The PC vs. Console debate has been going on for decades. But now, gaming laptops are being built with similar configurations as their desktop counterparts and provide almost similar performance, which opens a new debate genre, i.e. Gaming laptops vs. Consoles. These devices have their pros and limitations, which one should know before investing in one of them. Let’s briefly discuss which is better to satisfy your gaming needs and why you should reconsider before buying.

Portability

As compared to desktops, the portability factor always favored consoles, as they are lightweight and easy to carry. However, most consoles do not come with an inbuilt display. Nintendo does come up with an inbuilt display, but it’s a handheld device, and a direct comparison is not viable against a laptop. The other most popular consoles, i.e., Xbox and PlayStation, need external display units (TV, Monitor) to connect with them, as consoles are not standalone machines like laptops. So, they are portable as far as the TV goes, which is extremely limited compared to laptops.

Laptops, unlike consoles, do not necessarily need external devices to use. Even Though they are not as portable as smartphones, they are way better than consoles in terms of mobility. External devices like mice can easily fit inside since it occupies little space. Their form factor is also relatively small, so you can put it inside your backpack and take it anywhere with you. Check out the HP Pavilion Gaming Laptop 15-ec2150AX which weighs only 1.9 Kg, so you can just imagine how portable this device is compared to a complete Console setup. If you buy this device from HP Online Store, then you can opt for the 6-month no cost EMI and also get 5% instant cashback using SBI Card. You can opt for Bajaj Finserv or Pine Labs as your no-cost EMI partner.

Direct Power Dependency

Xbox and Playstations don’t have any batteries, right? Yes, this point is entirely unfair; top consoles add a significant extra benefit to gaming laptops. Premium gaming laptops can run around 6-8 hours without the need for external power sources. But even if you manage to carry your console setup with a monitor, you will still be dependent on direct electric supply. The batteries make the laptop more flexible in usage as the user is not limited to electricity access. While playing multiplayer competitive games, a laptop can save your life in a game in case there’s a power outage while you’re playing.  

Daily Usage

In terms of daily usage, consoles are mainly gaming devices only. Yes, you can use them for infotainment, like watching live streams and movies, but that’s it. While comparing against a gaming laptop, we all know gaming laptops are powerful, full-fledged computers that can do anything a desktop PC does. You can use it for work, study, shopping, gaming, designing, programming, development, and infotainment. Laptops are versatile systems capable of doing many things in a single compact device.

Cost to Performance

Consoles are more affordable than laptops as they cost around Rs. 35,000–50,000 initially. But you need to buy a decent TV with it to unlock the full capability of the console, which will cost you around Rs. 25,000-30,000 more. If you consider these two altogether, the total price can rise up to Rs. 60,000-80,000 for the setup. If you want to add a camera, a headset, and an extra controller, then the setup costs rise higher.

On the other hand, an entry-level gaming laptop like the HP Victus 16-e0350ax costs around Rs. 72,000. All you need to add is a gaming mouse and headset, and the complete setup will cost you around the same as the console setup. Comparing the price that you pay for both devices, you get more features and usage with a laptop. Even in gaming performance, laptops pack a lot of extra punch within them as you can tweak the graphics settings to improve the performance and visual appearance.

The inbuilt camera and keyboard increase the accessibility a lot. Also, on a laptop, you can enjoy playing from the keyboard-mouse setup or analog controller as per your needs, whereas consoles are limited to analog controllers only.

Display Performance

Most gaming laptops come with a 144 Hz display these days. Even some very-inexpensive entry-level gaming laptops come with 75 Hz & 120 Hz displays. But the consoles are limited to a 60 Hz display as they are using standard TV units as their output device. With high frequency comes a higher FPS, and we know playing a game at 144 FPS provides a smoother experience than playing the same at 60 FPS. While playing competitive games like APEX Legends on console, you might get frustrated due to the limitation of 60 Hz performance, but with a laptop, you will get the extra edge due to 144 Hz output.

The performance in gaming laptops is smoother, satisfying, and provides better control over the edge in competitive games.

Configurations

Configuration-wise, gaming laptops are generally far superior to consoles. In the latest Xbox One X, you will get a Custom AMD 8-core Zen 2 3.8GHz CPU, 10GB RAM, and Custom AMD Radeon RDNA 2 architecture GPU, which will give you a standard gaming performance in all the games. But if you are buying a console a couple of years after the model’s launch, you are actually buying old-gen hardware, which will not be the same case with a gaming laptop. The OEM laptop companies launch new models every year with the latest components, which are far more advanced than the console. For example, the OMEN Laptop 16-c0138AX by HP comes with an AMD Ryzen 7 5800U 4.4GHz CPU, 16GB RAM, and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU, which packs more punch than any Xbox or PlayStation in the market right now. One of the best things about OMEN laptops is the battery, which addresses the needs of the gamers and lasts for 9+ hours, which is enough for long gaming sessions. This device comes with great offers where you can get 10% (up to 10,000 INR) cashback instantly, and you can also opt for the easy 18/0 or 12/0 EMI options.

Also, while choosing a gaming laptop, you can opt from multiple other platforms. You can opt from Intel or AMD for CPU, and for GPU, you can opt from Nvidia, Radeon, or Intel. But while buying a console, you do not get to choose much compared to a laptop.

Design

Another factor that gamers fancy in their gaming device is its design. They’d like their device to look cool and have a lot of show-off value. Gaming laptops win hands-down over consoles here, as they look much better with eye-catching designs. There are lots of fancy LEDs that gamers can control.

Cons of Consoles

Consoles are for casual gamers who love enjoying gaming. So, in console, you will not only be limited to 60 Hz output but will face higher latency in online games. With the input delay and frame drops, you might find yourself in a frustrating moment. Whereas for AAA games, a console might seem like a great option, but for multiplayer competitive games, laptops are superior.

Future-proof Investment

One might ask which is more future-proof? With all the comparisons above, laptops are superior to consoles, but are they more future-proof?

Consoles are primarily for gaming, but their new versions take years (6-7 years on average) to be released. Laptops and PC on the other hand, are upgraded every year. For console users, this could be advantageous because you know your console will last at least 5+ years without feeling the need to upgrade. All the newly launched games are optimized and would work just fine because they are for your latest version console.

Laptops constantly get newer releases that surpass the previous generation’s price, technology, and compatibility. If we put laptops head-to-head against consoles on games, then PC games in the past decade have increased their specifications every year, requiring better graphics cards and RAM. This means two things, newer and better games and upgrades needed. If you really worried about the fact that computers need frequent upgrades to stay at par, then you can invest in a future-proof gaming laptop like OMEN by HP Laptop 16-b1371TX, which will keep you serving for 6-7 years without any upgrade needed. Buy it ASAP, before the current offers are exhausted. Ensure the 10% cashback by using an SBI credit card while buying on HP online store.

Summary

Laptop vs. Console? Which one should you opt for?

If you’re on the fence about getting a gaming device with a limited budget, where you already have a decent dedicated TV, and you just want to game, get a console (PS5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch) according to your budget.

But, if you require daily computation (which is typical for most), multitasking, flexibility, better performance, and higher FPS with a smooth game-play experience, consider spending a few extra hundred bucks on a laptop (Omen, HP Pavilion, etc.).

Check out the HP Online store to find such suitable OMEN gaming laptops at a fair price.