Are you trying to find the answer for the age-old debate on whether PS4 is better than a gaming laptop?
Whether you should spend your hard-earned cash on buying a console in 2020 or acquiring a gaming laptop for your game consumption?
Finding which one is better than the other will depend on the kind of game you play and the type of experience you are looking for.
Let us look together, which one is better compared to the other!
Table of Contents
Which is better PS4 or Gaming Laptop?
To help us find which one is better, let us look at the Pros and Cons of having a PS4 and Gaming Laptop.
Pros of Having a PS4
Affordability
Buying a PS4 is way more affordable compared to buying a decent gaming PS4 in 2020.
For instance, you can buy a PS4 as cheap as $400 for a Pro Version with 1TB of Storage. This will be more than enough to get you started to play AAA title games right away.
Compared to that, a decent gaming laptop in 2020 will cost you triple the amount of money you spend on a PS4.
Ease of Use
A PS4 is easier to use compared to a gaming laptop. You just need to plug all the cables, turn on the power, put your game CD, and boom; you are ready to play your game!
While to play games on a gaming laptop, you will need to make sure several things, for instance, an internet connection to download the game.
You also need to install the game, which requires you to have some computer knowledge.
Further, to maximize the gaming experience, you might want to adjust or tinker with several settings and drivers so that your gaming laptop can deliver its peak performance.
In contrast to the gaming laptop, playing games in a PS4 is very straightforward, where everything can be done by just purchasing a CD and inserting the CD to your PS4.
Multiplayer Capability
Playing with your friends or others is far more accessible in a PS4. You just need to purchase an extra controller and plug it, and voila, you can enjoy a multiplayer game as easy as that.
Plus, even without an internet connection, you can still play with others on your couch for some co-op multiplayer action using a PS4.
On the other hand, you will need additional tools to play multiplayer games with a gaming laptop. And this means extra cost on top of the amount of time you need to set up the tools.
Even though more multiplayer games are available for PC gamers, this game will usually require you to have a good internet connection. In contrast, most multiplayer games on PS4 can be played offline without an internet connection.
So if you just want to play a game with someone on your couch, PS4 multiplayer capability is something you need to consider.
Exclusive Games Library
PS4 has quite some exclusive games that are only available to the system.
You will not be able to play these games if you are on a gaming laptop.
Furthermore, these exclusive games, most of the time, are award-winning titles and have high ratings.
Some of the game titles exclusive to PS4 are:
- God of War
- The Last of Us series
- Shadow of the Colossus
Find out more exclusive PS4 games that are not available on a gaming laptop here!
Longer lifespan
A PS4 will have a longer lifetime compared to your gaming laptop. A new variant of the PlayStation system usually comes out every 8 – 10 years.
This means that you will get more of your PS4 than a gaming laptop where you need to update your gaming laptop to play the latest games.
In contrast to a PS4, a gaming laptop might only have five years in its lifespan before the system broken down, and the drop in performance will limit your playing experience.
The decline in performance usually comes because of the heavy load of performance on the gaming laptop’s GPU and CPU.
Cons of Having a PS4
Worse Graphics Quality
It is not a secret if PS4 will have lower graphics quality than a gaming laptop in 2020.
Introduced back in 2013, PS4 cannot compete with a modern gaming laptop in 2020, where the gaming laptop can deliver graphic output at 1440p or 4K resolution with a high refresh rate and FPS.
Cost of Games
The cost of CD games for the PS4 system is more expensive than buying games for a gaming laptop.
Being in the PC gaming system with a gaming laptop, there are more ways you can buy games for cheap; for instance, there are sites like G2A where you can buy PC games at a discount price.
Portability
PS4 is relatively bulkier and heavier compared to a modern gaming laptop.
Plus, to play with your PS4, you will need an external display or a TV. This makes a PS4 not portable compared to a gaming laptop where you can bring your laptop anywhere and still enjoy your game collection anywhere you are.
Pros of Gaming Laptop
Portability
Because you do not need an additional screen or a TV to enjoy your game, you can bring your gaming laptop anywhere you want and can still game.
This is one of the main advantages of why gaming laptops are getting more and more popular. The idea of being able to play anywhere you want makes a gaming laptop hard to resist compared to a PS4.
Better Graphics Performance
PS4 is a system introduced back in 2013. It’s a seven years old system.
It will not be able to deliver high-quality graphics like a gaming laptop in 2020 can do.
On average, gaming laptops in 2020 will have better hardware and power compared to a PS4; hence it will allow you to enjoy a more immersive experience while playing your game.
Multiple Purposes
As we know, a gaming laptop is essentially a laptop. It means that you can do other things other than gaming with your gaming laptop.
You can work on a document, browse the internet, edit a video, study, and so much other stuff that a PS4 system cannot do.
This is another principal advantage of why a gaming laptop gets more popular in recent times.
Read more on my post about whether a gaming laptop is good for day-to-day use or not.
Cons of Gaming Laptop
Expensive
As I mentioned previously, a decent gaming laptop in 2020 can cost three times more expensive than a PS4.
To go even further, the higher end of a gaming laptop in 2020 can even increase to the 5x of the money you spend to buy a PS4.
Of course, there might be a cheap gaming laptop you can purchase under $1000.
However, such cheap gaming laptops’ performance and graphical output might not be powerful enough to allow yourself an enjoyable gaming experience.
Technical Expertise
Buying a gaming laptop is almost the same as building your own PC Computer.
You need to understand the hardware configuration offered with the gaming laptops. Different hardware configurations, for instance, CPU and GPU combos, can deliver a different level of performance.
You need to spend more time studying the configuration to get your best bang for the buck for your gaming laptop.
Plus, different brands and manufacturers will have various build quality and after-sales services that you might want to research before making a purchase decision.
And this can be quite a hassle before purchasing your gaming laptop.
Conclusion: PS4 vs. Gaming Laptop in 2020.
In my opinion, PS4 and gaming laptops are both viable options for everyone who wants to enjoy gaming in 2020. Both systems have their pros and cons.
To end the debate of PS4 vs. Gaming Laptop, it all goes back to what type of experience a gamer is looking for.
If you want to play exclusive and well-known game titles without the hassle, go with a PS4.
If you want to play games with higher-quality graphics anytime and anywhere, go with a gaming laptop.
I personally have both of the systems and have been enjoying both my PS4 and gaming laptop daily for a long time.
Are Gaming Laptops Worth It?
Oh absolutely! Gaming laptops are definitely a worthy purchase! It allows you to game with such portability; you can play your games anywhere and anytime.
Plus, a gaming laptop comes with powerful CPU and GPU specs that will allow you to do a plethora of stuff. For instance, you can do:
- Edit and render 4K videos quickly and smoothly.
- Work on animation and design projects.
- Sound and music production.
- Watch movies in high definition due to the high-quality display that comes with the laptop.
Is PC Better Than PS4?
A PC is similar to a gaming laptop but without the portability aspect. So, the PC has all the Pros of a gaming laptop where it can deliver better graphics output and have more purpose than a PS4.
Like the previous debate, a PC is better than PS4 if you want to immerse yourself in games with high graphical output (better resolution, more FPS, and higher refresh rate).
Also, a PC will be better than PS4 if you plan to play a First-Person Shooter (FPS) type of game. In general, FPS gamers will opt to play with a keyboard and mouse combo to get a better experience in playing the games.
However, to get yourself a PC, you will need more technical expertise to pick your PC’s hardware components.
Plus, the cost will be more expensive compared to buying a PS4. So if cost is one of your primary considerations, then a PS4 is better than a PC.
Is It Worth It Switching to PC Gaming?
Only you and yourself can answer this question. If the PC gaming system has the game that you want to play, then it is worth switching to PC gaming.
Furthermore, you need to ask yourself what types of games you enjoy playing.
If you get interested in playing more FPS games or MOBA games, then switching to the PC gaming might be worth it.
The PC community has more FPS games and MOBA games that you can enjoy even competitively.
Both genres are more enjoyable when you play them using a keyboard and mouse combo.
Is PC Gaming Dying?
Are you concerned about the future of PC gaming? Have you read or come across news that predicts PC gaming will die in the near future?
Do not worry. PC gaming will not die or go away, at least in the near future.
I know big companies like Google and Nvidia are saying that cloud gaming is the future.
But worry not, because up until this point, no one has successfully delivered what their services promise to the users.
Based on my experience with Google’s Stadia and Nvidia’s GEFORCE Now, the technology is not there yet to eliminate ping and lags while gaming.
Another reason why the PC gaming industry will not go away soon is the rise of the E-Sports and the competitive gaming industry.
E-Sports and the competitive gaming industry are expected to keep on growing at least until 2023.
Most of the games in the E-Sports industry are played with a PC, for instance, League of Legend and Overwatch.
This trend will definitely help the PC gaming industry to thrive even more in the future, at least until 2023.
Lastly, it is the system itself that will make the PC gaming industry hard to beat. People use their PC every day.
And as long as people use their PC, there will always be needs and demands for entertainment and enjoyment in the system.
Because of that reason alone, I can say that PC gaming will not be going anywhere.
Final Thoughts
So that will be my take on the age-old debate of PS4 vs. gaming laptop.
Now, I would love to hear your take on this.
Are you Team PS4?
Or, are you Team Gaming Laptop?
Let me know by dropping a comment below. Thanks!
Thanks for your comments. It has helped to clarify my mind. I like the convenience of a laptop. Everything all in one piece. Also as you say, it it great for a multitude of other tasks. I have at present an HP Pavilion with a AMD A8 processor and an AMD Radeon graphics card. It is now about six years old. I only play Giants Farming Simulator 19 on it and it stutters a bit. With version 22 coming out soon I feel it is about time to upgrade. Think I shall have to bite the bullet and spend about £1100 on a new laptop.
Many thanks.
Hi there! I’m so happy that we can help you out with your new laptop. Hope it brings lots of joy and happiness into your life 🙂