a sale. The thing is with GTA 6 coming out around the same time, I'm worried there could be another price hike or that consoles might sell out because of the demand.

I don't want to buy it now only for it to go on sale a few weeks later, but I also don't want to wait and end up paying even more or struggling to find one.

What do you guys think? Should I just buy it now, or is it worth waiting

I have an Xbox series x and like playing elden ring, among other games. My tv is definitely holding back the display, but idk how big an improvement a better tv would provide. Framerate has not been an issue so far.

50" Vizio v505 h9.

4k UHD

Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG support

60fps

USB are only 2.1 for audio (no 2.1 display benefits, apparently) ...and "eARC"

1. How much of a difference could I get with an improved tv?

2. What tv features should I be looking for? (I read that"true" USB 2.1 input is key, and OLED so that there are dedicated LEDs to improve the deepness of blacks/shadows.

I'm sure there are tons of other features, so which ones should I prioritize since I probably can't afford to buy upgraded everything?

1. Would 350$ be enough to get some worthwhile improvement? Same size tv

2. If I stayed with my current tv, is there anything I can do to optimize the display within it's settings or Xbox settings? I have no idea what settings to use but I definitely found that I can get a much better display than with the presets.

Many thanks...

The game box playpop 8 I ordered for my son arrived! It’s his birthday present, so I only opened it for a quick check.

The box has the unit, a remote, and two cables. Hooking it up to the TV was pretty straightforward, and I think he’ll love the colors. A big reason I picked this one was the lens cover. With a camera sitting in the house, being able to cover it when we’re not using it gives me some peace of mind.

Haven’t tried any games yet. It’s already tucked away so he doesn’t spoil the surprise lol. Looking forward to seeing his reaction!

You normally never see it, but I've always found it interesting when a manufacturer clearly spent time making the inside of a console feel just as deliberate as the outside.

Clean layout, good materials, proper cooling, easy access, easy to clean and repair, something that feels engineered to last and, honestly, something that just looks good when you open it.

How much does that matter to you?

Would you rather manufacturers spend every possible cent on performance and leave the inside purely functional, or do you appreciate when the hardware itself feels like a well designed object, even in the parts you’re not supposed to see?

Series X and PS5 internals for reference.

What do you think?

Hi, I'm currently having a dilemma on which if i should:
- Buy a series X and some games

- Buy a series S, and use the extra money for more games, controllers and maybe another harddrive.

Both options will be bought secondhand since I'm not loaded enough with cash, and I'll run it on my full hd msi gaming monitor

I don't really mind about the full-blown top-tier graphics, but performance is something I really consider

I dont think i'll be using the xbox much, mostly when friends are over or when I have free time (college struggles xd).

Do you guys still play handheld consoles as much as your main console?

I've been thinking about how many great handhelds we've had over the years, from the PSP and 3DS to the Switch and Steam Deck. Some had better games, others were just easier to pick up and play.

What are the best handheld gaming consoles you've owned? Is there one you'd choose over your Playstation or Xbox?

I was watching a "South Park" episode, season 29 episode 2 (I'm not certain I am allowed to say it's name" and in it Butters is complaining that billionaires are building data centers that are sucking power from the city and causing blackouts. He tries to complain to people but they don't care because all they care about is "Grand Theft Auto 6". Then he mentions they are causing blackouts and that gets their attention because the game has specific save points and if there is a blackout they lose their progress.

That made me wonder why don't consoles have rechargeable batteries for such a situation? I looked it up and from what I hear the only battery a console would have is to store console settings unless it's a handheld console like a Nintendo Switch. I play on a laptop so I never worry about losing power unless I'm going to be out for days.

Is the reason because consoles are not considered portable so there isn't a need for a battery unless it is portable? And another question do serious gamers buy rechargeable batteries to connect to their consoles to prevent such a situation?