Why I split my time between a PS5 and a Switch (and why you should too)

I get asked this every time a friend visits my place in Delhi: "Why do you have that small tablet when the PS5 is right there?" To most people in India, gaming means either a mobile phone, a budget PC, or the massive white tower that is the PlayStation 5. The Nintendo Switch looks like a toy in comparison. But after three years of owning both, my PS5 often gathers dust for weeks while the Switch rarely leaves my side.

If you are sitting on the fence about getting a handheld or wondering if the PS5 is the only 'real' console worth your money, here is how the split actually works in daily life.

The PS5 is for the spectacle, but it’s a commitment

I love my PS5 for the big moments. I bought the disc version because, in India, digital prices are a trap. A new release like Spider-Man 2 or God of War Ragnarök costs Rs. 4,999 on the PlayStation Store. If I buy the disc, I can finish it and sell it for Rs. 3,000 on a forum or to a local shop. If I buy it digital and hate it after two hours? Sony’s refund policy is basically a brick wall. Once you hit 'download,' your money is gone.

The PS5 is high-maintenance. You need the 4K TV, you need the right lighting, and you need a solid two-hour block of time to justify turning it on. Last month, I tried playing Cyberpunk 2077 after a long workday. Ten minutes into the dialogue, I was nodding off. The PS5 demands your full attention, and sometimes, after a ten-hour shift, I just don't have it to give.

The Switch is for the gaps in your life

This is the part that’s hard to explain to someone who has only played PUBG Mobile or Subway Surfers. The Switch isn't a 'mobile' console in the way a phone is. It’s a full-fat gaming machine that just happens to fit in your bag.

I spent 150 hours on The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. About 40 of those hours were spent sitting in the backseat of an Uber or waiting at a doctor’s clinic. In India, where we spend half our lives in traffic or waiting for something to start, the Switch is a lifesaver. I don't need a 4K screen to enjoy Super Mario Odyssey. The colors are vibrant, the response is instant, and most importantly, I can press the power button to sleep the console mid-jump and pick it up three days later exactly where I left off. No loading screens, no 'checking for updates' for twenty minutes.

The India Factor: Availability and Pricing

Let's be real—Nintendo doesn't officially exist here. You won't find a 'Nintendo India' service center. If your Joy-Cons start drifting (and they will), you're looking at local repair shops or buying new ones for Rs. 6,000.

Games are another story. Since there's no official eShop for India, most of us set our region to the US or Japan. I usually buy physical cartridges from sites like Mx2Games or PrepaidGameCard. A physical copy of Mario Kart 8 usually stays around Rs. 3,500 to Rs. 4,000. The weird thing? Nintendo games don't really drop in price. A PS5 game might be 50% off in six months; a Zelda game will be the same price three years later. It's an expensive hobby, but the resale value is incredibly high because the demand in India is growing.

Which one wins?

If you can only have one, and you care about graphics and 'prestige' titles, the PS5 is the obvious choice for an Indian household. It’s a media center, it plays 4K Blu-rays, and it looks impressive.

But if you find yourself never having time to actually sit down and play, or if you're tired of games that feel like 60-hour movies, the Switch is the better machine. It reminded me that gaming is supposed to be fun, not a second job. I ignored the main quest in Tears of the Kingdom for weeks just to build ridiculous flying machines. On my PS5, I feel pressured to finish the story because I paid five thousand rupees for it. On my Switch, I play because I want to.

The Verdict

Buy a PS5 if: You have a 4K TV, you love cinematic stories, and you have a reliable way to trade physical discs to save money.

Buy a Switch if: You travel a lot, you have limited TV time because of family, or you want to see why the entire world is obsessed with a plumber and a link in a green tunic.

Skip both if: You’re expecting mobile-style free-to-play pricing. These are premium experiences, and the cost of entry in India—between the hardware and the games—is steep.

Are you struggling with the lack of official Nintendo support in India, or have you found a reliable way to get your hardware fixed? Let me know, because my left Joy-Con is starting to act up again.