Forget the console and build a gaming PC! A value comparison

Ivan · Aug 2009

djmeph · Oct 2009

I want to meet the two people that own a PS3 and have absolutely no other computers, smartphones or PDAs in their household whatsoever.

primesuspect · Oct 2009

You won't meet them. They don't have computers, and thus don't get on the internet ;)

djmeph · Oct 2009

Plus, I don't live in Crapalapastan.

Louis · Oct 2009

sadly all those pc hardware facts don t change the fact that developers are for the most part focusing on console releases since a while now... Still good games to play on pc but not quite as much as before and for most AAA titles you need to have a console to play them.... I miss the good old times of pc gaming and certainly hope for a come back....

ardichoke · Oct 2009

Hmm... that's funny. I have seen a whopping 1 game in the past 2 years that was console exclusive that I actually gave a crap about. Louis, would you care to list some of the superb, game changing titles that are console only?

Enter Name here · Oct 2009

i love fire building,

my friend installed windows xp on his ps3

primesuspect · Oct 2009

Cool story, bro

Koreish · Oct 2009

Now, now Prime that's no way to treat the guests.

BTW it was a very cool story.

A human · May 2010

okay, 1st of all, im not gonna be saying both pc and console have their good points and weakness. im jus gonna say pc kik ass when playing games. and about the point where pple can use ps3 for a bluray player, i jus dont buy that as saving money.a bluray disc is much more expensive per disc that a hd dvd. plus, u can olwez watch online.
and dont give me that "its against the law look" i download games online, crack it, play it and its free. quoting my best enemy "whe every one is sin-ning, its a sin not doing it!!"
finally, we know all those hardcore computer developer would jus one day get out of bed,brush their teeth, and make some kik ass graphic card or what ever they do,, its their routine! but consoles comes out like one at a time,(probably cuse they dont wanna lose money)..
so my conclusion,, dont kid ursef,, jus admit computer can be make u save lotsa money..

Thrax · May 2010

But, evidently, it cannot teach you to type like an intelligent human being.

Cliff_Forster · May 2010

Thrax said:
But, evidently, it cannot teach you to type like an intelligent human being.

I read a human, then I though, maybe a Gungan?

"Meesa, savesa mooey, mooey money withs mah gaming PC!!"

I suppose in any language, he is still correct.

kryyst · May 2010

Cliff_Forster said:
I read a human, then I though, maybe a Gungan?

"Meesa, savesa mooey, mooey money withs mah gaming PC!!"

I suppose in any language, he is still correct.

Correct how exactly? I mean it's not like console can't be chipped and have their games pirated also - oh heavens no....

Cliff_Forster · May 2010

kryyst said:
Correct how exactly? I mean it's not like console can't be chipped and have their games pirated also - oh heavens no....

Oh, not that, I don't recomened anyone pirate anything. Just that PC's generaly kick ass :cool2:

kryyst · May 2010

Cliff_Forster said:
Oh, not that, I don't recomened anyone pirate anything. Just that PC's generaly kick ass :cool2:

Ooohhhhhhh that. Are PC's better then consoles generally. Yeah I have to agree generally they are. Is gaming better on a console though - absolutely :rockon:

Cliff_Forster · May 2010

kryyst said:
Ooohhhhhhh that. Are PC's better then consoles generally. Yeah I have to agree generally they are. Is gaming better on a console though - absolutely :rockon:

I'm being trolled....

Snarkasm · May 2010

rage, etc

kryyst · May 2010

Slow day at the office, what can I say.

primesuspect · Apr 2011

Bump. Interesting to revisit this two years later, in light of what's changed, the richness of Steam, and the PSN outage...

Jokke · Apr 2011

I think, as someone have already mentioned, that it comes down to personal preference.
I got my PS2 way back in '01. Short time after I built my first gaming rig, and never looked back.
I've tried the 360, the PS3 and the Wii, and it was ok, sure, but I'm not tempted to buy one.
I enjoy playing on my computer, I don't enjoy playing on a console. And that is an argument valid for me for not getting a console. The rest of you just have to find your arguments for one or another, or maybe both if that's what you're into.

kryyst · Apr 2011

Two years later and nothing has changed. Some people like PC's some people like consoles. In saying that though more and more titles are console focused and also out for the PC. Most A title games are made for the console then adapted to the PC. Which is dumbing down the PC gaming market as being a better experience when it comes to the playability of the game.

Also while graphics are generally still improving on consoles as developers are improving their skills the power of the consoles aren't increasing. Yet PC gaming is still in the cycle of pushing graphics and requiring more powerful hardware to run them.

Butters · Apr 2011

Two years later, prices for PS3s & 360s have continued to decrease while a 2 year old PC gaming system from the article would still play games now. Though it would be a tough argument to assume a system built 2 years ago would still have its original parts. OS, SSD, Graphics, Processor upgrades are all tempting upgrades that would make that PC a current, but expensive gaming platform.

However, 2 years down the road, with the question, what is better value between an XBOX 360 vs a PC, I would probably say a 360. You can always resell games that are no longer played to acquire new ones or use a gaming service to rent games. Thankfully Steam offer sales on older games to add value for the PC. But I think the bottom line is that the console offers a predictable, consistent gaming experience, while the PC's gaming experience is dependent on configuration/drivers/etc. Save yourself the aggrevation.

Having said that, I haven't owned a console for over 11 years since I had a modded PSX nor have I had a console in my household for about 8 years.

CB · Apr 2011

Butters said:
But I think the bottom line is that the console offers a predictable, consistent gaming experience, while the PC's gaming experience is dependent on configuration/drivers/etc. Save yourself the aggrevation.

I'm not sure if this still applies. It was certainly true once. I mean: I have clear memories of the hassle of getting PC games to work across multiple configurations. It may have even still been true a couple of years ago, but it's been a long time since I've found a new game that didn't work with my PC because of hardware conflicts (I specify 'new' because I tried to play Alpha Centauri a couple weeks ago, and it told me that it's not compatible with my CPU).

The place Xbox (and I'm assuming PS3, though I've never used one) still has an advantage as far as compatibility is multi-player matchmaking. That's the one place where the PC is still lacking a system that "just works" the way the consoles do. Even that, however, is improving with services like Steam Works.

Ont the other side, I think the 'all your eggs in one basket' argument against consoles, which rises from this whole PSN episode is a non-starter. My PC gaming eggs are even more in one basket than my console gamings eggs are. If Steam goes down without warning, I might loose access to my games entirely, not just the multi-player options. For me, that would be a Big Deal, since the only game I play which is not through my Steam account right now is Minecraft.

Butters · Apr 2011

CB said:
I'm not sure if this still applies. It was certainly true once. I mean: I have clear memories of the hassle of getting PC games to work across multiple configurations.

I didn't mean the hassle of getting a PC game to work with a particular machine. My point is that there are different configurations out there that will return an infinite variety of FPS, Resolutions, load speeds, etc. While with the console its predictable, you know what you are going to get. If you want your PC to perform at certain way, how much time, effort, money do you really want to spend focusing on that, rather than playing a game.

CB · Apr 2011

I get what you're saying, but I don't think most people actually spend time fiddling with a system to get more FPS. Yes, the experience is different from system to system, Portal might look shinier on my neighbors system than mine, but for some people that's the end of it, no time, effort, or money involved, they just play the game, whatever it looks like on their system.

NiGHTS · Apr 2011

Consoles provide the same uniform advantage an Apple device has over its Windows/Android competitor. It's much more approachable for the lowest common denominator to buy and immediately start playing games. Games that "just work," no thought, tweaking, or troubleshooting required.

I'm a PC gamer, but I can't ignore the fact that the console I own has a life expectancy of 10 years. That alone provides more value than a dollar figure for a gaming-to-gaming comparison could.

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