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

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

That said, consoles are cheaper initially but are outdated and have to be completely replaced.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.

Where do you buy your games? Dawn of War Retribution Collector's Edition new was ?20 in the Gamestop in my town and all 360 and PS3 games are still ?45+ new. Even a quick look at CDwow.ie shows PC games are cheaper not including Steam. Even comparing Argos.ie prices to PC Cdwow PC is still cheaper. This is not including that PC games devalue much quicker than console games. This isn't even counting that 360 games new at launch were ?70.

 

[Denamic]

Consoles (to me) are preferred because they tend to be cheaper to start, and 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.

Where does this notion that you have to upgrade your computer all the time come from?
It's simply not true.
If you have a 8800GT, 4GB DDR2 RAM, ~3GHz dual core or better, you can play pretty much any game in existence at medium/high settings.
I know, because that's my old computer that I use as back-up/file server/LAN machine.
And even 5 years ago, those specs were only decent.

 

[teh_gunslinger]

When talking prices I must ask this: why do noone count the price of the tv? It seems to me that it is an important thing for a console.

And seeing as everybody makes up the claim that a pc needs to cost 1500$ I submit that the tv must be 70 inches so both arguments can be silly.

And I don't think that it makes sense to say that we all have a tv in any case. If not because my PS3 and 360 needed it I'd not have a tv, whereas I need a pc for any number of things.

 

[Robert Ewing]

The only upside that consoles have that I can see, is that they're cheaper to get. (The console that is, the price of the games for next-gen consoles are through the roof, way ahead of PC games.)

And they tend to be better at fighting off piracy. But even that has been brought down a bit.

Tbh, the PC is capable of better graphics, has superior mouse and keyboard set up which is why PC gamer can take on a 360 or PS3 gamer and win on any game out there, because the 360 and PS3 controllers are just that millisecond too slow, PC games are mod happy- Not that I use mods, I myself can't see the appeal of most of them. Better online experience I've found. And a more professional and friendlier community.

The PC community is very diverse yes, but the ones I join are very nice and friendly. All the 360 and PS3 communities tend to be the same 12 - 15 year old shouting racist chants at everything they can, makes me want to stop playing. It's not a good experience to have those pre-pubescent teenagers screaming at you for the duration of the match, reminds me of that damn fairy on Zelda.

 

[ruben6f]

I just hate something about pc, I am playing with me friends owning people in the game and BLAM auto balance I am no longer playing with my friends.

 

[Waaghpowa]

When talking prices I must ask this: why do noone count the price of the tv? It seems to me that it is an important thing for a console.

And seeing as everybody makes up the claim that a pc needs to cost 1500$ I submit that the tv must be 70 inches so both arguments can be silly.

And I don't think that it makes sense to say that we all have a tv in any case. If not because my PS3 and 360 needed it I'd not have a tv, whereas I need a pc for any number of things.

The cost of a TV is usually not taken into account since most people already have one and don't buy them just for consoles. Though the same thing can apply for PC's since most televisions have the appropriate connections to be used as a monitor.

 

[teh_gunslinger]

When talking prices I must ask this: why do noone count the price of the tv? It seems to me that it is an important thing for a console.

And seeing as everybody makes up the claim that a pc needs to cost 1500$ I submit that the tv must be 70 inches so both arguments can be silly.

And I don't think that it makes sense to say that we all have a tv in any case. If not because my PS3 and 360 needed it I'd not have a tv, whereas I need a pc for any number of things.

The cost of a TV is usually not taken into account since most people already have one and don't buy them just for consoles. Though the same thing can apply for PC's since most televisions have the appropriate connections to be used as a monitor.

While anecdotal data is proof of nothing I know far more people without tvs than pcs.

My point was just that if people insist, crazy though it is, that a pc cost 1500 it ought to be included.

 

[migo]

I chuckle every time I hear someone say consoles are cheaper. The price of a gaming PC vs the price of an xbox, sure, then the xbox is cheaper. But when you factor in buying a new console 3 times because they break quickly, more expensive games and less things like the steam summer sale and overpriced headsets, controllers and the likes, it ends up almost even.

The real cost with a console is HDTVs, which is only kicking in this generation. By the next one everyone has one, so it's no longer a major cost. While you don't get major discounts on unopened games, you can get preowned games for pretty cheap, and trading in games ends up getting a lot of value. If you approach console gaming from a PC perspective, where DRM has ruined the used market, it looks more expensive, just like how if you approach PC gaming from a console perspective it looks more expensive because all you are looking at is retail games.

 

[Waaghpowa]

When talking prices I must ask this: why do noone count the price of the tv? It seems to me that it is an important thing for a console.

And seeing as everybody makes up the claim that a pc needs to cost 1500$ I submit that the tv must be 70 inches so both arguments can be silly.

And I don't think that it makes sense to say that we all have a tv in any case. If not because my PS3 and 360 needed it I'd not have a tv, whereas I need a pc for any number of things.

The cost of a TV is usually not taken into account since most people already have one and don't buy them just for consoles. Though the same thing can apply for PC's since most televisions have the appropriate connections to be used as a monitor.

While anecdotal data is proof of nothing I know far more people without tvs than pcs.

My point was just that if people insist, crazy though it is, that a pc cost 1500 it ought to be included.

I was simply implying that would be the reasoning for ignoring the TV costs. I'm one of those people you mentioned that doesn't own a TV, since I do everything from my PC.

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

I chuckle every time I hear someone say consoles are cheaper. The price of a gaming PC vs the price of an xbox, sure, then the xbox is cheaper. But when you factor in buying a new console 3 times because they break quickly, more expensive games and less things like the steam summer sale and overpriced headsets, controllers and the likes, it ends up almost even.

The real cost with a console is HDTVs, which is only kicking in this generation. By the next one everyone has one, so it's no longer a major cost. While you don't get major discounts on unopened games, you can get preowned games for pretty cheap, and trading in games ends up getting a lot of value. If you approach console gaming from a PC perspective, where DRM has ruined the used market, it looks more expensive, just like how if you approach PC gaming from a console perspective it looks more expensive because all you are looking at is retail games.

Where I am pre owned games only brings the price more closely in line with PC games first hand and then including various sales on PC and the fact that games do devalue quicker PC still ends up cheaper or at the very least in some cases equal.

 

[yuval152]

I chuckle every time I hear someone say consoles are cheaper. The price of a gaming PC vs the price of an xbox, sure, then the xbox is cheaper. But when you factor in buying a new console 3 times because they break quickly, more expensive games and less things like the steam summer sale and overpriced headsets, controllers and the likes, it ends up almost even.

I have to pay 5,000-7,000 NIS for a gaming computer,and for an xbox slim I have to pay 3,000 NIS.

A New AAA game that got released=350 NIS

which means that I can buy 5 new AAA released games and have a change of 100 NIS.

Or I can buy 6 few months old games and have a change of 200 NIS.

No diffrence?

and PC games here cost like 320-350 NIS so almost no major price diffrence.

And I never use mics,and already have a HD 720p TV.

 

[Alphakirby]

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.

Unless it's Touhou,because the keyboard makes the movement stiff and a pain in the ass to dodge things with. If you know what Touhou is,you'll know why this is a problem.

OT:I personally don't give a shit about the console vs. PC gaming because I have both,I use both,and I like both and that's all that matters for me.

 

[kokirisoldier]

I prefer consoles for the ability to just put the disk in right after buying it and just playing the damn game, instead of installing, then updating. For example: I'm a fan of Dragon Age, but I've never bought it for PC at all. I have Orgins aand DA:2 on my 360 for the ability to just play the game when ever I want fast and simple with easy controls. Yet my friend (one of those PC is the master god of everything kinda people) has to start up steam just to play it. Plus he bought it through steam so I don't even wanna know how long the download time was on that. All of that being said I still love to game on my PC when the reasons are called for, like league of legends or a good game of Warhammer 40k 2.

 

[WOPR]

Consoles (to me) are preferred because they tend to be cheaper to start, and 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.

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

It's probably because I grew up with controllers as opposed to mouse and keyboard, but still.

Just saying

They make controllers for Computers that you can get to work for any game (I have a few)

and I had a computer that lasted a good 10 years before I needed a new one
upon getting the new computer it only cost me like $500 (which is less then the original PS3) and it's more powerful then any console on the market by a LONG shot

also for a decent console experience you have to factor in FAR more expensive games, giant HDTV's and internet subscriptions

not saying "shame on you, you're wrong!" or anything, because to everyone their own choices and opinions, just pointing out some flaws in your arguement

(also, a new Xbox controller is like what? $40? a PC controller is like $15-$20)

EDIT: also a massive PC advantage that no one can argue against; MILLIONS of FREE games (flash, java, freeware, etc. NOT piracy)

 

[ColorfulObscurity]

To quote someone I follow on twitter:

Why do we need to be Console vs. PC? Why can't we all just get together and collectively hate Apple?

 

[Techsmart07]

some people prefer PC or console. If they do, don't hate on them. Usually, the biggest reason people hate one or the other is misinformation.
I'm personally a PC gamer, even considering the half-dozen consoles attached to my TV. There are some things I prefer on console, but my biggest gaming is still done on PC. To those saying "PC gaming is more expensive,"(the main argument against PCs) I ask: for the best system or for something comparable? For the best, yes, PC gaming is definitely more expensive. for something comparable, not even close. When the 360 came out, I just wanted something comparable, which I got for about $500 in upgrading the graphics card and some small changes. I recently upgraded my computer (after 6 years of use), which was $900. This computer isn't the best of the line, but it would be pretty hard for a console to come even remotely close in power. The games tend to be a lot cheaper, which can help mitigate the cost (My local target had devil may cry 4(PC) on clearance for $10 just a few weeks after it came out. Compare that to the 360 copy that was still at $40). Computers are also multi-purpose; consider it this way, you have to buy a decent computer anyways for work, school, what have you. consider that a $300 cost in itself, so making a unit at $600 (which will probably perform on par with a console) is comparable to buying a console and a basic computer. The difference in cost short term is a lot less than people try to estimate, and the difference long-term with games makes the difference negligible.
At the same time, consoles tend to offer exclusives that are pretty fun to play. The controllers were designed for extensive play, and the setup usually supports a more laid-back gameplay. It is a much bigger PITA to get a computer setup to have 4 people playing in the same location than it would to do dual-screens on a random console game. Consoles also are more user-friendly than PCs, and a lot of my friends play them for that reason. No installs or downloads needed, everything is just there in front of them.

Long story short: Don't hate on consoles, don't hate on PCs. If you want to hate something, hate companies who make bad games and charge $50 for them.

Edit:

To quote someone I follow on twitter:

Why do we need to be Console vs. PC? Why can't we all just get together and collectively hate Apple?

this.