vfhnb12/Shutterstock

If you're looking to buy a new console but don't want to drop a few hundred dollars on it, then it makes sense to turn to older generations. You can generally pick them up second-hand for a much lower price than a new, top-of-the-line console, and in some cases, you can still access some features and games that you would typically need a newer console for. Right now, that's the case for eighth-generation consoles like the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and arguably, the Nintendo Switch.

While it might not sound that useful to say, whether it's worth buying an Xbox One in 2026 somewhat depends on what you're planning on using it for. In a lot of ways, the Xbox One is still a viable option: it's supported by Xbox Game Pass and other online functionality, a surprising amount of games are compatible with it, it offers selective backwards compatibility , and you can use it as a DVD and Blu-ray player.…