PS5 vs Xbox vs Switch 2: The Console Buying Guide for Christmas
Here is how the PS5, PS5 Pro, Xbox Series X and Switch 2 compare ahead of Christmas 2026.
If you have ever wrapped a console and then watched someone quietly wish it were a different one, you know the stakes are high on this one. In Australia, consoles cost noticeably more than they did a year ago, and the PS5, Xbox Series X and Switch 2 have all had price rises, so this PS5 vs Xbox vs Switch 2 console buying guide for Australia is really about getting Christmas 2026 right the first time.
The good news is that the four consoles worth looking at are very different animals. Once you know what each one is good at, the choice stops feeling like a coin toss.
PlayStation 5: the big-name games machine
The PS5 is the safe, crowd-pleasing choice, and there is nothing wrong with safe at Christmas. It plays the huge PlayStation exclusives, it handles four-player couch sessions without fuss, and the DualSense controller is the one that makes people say "oh, that is clever" the first time the triggers push back. It also plays most PS4 games, so an old library comes along for the ride.
There is a disc version and a cheaper Digital Edition with no disc drive. Digital is fine if everything you play is downloaded anyway. If you swap discs with mates or like hunting down second-hand games, stick with the disc model.
PS5 Pro: the same library, only sharper
The PS5 Pro does not open up a different set of games. It plays the same ones, just with sharper pictures, smoother motion and a bigger built-in drive. If you own a good 4K TV and the picture is half the fun, it is a lovely upgrade. If you are playing on an older screen, you will not see much of what you paid extra for, and that money is better spent on a couple of games.
Top 5 PS5 games
These five show off what the PlayStation does best. They are drawn from Game Informer's current top 10 and Push Square's 2026 reader vote, and they all play on the PS5 and the PS5 Pro. Check the classification before wrapping any of them for younger players.
- Astro Bot (2024). A joyful platformer from Team Asobi that celebrates PlayStation's history.
- Ghost of Yōtei (2025). Sucker Punch's follow-up to Ghost of Tsushima, built around a revenge story.
- God of War Ragnarök (2022). Kratos and Atreus's Norse mythology adventure, with polished combat.
- Marvel's Spider-Man 2 (2023). Insomniac's New York sequel, with web wings for faster travel across the city.
- Saros (2026). Housemarque's sci-fi roguelike action game, a PlayStation Studios release that readers have rated highly.
Xbox Series X: the library you can keep growing
The Xbox Series X is a quietly brilliant box. Its secret weapon is Game Pass, a monthly subscription that gives you a big rotating library of games to try without paying full price for each one. For a household with kids who want something new every week, or a gamer who gets bored fast, that is a lot of value. Quick Resume is a favourite feature too: it lets you hop between games and land right where you left off.
It is also very backwards compatible, so games from older Xbox generations still turn up. There is a disc version and an all-digital version, and the same disc-or-digital logic applies as with the PS5.
Top 5 Xbox games
These are the top five on GamesRadar's list of the best Xbox Series X games, last updated on 21st Jul 26. Several of them also appear on PlayStation, so the case for Xbox is mostly the value of Game Pass and the size of the library, not exclusives.
- 007 First Light (2026). A cinematic spy story starring a young, reckless Bond.
- Pragmata (2026). A Capcom sci-fi shooter with a hacking twist on combat.
- Crimson Desert (2026). A huge open-world adventure with skill-based progression and grapple combat.
- Helldivers 2 (2025). A chaotic co-op shooter that works best with friends.
- No Man's Sky (2016). A space exploration game that has grown a great deal since launch.
Nintendo Switch 2: the one for the whole lounge room
The Switch 2 is the odd one out, and that is exactly why people love it. It is a home console that unclips and goes with you, so the same system works on the couch, in the car on a long summer drive, or in a holiday house when the weather turns. Nintendo's own games, with Mario Kart World leading the charge, are the sort of thing the whole family can pick up in thirty seconds, grandparents included. Nobody needs a tutorial to have fun.
Its price went up on 1st Sep 26, but it is also the console most likely to be shared around the house. Nintendo has bundles with a game included, which are worth a look if you know exactly which game you are after.
Top 5 Switch 2 games
These are the top five on GamesRadar's list of the best Switch 2 games, last updated on 5th Nov 26.
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake (2026). A faithful remake with new graphics, and a story that still lands.
- Donkey Kong Bananza (2025). A destructive platformer with varied levels, where DK and Pauline team up.
- Pokémon Pokopia (2026). A cosy life sim where you play as a Ditto rebuilding a world.
- Hades 2 (2025). A roguelike that follows Melinoë, now out of Early Access with new weapons and biomes.
- Mario Kart World (2025). A kart racer with 24 drivers, a free-roam mode and the Knockout Tour.
Picturing the wet Saturday in January
Here is a trick that works better than any spec sheet. Picture a rainy Saturday in January and what you are doing on the couch. Is it a sprawling story game with the lights off? That is PlayStation territory. Is it trying a new game every few days without a big spend each time? That is the Xbox and Game Pass. Is it a family tournament that somehow ends in a sibling dispute over a blue shell? That is the Switch 2, and it can come along on the holiday road trip too.
Whichever you choose, set aside a little money for a second controller. Nothing ruins Christmas afternoon faster than one controller and four people with opinions.
At a glance
- PS5 (disc): AU$999 at JB Hi-Fi, 1TB storage, plays discs
- PS5 Digital Edition: AU$919 at JB Hi-Fi, 825GB storage, no disc drive
- PS5 Pro: AU$1,399 at JB Hi-Fi, 2TB storage, sharper and smoother on a 4K TV
- Xbox Series X (disc): AU$1,099 at EB Games, 1TB storage, works with Game Pass
- Xbox Series X Digital: AU$999 at JB Hi-Fi, 1TB storage, no disc drive
- Nintendo Switch 2: AU$769.95 at Nintendo, handheld and docked play
- Switch 2 with Mario Kart World: AU$839.95 at Nintendo, limited-time bundle
- Switch 2 with Nintendo Switch Sports Resort: AU$814.95 at Nintendo, from 22nd Oct 26
Verdict: Four strong consoles, and the right one is the one that matches the games you cannot wait to play.
