PC or PS4?

[FlamingBlizzard]

Id stick to the pc for a while, and then if decided, buy a ps4 when it has more support and games.

 

[The White Hunter]

When I started out I gamed heavily on the Xbox 360 because many of my friends did and I didn't have the money to build a worthwhile gaming PC. Now my friends game on PC and I have a beastly gaming machine, so it comes down to your current position and what you can spend. PCs have free online, cheaper games, unparalleled customisation (on both the software and hardware level) and you get a badass machine to do all your other computing on. I always preferred consoles because I could relax on my couch in front of them but for a decent price I can run a long HDMI cable to my TV from my PC and get a wireless controller.

So I'm still recommending PC, but think about what suits you now but also in the long run.

As for price, you can build a console killer for 500. For 700-800 you'll likely weather the next gen.

For $500 you could get more power than a console but not a better gaming experience. In my opinion anyting less than a HD 7850 and you're pushing it, especially with a new set of cards coming/already out and a new console gen.

I work in £ sterling. For £500 you can build something with a 7790 in it, which is a fine card and produces excellent crossfire results.

I would say a 650ti would do nicely in an intel platform rig, possibly with an i3. If it's an AMD platform I'd probably say 7790 with a plan for Crossfire, or a 7870 XT.

 

[Adon Cabre]

snip

How the hell do you so confidently project into the 2020's? When consoles are abandoned?

By then Laptops and Tablets will own the world [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/7.825163-Update-GTA-V-Coming-to-PC-Says-Nvidia#20010785]; still, you make the flaw of assuming that the state PC gaming -- pricing, sales, etc... -- will be the same. For being so tech savvy, PC gamers are indifferent to change, or time.

But I suppose an $800 PC rig might outdo the Playstation 4. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/7.825163-Update-GTA-V-Coming-to-PC-Says-Nvidia?page=3#20038695]

So if you can afford it, go PC. Hell, I'm targeting a $1500 Laptop because I can, and because ugly, massive desktops are so passe in 2013.

But damn, the Playstation 4 looks freaking sexy!

Oh, and my Playstation 2 still hasn't burned out or crashed since 2003.
That $250 is still going a long way.​

I'm projecting based on the past. The PS2 library is already abandoned and requires legacy hardware to be accessed - unless you own a PC. What else will you use when your PS2 finally does kick the bucket? The power of PCs is constantly increasing and whatever is state-of-the-art will be hopelessly obsolete tomorrow, cheap and easy to emulate.

Laptops and Tablets are effectively portable PCs: general-purpose computing devices that have access to a wide range of programs from a variety of distributors. With a console, you are effectively beholden to a single source for programs. Which is why they will own the world. What state do you imagine consoles to be in in the 2020's when tablets have won? It looks like a dead end to me.

My PC cost $400 and plays all the games I want to play. The peripherals can be - and have been - carried forward from one PC to the next. I don't expect it to outweigh the nextgen consoles in the graphics department. But it does give me access to a vast library of gaming that consoles do not. That's what's important to me.

When my Playstation 2 finally dies, I'll buy another one for the next decade.

PC gamers love to claim that eventually a lot of titles will end up on the PC; but that's not going to happen, not with copyrights and trademarks becoming even more stringent on intellectual property.

This industry will launch with one more box before all 3 giants come out with their own exclusive gaming tablet. Third Party PC distributors like Steam will never sell Shadow of the Colossus, Last of Us, or Journey; or any future exclusive indie or triple-a IP.

It's all about concentrating costs as much as it is generating profit.

Consoles will be around for a very long time, because even while the Laptop advances in technology (mostly battery consumption) [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/7.825163-Update-GTA-V-Coming-to-PC-Says-Nvidia#20010785], this industry is also pushing those limits; so the average PC consumer will not be able to handle contemporary titles.

But as it stands
For less than the price of a new unlocked phone, you can own a high powered, future proof, optimized gaming computer.

 

[conmag9]

While I don't mind PS4 for the exclusives (and my brother's more of a console gamer than I am, which is fine too), mostly PC for me. Mods, for one. Mouse and keyboard are more comfortable to me for another. And I'm not certain where everyone keeps coming out with the high cost of PC gaming. My own machine has never been upgraded, wasn't top of the line when it was put out (although it's certainly not weak), and it runs most games I put on it no problem. Not always at Super-Special Mega Graphics level, but certainly not poorly. It cost more than a console, but it's functions extend beyond games, it's portable (which would shave quite a bit off if I went for an actual stationary machine), and my PC choices have tended to outlast a console generation anyway.

 

[AzrealMaximillion]

The fact you are even asking this question confirms that you should get a ps4. PCs are a wonderful rigmarole that appeal to people who enjoy being tormented by problems.

..Whereas consoles come without the need to do firmware/game software updates, no installs, no DRM, never crash, never wear out and never brick?

Get a decent PC and it'll cause you no more or less problems than a console, whilst being a load more versatile to boot.

I'm a PC gamer, so I'm going to say go for the PC. It opens up the full back catalogue of PC games, so you've got decades of good games to choose from. The only thing for me that swings it in favour of the PS4 is the fact of your mates going for it.

As a PC gamer I have to say this.

PCs can brick. PCs can wear out.
PC game releases can be worse than console releases a lot of the time due to horrible optimization and depending on whether AMD or Nvidia drivers were the focus.
PC software updates are more frequent.
A lot of console games still don't REQUIRE installs.
DRM on consoles doesn't exist unless you go for digital titles.
PC games crash more often overall and crashes are much harder to pinpoint due to every PC being different.

And with Gakai heading to the PS4, it too will have a back catalogue of decades worth of games to choose from. Games that will ALL work on the PS4 because it won't have the problem of being to new of a machine to run older titles.

Basically both the PC and PS4 suffer from most of the same issues and both have their individual problems.


What it really boils down to is the kind of games you want. If you're into JRPGs, get a PS4. That's the one thing about being a PC gamer that sucks for me. PC gamers don't get the great Japanese console exclusives that usually pop up on the Sony consoles.

As a genuine PC and console gamer (one thats getting [http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/2924/p328.jpg] a PS4) I can tell you that a PC will never brick itself (only if someone messes with things they should not be messing with) so badly that it can only be sent back to the manufacturer to fix, there is always the option for the user to fix it if they bother to learn how. Better hope a console is in warranty when it bricks otherwise you have let Microsoft or Sony rummage around in your wallet. To stick with the fixing thing the user can always fix a PC themselves, again if they bother to learn how. Its not that hard to trace hardware faults or to replace the broken part, you don't need to replace the whole machine or have it sent away for weeks (Notebooks you might have to) and while software problems can be slightly more obscure they usually come down to a few usual suspects that you can check for.

Consoles update just as much as PCs and are much more intrusive and a PC gamer can choose to not update their game or PC and not have all their social features turned off, DRM in some aspects very much exists in retail console games with things like season passes and DRM is the next big thing with both Sony and Microsoft "leaving it up to the publishers" next gen. Finally if a PC is crashing more than a console it has issues, you know that both the PS3 and the 360 have higher failure rates than PCs have right?

Again, I have to wholeheartedly disagree. To say that a PC can never brick is a stretch. I've had it happen to me. I've seen it happen to friends. Its not as often as consoles but it happens. You've also gotta take into account that not everyone with a PC has the know how to fix problems themselves. Computer repair shops exist for a reason. PCs are fickle beasts and I say that as a PC centric gamer.

Furthermore, you and I both know that PC games have a higher chance of having compatibility issues. How many times have you booted up a PC game only to have it crash to desktop instantly, then have to search through forums to find the solution which could be one of dozens of software issues? That happens more so on the PC than has ever happened on a console and that's due to every PC being different. And also take into account that having to search through forums, while almost always better than e-mailing the developers' abysmal support, isn't the most user friendly way of problem solving. (Though neither is having to fill a support ticket)

To give you an example look at Jade Empire. Great game, has aged well, but if you play it on a laptop there's a major issue. You can not see the mouse cursor. And there's no fix for that. You have to either play with a controller or play the game on desktop. I had to find this out after a couple of days of forum searching and with Bioware support not having a clue on how to fix this. Keep in mind that while Jade Empire works fine with a controller, its an RPG so it lends itself towards KB+M a little more. This was a glitch that never got fixed. And there are plenty of games like Jade Empire that have bugs that never got fixed. There are also plenty of games on the PC that have required unofficial patches due to age or developer incompetence. That's not an issue with console, nor will it ever be.

But like I said, it depends on the games you want, and the OP seems to be a fan of games that generally never get PC releases.

Don't get me wrong, I love being a PC gamer, but PC gaming clearly has a lot of issues that come with the territory, and a lot of those issues are not the most user accessible to fix for those not experienced with having to deal with them.

 

[ThePenguinKnight]

I'd say it really depends on how much income you have going for you, if any.

Once the Ps4 hits shelves it'll take a while for a good selection of games to release and even longer for them to lower in price.

A PC already has a massive library of games for very little and a vast library of freeware games are available as well.

I'd pick up a PC unless you have the income and don't mind waiting for new games to hit the shelves.

 

[Nieroshai]

If you can only have one, go PC because it has utilities as well as games. If you already have a computer, I'd say they're nearly similar.

 

[Skeleon]

I'd always go PC over a pure gaming console if I was given the choice. Simply because a PC (even one built for gaming) can do so much more than a gaming console, including non-gaming uses. Why give up that added value?

As for games: Well, yes, you'll have to give up on particular games if you get a PC. But so will you if you get a PS4 (be that games you can only get on PC, on Xbox One or another console); there are always titles that you won't be able to get. Would those particular games be dealbreakers to you!?

As for friends: Depends. Were you planning a lot of online-play with them? Then that could indeed be a reason to go console. If it's just about local play... play locally with them (crazy, right?). Can't really answer that one for you, depends on your habits/plans.

 

[R3dF41c0n]

It depends on what you want. PC has the largest library, backwards compatibility, and plenty of alternate uses besides gaming. However, if those things aren't a priority than go with a PS4.

It's up to you but I'd go with PC personally.

 

[stroopwafel]

I'd stick to Playstation. PC gaming might have its benefits but its way too much of a hassle for me.

 

[Venom 3135]

I just want to point out that I'm not pre-ordering or purchasing a PS4 on launch, so I'll have time to see how it goes.


This is a really tough decision (tougher than it should be really). I thought I'd made up my mind, but it keeps changing. Now I'm starting to lean back towards PS4. Again, thanks for all your help, it's been incredibly useful.

 

[Nikolaj Bilgrau]

Consoles are generally awful in coparison to a PC, save for exclusives (I'm personally a great fan of Nintendo's exclusives)

But it's really up in the air. A worthy gaming PC costs quite a lot.

 

[J Tyran]

The fact you are even asking this question confirms that you should get a ps4. PCs are a wonderful rigmarole that appeal to people who enjoy being tormented by problems.

..Whereas consoles come without the need to do firmware/game software updates, no installs, no DRM, never crash, never wear out and never brick?

Get a decent PC and it'll cause you no more or less problems than a console, whilst being a load more versatile to boot.

I'm a PC gamer, so I'm going to say go for the PC. It opens up the full back catalogue of PC games, so you've got decades of good games to choose from. The only thing for me that swings it in favour of the PS4 is the fact of your mates going for it.

As a PC gamer I have to say this.

PCs can brick. PCs can wear out.
PC game releases can be worse than console releases a lot of the time due to horrible optimization and depending on whether AMD or Nvidia drivers were the focus.
PC software updates are more frequent.
A lot of console games still don't REQUIRE installs.
DRM on consoles doesn't exist unless you go for digital titles.
PC games crash more often overall and crashes are much harder to pinpoint due to every PC being different.

And with Gakai heading to the PS4, it too will have a back catalogue of decades worth of games to choose from. Games that will ALL work on the PS4 because it won't have the problem of being to new of a machine to run older titles.

Basically both the PC and PS4 suffer from most of the same issues and both have their individual problems.


What it really boils down to is the kind of games you want. If you're into JRPGs, get a PS4. That's the one thing about being a PC gamer that sucks for me. PC gamers don't get the great Japanese console exclusives that usually pop up on the Sony consoles.

As a genuine PC and console gamer (one thats getting [http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/2924/p328.jpg] a PS4) I can tell you that a PC will never brick itself (only if someone messes with things they should not be messing with) so badly that it can only be sent back to the manufacturer to fix, there is always the option for the user to fix it if they bother to learn how. Better hope a console is in warranty when it bricks otherwise you have let Microsoft or Sony rummage around in your wallet. To stick with the fixing thing the user can always fix a PC themselves, again if they bother to learn how. Its not that hard to trace hardware faults or to replace the broken part, you don't need to replace the whole machine or have it sent away for weeks (Notebooks you might have to) and while software problems can be slightly more obscure they usually come down to a few usual suspects that you can check for.

Consoles update just as much as PCs and are much more intrusive and a PC gamer can choose to not update their game or PC and not have all their social features turned off, DRM in some aspects very much exists in retail console games with things like season passes and DRM is the next big thing with both Sony and Microsoft "leaving it up to the publishers" next gen. Finally if a PC is crashing more than a console it has issues, you know that both the PS3 and the 360 have higher failure rates than PCs have right?

Again, I have to wholeheartedly disagree. To say that a PC can never brick is a stretch. I've had it happen to me. I've seen it happen to friends. Its not as often as consoles but it happens. You've also gotta take into account that not everyone with a PC has the know how to fix problems themselves. Computer repair shops exist for a reason. PCs are fickle beasts and I say that as a PC centric gamer.

Furthermore, you and I both know that PC games have a higher chance of having compatibility issues. How many times have you booted up a PC game only to have it crash to desktop instantly, then have to search through forums to find the solution which could be one of dozens of software issues? That happens more so on the PC than has ever happened on a console and that's due to every PC being different. And also take into account that having to search through forums, while almost always better than e-mailing the developers' abysmal support, isn't the most user friendly way of problem solving. (Though neither is having to fill a support ticket)

To give you an example look at Jade Empire. Great game, has aged well, but if you play it on a laptop there's a major issue. You can not see the mouse cursor. And there's no fix for that. You have to either play with a controller or play the game on desktop. I had to find this out after a couple of days of forum searching and with Bioware support not having a clue on how to fix this. Keep in mind that while Jade Empire works fine with a controller, its an RPG so it lends itself towards KB+M a little more. This was a glitch that never got fixed. And there are plenty of games like Jade Empire that have bugs that never got fixed. There are also plenty of games on the PC that have required unofficial patches due to age or developer incompetence. That's not an issue with console, nor will it ever be.

But like I said, it depends on the games you want, and the OP seems to be a fan of games that generally never get PC releases.

Don't get me wrong, I love being a PC gamer, but PC gaming clearly has a lot of issues that come with the territory, and a lot of those issues are not the most user accessible to fix for those not experienced with having to deal with them.

About the only way to brick a PC is to bungle flashing the BIOS (which with dual BIOS is far less likley now), anything other than that requires either a new part or reinstallation of the OS which isn't bricked just broken. Neither of which are possible for consoles apart from changing storage medium, that or repair knowledge far more advanced than you need to keep a PC running.

As for games CTD at launch? Almost never, not unmodded games anyway. The last major technical problem I had that was beyond my control at the time was RAGE, it ran but didn't run well until some patches and new drivers where released. Jade Empire is an older game, in essence its running as a "backwards compatible" game and having to use a peripheral to run is a lot better than not being able to play it at all. Its better with a controller anyway, it was a after the fact cash grab of a PC port and was designed for the controller.

As people not being able to fix their own PCs there is no excuse, it doesn't take any large excess of brains. Trust me, if I can do it anyone can.

 

[Gitty101]

This is even a question? If you can afford it and have a lil' bit of technical knowledge (or willingness to learn) Pc is always the way to go.

 

[Veylon]

When my Playstation 2 finally dies, I'll buy another one for the next decade.

Yes, you can do that now, but new PS2s are not being manufactured. It's a closing window.

PC gamers love to claim that eventually a lot of titles will end up on the PC; but that's not going to happen, not with copyrights and trademarks becoming even more stringent on intellectual property.

I'm talking practically, not legally. Few console games not already released in PC form are likely to see a new PC release. But most of them are already playable on the PC anyway.

This industry will launch with one more box before all 3 giants come out with their own exclusive gaming tablet. Third Party PC distributors like Steam will never sell Shadow of the Colossus, Last of Us, or Journey; or any future exclusive indie or triple-a IP.

But how will the AAA graphics that are such a part-and-parcel of the mainstream gaming industry be accomplished on a tablet? OnLive, while it technically works, is extremely limited geographically and requires a fairly substantial backend. If not that, then what?

I fully expect the tablets to take over, but at the expense of graphics.

Consoles will be around for a very long time, because even while the Laptop advances in technology (mostly battery consumption) [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/7.825163-Update-GTA-V-Coming-to-PC-Says-Nvidia#20010785], this industry is also pushing those limits; so the average PC consumer will not be able to handle contemporary titles.

Surely not. The advantage in PCs is the vast library available. There are a handful of titles that, if you simply must reach them right now, then a console is needed.

But as it stands
For less than the price of a new unlocked phone, you can own a high powered, future proof, optimized gaming computer.

I cannot fathom spending hundreds of dollars on a phone, of all things. I won't argue that a console is a better buy there.

 

[Adon Cabre]

snip

You're working by contemporary rules, and not taking into account the possibilities of ten years of technological development and internet/software copyright legislation from US and EU.

2021 will be nothing like it is right now, and barring a major EU and Asian market meltdown the doors are swinging further open for a more connected, more globalized market. In ten years it will probably be US, China and EU (in that order) dominating media consumption.

The challenges in the mobile market is battery life. But there's some interesting hardware being developed right now that will make 20hr life the standard, and once that happens, anyone of the big three can launch a high powered tablet.

And by the end of next gen console era, the Playstation 4 and Xbox One should have easily 300+ indie titles. And many of these exclusives will be Game of the Year competitors. A game like Dear Esther is pretty much made for the console, and it would strike GOLD if it ports to the Playstation.

Not to mention that SONY and Microsoft fund some of these indies -- the best of them.

So, adding to my idea of future consoles, you could see the big three launching maybe multiple devices each of various specs.

In every scenario I see with copyright legislation and software control, the console wins out. This is a games industry, and like a pool table or basketball court, people want a separate hub/space for games and fun. It's why tablets are so popular even though all of its applications work on the PC and phone.

That's the only human factor that will stay constant through the decades.

 

[Jingle Fett]

Ok, so basically I have to choose what I want for Christmas. A gaming PC or a PS4.

Normally, the choice would be very easy, but there are a couple of things that make this a hard decision to make.

1. Price. Gaming PC's are VERY expencive, but so are PS4 games.
2. Most of my friends will probably be going with a PS4
3. Persona 5. Perosna 5 (and a couple of other exclusives) are driving me towards ps4. I know Persona 5 hasn't been properly announced or anything yet, but if it does happen, I refuse to miss out on it.

As well as all of this, I spent the last generation on the PS3.

So what do you guys think?

Haven't bothered going through the whole thread so maybe others have already suggested this, but I'd go with PC first and then get a PS4 later when it drops in price and/or has more games. PC you know what games it has right now and you can upgrade it as needed. And more importantly, the higher initial cost of a PC is completely negated by Steam sales. Combine that with the massive number of cheap or free indie games on Steam, being able to use a Xbox 360 controller, modding, etc. and you're pretty much set. And on PC you can always try your hand at making your own games... Plus, by waiting you get the PS4 cheaper and know which games are actually worth getting.

Now if none of your friends do PC gaming and playing with them is that important then maybe you should get a PS4. But then again, multiplayer on PC is free, and there are plenty of free multiplayer games out there. If you can convince them to go PC too it'd definitely be worthwhile. Games like League of Legends are getting pretty big...

 

[Googenstien]

Id get a $1200 gaming laptop which can do anything a console can power wise and more. Yeah its more money but it has staying power, portable and can easily hook up to a TV and be useable from a couch just like a console.

 

[AzrealMaximillion]

About the only way to brick a PC is to bungle flashing the BIOS (which with dual BIOS is far less likley now), anything other than that requires either a new part or reinstallation of the OS which isn't bricked just broken. Neither of which are possible for consoles apart from changing storage medium, that or repair knowledge far more advanced than you need to keep a PC running.

As for games CTD at launch? Almost never, not unmodded games anyway. The last major technical problem I had that was beyond my control at the time was RAGE, it ran but didn't run well until some patches and new drivers where released. Jade Empire is an older game, in essence its running as a "backwards compatible" game and having to use a peripheral to run is a lot better than not being able to play it at all. Its better with a controller anyway, it was a after the fact cash grab of a PC port and was designed for the controller.

As people not being able to fix their own PCs there is no excuse, it doesn't take any large excess of brains. Trust me, if I can do it anyone can.

We're going to have to agree to disagree.

You're either lying, which I doubt, or you're the luckiest PC gamer of all time to say that you've never had a game crash to desktop on launch since RAGE. I think you're looking at your experience and applying it to the whole of the PC population, which makes your points heavily anecdotal.

Cruise through the forums of the vast majority of PC games and you'll find a myriad of issues with software that have half a dozens solutions for one problem.

Also, assuming that because you can fix your PC everyone should be able to is another stretch. Like I said, computer repair shops exist in a decent number for a reason. Not everyone who PC games has the know how to fix all PC problems. And there are a bunch of problems that can hit a PC.

Consoles by and large don't have to deal with that and for the sake of the OP I'm willing to bet that the PS4 is a better buy considering the PC's obscene lack of JRPGs, which the OP seems to be a fan of.