Poll: PC Gaming Future?

[KiKiweaky]

Oh I thought you meant will we have a program from every developer that monitors every single thing we do with our computers, even if it doesnt relate to their game or how it operates on our computers etc before we are allowed to play a game.

OT: From the way things are going I reckon more and more people are going to use consoles. The next generation of them is going to be rather impressive I reckon.

 

[Digitaldreamer7]

Consoles will die, and not because they "go away" but in the fact that there is only 1 degree of seperation between the desktop PC and the console, and that's the "Walled Garden" that console operating system software is. That's it. Your console is nothing more then a PC with DRM (mac). Kind of like the shitty mac for gamers. Overpriced shitty hardware specs even for when it was released and so far down in a walled garden that if you do anything with it outside of what the gods at sony or microsoft want you to they hit you with the banhammer so hard your kids kids will feel it. You buy it anyways because you just want something that works. That you don't have to think about using. Sit down, flip the switch, spread your cheeks and take it.

I love my xbox don't get me wrong, but, that's exactly what it is.

Nothing more. SO PC gaming isn't dying, it's slowly eating the console market..

EDIT: In closing I would like to say that I think after teh next console cycle.. they will stop marketing consoles as "gaming devices" all together and start calling them Home Theater Devices. Not Home Theater PC's because they still want to make money from the "PC GAMERS."

 

[IamLEAM1983]

The same old paranoia I've been hearing since the beginning of Hi-Def gaming...

Relax, Clint. Chillax.

PCs are required to develop games, as consoles still aren't their own SKU. PCs are the required creation tool for the entire games industry, which means that whether a game is or isn't a console exclusive is merely a matter of choice and projected sales. The only way the PC could be conceivably harmed by the coming developments is if they include the creation of entire games on something that works as a creation tool, a devkit and a console all at once.

The only thing motivating the focus away from home computer development is piracy. Yes, all of the consoles have been hacked by now, but the process is fairly exotic and time-consuming, compared to the simplicity of finding a cracked executable file online. So the price gateway into pirated console gaming is acting as a deterrent for most gamers, who either:

a) crack their PC games at a fraction of the required effort;
b) pony up the cash, swallow their pride and play their console games fair and square

Have you look at ways to crack your average Wii? The basic tutorial for the whole process reminds me of open heart surgery, and we're consistently reminded that we run the very real risk of bricking our hard-earned piece of hardware. Cracking a game on PC is as simple as heading to your nearest Torrent tracker, or GameCopyWorld. Except in highly exotic cases, no hardware modifications are required. The worst I've read involved unplugging your IDE disc drives for a specific game to fail its expected disc check... after which it'd load anyway.

The short of it is that PC gaming isn't going anywhere, but the Glorious Nineties are well behind us. We're a loud and outspoken minority, and the industry's moved away from us. I think we'll have to contend with consolized gaming as a symptom of the changing times, and with the occasional indie dev being brave enough to remember those of us who aren't afraid to use an entire keyboard for a single game.

Captcha: parjure, contenu
What? I committed perjury against this post's content? What?! Do I get an attorney? I WANT MY PHONE CALL!

 

[Bad Jim]

Neither will die.

Consoles will always survive because they are fundamentally more efficient. You have economies of scale from making millions of them. You also have games making more efficient use of the system, because they are designed around it. Current consoles are weak but that's because they are old. That will change.

PCs will continue to exist because there will always be people who aren't happy with the power level offered by consoles. There will be elistists who want to spend thousands on absurd rendering power, just as audiophiles continue to spend thousands on audio equipment, even though the human ear can't detect the difference. Then there will be people who want substantially less rendering power than the console offers. Casual gamers, who really bought their PC just to browse the web and do their tax.

Smartphones won't displace consoles because there is no space on a smartphone for two analogue sticks and lots of buttons. There might however be handheld consoles that have the capabilities of smartphones. In fifty years they may be sufficiently powerful that there is no need for a home console. But most people will not want phones that are bulkier than necessary just to play games. Smartphones may steal the casual market from the PC.

 

[Ben Saville]

Well desktop systems are on the way out but at the same time laptop systems are getting good enough to play high end games at a reasonable price. desktop systems are becoming more of an enthusiast platform rather than the good ole everyone has it.

As for updating a graphics card the only time anyone needs to worry about that is if a game doesn't render correctly or some other graphics errors. if it works then don't worry about it.

Thing is PC gaming will outlast consoles, why have a console when your cheap laptop can do the same and you are not stuck with it being hooked to a TV? plus you would have the laptop for school or work already. and then consoles are becoming less of a plug it in and play and becoming more of a PC with installing and patching issues. makes sense to just get a laptop and a controller for both convenience and finance.

Desktops are FAR FAR away from being on the way out considering you can make both a desktop and a laptop for $2000 and the desktop will always have the better performance and value at this day and age...

But to the OP, I am an avid PC gamer as well, but it is completely bonkers to believe that either PC OR consoles are going anywhere. the only reason the PC evolves so much is because of console generations, and vice verse. There will always be PC gaming in one form or another, and there will always be consoles.

You are correct in saying it takes more work to operate/build/maintain a PC, considering consoles have got to the stage of 'maintenance' meaning turning the thing off after you use it (no antivirus software, reinstalling OS, drivers, etc)

But to the point, neither PC nor consoles will die

 

[JET1971]

Well desktop systems are on the way out but at the same time laptop systems are getting good enough to play high end games at a reasonable price. desktop systems are becoming more of an enthusiast platform rather than the good ole everyone has it.

As for updating a graphics card the only time anyone needs to worry about that is if a game doesn't render correctly or some other graphics errors. if it works then don't worry about it.

Thing is PC gaming will outlast consoles, why have a console when your cheap laptop can do the same and you are not stuck with it being hooked to a TV? plus you would have the laptop for school or work already. and then consoles are becoming less of a plug it in and play and becoming more of a PC with installing and patching issues. makes sense to just get a laptop and a controller for both convenience and finance.

Desktops are FAR FAR away from being on the way out considering you can make both a desktop and a laptop for $2000 and the desktop will always have the better performance and value at this day and age...

But to the OP, I am an avid PC gamer as well, but it is completely bonkers to believe that either PC OR consoles are going anywhere. the only reason the PC evolves so much is because of console generations, and vice verse. There will always be PC gaming in one form or another, and there will always be consoles.

You are correct in saying it takes more work to operate/build/maintain a PC, considering consoles have got to the stage of 'maintenance' meaning turning the thing off after you use it (no antivirus software, reinstalling OS, drivers, etc)

But to the point, neither PC nor consoles will die

Quite to the contrary desktop PC sales and models have been steadily dropping the past 10 years. On the flip side Laptop/notebook sales and models have been increasing. It is now the opposite of what it was 10 years ago when there was like twice as many sales and models for desktops compared to laptops. If you happened to actualy read the whole paragraph you would have noticed I said desktop systems will become an enthusiast or gamer system rather than what someone will buy because they want a computer. Its called a niche market, they still exist but most people wont want one. I know 5 people who still has a desktop and about 30 who have a laptop, thats the way it is going for personal computers. Even many bussineses are switching over to laptops.

Intel, ATI, and Nvidia are all working on getting a mobile GPU thats as good as a desktop GPU. maybe not the top of the line GPU's but as good as the lowest high end GPU. plenty to run any game at high resolutions unless another FarCry comes out where its years before anything can max the graphics. They are doing this because the mainstream market is moving towards laptops and away from desktops, and it may take several more years before they have the performance with the issues of heat and small form factor but it will eventualy happen.

PC's do not evolve because of consoles, consoles have absolutly nothing to do with the evolution of PC's. Gaming in general has something to do with increases in GPU but so does 3D modeling, animation, and art. You realize thata high end GPU for a CAD/3D animation workstation runs in the thousands of dollars?
http://www.techpowerup.com/127435/New_NVIDIA_Fermi-Class_Quadro_Launches_the_Era_of_Computational_Visualization.html

Thats where gaming video cards gets there technology from and an example of why PC's evolve. High end servers and workstations are where the innovation begins Not some outdated console. Simply put consoles evolve because of the PC and PC's evolve because of high end servers and workstations.

And I have no clue what you are talking about consoles have gotten to the stage of turning it off as far as maintanence goes? Are you saying an Atari 2600 required antivirus and updates? No quite the opposite consoles have evolved to requiring updates and some maintanence they probably have a built in firewall for all we know but sure as shit the next generation will probably have a firewall and will be guaranteed to need firmware updates and other maintanence because they will become even more like a PC. And thats already began with the change from PS2/Xbox to the PS3/360 generation.

 

[Ben Saville]

Well desktop systems are on the way out but at the same time laptop systems are getting good enough to play high end games at a reasonable price. desktop systems are becoming more of an enthusiast platform rather than the good ole everyone has it.

As for updating a graphics card the only time anyone needs to worry about that is if a game doesn't render correctly or some other graphics errors. if it works then don't worry about it.

Thing is PC gaming will outlast consoles, why have a console when your cheap laptop can do the same and you are not stuck with it being hooked to a TV? plus you would have the laptop for school or work already. and then consoles are becoming less of a plug it in and play and becoming more of a PC with installing and patching issues. makes sense to just get a laptop and a controller for both convenience and finance.

Desktops are FAR FAR away from being on the way out considering you can make both a desktop and a laptop for $2000 and the desktop will always have the better performance and value at this day and age...

But to the OP, I am an avid PC gamer as well, but it is completely bonkers to believe that either PC OR consoles are going anywhere. the only reason the PC evolves so much is because of console generations, and vice verse. There will always be PC gaming in one form or another, and there will always be consoles.

You are correct in saying it takes more work to operate/build/maintain a PC, considering consoles have got to the stage of 'maintenance' meaning turning the thing off after you use it (no antivirus software, reinstalling OS, drivers, etc)

But to the point, neither PC nor consoles will die

Quite to the contrary desktop PC sales and models have been steadily dropping the past 10 years. On the flip side Laptop/notebook sales and models have been increasing. It is now the opposite of what it was 10 years ago when there was like twice as many sales and models for desktops compared to laptops. If you happened to actualy read the whole paragraph you would have noticed I said desktop systems will become an enthusiast or gamer system rather than what someone will buy because they want a computer. Its called a niche market, they still exist but most people wont want one. I know 5 people who still has a desktop and about 30 who have a laptop, thats the way it is going for personal computers. Even many bussineses are switching over to laptops.

Intel, ATI, and Nvidia are all working on getting a mobile GPU thats as good as a desktop GPU. maybe not the top of the line GPU's but as good as the lowest high end GPU. plenty to run any game at high resolutions unless another FarCry comes out where its years before anything can max the graphics. They are doing this because the mainstream market is moving towards laptops and away from desktops, and it may take several more years before they have the performance with the issues of heat and small form factor but it will eventualy happen.

PC's do not evolve because of consoles, consoles have absolutly nothing to do with the evolution of PC's. Gaming in general has something to do with increases in GPU but so does 3D modeling, animation, and art. You realize thata high end GPU for a CAD/3D animation workstation runs in the thousands of dollars?
http://www.techpowerup.com/127435/New_NVIDIA_Fermi-Class_Quadro_Launches_the_Era_of_Computational_Visualization.html

Thats where gaming video cards gets there technology from and an example of why PC's evolve. High end servers and workstations are where the innovation begins Not some outdated console. Simply put consoles evolve because of the PC and PC's evolve because of high end servers and workstations.

And I have no clue what you are talking about consoles have gotten to the stage of turning it off as far as maintanence goes? Are you saying an Atari 2600 required antivirus and updates? No quite the opposite consoles have evolved to requiring updates and some maintanence they probably have a built in firewall for all we know but sure as shit the next generation will probably have a firewall and will be guaranteed to need firmware updates and other maintanence because they will become even more like a PC. And thats already began with the change from PS2/Xbox to the PS3/360 generation.[/quote]

Yes, consoles are outdated now, but at the start of this console generation, look at what happened, AMD and nVidia were tripping over themselves to bring out GPUs that were able to out-perform the modern console. Graphic card development has slowed for a little while now because there has been no new console to compete with on the graphic front, and there has been little need to develop a new GPU for most purposes, because console is setting the restriction for graphics in games. So, in short i should have clarified that consoles are a force for evolution, but not the ONLY one.

as far as the maintenance point, I should have clarified again. there is no point comparing how games are managed on the two because now there is almost no difference, but on a console you don't have to maintain it in the same fashion as a PC, and there is no setup of the operating system on a console. there is however almost 0 advantage when it comes to games, as you pointed out quite validly.

Finally, on your point of desktops, I would definitely believe that laptop sales are increasing to the desktops detriment, but I wouldn't necessarily believe that to be the decline of the desktop. desktop packages may be decreasing in sales, but at the same time people are taking to building their own systems now, too. Laptops, myself being the owner of a gaming laptop, unfortunately, are far behind desktops in a priceerformance ratio. That is by no means saying laptops are bad, bit it does lean toward the one inherent problem with them, and that is the lack of standard parts. That is the only thing that makes them more expensive, because parts must be produced on a smaller volume than desktop components, and hence will be more expensive.

The point I was trying to make is that there is a place for both PC and console, and that I don't think either will be going anywhere. as far as desktops, in the future that will be completely likely, but right now, I would be highly surprised.

 

[Ben Saville]

Well desktop systems are on the way out but at the same time laptop systems are getting good enough to play high end games at a reasonable price. desktop systems are becoming more of an enthusiast platform rather than the good ole everyone has it.

As for updating a graphics card the only time anyone needs to worry about that is if a game doesn't render correctly or some other graphics errors. if it works then don't worry about it.

Thing is PC gaming will outlast consoles, why have a console when your cheap laptop can do the same and you are not stuck with it being hooked to a TV? plus you would have the laptop for school or work already. and then consoles are becoming less of a plug it in and play and becoming more of a PC with installing and patching issues. makes sense to just get a laptop and a controller for both convenience and finance.

Quite to the contrary desktop PC sales and models have been steadily dropping the past 10 years. On the flip side Laptop/notebook sales and models have been increasing. It is now the opposite of what it was 10 years ago when there was like twice as many sales and models for desktops compared to laptops. If you happened to actualy read the whole paragraph you would have noticed I said desktop systems will become an enthusiast or gamer system rather than what someone will buy because they want a computer. Its called a niche market, they still exist but most people wont want one. I know 5 people who still has a desktop and about 30 who have a laptop, thats the way it is going for personal computers. Even many bussineses are switching over to laptops.

Intel, ATI, and Nvidia are all working on getting a mobile GPU thats as good as a desktop GPU. maybe not the top of the line GPU's but as good as the lowest high end GPU. plenty to run any game at high resolutions unless another FarCry comes out where its years before anything can max the graphics. They are doing this because the mainstream market is moving towards laptops and away from desktops, and it may take several more years before they have the performance with the issues of heat and small form factor but it will eventualy happen.

PC's do not evolve because of consoles, consoles have absolutly nothing to do with the evolution of PC's. Gaming in general has something to do with increases in GPU but so does 3D modeling, animation, and art. You realize thata high end GPU for a CAD/3D animation workstation runs in the thousands of dollars?
http://www.techpowerup.com/127435/New_NVIDIA_Fermi-Class_Quadro_Launches_the_Era_of_Computational_Visualization.html

Thats where gaming video cards gets there technology from and an example of why PC's evolve. High end servers and workstations are where the innovation begins Not some outdated console. Simply put consoles evolve because of the PC and PC's evolve because of high end servers and workstations.

And I have no clue what you are talking about consoles have gotten to the stage of turning it off as far as maintanence goes? Are you saying an Atari 2600 required antivirus and updates? No quite the opposite consoles have evolved to requiring updates and some maintanence they probably have a built in firewall for all we know but sure as shit the next generation will probably have a firewall and will be guaranteed to need firmware updates and other maintanence because they will become even more like a PC. And thats already began with the change from PS2/Xbox to the PS3/360 generation.

Yes, consoles are outdated now, but at the start of this console generation, look at what happened, AMD and nVidia were tripping over themselves to bring out GPUs that were able to out-perform the modern console. Graphic card development has slowed for a little while now because there has been no new console to compete with on the graphic front, and there has been little need to develop a new GPU for most purposes, because console is setting the restriction for graphics in games. So, in short i should have clarified that consoles are a force for evolution, but not the ONLY one.

as far as the maintenance point, I should have clarified again. there is no point comparing how games are managed on the two because now there is almost no difference, but on a console you don't have to maintain it in the same fashion as a PC, and there is no setup of the operating system on a console. there is however almost 0 advantage when it comes to games, as you pointed out quite validly.

Finally, on your point of desktops, I would definitely believe that laptop sales are increasing to the desktops detriment, but I wouldn't necessarily believe that to be the decline of the desktop. desktop packages may be decreasing in sales, but at the same time people are taking to building their own systems now, too. Laptops, myself being the owner of a gaming laptop, unfortunately, are far behind desktops in a priceerformance ratio. That is by no means saying laptops are bad, bit it does lean toward the one inherent problem with them, and that is the lack of standard parts. That is the only thing that makes them more expensive, because parts must be produced on a smaller volume than desktop components, and hence will be more expensive.

The point I was trying to make is that there is a place for both PC and console, and that I don't think either will be going anywhere. as far as desktops, in the future that will be completely likely, but right now, I would be highly surprised.[/quote]

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

AMD and nVidia were tripping over themselves to bring out GPUs that were able to out-perform the modern console.

Wait, what?

ATI released the X1800 XT more than a month before before the Xbox 360 and it's a superior GPU to the Xenos although both use R500 chipsets.

nVidia released the GeForce 8800 GTX 3 days before the Playstation 3 launched, and is a massively superior GPU to the RSX and is a full generation ahead of it.

 

[Christopher Dudgeon]

How to play a game on a XboX 360 and PS3: Take game disc out of box, Put Disc in console, wait for disc to load and download any updates, Play.

How to play a game on PC: Double Click Icon.

Easy enough for ya?

---------------------------------------------------

Also The reason for an explosion in the sales of Laptops/Netbooks?

One Word........Facebook

 

[M4t3us]

I'm a PC gamer, myself. The last consoles I bought were an Aqua PS2 and a PSP. The PS2 now sits somewhere in the attic, along with the Sega Saturn and the Master System. I still play on the PSP, mostly GBA games (Oh the irony!) but I still use it regularly.
But my undisputed system of choice is the PC, but inside the PC Gamer "niche", because let's face it, PC gaming is becoming a niche, I'm part of an even more exclusive circle: The Laptop gamer.
I own two portable PC's, a big 15.6" Toshiba L650-1HM and a 10" Toshiba NB550D. While the L650 could be considered a gaming machine, with it's 8GB's of RAM, 256GB SSD, i3 processor and Mobility Radeon 5650, it's still below par when it comes to true gaming laptops. The netbook on the other hand is much weaker and it doesn't even have windows on it anymore, so my gaming needs on that machine are usually filled with Linux native games, like the HIB#4, Minecraft and a few others.

While I do agree that with console games becoming the norm, so to speak, PC Gaming is taking a somewhat big hit and the evidence is already showing, Rage's graphical issues, Skyrim's console oriented Inventory, among many other examples. For one I could never get used to using a controller as the default interface option, I need my keyboard and mouse in order to get immersed in a game, sort of oxymoronic but that's how I feel, and I wouldn't trade the comfort of having both my workstation and gaming machine in a single piece of hardware, not in a long time. (And if Razer actually does release the Blade, I think I'll finally purchase a true gaming laptop.)

All this to say I think PC gaming will survive, probably not as the leading platform, but it will. The only problem lies with game developers themselves, right now it is mostly up to them to give us a true PC game instead of the under-par console ports we've been getting lately.

 

[brainslurper]

There are lots of ways to prove that PCs are superior gaming devices. Is it people saying that X users are worse then Y users that you have a problem with?

Depends on how you define 'superior'. It is entirely a subjective if I want to I can define superior as the one with a slower processor for example. You may argue with me but since there is no set criteria we are working by then it doesn't matter. People calming not only that their's is better based on their own set of criteria and not considering that they areas of interest might be biased, but also that everyone else is inferior to them is what makes me mad. I ahte people who says "oh mine can process 34 million vectors per second and your can process 23 million, I'm the bestest ever and my system wins" without considering that their are other factors at play. In general I hate people who feel the need to say that "I like X therefore I am better" and that's at the core of so many arguments that someone who owns a PC has the better system and thus is better. It's so idiotic to not only associate your being with a hunk of metal and say possession somehow affect the quality of a person but then to go further and make the rating scale completely arbitrary and thus easily manipulated into being unapproachably biased. It's like two cell phone networks, one with more coverage and one with better service both making commercials claiming to be clearly superior based on their one strength and ignore the other factor as if it doesn't exist. That kind of thinking infuriates me.

Not to start a flame war, but I have really never heard a reason that consoles are superior. The only thing I can think of is you have to have to spent a couple minutes figuring out where to get your PC.

 

[DarkRyter]

I don't know, what do you think I am? Some kind of Psychic?

Well psychics aren't fucking real. Got it?

 

[JET1971]

as far as desktops, in the future that will be completely likely, but right now, I would be highly surprised.

Read the title of the thread. FUTURE seams to be right in that so I was talking FUTURE.

 

[Twilight_guy]

Not to start a flame war, but I have really never heard a reason that consoles are superior. The only thing I can think of is you have to have to spent a couple minutes figuring out where to get your PC.

Off-hand:
1. There more portable then a desktop (although lab-top obviously don't apply here).
2. They don't required upgrade on parts during their lifetimes they need to be replaced ever 4 or 5 years but you don't ever have to worry about a new graphics card being needed.
3. They provided universality. All consoles are built the same as a result build specific issues don't exist.
4. They're generally cheaper then a high end PC while still offering good graphics capabilities.

I don't know why some people think PCs are clearly superior in every way. If that was true, Consoles gaming would die out simply by not being as good a deal and thus not a marketable item. There is always some advantage in some way even if its just "not as good but cheaper".

 

[brainslurper]

Not to start a flame war, but I have really never heard a reason that consoles are superior. The only thing I can think of is you have to have to spent a couple minutes figuring out where to get your PC.

Off-hand:
1. There more portable then a desktop (although lab-top obviously don't apply here).
2. They don't required upgrade on parts during their lifetimes they need to be replaced ever 4 or 5 years but you don't ever have to worry about a new graphics card being needed.
3. They provided universality. All consoles are built the same as a result build specific issues don't exist.
4. They're generally cheaper then a high end PC while still offering good graphics capabilities.

I don't know why some people think PCs are clearly superior in every way. If that was true, Consoles gaming would die out simply by not being as good a deal and thus not a marketable item. There is always some advantage in some way even if its just "not as good but cheaper".

1. http://www.apple.com/macmini/ In case you have never seen one, they are roughly the same size as the power brick on an XBox cord. It's hard drive is 500gb, an XBox's hard drive is 120gb. It has as much graphics memory as an XBox has system memory and graphics memory combined.
2. So being able to switch out parts instead of scrapping everything and buying a whole new one is a negative? Graphics cards have roughly the same lifespan as consoles do in terms of time until it is no longer capable of playing new games (graphics cards also last longer, but reliability is an entirely different argument.)
3. Not exactly sure what you mean...
4. A high end PC costs more then an XBox, but a PC with the same graphical capabilities as an XBox is cheaper.

I don't think the average person knows enough to be able to compare a console to a PC.

 

[Twilight_guy]

Not to start a flame war, but I have really never heard a reason that consoles are superior. The only thing I can think of is you have to have to spent a couple minutes figuring out where to get your PC.

Off-hand:
1. There more portable then a desktop (although lab-top obviously don't apply here).
2. They don't required upgrade on parts during their lifetimes they need to be replaced ever 4 or 5 years but you don't ever have to worry about a new graphics card being needed.
3. They provided universality. All consoles are built the same as a result build specific issues don't exist.
4. They're generally cheaper then a high end PC while still offering good graphics capabilities.

I don't know why some people think PCs are clearly superior in every way. If that was true, Consoles gaming would die out simply by not being as good a deal and thus not a marketable item. There is always some advantage in some way even if its just "not as good but cheaper".

1. http://www.apple.com/macmini/ In case you have never seen one, they are roughly the same size as the power brick on an XBox cord. It's hard drive is 500gb, an XBox's hard drive is 120gb. It has as much graphics memory as an XBox has system memory and graphics memory combined.
2. So being able to switch out parts instead of scrapping everything and buying a whole new one is a negative? Graphics cards have roughly the same lifespan as consoles do in terms of time until it is no longer capable of playing new games (graphics cards also last longer, but reliability is an entirely different argument.)
3. Not exactly sure what you mean...
4. A high end PC costs more then an XBox, but a PC with the same graphical capabilities as an XBox is cheaper.

I don't think the average person knows enough to be able to compare a console to a PC.

1. That's nice. Doesn't change the fact that most people's desktops are not exactly portable while consoles are.
2. Well no but rather then frantensteining your computer by replacing parts on a regular basis for each part which is more complex it is a much easier situation to replace the whole unit on a regular interval. Not to mention that you never have to worry about a part ever falling behind the standards since the games are designed to run on your current hardware. Its not an issue as to weather the game just went beyond what your CPU can do and you need to replace it, it will always run on your CPU. The only time you need to futz with changing is when the console generation turns over.
3. With a console you don't have to worry about issues in regards to specific PC builds for example, if you have graphics card X then some featured doesn't work with a certain game. With a console, they have have the same tech thus if it works on one it will work on all of them. This is actually very nice from a developer stand-point and convenient from a customer standpoint due to not having to deal with the aforementioned type of problem.
4. I would argue with you on which costs more but I don't think it would get either of us anywhere because of the effects of market prices. I suppose a similar but separate good argument is that buying a console is easier then buying a PC since it comes as a single item rather then a series of decisions on various parts.

Maybe not based on raw numbers but they certainly know things like cost and convince. Look on the side of an X-box and you get the system the cords a controller and possibly a game, in a neat package where the majority of systems are all very similar and comparable. Go to the PC section and you see pre-built PC, parts for PCs, etc. It's an entirely different situation. I';m not saying one or the other is better but anyone can see that there is a difference between the buying of the two. Consumers might not be experts but I certainly think they can tell the difference between different products. Not to mention that its often the person who will get the system that directs the purchase(what with gamers buying the system they use or children directing there parents as to what to buy) so I think the consumer often has more information then you might be giving them credit for.