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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask what gaming console to buy for ds?

88 replies

PicaK · 04/11/2018 10:34

I'm in the lucky position of being able to buy DS9 a gaming console for xmas. But am lost trying to work out which one is best as i've never really played games myself. Any advice welcome.
PS4 Pro ?
PS4 Slim?
Xbox 1x?
Xbox 1s?

OP posts:
StoorieHoose · 04/11/2018 10:48

Find out what all his friends have

MrsStrowman · 04/11/2018 10:49

Would a switch not be better at that age? x

MrsStrowman · 04/11/2018 10:50

Sorry for the x! Was writing when a text came through from MIL and was thinking about my reply to her!

ForalltheSaints · 04/11/2018 11:06

Able to, but does not mean you have to. Are you prepared for the need to have strict rules about use to avoid any late nights/tiredness etc?

onitlikeacarbonnet · 04/11/2018 11:09

Find out which console his friends have for playing fortnite on every waking hour and buy that.

Also factor in a subscription to Xbox live (or whatever the equivalent is) so he can chat. Headset with mic is a good addition.

Sandbox · 04/11/2018 11:11

We have xbox1 and my son wants the switch for Christmas.
To be honest there has been many times I could have happily launched the Xbox out of the window.

Kpo58 · 04/11/2018 11:12

Find out which consoles his friends have and what games he wants to play. For example Fortnight will be in all the consoles, but Zelda games would only be on the Switch.

agirlhasnonameX · 04/11/2018 11:12

All are good, as pp say go with what his friends have.
Ps is good if he knows people with it, as two PS4's can share all downloaded games if they are the main account on each other's consoles.

brizzledrizzle · 04/11/2018 11:14

I'd go with what his friends have. Round here just about all of DS's friends have an xbox, hardly anybody has a PS4.

PawPawNoodle · 04/11/2018 11:14

Don't bother with the PS4 pro or the Xbox One X as they are in my opinion aimed at adults and 'proper' gamers so have higher specs which are not needed by a 9 year old.

I mean for the most part they have the same games so it doesn't matter a great deal.

Ilovehamabeads · 04/11/2018 11:14

Find out what his friends have, and what games he’d like to be playing. A big part of gaming for my ds is being able to play with, and chat to his school friends. So it’s best to have the same type of console Smile

Santaclarita · 04/11/2018 11:16

Find out what his friends have and get the basic model of that. He doesn't need a more expensive version. Maybe once he's older but not right now.

SawnUpLooRoll · 04/11/2018 11:20

If you can afford it, the Switch is good because you can easily put it out of reach when their time is up, if necessary. It's also transportable and comes with two detachable controllers so siblings, friends, cousins, etc can join in.

Also agree to find out what his friends are playing.

littlepeas · 04/11/2018 11:21

My dc are 10, 9 and 7 and we have a switch.

Yellowcar2 · 04/11/2018 11:42

I love the switch we play a lot as a family e.g. Mario Kart and we are getting Mario party for Christmas.
As PP have suggested find out what games he likes / what his friends have.

ProfessorMoody · 04/11/2018 11:49

Absolutely find out what his friends have first. If he's planning on playing online at any point, he will want one that everyone else had to they can all play together.

The PS4 Pro and the Xbox One X are high spec, so if you don't have a really decent Ultra HD TV, there isn't any point in spending the extra.

Please ignore the "but get him a Switch" brigade. There are a WEALTH of suitable Xbox/PS4 games out there for children. The Switch is good, yes, but is a completely different kettle of fish and is no more "suitable" than any other console.

mamalovebird · 04/11/2018 11:58

We're getting DS9 a Switch for xmas. Most of his friends have/are getting one so that's what he's asked for. No other reason than that really. I don't know anything about gaming or the kit so he is leading it in terms of deciding which one he would like.

AornisHades · 04/11/2018 12:01

Is an xbox 360 OK?

ProfessorMoody · 04/11/2018 12:03

Is an xbox 360 OK

For what? A gift for a child this year? No - the 360 is massively out of date now. None of the games that came out in the last few years are playable on the 360.

PositiveVibez · 04/11/2018 12:06

Able to, but does not mean you have to. Are you prepared for the need to have strict rules about use to avoid any late nights/tiredness etc?

Here comes the fun police 🙄

Larasshadow · 04/11/2018 12:07

If day it depends on the games he wants to play. Not everyone wants to play online with friends so it shouldn't be decided on what consoles his friends have.

We have a ps4 for the kids and a ps4 pro for us. There isn't really much noticeable difference between the two. (We have an Xbox that hardly gets played.. everyone we know have Xboxes rather than play stations so just shows it doesn't matter what other people have)

AornisHades · 04/11/2018 12:10

Yes, sorry Prof, was thinking for similar circumstances to OP but for my ds. Thanks. Will concentrate on a one or a PS4.

BumDisease · 04/11/2018 12:13

Ask him which one he wants?

MinecraftHolmes · 04/11/2018 12:14

The switch is better for kids - there are fewer games that aren’t suitable for kids to tell them that they’re not allowed to play. But find out what his friends have. If his friends play Gran Tourismo, for example, he’ll need a PlayStation but if they play Forza then he’ll need an Xbox.

ProfessorMoody · 04/11/2018 12:15

The switch is better for kids

Firstly no. Not necessarily. It completely depends on what the parent and the child wants.

Secondly, if the OP wanted to ask about a Switch, they would have. They've asked about an Xbox and a PS4.

HTH.