The Most Beautiful Consoles of All Time

A brief history of wonderful industrial design

The recent reveal of the PlayStation 5’s design has divided the gaming world. There are those who appreciate its bold, daring industrial design and those who would have preferred something a little less outlandish; perhaps a little more traditional.

Over the years, console design has differed greatly. Various shapes, colors, and sizes have been utilized. Some machines have been far more conservative and utilitarian in nature, while others have been bold design statements. Given that we’re all now discussing console design again thanks to the latest generation of machines, I thought I’d go back to look at my favorite console designs from the past.

In building this list, I’ve kept things simple. Modifications, covers, and limited editions are excluded. I have considered major revisions to the existing design though (for example, the Xbox One S). Let’s take a closer look.

Dreamcast — 1998

Ah, the fateful Dreamcast. It is perhaps the most notable flop in console history. That notoriety exists largely because the machine is so revered by fans around the world. It’s a console of many firsts, and it’s a fitting send-off for Sega as a console manufacturer.