PC's often cost more, but then can do far more. The reason I don't have a gaming PC is solely because I wouldn't know how to build one and the prebuilts are to expensive and lacking.
The whole "PCs aren't that expensive compared to consoles" argument
- Thread starter Wolfram23
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At least i can sleep well and know when the next nvidia card comes out i wont have to buy a whole new computer.
With games being a little bit cheeper on PC it can make up for the price, but when i get a PC i use it for more than gameing.
Yep. Your post proves that we're the douchebags. Because you totally aren't being a douche right now.Pendragon9 said:
OT:
It really depends on how you spend that money, if you get a stock PC, you'll have expensive parts that are shit compared to their cheaper companions.
On complexity: Oh, I don't know who would actually think getting a PC isn't complex, but it really is more than worth it for me.
Some points:
1) Since most people are going to want a PC anyway just for work and using the internet, it's not like you are going to be starting from nothing when building a gaming PC. For most people chances are you already have or want to have some of that stuff anyway (eg a mouse and keyboard, a copy of windows and even a suitably modern powersupply, motherboard and RAM etc).
2) Most people don't properly account for ALL the costs of owning a console. Console harware has a cheap upfront cost, but they get you in other areas. For example, PC games are cheaper than console games because console hardware makers charge console developers license fees that get passed on to gamers via the cost of games. Depending on how many games you buy, this can save PC gamers fairly large amount of money, which makes up for some of the upfront cost of the hardware. Another factor is paying for online services; if you buy a 360, you also have to think about how much money you're spending on live gold, which can also be a big chunk of money PC gamers will end up saving.
From what I've worked out from my own spending, the costs to me of my gaming PC is pretty much exactly the same as a 360.
1) Since most people are going to want a PC anyway just for work and using the internet, it's not like you are going to be starting from nothing when building a gaming PC. For most people chances are you already have or want to have some of that stuff anyway (eg a mouse and keyboard, a copy of windows and even a suitably modern powersupply, motherboard and RAM etc).
2) Most people don't properly account for ALL the costs of owning a console. Console harware has a cheap upfront cost, but they get you in other areas. For example, PC games are cheaper than console games because console hardware makers charge console developers license fees that get passed on to gamers via the cost of games. Depending on how many games you buy, this can save PC gamers fairly large amount of money, which makes up for some of the upfront cost of the hardware. Another factor is paying for online services; if you buy a 360, you also have to think about how much money you're spending on live gold, which can also be a big chunk of money PC gamers will end up saving.
From what I've worked out from my own spending, the costs to me of my gaming PC is pretty much exactly the same as a 360.
A gaming rig might be expensive but while factoring in the cost of a console you should also factor in how much your tv cost you. (or you parents) (or your roommate in my case)
So if we look at my situation it cost me $1,800.00 to play my Xbox.
So if we look at my situation it cost me $1,800.00 to play my Xbox.
Realistically, that's not a gaming machine, that's a Ninja PC. And if they had a Ninja PS3, you can bet it'd be that much.Wolfram01 said:
Let's see what I can do.
Total £524.26 ex VAT.pcspecialist said:
£616 inc VAT and Delivery
And that can play any modern game, is fully protected and comes pre-built.
Now, it wouldn't be hard to save £100 here and there by just having slightly worse bits.
And then you'll add in all the extras, like web-browsing, Free DLC, and all the other things a PC can do that a console can't.
And you're really saying that a console is better?
Easier/More comfortable perhaps. Cheaper: Simply no.
Initially, PC gaming is expensive.
Initially.
But then, say I buy 10 games. That's £100-£150 off the starting price (assuming I don't buy off Steam during one of the sales it has every week of the year), then there's no LIVE subscription (or PSN subscription which they're thinking about) or extortionately priced dongle (£60 MS?!). You can buy less-powerful hardware and then overclock too, so you can pay less and get more.
Then there's better graphics, mods, better communities in games, etc. etc. And then you get a normal computer that can do other things as well.
Obviously it's down to what people prefer (duh), but a good gaming PC that can run all the latest on high isn't really that expensive.
And for fuck sake, you don't have to upgrade every 4 months people! The only think that I've done in 2 years to mine is go from 2GB RAM --> 4GB, and I'm still running almost everything on the highest settings (except JC2 recently, and Crysis is on a hybrid of high/very high).
Initially.
But then, say I buy 10 games. That's £100-£150 off the starting price (assuming I don't buy off Steam during one of the sales it has every week of the year), then there's no LIVE subscription (or PSN subscription which they're thinking about) or extortionately priced dongle (£60 MS?!). You can buy less-powerful hardware and then overclock too, so you can pay less and get more.
Then there's better graphics, mods, better communities in games, etc. etc. And then you get a normal computer that can do other things as well.
Obviously it's down to what people prefer (duh), but a good gaming PC that can run all the latest on high isn't really that expensive.
And for fuck sake, you don't have to upgrade every 4 months people! The only think that I've done in 2 years to mine is go from 2GB RAM --> 4GB, and I'm still running almost everything on the highest settings (except JC2 recently, and Crysis is on a hybrid of high/very high).
I am a strategy gamer so I need the PC, in my country (Portugal) a good PC with nice performance for the titles I play most cost the same as a PS3.
PC gaming is more expensive no way around that but the point is PC gaming is not prohibitively expensive you don't need to buy a complete machine everytime
Case
Power Supply
Monitor
Hard drives
are basically one time purchases unless they break
Case
Power Supply
Monitor
Hard drives
are basically one time purchases unless they break
I had to quote you on this as I think you miss the point of this argument point. The argument made about PCs being cheaper than consoles is not with the base cost. No one is debating that the base cost is higher and so is the upgrade cost. The point made about PCs balancing out is that games are cheaper on the PC which they are. New games are much cheaper on the PC than consoles. Granted you can buy pre owned but that is a bit messy as you are counting on someone buying the game and not liking it which can take up to a year for it to appear if you are unlucky. Even then the price may not have even come down to PC price.Wolfram01 said:
So no one is or should be disputing the point that PCs are cheap to start off but the price issue balances out after you have it for awhile. Yes Pcs are more complex but shouldn't be thrown in a money argument point. On the complexity side if you have the complexity side down you can get more out of the system than you will over consoles. Like mods and emulators. Although the complex side is well complex so getting to this level is not easy by any stretch of the imagination. As I said I just wanted to make those 2 points on the argument that I though you missed out on.
Edit: Also if you want expensive/top of the line check out these beasts [http://www.beastcomputers.co.uk/beast-aphros.php]. That is their most expensive standrad model.
ehh the way i see it you need a computer anyway generally so whether you have a good or a bad one theres still a bit of money tied in thatWolfram01 said:
Now if you buy a Good Computer when the PS3 Came out you would have had a rig that would be able to play a the majority of things that will be around at the end of the life cycle
theres also the price diff in a TV for the PS3 but your probably using that for normal tv as well
theres also the fact that PC games are normally Cheaper and that you have free mods and equivilant DLC for alot of games that can surpass the stuff released by the developer itself
Consoles are just more accessible for me.
For a start i couldn't afford a decent PC when i started buying consoles, from what i remember they were bloody expensive. And you're generally throwing yourself into the deep end if you start off by picking out components, which is presumably cheaper.
Not to mention most games that i like are console exclusive. PC's in my opinion are only good for FPS and RTS games. I like neither of those, i'm yet to see games like Ratchet and Clank and Disgaea on the PC
Annoyingly i do still need a PC upgrade though. The shrapnel i've been stuck with for years now even struggles to play youtube videos, and i need a PC at least fast enough to play flash games so i can dig a little further into game development.
For a start i couldn't afford a decent PC when i started buying consoles, from what i remember they were bloody expensive. And you're generally throwing yourself into the deep end if you start off by picking out components, which is presumably cheaper.
Not to mention most games that i like are console exclusive. PC's in my opinion are only good for FPS and RTS games. I like neither of those, i'm yet to see games like Ratchet and Clank and Disgaea on the PC
Annoyingly i do still need a PC upgrade though. The shrapnel i've been stuck with for years now even struggles to play youtube videos, and i need a PC at least fast enough to play flash games so i can dig a little further into game development.
Comparing a high end PC and a Console the way you did is deliberately misleading. It would be like comparing a sports car with a go-kart and stating that go-karts are better than cars because they are cheaper, while ignoring the fact that there are cars comparable in price to go-karts, that go just as fast as the go-karts, but have more utility.
Also, go-karts are for kids...
Also, go-karts are for kids...