Should I buy a budget gaming laptop or console?

For typical budget buyers, a console is usually the cheaper and better-value gaming purchase. Expect to pay about $300–$500 new for a current-gen console, or $180–$350 used depending on model, storage, and condition. A budget gaming laptop usually starts around $600–$900 new for a decent entry-level model, while used/refurbished options often land around $400–$700.

Rule of thumb:

• Buy a console if you mainly want the lowest-cost, simplest way to play games.
• Buy a budget gaming laptop if you need one portable device for gaming and school/work/browsing/mods/PC-only games.

If you’re comparing value, consoles usually win on price-to-performance for gaming-only use, while gaming laptops win on flexibility. Check sold/completed listings and current retail prices before buying, since prices move a lot.