[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Nintendo Switch has been criticized for it’s expensive prize tag including all of it’s accessories. But how does it really stack up against its competition? Is Sonys Playstation 4 and Microsoft Xbox One really that much cheaper? We are taking a look at what console offers the best value.

Let’s begin by taking a look at the base console price. Currently the Nintendo Switch comes in at $299. Compared to the Playstation 4 Slim that is currently being priced at $249 on Amazon. The Xbox One remains in the same league as Sony, and also costs around $249. However, to make a fair comparison we will have to look at the official retail price, which is $299 for the PS4 as well as for the Xbox One. It is not surprising that the Switch is currently not on sale like the other two consoles, given the novelty of the console. Both the PS4 and Xbox One have been around for years, and have seen several price reductions since then. Still both consoles can often be found $50 cheaper than Nintendos hybrid console, and on top of that often come bundled with a game like Uncharted 4 on the PS4 or Minecraft on the Xbox One.

The Joy-Con controllers have frequently been highlighted for its innovative HD Rumble, but also been criticized for the high price tag. The two pack will cost you $79.99 while a single joy-con controller can be purchased for $49.99. Sony and Microsoft sell their controllers for about $50 each, which is on par with the single joy-con controller.

Getting the formalities out of the way, let’s look at a break down at what a starter kit of each console would cost you. Let’s assume you will buy one console with one triple-A video game, and an additional controller.

Nintendo Switch

Console (comes with 2 joy-con controllers) – $299.99
One Game – $59.99

Total: $359.98

Playstation 4

Console ( Comes with 1 Controller + Uncharted 4 ) – $299.99
One additional Game – $59.99
Optional second controller $50

total: $359.98
total with 2 controllers: $409.98

Xbox One

Console ( Comes with 1 Controller + Minecraft ) – $299.99
One additional Game – $59.99
Optional second controller $50

total: $359.98
total with 2 controllers: $409.98

While the Playstation 4 and Xbox One are nearly identical for the base models, the Nintendo Switch comes in a little bit higher when compared to the common sale price of the other two consoles. However it is important to note that the Switch already comes with two controllers. Many couch coop games can be played in multiplayer right out of the box. The PS4 and Xbox One would require the purchase of an additional controller, though they usually already come packed with one game – that you may or may not want to play.

The power difference between the PS4 and Xbox One are minor, while the Nintendo Switch clearly lacks the horsepower the other two next-gen consoles have. One could argue that based on this fact the Nintendo Switch should be a lot lower in price. But is horsepower really more expensive than innovation? Or is Nintendo just trying to make a quick dollar out some highly outdated hardware? According to a recent report, the Nintendo Switch cost $260 to manufacturer and $90 of that are the joy-con controllers alone. Which would mean that even though the controllers are considered overpriced, Nintendo is selling them at a loss. It’s common practice in the gaming console business to remain competitive with the competition.

Either way, you are not just buying a piece of hardware, you are buying into an eco system. If you decide to go for the Playstation 4 you are ultimately deciding to buy into an eco system of games like Little Big Planet, Uncharted, Horizon Zero Dawn, the last of us and more. While going for the Nintendo Switch will offer you games like Smash Brothers, Animal Crossing, Pokemon, Mario, Splatoon 2 and many more games that can only be experienced on the Nintendo console.

Whatever system you end up getting, don’t only look at the money it will cost you upfront, but look closer at the kind of video games you will be able to play on it.