When I was still dependent on my parents, I was stuck with a pretty outdated PC, but was allowed to get a PSP and then a PS Vita (but also only 1 game ever). The reasoning was that a separate console could be taken away easily if my grades dropped, while an outdated computer couldn't do much besides schoolwork.

One of the ways I got into computing was making the most of this dumb situation by trying to run custom software (emulators, homebrew games, PDF viewers etc) on my console. So, something like this would've been handy.

Ultimately though, the devs probably made it because it was an interesting technical challenge .

i use my steam deck on my tv all the time as a fairly weak steam machine. i also have a ps5 that i haven't bothered to turn on in at least a year. being able to convert my disused ps5 into a more powerful steam machine actually seems like a bit of an upgrade to my current setup.

Console hardware is subsidized by games sales- it’s much cheaper than a similarly capable PC.

Consoles aren't really a useful object. You can only play the heavily locked down titles the vendor approves for you, and nothing else. You have to pay a monthly subscription for the damn thing. And if you want to do anything at all than engage with the DRM lootbox subscription machine, no you don't.

With this you can use the console to do anything that a PC can do. Which is literally everything.

You could, for instance, play all of your old legally-backed-up games without paying for them yet again. You could run productivity software, or play literally any game that isn't blessed by Sony. It also doesn't try to extract money from you at every opportunity.