PC Gaming is Cool And All... But...

[Stall]

The whole "PC gaming is more expensive than consoles" is nothing but a myth, and indicates an incredible amount of misinformation and ignorance. A mid-tier gaming PC capable of playing most modern games on medium to max will only set up back about 400-600 dollars. Which isn't much more than a console, given the fact that you'll be using your PC MUCH more for... everything. The cost becomes even more apparent given the fact that PC games are usually about 10 dollars cheaper than console games, and once you factor in Steam sales, then it is honestly outright WRONG to argue that console gaming is cheaper than PC gaming.

Consoles are barely even more convenient anymore. It's easy as piss to install most PC games, and you rarely have to fuck with .ini files anymore. There are plenty of sites that will build your PC for you, and they charge only a little more than market price for parts. Upgrading PCs is easy as hell too, AND something you should do already be doing to your non-gaming PC to extend its lifespan.

Hardware is factually superior... you can't argue that. I had a PC as powerful as most of the current gen consoles in 2005 (maybe even earlier). Even low-end PCs have more raw power than consoles. You can also play EVERY PC game with a controller if that's your cup of tea, so you can't say "you prefer a controller" (some games don't have in-built controller support, so you just require a third party program to map key functions to your controller... it's easy though).

A PC's library of games is better too. Not only do PCs have most games that come out on consoles, but we also have a handful of AAA titles as well. The PC also has an extensive amount of indie games (this includes flash games, mind you), as well as infinite backwards compatibility, and a strong backlog of older console games.

QED, PC is objectively a better gaming platform. You are entitled to your opinion, but that doesn't mean your opinion cannot be wrong. You can like consoles better than PC gaming, but that doesn't mean PC just isn't the factually superior platform.

Oh, and PC gaming isn't dying. It's a myth perpetuated by the fact that Steam and other digital distribution platforms do not publish information on their sales, and given the fact that a vast majority of business is conducted via digital distribution, it only APPEARS that PCs have weaker sales simply because its biggest platform of sales doesn't get counted. So please don't tell me PC gaming is dying, because it just isn't.

 

[White Deer]

I like the PC better because A: I grew up with a computer and without a console and B: since I live in a country that's near Russia we get Russian versions of the games on the PC,but not on consoles.The Russian versions are seriously cheaper English MW2 costs about 25.99$ but the Russian MW2 costs only 2.50$.

 

[No_Remainders]

That said, consoles are cheaper initially but are outdated and have to be completely replaced. PCs cost more at the start but upgrading can be cheaper.

Let's put it this way.

I got my xbox 360 for ?250. I could buy a top-of-the-range gaming PC for about ?750/800.

If you're to upgrade your pc, say, every 3 years with new a gfx card, you're still spending more than a console in the long run, as I've already had my xbox for almost six years, and it doesn't look like I'll have to be shelling out for a new generation of console any time soon, probably not for at least two or three more years.

Again, why would you have to upgrade every three years? They only have to be upgraded every time a new console generation is released, and that's only if you want to outperform consoles. $250ish for a new GPU vs. $500ish for a new console. Between that and the lower cost of games, gaming PCs do beat out consoles in cost over time. Initially consoles are cheaper.

Over here the price difference for games is about 5 euro, so that's gone. Oh, and 500 dollars for a new console? Impressively expensive console you got going there.
And what happens when your new GPU needs a new motherboard as well, which won't be compatible with your CPU and HDD?

Then you'll be fucked over.

 

[Richardplex]

Despite how much superior PCs are to consoles, consoles still do good for PCs. It stops developers making games only playable by the top 1% of computers for example. And for the record, I grew up on consoles, but after a couple of PC games their superiority is blatant.

The tech savvyness is also pretty significant. There's a reason I don't have mods on any of my games, it may or may not have something to do with the fact that when I come to technology, I am a moron. And when it comes to arguing too, depending on your view.

 

[Waaghpowa]

And what happens when your new GPU needs a new motherboard as well, which won't be compatible with your CPU and HDD?

Then you'll be fucked over.

Modern GPU's use PCIe slots, which pretty much any motherboard from the last 10 years have.

 

[No_Remainders]

And what happens when your new GPU needs a new motherboard as well, which won't be compatible with your CPU and HDD?

Then you'll be fucked over.

Modern GPU's use PCIe slots, which pretty much any motherboard from the last 10 years have.

And a newer, more efficient form of connector will be made, after which you'll need to replace shitloads of things.

 

[Stall]

And a newer, more efficient form of connector will be made, after which you'll need to replace shitloads of things.

But it takes several years for the newer form of connector to fully replace the previous one. Even further, cards made with the previous connector will probably still be produced for a good year or so after a new version comes out, so it isn't too horribly difficult to find a card of a previous type when the new one is still trying to be fully adopted. It takes YEARS for new slots and buses to be accepted, you know. It isn't this magical thing that instantly drives your rig into obsolescence over night.

Please, know what you are talking about before you come on the internet and try to look cool.

 

[Waaghpowa]

And a newer, more efficient form of connector will be made, after which you'll need to replace shitloads of things.

But it takes several years for the newer form of connector to fully replace the previous one. Even further, cards made with the previous connector will probably still be produced for a good year or so after a new version comes out, so it isn't too horribly difficult to find a card of a previous type when the new one is still trying to be fully adopted. It takes YEARS for new slots and buses to be accepted, you know.

Please, know what you are talking about before you come on the internet and try to look cool.

This, beat me to it. If i'm correct, the older pcie sockets are compatable with the new ones, but wont be able to take advantage of the speed.

Edit: I may be wrong, I can't say for sure

 

[blizzaradragon]

Both have their advantages and disadvantages, so there is no such thing as one "superior" platform. For example: on a PC you can have a bunch of hotkeys for various abilities while the console is limited to however many buttons are on the controller, or how the analog stick on a controller is able to pick up multiple ranges of movement(useful for things like sneaking) while the keyboard is either pressed or not and can't tell just how much pressure is being applied.

For me, there are some games that work better on a console and some that work better on a PC. I prefer playing Mass Effect on my PC, but Assassin's Creed on my PS3. It all comes down to preference and play style.

 

[Xman490]

Don't forget that PCs are designed to browse the internet and make documents. Frankly, the gaming ability of my Macbook Pro (including the extra Windows 7 Ultimate OS) came as an extra plus.

 

[krazykidd]

Console, PC.

Ain't nothin but forks and spoons. There are things eaten with a fork, things eaten with a spoon, some things can be eaten with either, but no real conflict amongst silverware.

You sir are a wise man . I can't even comment anymore , because anything i say just comes down to this .

 

[AssassinFisH]

To get the best experiences from gaming, you need a console and a decent PC. Love my consoles, but PC's are the daddy for RTS's and MMO's.

 

[Stall]

Console, PC.

Ain't nothin but forks and spoons. There are things eaten with a fork, things eaten with a spoon, some things can be eaten with either, but no real conflict amongst silverware.

If we are going for that analogy, then consoles are just spoons, while PCs are <url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Splayd>splayds.

PCs really are just the objectively superior platform. Nothing is wrong with likely consoles (I have a PS3 for console exclusives), but its incorrect to say that they are equal, as a PC can do everything a console can do (and do it better as well) as well as having literally thousands, if not millions, of other fuctions.

 

[weker]

1) new high performance parts every couple of years.

2) don't need to be upgraded constantly. It takes about 6 years, give or take, before a new generation of consoles is released and takes over the current gen.

3) Also, and this is where I'll probably lose most people, I think controllers are more natural feeling than a mouse an keyboard.

4)I personally think that cross-platform multiplayer would be pretty cool. But it won't happen if we keep bickering about whose machine does what better.

1)Your parts to not melt over time their is no reason to replace a part every couple of years, many console players use this and yet it doesn't makes sense. The only people who upgrade this frequently are the PC elite
2) This can be said for the PC, your assume that your PC must be top of best every time. PCs however get more of a improvement every 6 years for the same price
3)Yes some games such as assasins creed play better then PC due to the design however, i will say shooters do not due to the slower moment with the controller, its a more realistic a immersion feel with a m&K when it comes to shooters.
OFC this is just your preference and the same goes to mine but dont forget a controller is usable on pc as well
4) cross platform would be great but it doesn't work due to the skill barrier, i find it almost undeniable that pc gamers are vastly more skilled when it comes to shooters and many other games, due to the community and input device


All in all I think the consoles compare to the pc like the consoles do to the WII one is more streamlined interface while the other is difficult to use but give s a better end effect

 

[sivlin]

Just to point out, cross platform gaming will never be truly balanced because the precision of mouse and keyboard is too far ahead of controllers to keep it balanced.

only really applies to FPS and RTS

and i suppose some MMOs

So all of the most popular genres? Good point.