The cost-of-living crisis has impacted Brits everywhere, with rising costs forcing new considerations to be made to every kind of lifestyle – including gaming.
In fact, a study reveals that more than half (56%) of gamers have cut down on their playtime to reduce the cost of their energy bills. But how can players continue enjoying their hobby, without draining their bank accounts?
By assessing factors like console costs, service prices and the quality of console-exclusive games as part of Uswitch.com’s 2022 gaming statistics report, they determined the best gaming hardware to invest in to reduce costs, and maximise entertainment. Here’s what they found:
- The Xbox One S is the gaming console which is the best value-for-money, at £200 per console
- For those trying to save on energy bills, the Nintendo Switch is the best choice – costing only £0.52 per month in electricity to run
- The best exclusive games can be found on the Playstation 4, scoring 8.39/10 for this factor, as determined by Metacritic reviews
Which gaming console offers the best value-for-money?
| Rank | Console | Console cost (£) | Monthly online service cost (£) | Quality of console exclusive games (/10) | Average playtime of console exclusive games (hours) | Console value score (/10) |
| 1 | Xbox One S | £165 | £7.00 | 7.33 | 24.4 | 7.01 |
| 2 | Nintendo Switch | £235 | £3.50 | 7.74 | 21.3 | 6.62 |
| 3 | Nintendo Switch OLED | £305 | £3.50 | 7.74 | 21.3 | 6.49 |
| 4 | PS4 | £200 | £7.00 | 8.39 | 19.4 | 6.36 |
| 5 | Xbox One X | £210 | £7.00 | 7.33 | 24.4 | 6.10 |
| 6 | PS4 Pro | £270 | £7.00 | 8.39 | 19.4 | 5.71 |
| 7 | Xbox Series S | £220 | £7.00 | 7.43 | 18.9 | 5.71 |
| 8 | Xbox Series X | £415 | £7.00 | 7.43 | 18.9 | 4.68 |
| 9 | PS5 Digital Edition | £360 | £7.00 | 7.08 | 21.1 | 3.51 |
| 10 | PS5 | £480 | £7.00 | 7.08 | 21.1 | 3.25 |
The Xbox One S offers gamers the best experience for the lowest price, with a console value score of 7.01/10. The 2016 revision of the Xbox One is the cheapest modern console available at an average price of £165, a third (34%) the cost of the Playstation 5 (£480). Additionally, games exclusive to the Xbox One S and Xbox One X have an average playtime of 24.4 hours, the longest time analysed. That is 29% longer than the playtime of games on the most recent Xbox, the Xbox Series S.
The Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch OLED take second and third place, with scores of 6.62/10 and 6.49/10 respectively. At £35, replacing controllers for the Switch is cheaper than any other console, where they cost between £50 – £60. The Switch models are also the most energy efficient consoles analysed. While the PS5 requires 199 watts every 3 hours, the Switch and Switch OLED need just seven and six watts respectively.
The Playstation 4 is fourth, with a console value score of 6.36/10, and a price tag of £200. Games exclusive to the PS4 earn a score of 8.39/10, the highest quality from the whole study, and 18.5% higher than games on the PS5. Almost half (49%) of gamers said that a console’s games were a key consideration when buying a new console. However, 52% said affordability was an important factor, meaning the PS4’s price may turn players to the more affordable Xbox One S (£165).
The most energy efficient consoles
| Rank | Console | Average monthly energy use (kWh) | Average monthly energy cost (£) |
| 1 | Nintendo Switch | 1.52kWh | £0.52 |
| 2 | Nintendo Switch OLED | 2.20kWh | £0.75 |
| =3 | Xbox Series S | 15.12kWh | £5.14 |
| =3 | PS4 | 15.13kWh | £5.14 |
| 5 | Xbox One S | 15.33kWh | £5.21 |
With the majority (56%) of gamers having reduced their playtime to save on their energy bills over the last year, Nintendo Switch (£0.52 a month) owners can relax knowing their console is 90% more cost-effective than the most efficient Xbox and Playstation models, the Xbox Series S and PS4 respectively (£5.14 a month). Energy efficiency is a key factor when looking to buy a console for almost one in five (17.47%) gamers, taking precedence over backwards compatibility (17.27%), the console’s design (17.27%) and available add-ons (8%).
Nick Baker, online gaming expert at Uswitch.com, comments on how to keep gaming energy efficient:
- “Get to know your console’s power-saving settings: most modern consoles have different energy-saving options, so you can configure it to match your preferences. For instance, all Xbox One and Xbox Series models offer energy saving mode, which uses less energy in return for a longer time to power up.
- Adjust the settings on your monitor or TV: in most cases, using a console will also require energy for a monitor or TV. Turning the brightness down and switching off ambient light sensors can reduce energy consumption, whether your monitor is being used for gaming or otherwise.
- Get a smart meter: a smart meter can show you exactly how much energy you are using in real-time, so you can easily set yourself limits in your energy gaming consumption, and keep costs low.”
You can read more information about online gaming at the Uswitch Online Gaming Statistics Page.
