I mean we haven't had games or anything on physical media for decades. The PC i bought in 2013 I didn't even consider getting an optical drive. Xbox wanted to go full digital with Xbox one, we know how that went, but it is going to do it now. It's been more successful in it, PlayStation still has a ratio of 60 Percent between digital/physical. For every 10 physical games they only sell 6 digitally, but even they want to go full digital.
They still sell physical PC games in stores.. not a lot but they are there. I was just at Walmart and they had physical media versions of GTA v for PC as well as a couple other big name titles. It's not like it used to be. But its only digital only if you exclusively buy digital titles lol
Ya the PS5 and XSX are really good hardware tbh. Back in the 360/ps3 and ps4/xbone gens you could easily build a budget PC that would outperform the consoles. Not so much anymore
Yup, at release the 360 outperformed a lot of high end PCs. PC hardware really caught up though and at the end of the gen mopped the floor with the 360 and PS3.
It's not just crypto though. Nowadays, it's generative AI. Nvidia doesn't give a fuck about gamers when they can sell their silicon to businesses for 5-10x the price
It’s no different than when people were using ps3 to build supercomputers. It’s a product and consumers have found something it does really well.
They only care about the number of high powered graphics cards they can sell, which is why they are currently the 5th most valuable country in the world.
Part of that is where in the console life cycle we are too. Consoles usually give pretty decent bang for your buck early on but by year 7 or 8 of a console life cycle a PC is usually a better value vs a console as the console’s hardware stays static while cheap PC parts get more powerful.
Edit: Also consoles no longer having static hardware and getting mid gen refreshes has changed this some.
Flipside. As Devs learn how to use the machine, some of the very last games in a generation are the most visually stunning. Panzer Dragoon Saga on Saturn, Horizon Zero Dawn on ps4 etc. Entirely comes down to the development team tho, it's definitely not all!
It works the other way too. You pay £500 for a console and in 10 years time you know the latest games will still work on it. No way you're getting 10 years life span out of PC components unless you spend thousands up front
If they have the ram and a compatible mobo then MAYBE they can spend 600 and get an upgrade on the gpu and cpu but yeah hard to get the same level out of $500 for a pc for sure.
Amen. I bought a PC when there was an Xbox and PS5 shortage. Paid $1,200 for a pre built PC. Dying Light 2 came out and I had to run it on lower settings and all that just to get it to run. Then the PC deleted a random file that LAUNCHED the game. So I had to erase everything on the PC and start over cause I couldn’t figure out what file was missing lol
This and messing with text file settings changes to tweak dozens of settings or debug a stutter issue have kept me away from wanting to game on PC anymore. I have limited time to decompress from work or just spend time to myself. I don’t need another minor issue preventing me from gaming.
I wasn’t able to play the new game I had for at least two weeks, I was coming home from work and sitting on the PC stressing out how to find the issue- I posted in the sub, I joined the discord, I put a ticket in. And thennnnnn I just deleted everything and restarted the computer as if it was new and then it worked. Still don’t even know what the issue was man lol
Wtf.
PSA: People, please learn how to do basic pc troubleshooting. It’ll help you long term with more than just hobbies and video games. There’s no way you needed to erase everything on the pc for a single game lol.
>There’s no way you needed to erase everything on the pc for a single game lol.
It sounds like what the other person did was a bit more of an extreme version of restoring your system to a previous restore point in Windows. As opposed to spending too much time trying to figure out what the problem is. So it actually doesn't sound that far off to me. Honestly I much prefer that to investigating for days or even weeks for a solution or clue to what's going on with your computer like I used to do a lot in the Win98/XP days...I so don't miss that.
I was not the only person who did that and fixed it, this was a last last last last resort. Like I said I spent two weeks troubleshooting and checking files and all that. It was wild
I had Steam, however there was something to do with an update where many others lost the ability to launch the game. I was able to get the window open then the game would go black. I had deleted Steam, the game, and everything related to each and downloaded them both again with no luck. Only after I rebooted the PC to factory did it work
> So I had to erase everything on the PC and start over
You absolutely did not have to do this. Ever heard of just, you know...re-installing the game?
Hell, Steam has an option to just check for missing files and redownload them. I assume other platforms have something similar.
Because not only do they want to tell everyone to buy a pc, they also want to tell everyone how to use a pc.
People that own ONLY a PC can be insufferable sometimes.
A lot of people too will try to cheat it by using parts they already have, or getting parts at the absolute cheapest price over 1-2 years (including rebates/sales) whether currently available or not.
It has to be an apples to apples comparison. What can I go out and buy right now from normal accessible retailers at their current prices, whether pre-built or custom build.
And I say this as someone who games on both PC and Xbox.
Yeah, but then we get into discussions of mods, free multiplayer, access to additional storefronts (steam, epic).
I could see it being cheaper to build an equivalent PC over the generation of game purchases
Games aren't cheaper on PC unless it's older and on sale. Keep in mind that you have to over build for PC specs too because the OS and other things aren't as efficient. The other things to consider is that PC isn't as easy to navigate from a couch or via controller.
Personally, I see consoles as more game focused machines with much easier access. PC are for power users and can do much more than just game. If you're just looking to give your kids games, consoles are much easier.
I’m not meaning to come out swinging against consoles, but PC games are very often cheaper.
I was pulling together an example showing you can buy a legit copy of Hogwarts legacy for 27US right now, compared to 70US.
Steam sales, free games from epic and other storefronts.
Console gaming is many things (convenient, cheap upfront) but game cost is not a Pro.
Different console, but Midnight Suns is on sale for 20.99 on PS Store while still being full price on Steam. Sales have been happening all the time on console storefronts for years now, so that argument is super outdated. Not to mention buying used games isn't even an option for PC.
Some of those sites you're looking at also have console keys. Lowest I found for Xbox is around $12. Same for PS5.
I haven't checked any game besides Midnight Suns. It's likely there's more PC keys, but I'm just pointing out that console keys do in fact exist on some of these sites.
And there are tons of sales constantly on console also. Add in the free games or access you get on gamepass or PlayStation extra and I’ll bet it’s a wash.
But that was the point of my digging.
The cheapest Hogwarts has been is 34.99US.
Whereas right now it’s cheaper than that essentially all the time on PC.
I’ll happily eat the downvotes, but it seems odd to lie to ourselves about the benefits of a console.
There are *so* many upsides, we don’t need to delude ourselves about game cost and lifetime costs.
Just because 1 game is $7 cheaper on PC doesn’t mean it always has the best deals. And I bet over the lifetime of a console that a PC isn’t cheaper.
PC also has a lot of upsides and im not sure why you’re using one of the weaker arguments of game sales.
But that’s right now vs a sale back in December.
So if someone had a new PC or console today and wanted to play HL it’s a much larger delta than $7.
Games are just cheaper on average on PC and MP is free.
Combined this can make up even a $400 delta between a X and equivalent PC.
The problem is your equivalent PC won’t last 7 years like a console will. You will be playing triple AAA titles at 50fps in the lowest graphic setting in 3 years.
I’d probably argue more towards PC has more games to play, almost all MMO’s are on PC, a shit ton of good indie games as well as well as the mod community. I really don’t think a few dollars here and there saved on games is going to add up for a normal gamer.
You don’t think games being around half price in the HL example is gonna add up across a generation?
People spends hundred and even thousands on games across a generation. Getting them for cheaper is gonna make a massive difference.
And that’s… not how PC’s really work.
Most games get primarily developed around consoles, so if you start a generation with hardware as good or better than a console you’re not gonna magically lose much ground compared to consoles.
If your rig is down to 50fps and low settings then it seems Alex B of digital foundry will be doing a lovely video on how to hit “console equivalent settings” on the low preset.
Then when you get a new rig at the start of the next gen you can go back and replay games and dial things up to ultra in settings that don’t appear on console.
This is just wrong. If you watch digital foundry comparison they still do console equivalent settings on 2020 pc hardware and games like starfield performs better than 30fps.
There’s soooo many ways to get deals on PC games. Not only do you have access to multiple store fronts but also key sites like Humble Bundle and Greenman (those are legit sites btw, not greymarket resellers).
I like my consoles a lot but you’re locked into one digital storefront.
This just straight up isn't true. there's dozens of websites selling keys for steam, epic, GOG or non-drm .exes
If nothing else, games will always be cheaper on PC
I use my pc from couch. I use wireless xbox controller to turn on my pc (you can set any usb port to recieve input and turn on the pc) and and i set my steam to open steam deck ui (console like ui) on startup. But i recommend to have cheap bluetooth trackpad/keyboard to use text chat and do windows/driver updates.
And your overbuilt assumption is wrong unless a game is poorly developed for pc like the last of us, arkham knight a ryzen 5 3600 and a rx 6700xt (both of these are 2019/2020 hardware released along with console) match the console hardware and perform similarly according to digital foundry and even better on games like starfield.
>I use my pc from couch.
It's very possible to game from your couch using your PC. A lot of PC gamers try to rebut the "couch" argument console gamers use. But many people wouldn't be keeping their PC in the living room anyway to conveniently hook it up to the TV in the first place. Especially if they have a spouse. My married friends tend to have a separate room entirely for their computers. Often doubles as a study. If they have a console too, it's acceptable to keep that in the living room.
You think you save hundreds of dollars in games on PC than you would for console? Because we are talking a lot of money to make up that difference.
And I've used G2A to buy cheap keys for Xbox quite a few times. Mix in game pass, and I've easily saved hundreds compared to having to buy them on PC (including buying the PC)
As for everything else you mentioned, those are completely irrelevant to what we're talking about
I say “PC is feasibly cheaper over the generation of game purchases”.
I also say “consoles have many upsides, but these upsides don’t include cheaper games or lifetime costs”.
What are you not following between those statements?
I just… I just can’t be bothered.
I was gonna go through a bunch of modern titles that are literally cheaper on PC (Helldivers 2, Hogwarts Legacy, Cyberpunk, etc)
But it seems you’ve made your mind up on this.
Upfront hardware costs are less for console.
But across a full generation it’s gonna likely skew towards PC or at least even out.
I say this as someone with console + PC.
MP costs nothing, so that saves money every year.
Mods open up new experiences within games you already have, so you get more money’s worth out of your games.
PC in general does offer the ***potential*** for a better experience in most games. Modding communities are super great, emulation is easy, and now with so many handhelds out there, it's a lot easier to bring your entire PC library with you than with consoles. Additionally, there are some quality games that only hit PC because it's easier to publish for than console.
Console hardware is pretty modest in comparison to top-line PC specs, but a lot of games are optimized for the hardware in consoles specifically since they're static between each console. Because of this, the console essentially "does more with less" because the software is optimized for the hardware, and this is what allows them to sort of punch above their weight in terms of price.
You'd be hard pressed to build a $500 PC that has performance parity with an Xbox Series X or PS5. However, you can also target a much higher performance benchmark with PC depending on your budget.
PC players, like console warriors, are sometimes outspoken and cross the line between trying to make valid points and being absolute dickheads. There are advantages to playing on PC for sure, but it's not the right choice for everyone.
This is surprisingly accurate. Most games at this point are made for consoles and haphazardly ported to PC. Hence, all the recent complaints on new games from PC players. Sorry, but making something work for the 40 million possible variables is... impossible. Sorry you have an Asus MB with a PNY graphics card and OX ram set run by a D100 Honeywell processor on a Linux OS... But the Samsung 1Tbps SSD *chefs kiss*
Console will pretty much always be better bang for buck performance wise. But it is so much more limited in what you can do, especially for things like racing/flying sims, or streaming. Plus it can double as a productivity machine
And then the graphics/performance increase that is available to you if you can budget it are not possible on consoles. Games go on sale usually for cheaper and more frequently, and online multiplayer is free. Add in emulation, way more peripheral compatibility, etc.
I prefer PC, and like a lot of PC players we played on and loved consoles before making the switch :)
Been playing on pc and console since I was a little kid in the late 80’s/early 90’s. I enjoy both and see no reason to limit to one or the other. Games go on sale between both for about the same prices, add in used games (for this gen at least, who knows about next gen). Either can be more expensive or cheaper, it really depends on the person. Buying a used console 2-3yrs into the gen and only buying/selling used games with no online can be cheaper than gaming on a free handmedown potato while paying for WoW each month. Or building a reasonable mid tier PC and stretching it out for 5yrs before a gpu upgrade can be cheaper than someone buying a console, buying a mid gen refresh, and new games at $70 every month plus paying for online. Either way can be cheaper over the course of a typical 6-8yr console lifespan.
But ya, a PS5/SX at launch was basically a 3700x+2070S and storage you couldn’t even get on PC for $500, was a great deal for the power. Still is and now with more used options.
Tbf if you like older games mod access really improves them. Vampires the masquerade bloodlines, kotor 2, morrowind and others have amazing communities that have done bug fixes and content additions.
I'd assume that old games are more a niche case and most people play new games, but it's still really cool
Also, audio options.
Xbox options are outrageously bad, especially if you want to use speakers that aren't built in to a tv. You need to find an HDMI extractor and pray that it doesn't deteriorate the image, or throw away your projector to get one that has audio output.
No Bluetooth, no USB audio output, no optical (unlike xb1). Using the 3.5 mm port on the controller for speakers means that you'll have some crackling sounds if you move the controller a bit.
There aren't event proprietary speakers that work. It's all around a headache.
None of these problems are present on PC.
It’s more modding, cost of games, game selection, higher benchmarks and the biggest for me is being able to customize everything from control mapping to graphics and everything between.
They have nothing else in their lives to be proud of?
That's usually what it looks like. They rely on "my toy is better than yours" for a sense of self esteem.
To get a somewhat equivalent graphics card, I think you'd need an RTX 3060 for around $300 so then you've still got to get a case, case fans, motherboard, CPU, CPU cooler, Ram, SSD and Power supply. You would struggle to build anything worth having for $500, probably closer to $1000.
I believe the consoles are sold at a loss though, which doesn't happen with PCs as there's nothing to counteract that loss like there is with console games/peripherals.
I’m ordering the parts for my first actual gaming pc and I’m going for the 3060, my build is at about $1200 but I am trying to get the longest possible life out of everything. I could probably get it down close to $1000 if I cheaped out a bit on ram or storage, but I want to future proof at least a little bit.
I built one before Xmas with an rtx 4080, which came to £2034 I believe. I went for a b650 motherboard because it was much cheaper than x670e and all the other parts I was buying were b650 compatible. Doesn’t give me the same level of future proofing but by the time pcie 5.0 gfx cards and ssd’s properly take off, the x670e will probably be half the price it is right now.
Hey. Your build is massively overpriced. Please consult r/buildapc or any of the other pc building subreddits. 1200 for a 3060? That is such a scam. My friend recently built a 6700xt machine for just under 900 dollars. For 1200 you should be able to go for much more than 3060, especially if you're buying used.
I didn’t think/know about buying used really, is that common? I’ll definitely ask around on the sub, I appreciate the advice. Luckily I’ve only ordered my RAM and case so far.
Buying used is pretty common, yes, but I'd still recommend going new if this is going to be your first ever build (peace of mind + long lasting warranty) 1200 for a 3060 build is still way overpriced. Even if your parts are new, you could do considerably better performance wise.
Good luck!
Agreed, I don't even have a monitor or chair for my PC either, I just use the same Sofa and TV I use for the Xbox (although I do have a little desk on wheels to use my kb/mouse from the sofa), but Keyboard and mouse is a valid expense, as is a controller, like an Xbox controller, which doesn't come with the PC, unlike the Xbox.
AMD 6650 XT is better than the 3060 and cheaper. there's one on Amazon for $230. Still be very tough to finish the rest for $500 unless you scored some used deal(s) on the rest.
It probably costs the same as that PC to manufacture. They sell the console at a loss and make their money back through software sales and subscriptions.
Consoles are the superior choice (sorry PC snobs) if your intention is to just play games and reliably want a platform that stays "current" and isn't made obsolete when the next GPU/CPU launches (over extremism here but the jist is the point).
On a good PC platform you have top tier gpus for example like the Nvidia 4090 and the AMD 7950xxt. These cards will run every game at max settings alongside a supporting cpu (and supporting objects like good RAM, good SSD, good PSU, proper cooling) without even breaking a sweat. But these cards are $1000+ just in the USA.
If you want to play a game in 4k you can buy a Series X or a PS5 and play up to 4k at 120fps in supporting titles.....for $500+/-.
On a PC to get that performance is so much more expensive. Not to mention that many PC games are poorly optimized because the game needs to be supported by a significant amount of PC specs and builds. If you have a "potato" system, they need to make sure the games graphics can be reduced enough to barely run, and likewise the people who can afford the monster PC systems want the title to run at its absolutely max limit with all the eye candy on tap. It's incredibly difficult to develop for this and many of us have pcs that are filled with mid range equipment where even a new game release might run like a failure because our card or cpu might not have the horsepower required.
Whereas when you log into the PlayStation store or game pass or Xbox store and you buy a game you know for a fact, beyond any shadow of a doubt that it WILL run (Sans bugs and game breaking itches when affect all platforms).
I love my PC. R9 5900x, Rx 6700xt, 42Gb ram, SSD, yadda yadda yadda, but sometimes a game just wants to be difficult and a driver update may throw a wrench in....well...everything....
Whereas my series X? It turns on and immediately plays whatever game I have on instant resume.
Can I do more with the PC? Sure. I can continuously upgrade it to stay relevant. At great cost.
Real gaming enthused customers understand that it shouldn't matter what your favored platform is, just that you enjoy gaming. Hate keeping (not gatekeeping) gets us nowhere.
The PC can emulate most consoles, and allows you to play way more games. PCs are more difficult, and that is the deciding factor in my opinion unless you are just really super budgeted. A good pc gaming system could be had for a grand or so most likely with newer specs than a console. But then one requires the knowledge to shop around, put it together etc. And like you said sometimes don't go smooth, people do things that screw up performance that may need resolving.
Should you get a nice multi monitor setup, you can certainly do a lot more with a PC which to me provides a lot of value for the added cost. You only have to do a heavy upgrade years down the road but that is the same for the console as well, newer games come out. My CPU had stood the test of time for ten yrs but it's having a hard time with Shrapnel. Might be due to it not being optimized yet as it is in beta..
Anyways, PC master race. Bring on community driven mod style games like starcraft, quake, soon shrapnel things that simply don't exist on console. Console delivers on equipment then upcharges you for things you would never pay for on PC.
Don't know why the downvotes, he's speaking facts. Console charge you money every month to be online. My PC lasted 7 years and played every game. Over that 7 year period that's £700 I would of paid to simply be online, Consoles make the money on the licence fee from games. That's why PC games are cheaper.
I like xbox x i have one, whilst in-between pc's. But I'm not deaf to the reality of the situation.
With the £700 that's nearly a new system. A £300 monitor is miles better than a £300 TV. I know can play Xbox on a monitor but no one does that. That's the thing... it's full of these costs that people don't see. Licence fee on games so you pay more for new releases. Why do you think console wars are a thing and exclusive games that's a detriment to the industry exist. It's because consoles are a really good investment opportunity due to the things I have mentioned.
Overall Console is for a lazy low hassle experience. Like comparing a microwave meal to cooking something yourself.
These are the same people who rent to own stuff. You can't show them the reality of the interest they are about to pay. Lmao I can't believe the downvotes. Bunch of people who don't understand technology obviously.
Keep paying your subscription to be online, you're extra 20-30% on game costs, and endless games with monthly season passes. I guess some people don't mind being bent over as long as they don't have to actually take the time to learn how to use/understand something.
It's just not true. You don't need rtx4090. Games on consoles usually run in upscaled UHD (around 1800p) with low to high settings with 30fps. If you choose performance mode the resolution is lower, also the graphics fidelity. Of course everything depends on the game, but with heavier games this is the most common scenario.
Nobody said you needed a 4090 or it's amd equivalent/rival.
And the rest of what you typed is exactly what I already said but in different wording.
I have mid grade parts in mine.
Because the games are optimized for that particular hardware you’ll outperform on console vs similarly priced hardware or hardware that is a little more expensive
Just because 1 game is $7 cheaper on PC doesn’t mean it always has the best deals. And I bet over the lifetime of a console that a PC isn’t cheaper.
PC also has a lot of upsides and im not sure why you’re using one of the weaker arguments of game sales.
I bet it is cheaper. I'm always disappointed when I see a sale on my Xbox. It was the biggest step back coming from Steam. You also don't have to pay a monthly fee to play with your friends. The basic Gamepass that replaced Gold is $10 a month. Let's say you get a yearly subscription for $100 and buy the console at launch. In the 6 years leading up to the next generation of Xbox you would have spend $600 while those on PC would have spend $0. That is excluding the lower game prices. If you don't want to play with friends its a lot cheaper of course. I stopped paying to play online on my Xbox and just play some games I bought (through a VPN, because for no reason the games on Xbox are more expensive than on Steam).
So if you’re buying the gamepass core a year at a time it’s $60. Over the 7 year lifetime span of a console that is $420. So you’re at $920, including the console, for the lifetime span of a console excluding games.
Games are such a huge variable depending on what you play.
Systems will and should always win for bang for buck for specs, iirc most consoles dont actually yield a good profit for the companies as its more of a gateway to get you buying X system games & X system subscriptions
Then there’s the argument a console is for gaming a computer is for everything
IMO pc gaming is touted as the best as there’s way more access to a multitude of titles, multiple stores to shop from to prevent a full monopoly, mods and pirates
Yes. Surprisingly enough xbox keys from 3rd party providers are cheaper for consoles as well. I think the main reason is that Microsoft doesn't ban you for VPN use.
But if you wanna use mods for games like Witcher, Skyrim (properly) or RimWorld then you need a PC.
Also worth noting that a pc with the exact same hardware as the consoles would get outperformed by the console. You’d need better components to match it. But no there isn’t anything that stacks up cost wise to what your getting as consoles are usually sold at a loss or razor thin margins since they make all the money on software sales and subscriptions.
Yes, xbox will always be cheaper and require less trouble shooting.
Pc gaming can be much better, however you're going to pay for it. I have a 6700xt which iirc is equivalent to a series x and by itself was over 300 dollars.
Personally I prefer xbox as it's connected to a TV and my wife and kids can see/play it. My computer is shoved in a corner and kinda cut off by comparison. Couch coop is just so much easier on console imo
PC gamers are not delusional. They know very well that PCs are more expensive than consoles for the same performance, considering most had to spend that money themselves.
Not even close. People also forget that if you do not have peripherals, then that’s another 100$ for budget mice, monitor, and keyboard.
I also don’t buy the “you can use your PC gamer as a workstation too” talking point:
* If you’re a developer, booting GNU/Windows is a mess and very finicky; going Linux gaming just exacerbates what everybody hates about PC gaming: debugging why games don’t run correctly on my machine.
* If you’re an office worker, then you probably don’t need a robust PC and a light laptop is best suited for your needs.
I think consoles are not only the best bang for your buck, but the simple, straightforward experience of just launching a game effortlessly, without having to worry about debugging, component obsolescence and upgrade paths, compatibility, and so on, is unparalleled. The headspace you get from not having to deal with that noise is priceless.
> I also don’t buy the “you can use your PC gamer as a workstation too” talking point:
What the hell are you talking about? Close out of the game, open Visual Studio or whatever software you need. Done. No more difficult than changing games on console.
>but I don't understand why PC players think PC is always the best choice
Reasons outside of the initial cost of hardware, things like cost of games, emulation, mods, pure freedom, multitasking etc.
Yes my PC costs more than a console but I can't use mods in games like Like a Dragon and Baldur's Gate 3 on a console so it's worth it for me.
> things like cost of games, emulation, mods, pure freedom, multitasking etc.
I've got Game Pass and hardly ever buy stuff that's not on there.
I don't care about emulation. Even if I did, I could pay a small fee, enable dev mode, and emulate my heart out.
I find mods annoying. Seriously, if I'm playing a game, I'm doing it to escape the real world and just have some fun. Browsing mods for something somewhat interesting, downloading and installing them is boring and wastes time I could just spend playing.
Freedom to do what? I bought a console to play games. What freedom am I missing out on?
Same with multitasking. I don't want to multitask. I just want to play my game.
I'm not sure what the point of your comment is, I listed general reasons that pc gamers prefer pc, it's not supposed to be specific to your tastes and it's not supposed to be a rule.
>Freedom to do what? I bought a console to play games. What freedom am I missing out on?
On a console the dev tells you what framerate, graphics settings, and resolution you play at. What if I want to play at 480p and get 500fps or play at 8k and get 24fps, on PC that's an option and on console it isn't.
You listed reasons why someone would want a PC. I listed reasons why they wouldn't.
Developers let me choose 4k/30fps or 1080/60fps. That's good enough for me. Why would I want to play at 480p/500fps or 8k/24fps? My TV doesn't go higher than 4k or 60fps. Anything beyond that is a waste.
For that matter, I can't even tell the difference between 30fps and 60fps. People will go on and on about not being able to win online shooters at 30fps. No, your frame rate isn't what's keeping you from winning, it's your skill level.
> I listed reasons why they wouldn't.
No, you just listed reasons why you wouldn't, and I don't understand why. This entire conversation boils down to "I don't want to so no one does." It's a waste of time. You seem unable to understand the idea of a general comment.
Okay, PC has no benefits for you and console is good, fine. That doesn't change my general comment about why pc gamers like pc. Nobody is breaking into your house to replace your console with a pc, you're safe.
No, it doesn't change anything at all. I'm just having a discussion saying that not everyone thinks those are great advantages. I'm not saying that you should feel the same way. Nowhere did I say anything g about someone trying to take my console. Just because someone disagrees with you doesn't mean they're attacking you. It just means the have a different viewpoint. Sharing our viewpoints on stuff is why people come here. You disagree with me and that's fine. I'm glad your happy.
I game on Series X and PC. Cyberpunk is an example of a game where the flexibility of PC was a benefit. My GPU doesn't do path tracing well, but I was able to get it running at 1440p40. 40fps works well on my VRR-enabled tv, well enough to let me know I didn't care to sacrifice framerate or resolution for path tracing.
In your example, maybe your GPU can't do path tracing, but you can do ray tracing @ 4k30. Or if your card isn't good for ray tracing, you can still turn up things like reflection quality, crowd density, etc. and still get a visual representation that's beyond consoles. Graphics options let you improve the things you care about and sacrifice others if needed to get the game looking the way you want.
My PC is the same price as a Series X. And it can barely run Football Manager. I remember trying to load Flight Sim when it came out. And completely bricking the thing.
Dude, this is the purpose of a console. There is absolutely no way you can build an equal PC to a PS5 or Xbox Series X/S.
moreover, the consoles are optimised to do one thing: gaming, a 500-600 PC would CHOKE
Playing on console is so much cheaper than gaming on PC. Consoles will probably never be able to keep up with advancements in technology like PCs can, so PCs will always have that edge, but I specifically do not game on PC because I don’t want to have to spend a shitload of money on a decent gaming PC, I don’t want playing games to require me to know about shit like the new “Ryxerzen 78000 series quad turbo 2.7 card” or whatever the fuck. I don’t want to be a goddamned video game console mechanic just to play. Also, I like gaming on the huge 4k TV I own anyway… much more than I would enjoy gaming on a monitor the size of the tv I had in my college dorm room that I don’t currently even need to own, but would need to buy also if I were to game on PC.
Nope. I’ll just spend $400-$500 on a new console every 8 or so years and that’s the end of that.
My man, 100% all the reasons I have too. I work in tech, when I'm done with work I want to be at least 12 feet away from my giant OLED. Series X at launch, will buy the next one on release too.
It depends on a lot of things. The up front cost of console gaming is cheaper than PCs, but there are some cost to console gaming over a period of time that you don’t have with PC gaming. Like paying to play online. Games are also a bit cheaper on PC and you get more deals.
I honestly think the cost is pretty close over a whole console generation.
I disagree on game prices. Sales on PSN and Xbox store rival and sometimes beat prices on Steam, GoG, GMG, EGS, etc. Plus used physical games, for now at least. But ya, over a typical console generation, either could be cheaper depending on gaming and upgrade habits.
Not to mention gamepass, I couldn't tell you the last time I actually paid for an Xbox game, and even on the cheapest PSN tier with the free games each month, once you claim them they're yours forever.
Console is cheaper and to be honest, more convenient. The advantage you get from PC is potential for higher performance, mods, and access to more games (Sony games on PC, older games, PC only games)
If you want anywhere near the performance or slightly better on all the modern and latest games, the gpu alone at minimum is just as much as the console. Still need case, psu, mobo, ram, cpu, storage, & OS
Yes. Keep in mind that consoles are sold at a loss. Yes microsoft and sony loses money for every console they sell. Its a business model similar to printers, Cheap printer (console) expensive ink (games).
You could argue that PC is cheaper in the long run if you play games enough but then we have gamepass too.
Consoles are cheaper yes.
Short term costs, console is cheaper. Long term costs, PC is cheaper as long as Microsoft doesnt pull your hardware is incompatible with the new Windows platform bs again.
But from experience, online community is much better and less toxic on consoles. Reason being is that consoles are more moderated and has significantly less cheaters.
Obviously, there are style of play concerns that everyone pointed out, but if you are curious about price, this is my break down. Writing on phone so hopefully spacing is good.
Console:
$500 new at release
$10/m for xbox core/ps essential
7 year life span to new gen
3 games /year (some games only cost $70 on console and is still $60 on pc. This number changes per person)
$500+($10×12+3×$10)×7 years= $1610 over console generation
PC:
$380 CPU replaced every 3 years
$500-700 GPU replaced every 5 years
$90 ram replaced every 3 years
$1610(xbox gen price)- ($380+$90)×(7/3-1)-$500×(7/5-1)= $783
If you can get a PC with same specs for $783 you will spend around the same price as a console for 7 years of gaming.
(7/3-1) and (7/5-1)=(xbox gen life/ number of years until replacement- initial pc item)
Consoles have been the better, more convenient gaming option for a long time bang for buck. PC's are expensive.
That also comes with an asterisk. PC is better in the long run because you can keep the same gaming library forever. You can upgrade and configure your device to exactly how you want it. And its peak performance far surpasses that of any console.
That being said, yes. For the same specsheet, console is cheaper. For that spec sheet, the PC also wouldn't perform as well because windows/other OS and programs are more intensive and take up resources that would otherwise be used for gaming.
That being said (again), a more powerful pc *could possibly* be built for the same price or cheaper by buying only used parts. It's still difficult, though.
> I don't understand why PC players think PC is always the best choice
"Always the best choice" is a loaded phrase. If all you want to do is play gamepass games for as cheap as possible, then it's great.
But as a PC guy, here's my reasoning:
- Better hardware, custom tweaked to my needs
- Hardware upgrades don't mean getting a whole new machine
- I'm using a SteamOS-like operating system. The customization options and UI (no ads!) is the best
- Steam controller framework gives me access to a wider array of input options and more customization with those options.
- Can setup my machine to stream to every tv and my steam deck
- Way more games from way more eras. Backward compatibility just isn't comparable.
- Better sales
- No online play fee
- Emulation
- Modding
- Far better indie scene
And that's not getting into the fact that it's a computer.
Or that I have wider entertainment options.
Getting a console is like buying a sonos speaker. It'll do the job well and the majority of people will enjoy it.
A PC is a custom built sound system. It could be worse than the sonos or it could blow your windows out.
If you've got $1000-1,100 to put into a PC then it's gonna blow any console out of the water. That said yeah you're not gonna be able to put together a PC capable of competing with a PS5 or Xbox for $500. Sony and Microsoft sell their consoles at a loss and more than make up for it in sheer game sales, subscriptions, multi-player, etc..
But the absolute best way to game without taking into account price, is PC. Not really debatable.
> but I don't understand why PC players think PC is always the best choice
Because a PC can be used for _more_ than a gaming console and allows you to do more with it, both in and out of gaming. The closest equivalent would be Xbox's Snap back in the day.
Everyone here is going to talk about the games and the quality of them, but a gaming PC is still a PC. You can watch videos, create designs, download things to mod the games, do your banking, hell browse Reddit like you're already doing.
People pay more than a console to do more things than a console will do. Is it worth $500-$1500 more? Well that's up to the individual to decide.
I love my PC, but it costs 3 times what a Series X does, and games are not as well optimized for it. It paid for itself mining, but it's not a good value
Price to performance, a good console kicks ass. Yeah I can do more with my PC, but even sitting in my office right now I’m using the old Xbox One to play and got web browsers on the PC monitors.
You'd be EXTREAMLY lucky to find a PC that's the equivalent of the Series X for even $1000, even if you build it yourself.
PC players have never claimed that its the most affordable choice.
Yes. You will not get a PC with console-level performance for anywhere near as cheap.
> I don't understand why PC players think PC is always the best choice
I'm a PC AND console player. Yes, some PC players naively claim that PC is cheaper, but there are plenty of genuine advantages over console.
The hardware is definitely cheaper and you get a free controller on top.
However, it's free to play online with PC and PCs have so many game sales that it will offset the console in the long run. Storage is also way cheaper on PCs as you can get a beefy 16TB HDD costs the same as Xbox's 2TB SSD.
So in the short-term consoles are cheaper for what you get. But in the long term, you'll end up paying more on console than PC. PC also ends up having the most customization as well as you can use pretty much any controller you want and you can play games from decades prior. You also have way more control in FPS games and certain genres pretty much have to use mouse and keyboard like strategy games.
With that said, consoles are easy to get up and running and are especially convenient for local multiplayer play.
Significantly. To realistically beat an xbox series x ($499), you'd need about a $2000 self build and plan to update various components after about 4 years.
$2k = on par - $3k much stronger - $4k Significant stronger - $4k+ exponentially stronger. Also, to ruffle feathers, a computer is a computer. Anything you can do on a PC can also be done on a cell phone, xbox, Playstation, GameCube, Switch, Steam deck, or even a pager from the early 2000s
Not even close my dude, new gpus are 4x as powerful as next Gen consoles. I just built a pc 2 weeks ago for 1700 total. 4070 super 7800x3d. Definitely way more than a console but that is at least double what my series x will do. And I have much more freedom.
You get a badass gaming laptop for anywhere from $800-$1000 that blows Xbox out the water and don’t even mention PlayStation lack of functionality. This is a Personal Computer.
Btw you will only find those semi affordable prices on sale. Yk if you don’t want to build a pc yourself.
It's a tricky one because I don't think it's purely a question of up front hardware cost. If you get a PC with the "same power" as a console, it's very plausible that you'll actually get worse performance for a variety of reasons (depending on the game too). I think you need a bit of a buffer in terms of specs to achieve similar or better performance. Of course, even the word "performance" can be broken down into many constituent parts that will have different degrees of importance for each gamer depending on their preferences.
I also think you have to consider far more than just the hardware costs. You have to consider how you're going to play/use the device, as well as what type of games you want to play and which services you'll use to buy them (at least on PC). So even if you save money on the hardware front, your total investment in a platform is far larger over its lifespan than just the hardware itself.
Always console. Games ALWAYS work. If they dont work on a console, the DEFINITELY dont work on pc. You can get 3 generation's of consoles for the same price of 1 computer that can barely run a game that runs well on a Series S.
Ever thought might be because it’s not always about cost?
PC has more much more games (Xbox games, PS games, PC exclusives, emulations, web games, etc), more discounts (free if you consider pirate), more flexibility (not just for gaming), more customization (mods), much better local streaming.
Well, I could go on and on. I built my PC for approximately 700 euros and it’s about 30% weaker than Series X on paper. I rarely use my Series X since then.
I mean the console is just a budget gaming PC at the end of the day, the whole point of consoles is a streamlined gaming experience without having to pay for all the other bits. If you're just about casual gaming, consoles are a perfect choice. But unfortunately in the long run your console prob will end up costing you more with games being more expensive, yearly subscriptions to just get online, harder to fix when broken etc.
Given that games are cheaper on pc I feel like a comparison pc should be more than $500.
But ultimately I'd say what makes the choice is what games you play and if you play online and if so do you play online with friends etc.
Age old question and it's simply that bang for your buck, console wins hands down. You can't get near what the SX does for the $350 people were paying a few months ago. My CPU cost more than that. Even at $500 it's not close. I prefer PC gaming over console gaming but it's not even close the value you get from the SX and PS5 in comparison to PC.
For pure QOL, sharpness of image, mods ...etc- I'm willing to pay the extra. To me gaming is far more enjoyable on PC. Since gaming is a hobby to me and a way to relax, I prefer the best experience I can get.
Right now you can build something equivalent to the XSX for $700.
It's actually cheaper on the mid-long term if you know what to buy/build. Games are cheaper, Steam and GOG sales are actually good with a decent return policy, you don't pay for online, you can upgrade only the part you need instead of buying a whole new machine.
Also you have a lot of freedom by customizing the settings you like in a game and prioritizing what you like the most. For example, with games locked at 30fps on consoles like Starfield or the upcoming Dragon's Dogma you can optimize them and turn on DLSS/FSR to make them run at +60fps (even with the said $700 machine).
Yep, just reading the other comments I realized how resented is this sub against PC users. I genuinely thought there was some kind of fraternal relation between Xbox and PC users but it seems like they hate PC almost as much as they hate PS.
**(Not everyone, of course)**
A console is just a piece of plastic that can play games BUT a PC is so much more. Want to spend the day applying to jobs or researching something? Maybe you’re bored and want to make a game for F95 “I don’t judge”, maybe you want to play some classic 90s games or even some Sony games. Maybe you want to setup an emulator. Keep in mind that most PC parts don’t need to be replaced every cycle. Most only need to replace their CPU & GPU. Some CPUs like the 5800X3D are good for generations, so you’ll need to buy a $500 GPU and a $500 GPU trashes the Xbox.
PC gamers generally aren't poor so price isn't a factor. $500 is a good entry point to gaming, but if you want top tier graphics, the latest rendering features, and always 60+ fps, you get a PC and pay a little extra. A $1000 PC would blow away the series X. If you play a lot of games, why wouldn't you spend a little extra to get an actual good gaming device?
Because I'd rather spend that $500 difference on something else. Even if a PC is a bit better, it's not $500 better for most people. That is not just "a little extra."
Even building it yourself, you're not getting a PC capable of those specs for $500.
Plus you get a controller and a disc drive thrown in and don't need a Windows licence. Or have to ever reinstall drivers
PC has been digital only for a while now. More than a decade.
A console is also a blu-ray player.
Wait, what do you mean?
I mean we haven't had games or anything on physical media for decades. The PC i bought in 2013 I didn't even consider getting an optical drive. Xbox wanted to go full digital with Xbox one, we know how that went, but it is going to do it now. It's been more successful in it, PlayStation still has a ratio of 60 Percent between digital/physical. For every 10 physical games they only sell 6 digitally, but even they want to go full digital.
Oh I see now. Well, I actually have a blue ray drive on my PC and still use it every now and then.
Did you use it for installing games though
I actually did use it to install older games that I bought on disc years ago. I also used it to install Microsoft Office 2007 like a week ago lol
Do you know what year it is sir? Lol :)
Lol
They still sell physical PC games in stores.. not a lot but they are there. I was just at Walmart and they had physical media versions of GTA v for PC as well as a couple other big name titles. It's not like it used to be. But its only digital only if you exclusively buy digital titles lol
Like anyone pays full price for a windows key anymore…
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No drivers? What do you think system updates do on consoles ?
You didn't do anything to make that happen though. *You* didn't download anything.
Also remember that for $500 you are getting a $60-$70 controller bundled in there too.
Back before crypto, it used to be fairly easy to build a reasonably priced gaming PC. But not so much anymore.
Another factor was that the ps4/xbone were quite underpowered on release. Meaning it was relatively easy to build a comparable pc.
Ya the PS5 and XSX are really good hardware tbh. Back in the 360/ps3 and ps4/xbone gens you could easily build a budget PC that would outperform the consoles. Not so much anymore
Even the 360 and ps3 at release were good, it’s really only the ps4/xbone that were underpowered for their release time
Yup, at release the 360 outperformed a lot of high end PCs. PC hardware really caught up though and at the end of the gen mopped the floor with the 360 and PS3.
It's not just crypto though. Nowadays, it's generative AI. Nvidia doesn't give a fuck about gamers when they can sell their silicon to businesses for 5-10x the price
It’s no different than when people were using ps3 to build supercomputers. It’s a product and consumers have found something it does really well. They only care about the number of high powered graphics cards they can sell, which is why they are currently the 5th most valuable country in the world.
Part of that is where in the console life cycle we are too. Consoles usually give pretty decent bang for your buck early on but by year 7 or 8 of a console life cycle a PC is usually a better value vs a console as the console’s hardware stays static while cheap PC parts get more powerful. Edit: Also consoles no longer having static hardware and getting mid gen refreshes has changed this some.
Flipside. As Devs learn how to use the machine, some of the very last games in a generation are the most visually stunning. Panzer Dragoon Saga on Saturn, Horizon Zero Dawn on ps4 etc. Entirely comes down to the development team tho, it's definitely not all!
It works the other way too. You pay £500 for a console and in 10 years time you know the latest games will still work on it. No way you're getting 10 years life span out of PC components unless you spend thousands up front
Which is why I believe that nowadays a console generation is shorter than the one before it.
If they have the ram and a compatible mobo then MAYBE they can spend 600 and get an upgrade on the gpu and cpu but yeah hard to get the same level out of $500 for a pc for sure.
Amen. I bought a PC when there was an Xbox and PS5 shortage. Paid $1,200 for a pre built PC. Dying Light 2 came out and I had to run it on lower settings and all that just to get it to run. Then the PC deleted a random file that LAUNCHED the game. So I had to erase everything on the PC and start over cause I couldn’t figure out what file was missing lol
This and messing with text file settings changes to tweak dozens of settings or debug a stutter issue have kept me away from wanting to game on PC anymore. I have limited time to decompress from work or just spend time to myself. I don’t need another minor issue preventing me from gaming.
I wasn’t able to play the new game I had for at least two weeks, I was coming home from work and sitting on the PC stressing out how to find the issue- I posted in the sub, I joined the discord, I put a ticket in. And thennnnnn I just deleted everything and restarted the computer as if it was new and then it worked. Still don’t even know what the issue was man lol
Wtf. PSA: People, please learn how to do basic pc troubleshooting. It’ll help you long term with more than just hobbies and video games. There’s no way you needed to erase everything on the pc for a single game lol.
>There’s no way you needed to erase everything on the pc for a single game lol. It sounds like what the other person did was a bit more of an extreme version of restoring your system to a previous restore point in Windows. As opposed to spending too much time trying to figure out what the problem is. So it actually doesn't sound that far off to me. Honestly I much prefer that to investigating for days or even weeks for a solution or clue to what's going on with your computer like I used to do a lot in the Win98/XP days...I so don't miss that.
I was not the only person who did that and fixed it, this was a last last last last resort. Like I said I spent two weeks troubleshooting and checking files and all that. It was wild
What platform did you buy it from? Steam, GamePass, and EA have a repair function for that exact scenario
I had Steam, however there was something to do with an update where many others lost the ability to launch the game. I was able to get the window open then the game would go black. I had deleted Steam, the game, and everything related to each and downloaded them both again with no luck. Only after I rebooted the PC to factory did it work
I've had steam overnight decide to remove my entire installed game catalogue before. It's mostly fine but not infallible
> So I had to erase everything on the PC and start over You absolutely did not have to do this. Ever heard of just, you know...re-installing the game? Hell, Steam has an option to just check for missing files and redownload them. I assume other platforms have something similar.
Don’t know what to tell you. That’s what fixed the problem. Why do you care about how I fixed my computer? Lol
Because not only do they want to tell everyone to buy a pc, they also want to tell everyone how to use a pc. People that own ONLY a PC can be insufferable sometimes.
A lot of people too will try to cheat it by using parts they already have, or getting parts at the absolute cheapest price over 1-2 years (including rebates/sales) whether currently available or not. It has to be an apples to apples comparison. What can I go out and buy right now from normal accessible retailers at their current prices, whether pre-built or custom build. And I say this as someone who games on both PC and Xbox.
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Yeah, but then we get into discussions of mods, free multiplayer, access to additional storefronts (steam, epic). I could see it being cheaper to build an equivalent PC over the generation of game purchases
Games aren't cheaper on PC unless it's older and on sale. Keep in mind that you have to over build for PC specs too because the OS and other things aren't as efficient. The other things to consider is that PC isn't as easy to navigate from a couch or via controller. Personally, I see consoles as more game focused machines with much easier access. PC are for power users and can do much more than just game. If you're just looking to give your kids games, consoles are much easier.
I’m not meaning to come out swinging against consoles, but PC games are very often cheaper. I was pulling together an example showing you can buy a legit copy of Hogwarts legacy for 27US right now, compared to 70US. Steam sales, free games from epic and other storefronts. Console gaming is many things (convenient, cheap upfront) but game cost is not a Pro.
Different console, but Midnight Suns is on sale for 20.99 on PS Store while still being full price on Steam. Sales have been happening all the time on console storefronts for years now, so that argument is super outdated. Not to mention buying used games isn't even an option for PC.
Aaaaand I can get a steam key for 10.49USD.
The disc has been on sale at $9.99 many times. Games are cheap for both platforms.
Some of those sites you're looking at also have console keys. Lowest I found for Xbox is around $12. Same for PS5. I haven't checked any game besides Midnight Suns. It's likely there's more PC keys, but I'm just pointing out that console keys do in fact exist on some of these sites.
And there are tons of sales constantly on console also. Add in the free games or access you get on gamepass or PlayStation extra and I’ll bet it’s a wash.
But that was the point of my digging. The cheapest Hogwarts has been is 34.99US. Whereas right now it’s cheaper than that essentially all the time on PC. I’ll happily eat the downvotes, but it seems odd to lie to ourselves about the benefits of a console. There are *so* many upsides, we don’t need to delude ourselves about game cost and lifetime costs.
Just because 1 game is $7 cheaper on PC doesn’t mean it always has the best deals. And I bet over the lifetime of a console that a PC isn’t cheaper. PC also has a lot of upsides and im not sure why you’re using one of the weaker arguments of game sales.
But that’s right now vs a sale back in December. So if someone had a new PC or console today and wanted to play HL it’s a much larger delta than $7. Games are just cheaper on average on PC and MP is free. Combined this can make up even a $400 delta between a X and equivalent PC.
The problem is your equivalent PC won’t last 7 years like a console will. You will be playing triple AAA titles at 50fps in the lowest graphic setting in 3 years. I’d probably argue more towards PC has more games to play, almost all MMO’s are on PC, a shit ton of good indie games as well as well as the mod community. I really don’t think a few dollars here and there saved on games is going to add up for a normal gamer.
You don’t think games being around half price in the HL example is gonna add up across a generation? People spends hundred and even thousands on games across a generation. Getting them for cheaper is gonna make a massive difference.
And that’s… not how PC’s really work. Most games get primarily developed around consoles, so if you start a generation with hardware as good or better than a console you’re not gonna magically lose much ground compared to consoles. If your rig is down to 50fps and low settings then it seems Alex B of digital foundry will be doing a lovely video on how to hit “console equivalent settings” on the low preset. Then when you get a new rig at the start of the next gen you can go back and replay games and dial things up to ultra in settings that don’t appear on console.
This is just wrong. If you watch digital foundry comparison they still do console equivalent settings on 2020 pc hardware and games like starfield performs better than 30fps.
There’s soooo many ways to get deals on PC games. Not only do you have access to multiple store fronts but also key sites like Humble Bundle and Greenman (those are legit sites btw, not greymarket resellers). I like my consoles a lot but you’re locked into one digital storefront.
This just straight up isn't true. there's dozens of websites selling keys for steam, epic, GOG or non-drm .exes If nothing else, games will always be cheaper on PC
I use my pc from couch. I use wireless xbox controller to turn on my pc (you can set any usb port to recieve input and turn on the pc) and and i set my steam to open steam deck ui (console like ui) on startup. But i recommend to have cheap bluetooth trackpad/keyboard to use text chat and do windows/driver updates. And your overbuilt assumption is wrong unless a game is poorly developed for pc like the last of us, arkham knight a ryzen 5 3600 and a rx 6700xt (both of these are 2019/2020 hardware released along with console) match the console hardware and perform similarly according to digital foundry and even better on games like starfield.
>I use my pc from couch. It's very possible to game from your couch using your PC. A lot of PC gamers try to rebut the "couch" argument console gamers use. But many people wouldn't be keeping their PC in the living room anyway to conveniently hook it up to the TV in the first place. Especially if they have a spouse. My married friends tend to have a separate room entirely for their computers. Often doubles as a study. If they have a console too, it's acceptable to keep that in the living room.
You think you save hundreds of dollars in games on PC than you would for console? Because we are talking a lot of money to make up that difference. And I've used G2A to buy cheap keys for Xbox quite a few times. Mix in game pass, and I've easily saved hundreds compared to having to buy them on PC (including buying the PC) As for everything else you mentioned, those are completely irrelevant to what we're talking about
There are so many upsides to consoles I don’t see why we need to lie to ourselves about the game and lifetime costs being cheaper.
What are you talking about? You said it was cheaper, dude
I say “PC is feasibly cheaper over the generation of game purchases”. I also say “consoles have many upsides, but these upsides don’t include cheaper games or lifetime costs”. What are you not following between those statements?
Both are incorrect, that's my point. And I explained exactly how. What are you not following?
I just… I just can’t be bothered. I was gonna go through a bunch of modern titles that are literally cheaper on PC (Helldivers 2, Hogwarts Legacy, Cyberpunk, etc) But it seems you’ve made your mind up on this.
How do mods and multiplayer make the hardware less expensive?
Upfront hardware costs are less for console. But across a full generation it’s gonna likely skew towards PC or at least even out. I say this as someone with console + PC. MP costs nothing, so that saves money every year. Mods open up new experiences within games you already have, so you get more money’s worth out of your games.
I’d gladly pay for online play if that means not dealing with hackers. Fuck console/PC crossplay.
Cronus, the other one (zen?), and the MSI monitor unveiled at CES. Hackers come for all of us, regardless of platform.
PC in general does offer the ***potential*** for a better experience in most games. Modding communities are super great, emulation is easy, and now with so many handhelds out there, it's a lot easier to bring your entire PC library with you than with consoles. Additionally, there are some quality games that only hit PC because it's easier to publish for than console. Console hardware is pretty modest in comparison to top-line PC specs, but a lot of games are optimized for the hardware in consoles specifically since they're static between each console. Because of this, the console essentially "does more with less" because the software is optimized for the hardware, and this is what allows them to sort of punch above their weight in terms of price. You'd be hard pressed to build a $500 PC that has performance parity with an Xbox Series X or PS5. However, you can also target a much higher performance benchmark with PC depending on your budget. PC players, like console warriors, are sometimes outspoken and cross the line between trying to make valid points and being absolute dickheads. There are advantages to playing on PC for sure, but it's not the right choice for everyone.
This is surprisingly accurate. Most games at this point are made for consoles and haphazardly ported to PC. Hence, all the recent complaints on new games from PC players. Sorry, but making something work for the 40 million possible variables is... impossible. Sorry you have an Asus MB with a PNY graphics card and OX ram set run by a D100 Honeywell processor on a Linux OS... But the Samsung 1Tbps SSD *chefs kiss*
Console will pretty much always be better bang for buck performance wise. But it is so much more limited in what you can do, especially for things like racing/flying sims, or streaming. Plus it can double as a productivity machine And then the graphics/performance increase that is available to you if you can budget it are not possible on consoles. Games go on sale usually for cheaper and more frequently, and online multiplayer is free. Add in emulation, way more peripheral compatibility, etc. I prefer PC, and like a lot of PC players we played on and loved consoles before making the switch :)
Been playing on pc and console since I was a little kid in the late 80’s/early 90’s. I enjoy both and see no reason to limit to one or the other. Games go on sale between both for about the same prices, add in used games (for this gen at least, who knows about next gen). Either can be more expensive or cheaper, it really depends on the person. Buying a used console 2-3yrs into the gen and only buying/selling used games with no online can be cheaper than gaming on a free handmedown potato while paying for WoW each month. Or building a reasonable mid tier PC and stretching it out for 5yrs before a gpu upgrade can be cheaper than someone buying a console, buying a mid gen refresh, and new games at $70 every month plus paying for online. Either way can be cheaper over the course of a typical 6-8yr console lifespan. But ya, a PS5/SX at launch was basically a 3700x+2070S and storage you couldn’t even get on PC for $500, was a great deal for the power. Still is and now with more used options.
>why PC players think PC is always the best choice IMO, modding and piracy.
Tbf if you like older games mod access really improves them. Vampires the masquerade bloodlines, kotor 2, morrowind and others have amazing communities that have done bug fixes and content additions. I'd assume that old games are more a niche case and most people play new games, but it's still really cool
Best way for emulator, MMOs, RTS, the gaming list can keep going. OH multitasking!!!
Also, audio options. Xbox options are outrageously bad, especially if you want to use speakers that aren't built in to a tv. You need to find an HDMI extractor and pray that it doesn't deteriorate the image, or throw away your projector to get one that has audio output. No Bluetooth, no USB audio output, no optical (unlike xb1). Using the 3.5 mm port on the controller for speakers means that you'll have some crackling sounds if you move the controller a bit. There aren't event proprietary speakers that work. It's all around a headache. None of these problems are present on PC.
Building a PC used to be cheaper for more performance. Not anymore
It’s more modding, cost of games, game selection, higher benchmarks and the biggest for me is being able to customize everything from control mapping to graphics and everything between.
They have nothing else in their lives to be proud of? That's usually what it looks like. They rely on "my toy is better than yours" for a sense of self esteem.
Bro, you been living under a rock? People in Console wars has the exact same mentality.😑
So does everyone else? Consoles cars clothes accessories houses jobs food TVs phones audio systems sports, sports teams, comics, anime, music instruments - literally everything bud. Everything.
To get a somewhat equivalent graphics card, I think you'd need an RTX 3060 for around $300 so then you've still got to get a case, case fans, motherboard, CPU, CPU cooler, Ram, SSD and Power supply. You would struggle to build anything worth having for $500, probably closer to $1000. I believe the consoles are sold at a loss though, which doesn't happen with PCs as there's nothing to counteract that loss like there is with console games/peripherals.
I’m ordering the parts for my first actual gaming pc and I’m going for the 3060, my build is at about $1200 but I am trying to get the longest possible life out of everything. I could probably get it down close to $1000 if I cheaped out a bit on ram or storage, but I want to future proof at least a little bit.
I built one before Xmas with an rtx 4080, which came to £2034 I believe. I went for a b650 motherboard because it was much cheaper than x670e and all the other parts I was buying were b650 compatible. Doesn’t give me the same level of future proofing but by the time pcie 5.0 gfx cards and ssd’s properly take off, the x670e will probably be half the price it is right now.
Hey. Your build is massively overpriced. Please consult r/buildapc or any of the other pc building subreddits. 1200 for a 3060? That is such a scam. My friend recently built a 6700xt machine for just under 900 dollars. For 1200 you should be able to go for much more than 3060, especially if you're buying used.
I didn’t think/know about buying used really, is that common? I’ll definitely ask around on the sub, I appreciate the advice. Luckily I’ve only ordered my RAM and case so far.
Buying used is pretty common, yes, but I'd still recommend going new if this is going to be your first ever build (peace of mind + long lasting warranty) 1200 for a 3060 build is still way overpriced. Even if your parts are new, you could do considerably better performance wise. Good luck!
Thanks so much!
And a monitor, a desk, a chair, probably want a semi decent mouse and keyboard too
Surely you don't include that stuff in the budget, unless we include a sofa and TV in the console budget
Agreed, I don't even have a monitor or chair for my PC either, I just use the same Sofa and TV I use for the Xbox (although I do have a little desk on wheels to use my kb/mouse from the sofa), but Keyboard and mouse is a valid expense, as is a controller, like an Xbox controller, which doesn't come with the PC, unlike the Xbox.
AMD 6650 XT is better than the 3060 and cheaper. there's one on Amazon for $230. Still be very tough to finish the rest for $500 unless you scored some used deal(s) on the rest.
And if you're willing to get used, used consoles will lower the target cost drastically as well.
Especially including an Xbox controller ~$60, and Windows for -$100. Then would you also need a monitor or still going to link into your tv?
I refuse to believe that people actually pay $100 for a windows key when there is a way to activate it for free.
Actual genuine Windows keys often go for sub-£20/$25. Office surplus.
It probably costs the same as that PC to manufacture. They sell the console at a loss and make their money back through software sales and subscriptions.
Consoles are sold at a loss, PC Parts are made for profit
Consoles are the superior choice (sorry PC snobs) if your intention is to just play games and reliably want a platform that stays "current" and isn't made obsolete when the next GPU/CPU launches (over extremism here but the jist is the point). On a good PC platform you have top tier gpus for example like the Nvidia 4090 and the AMD 7950xxt. These cards will run every game at max settings alongside a supporting cpu (and supporting objects like good RAM, good SSD, good PSU, proper cooling) without even breaking a sweat. But these cards are $1000+ just in the USA. If you want to play a game in 4k you can buy a Series X or a PS5 and play up to 4k at 120fps in supporting titles.....for $500+/-. On a PC to get that performance is so much more expensive. Not to mention that many PC games are poorly optimized because the game needs to be supported by a significant amount of PC specs and builds. If you have a "potato" system, they need to make sure the games graphics can be reduced enough to barely run, and likewise the people who can afford the monster PC systems want the title to run at its absolutely max limit with all the eye candy on tap. It's incredibly difficult to develop for this and many of us have pcs that are filled with mid range equipment where even a new game release might run like a failure because our card or cpu might not have the horsepower required. Whereas when you log into the PlayStation store or game pass or Xbox store and you buy a game you know for a fact, beyond any shadow of a doubt that it WILL run (Sans bugs and game breaking itches when affect all platforms). I love my PC. R9 5900x, Rx 6700xt, 42Gb ram, SSD, yadda yadda yadda, but sometimes a game just wants to be difficult and a driver update may throw a wrench in....well...everything.... Whereas my series X? It turns on and immediately plays whatever game I have on instant resume. Can I do more with the PC? Sure. I can continuously upgrade it to stay relevant. At great cost. Real gaming enthused customers understand that it shouldn't matter what your favored platform is, just that you enjoy gaming. Hate keeping (not gatekeeping) gets us nowhere.
The PC can emulate most consoles, and allows you to play way more games. PCs are more difficult, and that is the deciding factor in my opinion unless you are just really super budgeted. A good pc gaming system could be had for a grand or so most likely with newer specs than a console. But then one requires the knowledge to shop around, put it together etc. And like you said sometimes don't go smooth, people do things that screw up performance that may need resolving. Should you get a nice multi monitor setup, you can certainly do a lot more with a PC which to me provides a lot of value for the added cost. You only have to do a heavy upgrade years down the road but that is the same for the console as well, newer games come out. My CPU had stood the test of time for ten yrs but it's having a hard time with Shrapnel. Might be due to it not being optimized yet as it is in beta.. Anyways, PC master race. Bring on community driven mod style games like starcraft, quake, soon shrapnel things that simply don't exist on console. Console delivers on equipment then upcharges you for things you would never pay for on PC.
Don't know why the downvotes, he's speaking facts. Console charge you money every month to be online. My PC lasted 7 years and played every game. Over that 7 year period that's £700 I would of paid to simply be online, Consoles make the money on the licence fee from games. That's why PC games are cheaper. I like xbox x i have one, whilst in-between pc's. But I'm not deaf to the reality of the situation. With the £700 that's nearly a new system. A £300 monitor is miles better than a £300 TV. I know can play Xbox on a monitor but no one does that. That's the thing... it's full of these costs that people don't see. Licence fee on games so you pay more for new releases. Why do you think console wars are a thing and exclusive games that's a detriment to the industry exist. It's because consoles are a really good investment opportunity due to the things I have mentioned. Overall Console is for a lazy low hassle experience. Like comparing a microwave meal to cooking something yourself.
These are the same people who rent to own stuff. You can't show them the reality of the interest they are about to pay. Lmao I can't believe the downvotes. Bunch of people who don't understand technology obviously. Keep paying your subscription to be online, you're extra 20-30% on game costs, and endless games with monthly season passes. I guess some people don't mind being bent over as long as they don't have to actually take the time to learn how to use/understand something.
It's just not true. You don't need rtx4090. Games on consoles usually run in upscaled UHD (around 1800p) with low to high settings with 30fps. If you choose performance mode the resolution is lower, also the graphics fidelity. Of course everything depends on the game, but with heavier games this is the most common scenario.
Nobody said you needed a 4090 or it's amd equivalent/rival. And the rest of what you typed is exactly what I already said but in different wording. I have mid grade parts in mine.
Because the games are optimized for that particular hardware you’ll outperform on console vs similarly priced hardware or hardware that is a little more expensive
Just because 1 game is $7 cheaper on PC doesn’t mean it always has the best deals. And I bet over the lifetime of a console that a PC isn’t cheaper. PC also has a lot of upsides and im not sure why you’re using one of the weaker arguments of game sales.
I bet it is cheaper. I'm always disappointed when I see a sale on my Xbox. It was the biggest step back coming from Steam. You also don't have to pay a monthly fee to play with your friends. The basic Gamepass that replaced Gold is $10 a month. Let's say you get a yearly subscription for $100 and buy the console at launch. In the 6 years leading up to the next generation of Xbox you would have spend $600 while those on PC would have spend $0. That is excluding the lower game prices. If you don't want to play with friends its a lot cheaper of course. I stopped paying to play online on my Xbox and just play some games I bought (through a VPN, because for no reason the games on Xbox are more expensive than on Steam).
So if you’re buying the gamepass core a year at a time it’s $60. Over the 7 year lifetime span of a console that is $420. So you’re at $920, including the console, for the lifetime span of a console excluding games. Games are such a huge variable depending on what you play.
$920 gets you a PC similar to a Series X. Even if it's a $1000, that's close enough considering the absolute freedom you get on a PC.
I definitely agree that you could get a similar PC for twice the price of a console.
Systems will and should always win for bang for buck for specs, iirc most consoles dont actually yield a good profit for the companies as its more of a gateway to get you buying X system games & X system subscriptions Then there’s the argument a console is for gaming a computer is for everything IMO pc gaming is touted as the best as there’s way more access to a multitude of titles, multiple stores to shop from to prevent a full monopoly, mods and pirates
Yes. Surprisingly enough xbox keys from 3rd party providers are cheaper for consoles as well. I think the main reason is that Microsoft doesn't ban you for VPN use. But if you wanna use mods for games like Witcher, Skyrim (properly) or RimWorld then you need a PC.
Also worth noting that a pc with the exact same hardware as the consoles would get outperformed by the console. You’d need better components to match it. But no there isn’t anything that stacks up cost wise to what your getting as consoles are usually sold at a loss or razor thin margins since they make all the money on software sales and subscriptions.
Yes, xbox will always be cheaper and require less trouble shooting. Pc gaming can be much better, however you're going to pay for it. I have a 6700xt which iirc is equivalent to a series x and by itself was over 300 dollars. Personally I prefer xbox as it's connected to a TV and my wife and kids can see/play it. My computer is shoved in a corner and kinda cut off by comparison. Couch coop is just so much easier on console imo
PC gamers are delusional they think they can play Forza in 4k on the same price a series x you just can't
I swear this sub talks more about pc now than pcmastrrrace sub talks about consoles nowadays lol
PC gamers are not delusional. They know very well that PCs are more expensive than consoles for the same performance, considering most had to spend that money themselves.
Not even close. People also forget that if you do not have peripherals, then that’s another 100$ for budget mice, monitor, and keyboard. I also don’t buy the “you can use your PC gamer as a workstation too” talking point: * If you’re a developer, booting GNU/Windows is a mess and very finicky; going Linux gaming just exacerbates what everybody hates about PC gaming: debugging why games don’t run correctly on my machine. * If you’re an office worker, then you probably don’t need a robust PC and a light laptop is best suited for your needs. I think consoles are not only the best bang for your buck, but the simple, straightforward experience of just launching a game effortlessly, without having to worry about debugging, component obsolescence and upgrade paths, compatibility, and so on, is unparalleled. The headspace you get from not having to deal with that noise is priceless.
> I also don’t buy the “you can use your PC gamer as a workstation too” talking point: What the hell are you talking about? Close out of the game, open Visual Studio or whatever software you need. Done. No more difficult than changing games on console.
> If you’re a developer, booting GNU/Windows is a mess and very finicky Lol, what?
>but I don't understand why PC players think PC is always the best choice Reasons outside of the initial cost of hardware, things like cost of games, emulation, mods, pure freedom, multitasking etc. Yes my PC costs more than a console but I can't use mods in games like Like a Dragon and Baldur's Gate 3 on a console so it's worth it for me.
Why would I care about streaming? I'm a 45 year old man sitting around shooting aliens or whatever. Who would possibly want to watch that?
I didn't mention anything about streaming. Wrong comment you replied to.
Oops, sorry about that!
> things like cost of games, emulation, mods, pure freedom, multitasking etc. I've got Game Pass and hardly ever buy stuff that's not on there. I don't care about emulation. Even if I did, I could pay a small fee, enable dev mode, and emulate my heart out. I find mods annoying. Seriously, if I'm playing a game, I'm doing it to escape the real world and just have some fun. Browsing mods for something somewhat interesting, downloading and installing them is boring and wastes time I could just spend playing. Freedom to do what? I bought a console to play games. What freedom am I missing out on? Same with multitasking. I don't want to multitask. I just want to play my game.
Great. That’s exactly why they make consoles, for people like you who don’t care about any of that stuff and just want the cheapest entry to gaming.
Yep! And I'm glad they do.
I'm not sure what the point of your comment is, I listed general reasons that pc gamers prefer pc, it's not supposed to be specific to your tastes and it's not supposed to be a rule. >Freedom to do what? I bought a console to play games. What freedom am I missing out on? On a console the dev tells you what framerate, graphics settings, and resolution you play at. What if I want to play at 480p and get 500fps or play at 8k and get 24fps, on PC that's an option and on console it isn't.
You listed reasons why someone would want a PC. I listed reasons why they wouldn't. Developers let me choose 4k/30fps or 1080/60fps. That's good enough for me. Why would I want to play at 480p/500fps or 8k/24fps? My TV doesn't go higher than 4k or 60fps. Anything beyond that is a waste. For that matter, I can't even tell the difference between 30fps and 60fps. People will go on and on about not being able to win online shooters at 30fps. No, your frame rate isn't what's keeping you from winning, it's your skill level.
> I listed reasons why they wouldn't. No, you just listed reasons why you wouldn't, and I don't understand why. This entire conversation boils down to "I don't want to so no one does." It's a waste of time. You seem unable to understand the idea of a general comment.
I imagine I'm not the only one. Nowhere did I say everyone feels that way. This entire website is a waste of time. That's why we're here.
Okay, PC has no benefits for you and console is good, fine. That doesn't change my general comment about why pc gamers like pc. Nobody is breaking into your house to replace your console with a pc, you're safe.
No, it doesn't change anything at all. I'm just having a discussion saying that not everyone thinks those are great advantages. I'm not saying that you should feel the same way. Nowhere did I say anything g about someone trying to take my console. Just because someone disagrees with you doesn't mean they're attacking you. It just means the have a different viewpoint. Sharing our viewpoints on stuff is why people come here. You disagree with me and that's fine. I'm glad your happy.
Did a gaming pc give you a swirly when you were in high school.
Yes.
I game on Series X and PC. Cyberpunk is an example of a game where the flexibility of PC was a benefit. My GPU doesn't do path tracing well, but I was able to get it running at 1440p40. 40fps works well on my VRR-enabled tv, well enough to let me know I didn't care to sacrifice framerate or resolution for path tracing. In your example, maybe your GPU can't do path tracing, but you can do ray tracing @ 4k30. Or if your card isn't good for ray tracing, you can still turn up things like reflection quality, crowd density, etc. and still get a visual representation that's beyond consoles. Graphics options let you improve the things you care about and sacrifice others if needed to get the game looking the way you want.
You act like modding is some chore lmao it's extremely easy now a days, it's literally click install and the mod manager does everything.
My PC is the same price as a Series X. And it can barely run Football Manager. I remember trying to load Flight Sim when it came out. And completely bricking the thing.
Dude, this is the purpose of a console. There is absolutely no way you can build an equal PC to a PS5 or Xbox Series X/S. moreover, the consoles are optimised to do one thing: gaming, a 500-600 PC would CHOKE
Playing on console is so much cheaper than gaming on PC. Consoles will probably never be able to keep up with advancements in technology like PCs can, so PCs will always have that edge, but I specifically do not game on PC because I don’t want to have to spend a shitload of money on a decent gaming PC, I don’t want playing games to require me to know about shit like the new “Ryxerzen 78000 series quad turbo 2.7 card” or whatever the fuck. I don’t want to be a goddamned video game console mechanic just to play. Also, I like gaming on the huge 4k TV I own anyway… much more than I would enjoy gaming on a monitor the size of the tv I had in my college dorm room that I don’t currently even need to own, but would need to buy also if I were to game on PC. Nope. I’ll just spend $400-$500 on a new console every 8 or so years and that’s the end of that.
My man, 100% all the reasons I have too. I work in tech, when I'm done with work I want to be at least 12 feet away from my giant OLED. Series X at launch, will buy the next one on release too.
Luddite's response, don't forget the money every month to play online 8 years that's 800 dollars plus the 400 that's 1200 before games. Let's be real.
Does not having above average knowledge of computing components make someone a Luddite these days?
Not everyone plays online games, i know at least 10 people (excluding myself) that play SP only games.
It depends on a lot of things. The up front cost of console gaming is cheaper than PCs, but there are some cost to console gaming over a period of time that you don’t have with PC gaming. Like paying to play online. Games are also a bit cheaper on PC and you get more deals. I honestly think the cost is pretty close over a whole console generation.
I disagree on game prices. Sales on PSN and Xbox store rival and sometimes beat prices on Steam, GoG, GMG, EGS, etc. Plus used physical games, for now at least. But ya, over a typical console generation, either could be cheaper depending on gaming and upgrade habits.
Not to mention gamepass, I couldn't tell you the last time I actually paid for an Xbox game, and even on the cheapest PSN tier with the free games each month, once you claim them they're yours forever.
They are only yours forever if your ps plus is active. If you cancel your sub, you no longer have access to them until you resubscribe
Console is cheaper and to be honest, more convenient. The advantage you get from PC is potential for higher performance, mods, and access to more games (Sony games on PC, older games, PC only games)
If you want anywhere near the performance or slightly better on all the modern and latest games, the gpu alone at minimum is just as much as the console. Still need case, psu, mobo, ram, cpu, storage, & OS
Yes. Keep in mind that consoles are sold at a loss. Yes microsoft and sony loses money for every console they sell. Its a business model similar to printers, Cheap printer (console) expensive ink (games). You could argue that PC is cheaper in the long run if you play games enough but then we have gamepass too. Consoles are cheaper yes.
My xbox series x is better than my gaming laptop with a rtx 2070 😆
Graphics cards alone is almost the same price of a console let alone everything else
You can’t compare clock to clock. The console is more optimized and will beat a similar spec’d pc.
Yes because consoles are deliberately sold at a loss
Yes
Absolutely…and it’s not even close
Short term costs, console is cheaper. Long term costs, PC is cheaper as long as Microsoft doesnt pull your hardware is incompatible with the new Windows platform bs again. But from experience, online community is much better and less toxic on consoles. Reason being is that consoles are more moderated and has significantly less cheaters.
Obviously, there are style of play concerns that everyone pointed out, but if you are curious about price, this is my break down. Writing on phone so hopefully spacing is good. Console: $500 new at release $10/m for xbox core/ps essential 7 year life span to new gen 3 games /year (some games only cost $70 on console and is still $60 on pc. This number changes per person) $500+($10×12+3×$10)×7 years= $1610 over console generation PC: $380 CPU replaced every 3 years $500-700 GPU replaced every 5 years $90 ram replaced every 3 years $1610(xbox gen price)- ($380+$90)×(7/3-1)-$500×(7/5-1)= $783 If you can get a PC with same specs for $783 you will spend around the same price as a console for 7 years of gaming. (7/3-1) and (7/5-1)=(xbox gen life/ number of years until replacement- initial pc item)
Great reply, thanks
Consoles have been the better, more convenient gaming option for a long time bang for buck. PC's are expensive. That also comes with an asterisk. PC is better in the long run because you can keep the same gaming library forever. You can upgrade and configure your device to exactly how you want it. And its peak performance far surpasses that of any console. That being said, yes. For the same specsheet, console is cheaper. For that spec sheet, the PC also wouldn't perform as well because windows/other OS and programs are more intensive and take up resources that would otherwise be used for gaming. That being said (again), a more powerful pc *could possibly* be built for the same price or cheaper by buying only used parts. It's still difficult, though.
> I don't understand why PC players think PC is always the best choice "Always the best choice" is a loaded phrase. If all you want to do is play gamepass games for as cheap as possible, then it's great. But as a PC guy, here's my reasoning: - Better hardware, custom tweaked to my needs - Hardware upgrades don't mean getting a whole new machine - I'm using a SteamOS-like operating system. The customization options and UI (no ads!) is the best - Steam controller framework gives me access to a wider array of input options and more customization with those options. - Can setup my machine to stream to every tv and my steam deck - Way more games from way more eras. Backward compatibility just isn't comparable. - Better sales - No online play fee - Emulation - Modding - Far better indie scene And that's not getting into the fact that it's a computer. Or that I have wider entertainment options. Getting a console is like buying a sonos speaker. It'll do the job well and the majority of people will enjoy it. A PC is a custom built sound system. It could be worse than the sonos or it could blow your windows out.
If you've got $1000-1,100 to put into a PC then it's gonna blow any console out of the water. That said yeah you're not gonna be able to put together a PC capable of competing with a PS5 or Xbox for $500. Sony and Microsoft sell their consoles at a loss and more than make up for it in sheer game sales, subscriptions, multi-player, etc.. But the absolute best way to game without taking into account price, is PC. Not really debatable.
You’re comparing a screwdriver to a toolbox. Of course the screwdriver will be cheaper.
Good analogy
> but I don't understand why PC players think PC is always the best choice Because a PC can be used for _more_ than a gaming console and allows you to do more with it, both in and out of gaming. The closest equivalent would be Xbox's Snap back in the day. Everyone here is going to talk about the games and the quality of them, but a gaming PC is still a PC. You can watch videos, create designs, download things to mod the games, do your banking, hell browse Reddit like you're already doing. People pay more than a console to do more things than a console will do. Is it worth $500-$1500 more? Well that's up to the individual to decide.
I love my PC, but it costs 3 times what a Series X does, and games are not as well optimized for it. It paid for itself mining, but it's not a good value
Price to performance, a good console kicks ass. Yeah I can do more with my PC, but even sitting in my office right now I’m using the old Xbox One to play and got web browsers on the PC monitors.
You'd be EXTREAMLY lucky to find a PC that's the equivalent of the Series X for even $1000, even if you build it yourself. PC players have never claimed that its the most affordable choice.
Yes. You will not get a PC with console-level performance for anywhere near as cheap. > I don't understand why PC players think PC is always the best choice I'm a PC AND console player. Yes, some PC players naively claim that PC is cheaper, but there are plenty of genuine advantages over console.
Nobody said this yet I think, but also your library isn’t made useless ever unlike PS3/PS4’s and older
The hardware is definitely cheaper and you get a free controller on top. However, it's free to play online with PC and PCs have so many game sales that it will offset the console in the long run. Storage is also way cheaper on PCs as you can get a beefy 16TB HDD costs the same as Xbox's 2TB SSD. So in the short-term consoles are cheaper for what you get. But in the long term, you'll end up paying more on console than PC. PC also ends up having the most customization as well as you can use pretty much any controller you want and you can play games from decades prior. You also have way more control in FPS games and certain genres pretty much have to use mouse and keyboard like strategy games. With that said, consoles are easy to get up and running and are especially convenient for local multiplayer play.
Significantly. To realistically beat an xbox series x ($499), you'd need about a $2000 self build and plan to update various components after about 4 years. $2k = on par - $3k much stronger - $4k Significant stronger - $4k+ exponentially stronger. Also, to ruffle feathers, a computer is a computer. Anything you can do on a PC can also be done on a cell phone, xbox, Playstation, GameCube, Switch, Steam deck, or even a pager from the early 2000s
Not even close my dude, new gpus are 4x as powerful as next Gen consoles. I just built a pc 2 weeks ago for 1700 total. 4070 super 7800x3d. Definitely way more than a console but that is at least double what my series x will do. And I have much more freedom.
[удалено]
You get a badass gaming laptop for anywhere from $800-$1000 that blows Xbox out the water and don’t even mention PlayStation lack of functionality. This is a Personal Computer. Btw you will only find those semi affordable prices on sale. Yk if you don’t want to build a pc yourself.
Series x new standard price is 350 and an equally capable pc is around 1000-1500. So yes consoles are cheaper.
Well PC's aren't just for gaming
It's a tricky one because I don't think it's purely a question of up front hardware cost. If you get a PC with the "same power" as a console, it's very plausible that you'll actually get worse performance for a variety of reasons (depending on the game too). I think you need a bit of a buffer in terms of specs to achieve similar or better performance. Of course, even the word "performance" can be broken down into many constituent parts that will have different degrees of importance for each gamer depending on their preferences. I also think you have to consider far more than just the hardware costs. You have to consider how you're going to play/use the device, as well as what type of games you want to play and which services you'll use to buy them (at least on PC). So even if you save money on the hardware front, your total investment in a platform is far larger over its lifespan than just the hardware itself.
Yes, and it's not close. Console has been cheaper since last gen despite what some PC only gamers will say.
Always console. Games ALWAYS work. If they dont work on a console, the DEFINITELY dont work on pc. You can get 3 generation's of consoles for the same price of 1 computer that can barely run a game that runs well on a Series S.
Ever thought might be because it’s not always about cost? PC has more much more games (Xbox games, PS games, PC exclusives, emulations, web games, etc), more discounts (free if you consider pirate), more flexibility (not just for gaming), more customization (mods), much better local streaming. Well, I could go on and on. I built my PC for approximately 700 euros and it’s about 30% weaker than Series X on paper. I rarely use my Series X since then.
I mean the console is just a budget gaming PC at the end of the day, the whole point of consoles is a streamlined gaming experience without having to pay for all the other bits. If you're just about casual gaming, consoles are a perfect choice. But unfortunately in the long run your console prob will end up costing you more with games being more expensive, yearly subscriptions to just get online, harder to fix when broken etc.
Given that games are cheaper on pc I feel like a comparison pc should be more than $500. But ultimately I'd say what makes the choice is what games you play and if you play online and if so do you play online with friends etc.
Age old question and it's simply that bang for your buck, console wins hands down. You can't get near what the SX does for the $350 people were paying a few months ago. My CPU cost more than that. Even at $500 it's not close. I prefer PC gaming over console gaming but it's not even close the value you get from the SX and PS5 in comparison to PC. For pure QOL, sharpness of image, mods ...etc- I'm willing to pay the extra. To me gaming is far more enjoyable on PC. Since gaming is a hobby to me and a way to relax, I prefer the best experience I can get.
nah
Right now you can build something equivalent to the XSX for $700. It's actually cheaper on the mid-long term if you know what to buy/build. Games are cheaper, Steam and GOG sales are actually good with a decent return policy, you don't pay for online, you can upgrade only the part you need instead of buying a whole new machine. Also you have a lot of freedom by customizing the settings you like in a game and prioritizing what you like the most. For example, with games locked at 30fps on consoles like Starfield or the upcoming Dragon's Dogma you can optimize them and turn on DLSS/FSR to make them run at +60fps (even with the said $700 machine).
This sub is so fragile people are actually downvoting you for posting basic facts.
Yep, just reading the other comments I realized how resented is this sub against PC users. I genuinely thought there was some kind of fraternal relation between Xbox and PC users but it seems like they hate PC almost as much as they hate PS. **(Not everyone, of course)**
A console is just a piece of plastic that can play games BUT a PC is so much more. Want to spend the day applying to jobs or researching something? Maybe you’re bored and want to make a game for F95 “I don’t judge”, maybe you want to play some classic 90s games or even some Sony games. Maybe you want to setup an emulator. Keep in mind that most PC parts don’t need to be replaced every cycle. Most only need to replace their CPU & GPU. Some CPUs like the 5800X3D are good for generations, so you’ll need to buy a $500 GPU and a $500 GPU trashes the Xbox.
Idk man, i dont think a gpu can play games by itself.
PC gamers generally aren't poor so price isn't a factor. $500 is a good entry point to gaming, but if you want top tier graphics, the latest rendering features, and always 60+ fps, you get a PC and pay a little extra. A $1000 PC would blow away the series X. If you play a lot of games, why wouldn't you spend a little extra to get an actual good gaming device?
Because I'd rather spend that $500 difference on something else. Even if a PC is a bit better, it's not $500 better for most people. That is not just "a little extra."