What is the Cheapest Console of All Time?
In the world of gaming, console prices have fluctuated over the years, with some being remarkably affordable while others have shot up to astronomical heights. As gamers, we love to explore the cheapest and most budget-friendly options out there. So, here’s a dive into what the cheapest console of all time is, and just how much you can pocket one for.
Top Contenders for the Cheapest Console of All Time
- The Nintendo GameCube (@ $199, or approx. $259 in today’s dollars) – We’re starting off with what is arguably one of the most iconic and beloved Nintendo consoles of all time.
1972- Odyssey: The Very First Game Console
• 99 cents was the tag price for Magnavox’s Odyssey, the oldest game console, released back in 1972! With only three games (a total of 47,000 pieces), demand for the console was huge.
How Old Game Consoles Get Expensive
• As older, working units of retro hardware start to decline, this natural supply-demand imbalance begins to drive prices up rapidly.
• Supply chain shocks and global chip shortages over the years only add further complexity to this issue
• This explains why nostalgic gamers and collectors are eagerly shelling out top-tier cash for their favorite game consoles from the past decades
Best-Selling Consoles
| Platform | Units Sold |
|---|---|
| PlayStation 2 | over 155 million |
| Nintendo DS | over 154 million |
| Nintendo Switch | approximately 125 million |
| Game Boy and Game Boy Color | approximately 118.69 million |
| PlayStation 4 | slightly above 117 million |
| PlayStation | around 102.4 million |
Why a PC Still Remains Better than A Console
Performance: PCs generally offer more advanced hardware, making them equipped to run games with heightened frame rates and shorter waiting times.
Consoles, on the other side, offer a more pre-determined gaming experience
• PC is more adaptive and upgradable, especially considering the massive library to draw from in the GOG, Uplay, Steam Library.
Consoles often come with limited upgrades or, even worse: you have to wait longer for a patch-update to hit.
However, some notable exceptions on both sides show that flexibility doesn’t mean a clean win. Xbox’s current approach, particularly with console prices and exclusives at its Game Pass Plus package. This combination gives you seamless access.
- More games + exclusive titles and a much-needed break for some cloud storage!