Something I learned about PC gaming...

[ZombieGenesis]

I hate to be an accomplice to conflict, but MaxPowers, the differences between Mac and PC have been nebulous for a long time. The main reason that Macs could be said to surpass the PC in terms of creative design was largely due to the processor architecture and system memory. Now though, Mac's use the same Intel line (i5/i7) for the most part that the PC's do.
This is why if you look into getting a Mac you'll often see high amounts of ram, but these days you can pick up a good 6GB for less than 100 pounds.
Also, with the PC I'm building myself, I have three years all purpose warranty on each individual part. Not something you get with a Mac.

I wasn't so convinced that Steve Jobs and apple were ripping people off until I saw the specifications between two similar systems. One a PC pricing £800, another was a Mac with all around same hardware (save for the graphics card) at £2700. Think it was on the UK site for Digerdirect.

I kind of consider Mac being the same as alienware. It's all in the brand name.

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

Well at least that's one of you.

Now for the rest who list "oh it's sooo expenisve" as a reason as to why PC gaming is "dying".

While I will never say it's less expensive, the price is not nearly so steep as some would have you believe. Thanks to the "pc gaming is dying" logic (or, more correctly, the fact that most AAA games are designed to work on a console) the hardware requirements for games have not increased significantly. I still got adequate performance on an Alienware laptop I purchased three years ago in the Army but decided I wanted an upgrade regardless. In total, including a new 23" monitor, keyboard, mouse and speaker set it only ran 1100 USD after shipping and the resulting machine is easily capable of running any game on the market I'm aware of at the highest settings.

 

[Weaver]

The PC is also the ultimate system for backwards compatibility.
Hell, if you're morally flexible one can find various emulators and roms for old games on most consoles they did not own/can't find, not that I endorse such actions.

My PC is 5 years old and I've just upgraded it a little here and there and it's still going strong.

 

[falcon1985]

yup, that's the thing about PC gaming. You build the thing yourself, you save megabucks. Hell, my comp has been with me for at least 4 years now, and it's still up to date thanks to small updates over the years. Where a console is stuck with it's hardware, a PC can be upgraded at ease, making it cheaper in the long run than buying new consoles everytime the next gen comes out.

(Before i get labeled as a PC elitist pig, i also own all 3 generations of Playstation and a Sega genesis. Just saying PC is easier in my oppinion)

 

[Zer_]

i saw a mac worth 1600 quid in a shop today. i had a quiet laugh thinking about how my current pc cost half as much (or pretty close too) and was about 10 times more powerful!.

I question your usage of the word "worth".

i know what ya mean the components werent even that impressive either. an average dual core and gpu that wouldnt have cost maybe 250 quid bundled together.

I can also pick up that mac and throw it off an appartment roof and they will replace it for me. Macs are generally meant for different things then PCs, they also excell at different things. If your doing graphical design, photography, etc you will want to have a mac. They are far superior when it comes to things like that. Another thing they have is insane customer service and warrenty. You can smash yours with a sledge hammer and they will replace it for free, and if possible move all your data onto your new computer.

Yes they are alittle overpriced but they have that quality that pcs dont.


When it comes down to it PC gaming isnt all that expensive but its still more expensive then a console. You cant take things like tvs into consideration because if you do then you have to look at monitors, mouse & keyboard, speakers etc. Its actually a benefit to pcs to ignore these extra items.

Nobody ever really said PC gaming is expensive its just more expensive then alternatives. The proof is in the numbers everybody has given in this thread.

Ummm, no? Macs use the same nVidia Quattro cards as PCs do, their processors are the same as well. The only difference here is the type of RAM that macs use, it tends to be more secure, but honestly, no one really has any problems with DDR3 RAM, it's error rate isn't high enough to negatively affect anything.

Furthermore, workstation graphics cards almost always come out on PC before they come out on the mac, so technically, if you really want to get into semantics, PC is better... sometimes.

 

[Wobbleflops]

I started PC gaming back when i was about 15, on a god awful laptop.
I built my own computer at the age of 16 and since then, i've never looked back
It's easier to do, as you get more control with a keyboard and mouse, and, despite the intitial cost of buying a decent PC, it is definately cheaper, as you'll only have to upgrade certain parts every few years, rather than just buy an entirely new console !
As far as i could see, the only difference between the old 360 and the new 360 was the built in wireless, a bigger hdd and a new look.
You could easily upgrade a pc like that for about £60 ^_^

 

[Kinguendo]

I'm sorry, am I missing something? £700 for a gaming PC, and you're all nodding your heads sagely and agreeing wwith how cheap that is?

A new Xbox 360 with a 250 GB hardrive costs, on Argos.co.uk, £190. That's less than a third of what your PC cost you. A 250 GB PS3 costs £285 from Argos, and that comes with two free games. I'm honestly struggling to see what exaclty is cheap about the PC option.

a pc has more uses

Then you could always buy an average PC for looking at porn, using paint when you are bored, printing out CVs, googling your own name, whatever else you use a PC for and it still wouldnt come to £700.

If I had £700 lying around I might think about buying a good PC... but it isnt on the top of my list.

 

[Tzekelkan]

You can also factor in the fact that if you can wait to play some games just a few months after the official release, there is a high probability for Steam or other DD services to have a sale or drop the price (not to mention PC games are less expensive in general). So yeah, the argument that PC gaming is expensive never had much ground.

 

[M-JN]

There's stuff to consider about both methods. I really like multiplayer console games (that is, to play with my actual friends who are there in the room with me and can be punched when they screw us)

The laptop I have is a $600 notebook I got for college and it doesn't run awesomely, but it does what I need it to. The games too heavy for it to handle are the ones I buy for console.

Fanboying over one platform and refusing to use any other is just a limitation. And there should be no limitation on fun.

 

[DeaconSawyer]

Yes they are alittle overpriced but they have that quality that pcs dont.

That hasn't been true since 1998.

Win to Migo

 

[The Amazing Tea Alligator]

i saw a mac worth 1600 quid in a shop today. i had a quiet laugh thinking about how my current pc cost half as much (or pretty close too) and was about 10 times more powerful!.

But you're not nearly as 'hip' and 'cool'. If you were to bring a PC into a Starbucks then nobody notices you and your mac

 

[DeaconSawyer]

Nobody ever really said PC gaming is expensive its just more expensive then alternatives. The proof is in the numbers everybody has given in this thread.

Except the numbers that I gave here.

Ok. I am a PC Gamer to the core. I spent 1000$ on this computer. 7 YEARS AGO! That's right, for 7 years, and only once 200$ for a new graphics card, I have been running games that span all consoles, all generations and on something that I needed anyway...too let's say...POST ON THESE FORUMS! Only recently did if have trouble with a game. Assassin's Creed 2. I could still run it, just not on highest. Alas. Besides that game made my friends PS3 lag too.

Subtract the cost of what I needed anyway, the higher cost of console games, and the cost of buying x-number of consoles and this is WAY cheaper.

I should note that that 1000$ is Canadian Dollars, not pounds or euros or anything like that.

 

[e2density]

I agree with 100% of the OP said.
Ripoff companies like Alienware charge you out the ass for stuff that doesn't even cost that much....

"Alienware...because for only $500 more you can get that SECOND 7900GT!"

 

[ZombieGenesis]

The elitists have been spouting this for years.

Come now, let's not make this a PC v Console fight.
They all have their advantages, I was just trying to make a point. I've not met a PC gamer (well, a few) who I would call elitist. Mostly just gamers who want to put the effort into making their own game machine- and I respect that.

 

[migo]

Nobody ever really said PC gaming is expensive its just more expensive then alternatives. The proof is in the numbers everybody has given in this thread.

Except the numbers that I gave here.

Ok. I am a PC Gamer to the core. I spent 1000$ on this computer. 7 YEARS AGO! That's right, for 7 years, and only once 200$ for a new graphics card, I have been running games that span all consoles, all generations and on something that I needed anyway...too let's say...POST ON THESE FORUMS! Only recently did if have trouble with a game. Assassin's Creed 2. I could still run it, just not on highest. Alas. Besides that game made my friends PS3 lag too.

Subtract the cost of what I needed anyway, the higher cost of console games, and the cost of buying x-number of consoles and this is WAY cheaper.

The cost of your pc is $1200. The cost of my ps3 was $400 and my ps2 for $100, that brings my grand total for $500. So you have spend twice as much as me and my combination has actually lasted just as long if not longer. We are not talking games/tv/anything else since that is irrelevent and doesnt actually favor pc as much as people think. We are also not taking inflation into account since $1000 7 years ago is worth more then $1000 today.

Unless you cant do simple math then your numbers are alittle off. As for ac2 making the ps3 lag thats so wrong it just makes me laugh.

How much did you spend for your HDTV to go with the PS3?

 

[migo]

The elitists have been spouting this for years.

Come now, let's not make this a PC v Console fight.
They all have their advantages, I was just trying to make a point. I've not met a PC gamer (well, a few) who I would call elitist. Mostly just gamers who want to put the effort into making their own game machine- and I respect that.

I'm just saying this news is nothing new.
Everyone knows PC's don't cost much.

Quite the opposite, not many people do otherwise they wouldn't consistently spend so much on them.