New to gaming, or buying a first console for someone else? You do not need the newest or most expensive machine to get started. The best console for a beginner is usually an older, well-priced one with a big library of games behind it, and buying refurbished keeps the cost right down. Every console is tested and graded by our team, so you know exactly what you are getting. Below you will find our pick of beginner-friendly consoles, with a plain guide further down to help you choose. Take a look at what is in stock below.
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It depends who it is for and what they want to play, but the same rule applies to most people starting out: an older console gives you far more for your money than a new one, because the machine costs less and the games are cheap to pick up. Here are the ones we would point a beginner towards, and why.
The Switch is simple to pick up, works on the TV or in your hands, and has a library full of family-friendly games. The refurbished Nintendo Switch Lite is the cheapest way in for a handheld-only player, and the standard refurbished Nintendo Switch adds TV play if you want it. It is our top pick for children and casual play.
If you want the widest choice of games for the least money, the refurbished PS4 is hard to beat. It has one of the largest games libraries around, and those titles are cheap to buy now, so a beginner can build up a proper collection without spending much. A great value first step onto PlayStation.
The refurbished Xbox One S is an easy, affordable choice that plays a huge catalogue and doubles as a 4K Blu-ray player for films. If you would rather be on Xbox, or you want one machine that covers games and movies, it is a sensible starting point.
Each console is fully tested, cleaned and graded before it goes on sale. You will see the grade on every listing, from A+ Pristine down through A Excellent, B Good and C Grade, so you can decide how much cosmetic wear you are happy with and pay accordingly. A lower grade performs exactly like a top one, it just carries a few more marks from its previous life. Buying refurbished rather than new saves you money and keeps a good console in use rather than sitting in a drawer, which makes it an easy first purchase to feel good about.
For most beginners, the Nintendo Switch is the easiest to pick up, especially for families and younger players. If you want the widest choice of cheap games, the PS4 is the best value. Both are affordable refurbished and have huge libraries behind them.
An older refurbished console is the cheapest route in. The Nintendo Switch Lite is the most affordable Nintendo option, and the PS4 and Xbox One give you a big library for very little. The console costs less than a new one and the games are cheap to pick up.
The Nintendo Switch Lite is a popular choice for children. It is compact, hard-wearing with fewer loose parts, handheld-only so there is less to set up, and the most affordable way onto Switch. It has a large library of family-friendly games behind it.
Refurbished is the sensible choice for most beginners. You get the same console for less, it has been fully tested and graded before sale, and it comes with a warranty, so there is no risk in starting out on used hardware. It also saves a good console from going to waste.
No. Older consoles play thousands of great games, most of which are cheap now, so they are the better value way to start. If you later want the newest hardware, you can always step up to a current-generation console, but there is no need to spend that much to begin with.
Each console is graded so there are no surprises. A+ Pristine looks close to new, A Excellent has very light wear, B Good shows some visible marks, and C Grade carries more noticeable signs of use. Whichever grade you choose, the console has been fully tested and works the same. The grade only reflects how it looks.
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