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The very best looking console to date?

PS2 fat, no question. That thing looked like the future.

For handhelds, the PSP and Vita were both incredible when they launched. Honestly I think the Vita is still one of the best looking pieces of tech today
 
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PS4 MGS5 LE:

41dmZkhCnLL._AC_.jpg
GT Sport one looks even better.
But that was the Ps4 Slim, right?

Ps4 was a solid design. Don't know why the Pro and Ps5 went away from it.
 

Zannegan

Member
Hmm... Top 5, top to bottom:
DS lite was a fantastic redesign.
The Wii was iconic from the get-go (caveat: with the stand; without it, the thing just looked like a crappy DVD player).
The Series X is really nice in a minimalist way.
And the PS4 Slim looks quite good too.
EDIT: Changed my mind. Black Gamecube gets the last spot.
 
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Vandole

Member
The Wii was iconic from the get-go (caveat: with the stand; without it, the thing just looked like a crappy DVD player).
It really is almost bizarre how the Wii's look changed if you just laid it horizontally. Suddenly it's just piece of electronics near your television. But yeah, sitting on the stand, particularly with its blue light glowing.... That was a good looking piece of tech.
 

CeeJay

Member
Gamecube is my favourite looking, it was small, cute and compact with it's lovely little carrying handle and range of colours day 1. It was the first time a console tried to look a bit different to the usual rectangular slab shape. Gamecube went back to basics with clean lines but stood out with its unconventional form factor.

1920px-GameCube-Set.jpg


Shout out to GameGear as well, a lovely looking handheld.
1920px-Sega-Game-Gear-WB.png



I love the look of the Series X but its a little too big to qualify as my favourite over the GameCube

:edited add an image of the GC
 
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KungFucius

King Snowflake
They are all fucking ugly, but I will go with the Switch because you can actually look at the games on it and it's functionality is obvious when docked. The WiiU was also simple looking which was nice, but you knew it lacked power because of its size compared to other systems and even its controller.

And while they are ugly as sin, I have fallen into the trap of thinking they were cool looking during hype.
 

Pagusas

Elden Member
Is say the wii or the white Xbox One S. I think the DS lite would be my favorite looking system ever.
 
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CeeJay

Member
PS5 is the very best console design ever created imo.
Such a great design that it needs tools to lay it on its side :messenger_smirking:

Sorry, not meaning to derail but we differ on what "good design" actually means.

What is "Good" Design? A quick look at Dieter Rams' Ten Principles. - Design Museum

  1. Good design is innovative
  2. Good design makes a product useful
  3. Good design is aesthetic
  4. Good design makes a product understandable
  5. Good design is unobtrusive
  6. Good design is honest
  7. Good design is long-lasting
  8. Good design is thorough down to the last detail
  9. Good design is environmentally-friendly
  10. Good design is as little design as possible
 
Best looking overall?
For me it's definitely the Xbox One X. Small, great matte black finish, clean lines, heft, seems of high build quality... And quiet as a church mouse.

Honorable mentions
Black Wii
Sega Genesis Model 1
PS3 Slim
 

The Alien

Banned
I really liked the XBox One X. Simple, clean, blends in with TV room nicely. The Series X also looks nice (standing) but doesn't fit in as nicely.

Generally prefer a 'boring' industrial design. Not a fan of any of the last few PS designs (PS3-PS5)...but do appreciate their creativity, risk taking with their designs. Like them or hate them...they ain't boring.
 
This fucking console.

I still remember the first day unboxing this thing and setting it up. The touch ON/OFF button. The small sleek glossy piano finish. Just classy as fuck.

Also PS One and OG PS2.

OG PS3 was by far the worst. Disgusting vile looking thing and that Spiderman font. Someone at Sony was hitting the pipe hard in the design studio.
 

Soodanim

Gold Member
I think it all comes down to nostalgia. I prefer the MegaDrive 1, because I had one as a kid. Also... the model 1 has way better audio quality, so it's objectively superior :lollipop_wink_tongue:

sega-megadrive-pack-sonic-the-hedgehog-front-1598957463-37.jpg

This is the bundle I got back in the day.
Absolutely nostalgia. I do think the 1 is cool too, especially with its audio out. 7 year old me wasn’t too fussed about audio quality, and I didn’t know there was a difference until you said it. I’ve been living a lie.
 

SirTerry-T

Member
The NA genesis looked better.


5ca26a2bc6cc50730f371ef3





Though I was always fond of the revision.


715WGPMNscL._SL1500_.jpg








The n64 was pretty nice as well

1465570966-n64-console-bare.jpg






still my favorite has to be...

PS2.jpg
Respectfully disagree :) Both the N.A Genesis and the Euro MD we got over here in the UK, seemed to lack something without all those little colour and text flourishes proudly emblazoned on the Japanese model.
 

elliot5

Member
I like the classic PS1 style PS4 and the special edition blue/gold one.

PS2 slim is dope.

I really like the X1X, XSX and XSS, too. I have an ITX NR200 PC, so I like my simple, compact boxy stuff.
 
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Zeroing

Banned
Such a great design that it needs tools to lay it on its side :messenger_smirking:

Sorry, not meaning to derail but we differ on what "good design" actually means.

What is "Good" Design? A quick look at Dieter Rams' Ten Principles. - Design Museum

  1. Good design is innovative
  2. Good design makes a product useful
  3. Good design is aesthetic
  4. Good design makes a product understandable
  5. Good design is unobtrusive
  6. Good design is honest
  7. Good design is long-lasting
  8. Good design is thorough down to the last detail
  9. Good design is environmentally-friendly
  10. Good design is as little design as possible
Good points. But on the other spectrum if you designed a Xbox one for example, your teacher would not given you a good grade!

There’s a fine like between boring and forgettable and something iconic.. that applies even more to consumer products. That’s why for me PS4 is the perfect example of good design! PS5… yikes but between that and the recent trends of black boxes… I appreciate they at least tried something out of the box
 
SEGA JVC Wondermega

320px-Wondermega_rgm1.jpg


nt0yg_1024x1024.jpg


sega-wondermega-megadrive-mega-cd-jp_8585.jpg


Still think cartridge & disc was the best combination for media that gen and SEGA were in a great position to fully exploit it with Saturn but, well, not much came from that cartridge slot aside of the ROM carts and RAM expansion cartridges :/
 

Rickyiez

Member
I have this 3DO back then with only one game , but I still think it looks pretty darn cool

DSC_0013retrosales.com.au.jpg


Second vote is the Dreamcast
 
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Ridaxan

Member
I really like the look of the One X, Series S and Series X. Very "stealth" design (aside from the Series S' colour). It doesn't come across as some gaudy attempt at an art-piece like the PS5.
 
GOAT
Brilliant
Really good
Average
Awful
  1. PS2 Slim
  2. Xbox Series X
  3. PS2
  4. Switch
  5. Xbox One X
  6. PS4
  7. Wii
  8. Xbox 360 (both Slim models)
  9. PS4 Slim
  10. Xbox One S Digital
  11. Xbox One S
  12. Xbox Series S
  13. PS3 Super Slim
  14. PS3 Slim
  15. Xbox 360
  16. PS1 Slim
  17. PS1
  18. PS3
  19. Wii U
  20. Xbox One
  21. Gamecube
  22. Dreamcast
  23. Xbox
  24. PS5
  25. PS5 Digital
  26. PS4 Pro
 
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rofif

Banned
I love white fat 360. It just looked so amazing in 2005.
rHsZGI8.png

That said - I liked how ps3 fat piano looked, ps2 fat.
Currently, ps5 looks kinda great. I like the futuristic curves and white color. I think disc version looks better
 

01011001

Banned
PSone and EU/JP SNES are the prettiest consoles by far imo

Xbox 360 S in a close second place
 
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Calverz

Member
I’m so glad nobody has said PS4 pro. My faith in humanity has been restored.
For me either Xbox one x or psone
 
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