True, but most modern games are focused on online play and very few are cross platform. So if a kid’s friends are playing one particular console they’re going to want one too.
I’m not so sure. A used Thinkpad comes with everything you need, whereas a PS3 or PS4 also needs a screen and a controller at bare minimum. The Thinkpad also has access to a game library of (checks notes) almost every single game ever made excluding mainly AAA titles from the 2010s onward. The PS3/4 is only the better value proposition if you specifically want to play those kinds of games, or if you highly value plug-and-play ease of use.
a thinkpad t490 can’t play anything new but it can play quite a bit. I play emulators on mine.
True, but most modern games are focused on online play and very few are cross platform. So if a kid’s friends are playing one particular console they’re going to want one too.
A brand new T490 was over 900 bucks retail depending on the specs, and a used one is still less cost effective than, let’s say, a used PS3 or PS4…
I’m not so sure. A used Thinkpad comes with everything you need, whereas a PS3 or PS4 also needs a screen and a controller at bare minimum. The Thinkpad also has access to a game library of (checks notes) almost every single game ever made excluding mainly AAA titles from the 2010s onward. The PS3/4 is only the better value proposition if you specifically want to play those kinds of games, or if you highly value plug-and-play ease of use.