Key Takeaways

• Digital consoles are cheaper, costing $50-$100 less—making them a budget-friendly choice.
• Buying digital games is quick and easy, eliminating trips to the store and the need to swap discs.
• Digital consoles are more travel-friendly, lighter, and free from disc-related issues such as noise.

With most gaming consoles offering digital and disc versions, choosing between them can be a real dilemma. For me, however, digital consoles have become the clear winner, and I’m fully committed to them going forward. Here are some reasons why.

1 Digital Consoles Are Less Expensive

As a gamer who’s always on the lookout for the best deals, the biggest perk of digital consoles for me is their price tag. They are usually $50 to $100 cheaper than their physical counterparts, primarily because they do not include a disc drive.

This can be a significant saving, especially for someone like me who prefers buying digital games over physical discs anyway. With those savings, I can grab a couple of AAA titles or purchase a gaming subscription for six months.

2 Purchasing Digital Games Is Quick and Easy

Not having a disc drive also means I can skip trips to the store every time I want to buy a new game. I don’t have to wait in lines or worry about whether the game I want is in stock. With a digital console, I can simply make the purchase online from the comfort of my couch and download the game immediately.

Not to mention the convenience of switching between games I own, since I don’t have to find and swap discs every time I want to play a different game. Of course, all of this is possible with a disc version console as well, but for me, that defeats the purpose of buying it in the first place.

3 They Are Less Bulky

Going digital also means I can take my console and game library wherever I want. Digital consoles are typically less bulky and lighter than their disc drive counterparts. This makes them more portable and easier to carry, whether I’m heading to a friend’s house, going on vacation, or moving between rooms in my own home.

Having a digital library also means I don’t need to carry around a collection of discs; all my games are stored on the console. This makes digital consoles ideal for a traveling gamer like me who prefers a more minimalist setup.

Having owned disc consoles in the past, I’ve experienced disc-related issues from time to time. Sometimes, it’s the disc drive making excessive noise, while other times, I’ve had to spend time removing a stuck disc from the console. Fixing these issues often requires patience and a delicate touch to avoid causing further damage.

I’ve also experienced moments when my console wouldn’t detect the game due to minor scratches on the disc. This meant either trying to clean and repair the disc or, in some cases, purchasing a new copy of the game.

Opting for a digital console relieves me of all these concerns. Without a disc drive, there are no mechanical parts that can malfunction or create noise. So, that’s one less thing I have to worry about.

5 They Are Better for the Environment

Lastly, digital consoles are also better for the environment. First, they eliminate the need for physical discs, effectively reducing the amount of plastic waste generated from their production and disposal. Furthermore, digital distribution lowers the carbon footprint associated with shipping physical games.

While digital games also have an environmental impact, it is significantly less than that of physical games. It’s a small step, but collectively, choosing digital consoles can significantly promote environmental sustainability.

So these are some of my primary reasons for choosing digital consoles in the future. The convenience, cost savings, and streamlined experience make digital consoles a perfect match for my gaming style. If you also prioritize these things as a gamer, buying a digital console might be the perfect choice for you too.