Portables or Consoles - Which do you prefer?

This isn't just in terms of game library.

Consoles you get way higher graphical fidelity, more freedom to make bigger and better games, and you get to play them on big-ass TV's in usually cinematic quality, with surround sound to boot. Then there's the fact that usually controllers just FEEL better to play and use, while also at times being bigger then most of the portables you'll play with, having a controller provides a lot more freedom during gameplay.

Portables give you convenience without having to give up your favorite hobby if you work all the time and/or travel a lot, sure you can use a phone, and many people do, but some people just like traditional gaming, you need some feedback every now and then. They also provide the opportunity to take the game anywhere you go, no one is going to be able to bring their PS5 into their bathroom like you can with a PSP, Switch, or 3DS, this also applies to laying down literally anywhere. If you're going camping and don't feel like giving up your hobby for the weekend, bring a portable.

The cons for consoles are: They usually don't have many ways to take them with you, they're heavy for smaller people, there's always wires sticking out somewhere, and discs are harder to take care of then cartridges. They also have to be plugged in at all times, and if a thunderstorm hits and your power goes out you're stuck without a game.

The cons for portables are: Much, MUCH smaller screens, games that sometimes have trouble living up to their console counterparts, and some handhelds can be a bit uncomfortable depending on hand and finger size. There's also the fact that you have to charge it whenever you want to use it.

Anyway, what do you prefer? (let's pretend phones don't exist OR that you don't use them for regular gaming for a moment for the sake of this argument please.)

PC.

Modern consoles and PC all have remote play, so you can play your consoles on the go, including in the bathroom as you suggested. You said no phones, but you can still play your console from your tablet or laptop. Phones are just the easiest to carry.

It's another reason why handheld systems are functionally dead. The Switch is a hybrid, so I don't think it falls under handheld.

Console for me. I hate playing on small screens, and I have big hands so some of them feel awkward for me.

Trying to play my gf's switch is cancer, the buttons are tiny and so close together.

Yeah. I have most consoles (do not have PS5) but I also find using the Switch in handheld mode a bit uncomfortable. Don't get me wrong, it was nice to have the Switch for my last vacation trip to Florida and I could play Zelda but I don't think I can use the handheld for longer than a few hours.

I think modern consoles are incredible bits of engineering. The Series X is a fantastic piece of hardware. It has top notch graphics, hardware ray tracing and it's virtually silent. It packs a ton of features in a small frame.

Thought I pretty much play on everything. For instance, love using my PC to play games like Planet Coaster and etc...and shooters...but love my consoles because it's attached a great 4K TV and 5.1 surround sound (will get better when I buy my new Receiver) and I rather play 3rd person action games on them.

Def consoles 🙂

Never really got in to handhelds.

For me, PC > Console > Phone.

Originally posted by StyleTime
Modern consoles and PC all have remote play, so you can play your consoles on the go, including in the bathroom as you suggested. You said no phones, but you can still play your console from your tablet or laptop. Phones are just the easiest to carry.

It's another reason why handheld systems are functionally dead. The Switch is a hybrid, so I don't think it falls under handheld.

I guess my laptop is just built different... I mean, do you sit it on your lap? I mean even if it's a bite-size laptop it's still a rather odd fit and I personally would have trouble using it even on my smallest laptop.

Also remote play can work only if the system is on. I wouldn't recommend leaving your PC on for the duration of your road trip to your friends house and also the resulting stay there, unless there has been a breakthrough with remote play where you can turn the system on and start the game via your phone that I didn't know about.

Also I dunno, this is a personal preference and I get that but touch-screens just do not provide enough feedback for me, I need the feeling of a joy-stick, buttons, etc.

Touch-screens are cool for some games but as far as games that were released on phones and on handhelds 9/10 times I'll likely choose the ones released on handheld.

Then there's the deal with prices which I really should've brought up, handhelds and their games are pretty much always universally cheaper then their console counterparts, like at least almost always $100 USD cheaper, and their games for the most part max out at MAYBE $40.

Originally posted by Jmanghan
First of all... You take your laptop into the bathroom? :/

I guess my laptop is just built different... I mean, do you sit it on your lap? I mean even if it's a bite-size laptop it's still a rather odd fit and I personally would have trouble using it even on my smallest laptop.

Also remote play can work only if the system is on. I wouldn't recommend leaving your PC on for the duration of your road trip to your friends house and also the resulting stay there, unless there has been a breakthrough with remote play where you can turn the system on and start the game via your phone that I didn't know about.

Also I dunno, this is a personal preference and I get that but touch-screens just do not provide enough feedback for me, I need the feeling of a joy-stick, buttons, etc.

Touch-screens are cool for some games but as far as games that were released on phones and on handhelds 9/10 times I'll likely choose the ones released on handheld.

Then there's the deal with prices which I really should've brought up, handhelds and their games are pretty much always universally cheaper then their console counterparts, like at least almost always $100 USD cheaper, and their games for the most part max out at MAYBE $40.

You can put your devices into sleep mode via remote play, although I'd figured you would just take them with you for long roadtrips. Regardless, that isn't the only option. Cloud gaming services allow you to play your games on any device, and you don't need to leave anything on at home. Amazon Luna, Google Stadia, GeForce Now, Shadow, Project xCloud, PSNow, etc-- there's tons of options and you can just play from your phone/laptop/tablet. You could also just make your console portable.

As for the touch screen thing, there are plenty of peripherals for phones. You can get something like the Razer Kishi, or the Asus ROG Kunai. For conventional controllers, clip mounts are cheap and easy to find. If you want a bigger screen, they've even got desktop docks and such. Modern smartphones can usually stream to your tv/pc monitor anyway though.

The price thing is only sorta true. If they were still making handhelds, yeah, but PSVita and 3DS were discontinued. You'd have to be okay never playing a new game ever again. It doesn't feel worth the trade off.

Especially since you can emulate those games anyway.

I would like to add that I always played both portables and consoles growing up, and I loved my portables. I was mostly a Nintendo handheld guy, but made detours for stuff like Game Gear and PSP. It's just that I feel their time passed. My love of handheld gaming is actually why I embraced mobile gaming so hard. I'd really recommend any handheld aficionados look into it. The mobile world is much more than just gacha games, and now gaming PC companies even make gaming phones.

Asus is launching their ROG Phone 5 tomorrow, and I'm excited for it.
https://rog.asus.com/event/ROG-Phone-5/

And with the giant of cloud gaming on the horizon, I'm not even sure if I'll get a next gen console tbh. I think the next 5 years will bring about some rapid change in the gaming world. 10 tops. Everything will just be a streaming service where your equipment doesn't quite matter. Shit we're doing now will look archaic.