While the handheld gaming PC craze shows no signs of slowing down, former Blizzard president Mike Ybarra suggests that fiscal logic should take precedence over market hype.
Reflecting on devices like the GPD Win 5, which carries a staggering $1,500 price tag, Ybarra argued that such an investment is difficult to justify from an economic standpoint. He contends that rather than spending a fortune on a compact screen, gamers would see a much better return by opting for a PlayStation 5 Pro.
Ybarra’s breakdown is simple: for the cost of one high-end handheld, a consumer can purchase Sony’s $750 flagship console along with a massive library of games, and still have a significant surplus of cash.
He also emphasized the hardware’s lifecycle. A PS5 Pro provides at least four years of optimized, stable performance, whereas portable devices tend to depreciate and become technologically obsolete almost as soon as the next generation of mobile GPUs hits the market.
Though the appeal of mobility is undeniable, Ybarra insists that stationary platforms offer superior value compared to niche, overpriced gadgets. It is a poignant argument in today’s economy: is the “mobility tax” truly worth it, or is the hardware under your TV the smarter play? For the average player, Ybarra believes the choice is a no-brainer.
Source: iXBT.games