Black Friday 2018 Console Buying Guide

Black Friday 2018 is almost upon us, and you know what that means; we’re about to see some seriously good video gaming deals. This is the only guide you’ll need, no matter if you’re a seasoned gamer looking to update to one of the recent mid-generation upgrade consoles, or a complete newcomer to gaming looking to buy a console as a gift.

The deals, particularly on the Nintendo Switch and the PS4 Slim base model, have been practically non-existent over the last few months. However, that should mean we see some really enticing offers. With a huge roster of major new games having arrived in recent months and with more still to come like Battlefield V and Super Smash Bros Ultimate, there’ll be plenty of competition between Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft to try and ensure that it’s their console you end up investing in.

Without further ado, here’s our buying guide to Black Friday.

Nintendo Switch

Good for: Younger gamers, those wanting the freedom to play on the move, fans of Nintendo’s cornerstone franchises like Mario, Legend of Zelda and Pokemon.

Bad for: Gamers looking for the latest and greatest third party titles. None of Red Dead Redemption 2, Battlefield V, or Call of Duty Black Ops 4 are available on the Switch.

Last year’s best Black Friday deal: £279.99 (with Super Mario Odyssey)

Nintendo are well known for resisting price drops, and that has certainly been true of the Switch. Now nearly 2 years old, the lowest price we’ve seen the console drop to on a regular basis is £279.99 (the original RRP) with a mid-tier game thrown in.

If you’re waiting for the Switch to hit a sub-£230 price point, you’re likely to remain disappointed this Black Friday. The console is continuing to sell extremely well, and with Pokemon and Smash Bros out this quarter, Nintendo know that they won’t need to offer much in the way of discounts to continue the Switch’s momentum.

However, don’t despair; there will still be good deals to be had. While we might not see any major discounts on the console (by itself, it could hit £240), we think we will get some very enticing bundles, where one or more good games are essentially given away with the console. A console with a couple of Nintendo’s big exclusive titles could drop to as low as £299, which is a good deal when you consider that Nintendo are equally good at maintaining their prices; The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, for example, came out in March 2017 and is still £47.

Keep an eye on all the best Switch deals this Black Friday by clicking here.

PS4

Good for: Players wanting the best possible selection of games from the current generation. As well as major cross platform titles like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Call of Duty Black Ops 4, the PS4 also boasts an incredible lineup of exclusives, including Spider-Man and God of War.

Bad for: Those determined to get a great deal or the best possible quality. The Xbox One S will be cheaper than the PS4 Slim this Black Friday, and the One X is a quite significant improvement on the PS4 Pro.

Last year’s best Black Friday deal: £300 for a PS4 Pro with a couple of good games; £210 for a PS4 Slim with two games.

The PS4 remains the UK’s favourite console, with good reason; its library of games, even without backwards compatibility, is one of the best ever for a single console.

So far this year, we’ve seen virtually no discounts on the cheaper Slim model - it’s been static at around £250 with a game included. Meanwhile, Sony has responded to reports of the One X’s technical superiority to the Pro by lowering the price of their flagship console. It’s been available as a standalone console for £300 at different times during the year.

Sony are keen to drive buyers towards the Pro console, so we expect to see the best deals there. £300 for a Pro with a couple of major games is likely. As for the Slim, it’s unlikely that Sony will attempt to challenge the One S for price competitiveness, but there will be discounts. £200 for a console and game bundle with be excellent value given the price of the Slim this year.

Keep track of all the best deals on the PS4 Slim and PS4 Pro by clicking here.

Xbox One

Good for: Anyone looking for a console on a budget (the One S), or wanting to play cross platform titles in the best quality (the One X).

Bad for: Those wanting to play any of the brilliant recent PS4 or Switch exclusive titles.

Last year’s best Black Friday deal: £180 (One S, with a game), £420 (One X)

The Xbox One has had a strong year, and now occupies both the low and high ends of the console spectrum. The One S is the go-to budget option, retailing for between £20 and £30 cheaper than the PS4 Slim, often with a couple of extra games thrown in for free. There’s a load of new bundles out for the console too, including Forza Horizon 4 and Minecraft, as well as long-term favourites such as Rocket League.

Microsoft’s Game Pass initiative, which works similarly to Netflix but for games, has also proven a real hit, and is ideal for casual players who want to try a few games before committing to buying one. Don’t be surprised to see the One S drop to a similar price point as last year, a 1TB model with a game for about £180.

The One X didn’t get much in the way of discounts last year, having only just been launched. However, increased competition from the PS4 Pro means the price has dropped consistently since then, and going into this November the console by itself could be had for £400. We think a drop to around £360 with a couple of games bundled in is on the cards for the One X, which is a great price given its technical quality making it the best way to play major new titles like Red Dead Redemption 2.

You can see all the best deals on the Xbox One by clicking here!