Please tell me about Xbox (or Playstation)... what do I need?

[Xboxinfo]

Hi - seeking advice here as I am clueless and really want to get a nice birthday present for DS (turning 14).

He loves Minecraft and currently plays it on his tablet, but the tablet is slow and small and I think he would appreciate a 'proper' gaming console.

Problem is that I know nothing whatsoever about them.

Do I want an Xbox or a PlayStation, or doesn't it matter very much? Or are there others that I haven't heard of?

Does it need to connect to the internet?

What equipment do I need? I was thinking of getting the bundle below:

www.amazon.co.uk/Xbox-One-1TB-Console-Minecraft/dp/B07JBV8Y87/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?tag=mumsnetforu03-21&ie=UTF8

but I don't know whether I need other stuff as well. Presumably some kind of screen? Would any old screen do? (we have an oldish TV which is lying idle at the moment).

Sorry for all the questions. I would be very grateful for any help here from people who know about these things!

Thanks in advance...

The console doesnt matter much. You need a tv with a hdmi connection

Sorry, some consoles will require an internet connection to update etc

Xbox is best for minecraft, that bundle would be good. It comes with one controller so if he wants to play 2 player with another person, you’ll need to buy an extra one (£40-60).
Any tv will work but make sure it has a HDMI port in the back, the Xbox will come with a HDMI cable included to plug into the tv.
If he wants to play minecraft online with others, or play other games online, you’ll need an Xbox live gold membership which is £14.99 for 3 months or £39.99 for 12 months. If you don’t want him playing online then you don’t need it.

You could also consider a Nintendo switch, which is both a home console that plugs into the tv, and a portable console like a tablet. If he’s used to playing on a tablet and taking it places this might be better. You can get minecraft on the switch, and there are a lot of other games coming out for it.
Again, you’ll need a HDMI connection in the tv to play it on the TV, but the console can be played without a tv too.

Also, the switch comes with 2 controllers as standard so can be played 2 player as standard.
Both consoles need an internet connection for updates, which are free and don’t need an online membership, so make sure you have a decent WiFi connection before getting any.

You need to prepare yourself for the absence of your dc......
Life as you know it will be gone...
Oh and earplugs...

tbh 14 is quite late for him to have got into console games. What other games does he play? Maybe you don't need to bother.

The other option is the Nintendo Switch which is really good as you can use it as a portable games console too.

Nowadays the ps4/xbox choice doesnt matter much as most popular games like Minecraft, Fortnite, FIFA etc can be played on any of them, as well as cooperatively. So for example my kids play Fortnite with their school friends and are all on a mixture of ipads, switches, ps4, xbox, playing the same game. Id get the one most of his friends have.

There are some that can only be played on one or the other. Not many these days but some like Zelda, Mario games can only be played on the Switch. And there are a few exclusive playstation and xbox games too.

You can plug them all into any tv screen or monitor via supplied HDMI cable,.

Lay down boundaries about where/when he can play now though because games like Forntnte, FIFA, Zelda etc suck time away and are not conducive to getting homework done!

If you get an Xbox take a look at the parental controls. You can allow access for either a number of hours per day and/or between certain times eg 9am - 12pm. This can be different for each day.

I think I had to set up my own profile on the Xbox to manage this.

I’d suggest doing this as soon as your DC gets it to stop the inevitable arguments 🙂

Gaming with friends is great fun, a way to socialise from home which is particularly good if friends live a long way away. However it can get rowdy, just as it would if there were a bunch of teenage boys in the room.
I recommend a proper gaming headset for peace.

Ooh, the Nintendo Switch is sounding like a possible option. He is used to taking his tablet in the car for long journeys etc.

Will just go and have a look to see if the old TV has an HDMI connection.

This kind of info is absolute gold to me, by the way - thanks!!

I'm an xbox fan. I have an Xbox One S. It's got a decent amount of space on it if you want to download games.

You can get Minecraft themed xboxes but I'd suggest you dont get that. When he gets older and stops playing it so much he might not want it to be pixelated and green 😂😂

Make sure you have an HDMI cable and a nice TV.

I personally prefer to buy the game discs as they take up less space on the hard drive. But you can go to the Game Store and buy Minecraft. I think it's about £13.99? And then it stays on the xbox.

I also suggest you get some rechargeable battery pack and a recharging station. Argos are very good for this. It's called a Venom Charging Dock, it comes with a rechargeable battery too.

You can set up parental controls.
You can add other apps too like iPlayer.

Personally at that age I’d just ask him especially as it’s a considerable amount of money . FWIW I wouldn’t go with a Switch for someone that age .

It's all about preference really OP

Playstation is the best selling one versus Xbox

I have the PS4(and also a PS3 slim). I personally prefer Playstation as that is what I am used t... since I was given a PS1 by my son back in the 90's!!.

One grandson has a PS4 which he loves and the other has an Xbox which he also loves.

Have you asked your son which one he would prefer? As he is more than likely more tech savvy than me and you.

Do you know what his mates have because that can make a big difference as they are able to communicate with each other if the have the same console which is something they like to do according to my grandson(who has Playstation and so do his friends).

PS4(and PS3) have lots of apps including Prime Video, Netflix, Now TV, BBC iPlayer, YouTube and many more.

It can also play DVDs and Blu Ray DVDs.

I would definitely ask your son which one he prefers though. Whichever way he is going to be thrilled with whichever one he opts for!

We have a PS4 and Nintendo Switch in this house so if you need any advice about them just ask. I have no idea what they all cost today as ours are a few years old but id be tempted to go with the cheapest as it doesnt matter much anymore, although all 3 latest consoles - PS4, Xbox One (S latest?) and Nintendo Switch are probably similar prices. Nintendo Switch and latest Xbox One are newer/have been more recently updated, so a PS4 might be cheaper. Again, I dont think it makes much difference.

People with Xboxes correct me if I am wrong? but I think the only distinguishing features nowadays are a few titles that can only be payed on one (and hence you can only play online with friends who have that console) and the fact that the Nintendo Switch is also portable. Certainly my boys play happily on either PS4 or Nintendo Switch because the games they like are either available on both (minecraft, Fortnite, FIFA) or are Nintendo only exclusives like Legend of Zelda, Splatoon and the Mario games which they fight over the Switch for ...

I think there are minor differences in graphics quality etc (with the latest xbox one being slightly superior?) but they dont notice or care. All 3 have pro controllers you can get for games that benefit from them.

We have the Switch dock plugged into a second TV (you drop it in when want to play on TV screen, pick it up to play on the machine screen and take it out with you) and the PS4 on a spare computer monitor. You can put them on any old screen nowadays though.

Thanks - I will try asking DS which one he would prefer (I was hoping to surprise him, but yes, asking him would probably be better!). He is quite unworldly, though hence the fact that he's still playing Minecraft at nearly 14 and may not know much. But he could hardly know less than me!

The old TV has an HDMI slot, so I'm tempted to use that, which is one less thing to buy at the moment!

Floralnomad I see where youre coming from with the comment about the Switch - Nintendo trad seen as for younger kids/less cool. But I do think it changed a bit with the Nintendo Switch - mainly because of the portability and the fact that they allowed the "teen boy" type games to be licenced on it unlike previous Nintendo consoles - FIFA, Fortnite, fighting games etc. My DS and his mates are 15 and happily play on the Switch now, which I got for younger siblings. Having said that, they mainly have a PD4 or Xbox as well (spoilt brats) so that probably is still the "cool" choice for the 13-19 market, if he cares about that. I was amazed how the word slowly got out about the Switch though and how many of them started getting one. It is a great console and the one i'd choose, as an adult gamer (but I've always been a Nintendo fan girl 😁)

Either is fine, there's games that are exclusive to one or the other but as a new user he won't mind which. We have a PlayStation and it also works as a hub for Netflix, iPlayer and skyplayer which is handy. You need a tv with an hdmi connection, so not too ancient! Minecraft works on both.

I will also ask him what his mates have.

PlinkPlink what is the battery pack for? Is the Xbox not just plugged into a plug socket?

Battery pack is for controller. But a twin pack so one is on charge.
My ds 22 has a switch and Xbox I would say Xbox has the social side and needs internet.

Ah, I get it. The controller is wireless duh . Thanks!

I second getting gaming headset and agree you definitely must ask him which console he likes. My DS is PS mad for example and wouldn't be very happy to see I'd got an x-box.

You could ask hypothetically, "If you were getting a console, which one would you have?" and "Do your friends at school have games consoles? Which ones do they have?"

That's a really good plan. I don't want to drop that much money and then find out he doesn't like it!!

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/video_games_chat/3490485-PS4-complete-novice-recommendations-please

There's also a Gaming topic on here where people are asking similar questions, once you decide which one he'd like.

Oh fantastic.

I must say I’m a bit out of the loop as the only console gamer here is adult ds and he is only here a couple of days a month . We have a gaming room for him and he has a PS4 , but is mainly an Xbox man so has a 360 , a one and an x box X . I just wouldn’t spend that amount without checking and at that age half the fun will be selecting which one he wants .