The whole "PCs aren't that expensive compared to consoles" argument

[Wolfram23]

Monitors and HDTVs are comparably priced at comparable sizes. You can get a 26" 720p tv for less than $300. A similar sized monitor (27") is over $300.

Also, modern big screen HDTVs come with DVI inputs, and modern video cards come with HDMI outputs so basically, the costs are not only comparable but the monitors and tvs are practically interchangeable.

 

[john_alexander]

I'm currently sitting here on my little $500 laptop. I just finished playing Bioshock 2 (not the game, just the play session). I have, in the past, played Modern Warfare (1 and 2), Medieval 2 and Empire Total War (with huge army sizes) and and Crysis on near max. It runs all of these without difficulty, it has a mouse and keyboard (a huge barrel of fun) and, while consoles can now browse the internet, they rarely are as streamlined and intuitive as a PC, since the web was built around PC's. I can also do video editing and music recording (both are things I do a lot of), and there are many games on the PC with free mods (I must have at least a hundred of them on different games).

I can play PC games from decades ago without difficulty, and while many PS3's and XBox 360's can do the same, many also cannot. I can even play old console games with the help of an emulator. I can even hook the old controllers up with the help of some extra hookups running maybe 10 bucks.

The PC is not expensive.

Actually, that's a lie. The PC is expensive, but no more so than a console, and they are far more versatile.

 

[Levitas1234]

My computer was only $500 and it can play any game, max graphics and max resolution with 25fps or more.

it also does a lot more shit too, that lot more shit too is what makes that extra 200 make my pc a lot better than the ps3 you bought.

Can you enlighten me on how you obtained a pc that can run Bad Company , Crysis and Modern Warfare 2 at max settings in 500$ ?

walmart, had to upgrade the video card though, and yes crysis runs smoothley on my computer max resolution.

 

[SilverKyo]

I dumped about $2,000 into my gaming rig, and only spent $300 on my Xbox 360... do the math

You probably didn't research your sale which made you spend at least $800 more?

OT: PC's are more versatile. We can mod, upgrade, and do other shit without moving from one machine. We also spend about $10 less on new video games.

Well, this is over the course of about five years, and upgrading and what not. Still a lot more then I've ever spent of consoles. Add up a 360, original Xbox, and PS2, along with various accessories like controllers and what not, it's maybe half of what I dumped into my computer... and that's pushing it.

 

[SilverKyo]

I dumped about $2,000 into my gaming rig, and only spent $300 on my Xbox 360... do the math

You probably didn't research your sale which made you spend at least $800 more?

OT: PC's are more versatile. We can mod, upgrade, and do other shit without moving from one machine. We also spend about $10 less on new video games.

Well, this is over the course of about five years, and upgrading and what not. Still a lot more then I've ever spent of consoles. Add up a 360, original Xbox, and PS2, along with various accessories like controllers and what not, it's maybe half of what I dumped into my computer... and that's pushing it.

 

[Akirai]

I'm not really sure where you guys are getting your PS3's but I got mine a year postlaunch, 350 euro, with a second controller, LBP (launchweek) and Ratchet and Clank platinum edition included. I bought my PSX shortly before PS2 was launched, paid about 70 (paid the same for both my PSP and DS). I bought my PS2 for 160. None of my consoles or handhelds ever broke. I have one broken PSX controller. That's it.
70+70+70+160+350=720euro. Timespan: 11 years. ~65/year.
Back when I lived with my parents, I upgraded a PC twice, cost somewhere between 200-250 total. When I started living on my own I bought a decent desktop replacement laptop, 530. It can't play the newest games very well, but PC hasn't seen any good releases in years anyway (and it can still play the classics+occasional Flash fun).
200+570=730euro. Timespan: ~8 years. ~95/year.
Hardware: PC's are more expensive.

As for software, I'm going to assume no pirating since in that case PC cost = WoW subscription.
PC Games cost ~10 less at max price, scaling till their price point is equal to console games as the game grows older.
Consoles games have their price slashed when you buy them used (if the games are new their price is reduced to their PC counterpart, if they're older, they just become really cheap).
Depending on your spending pattern (MUSTHAVENOW or CHEAPOCHEAPO)either one can be cheaper.

Interesting as this cost analysis may be, what it boils down to is what games do you like? Thumbrule: competitive FPS, strategy games, MMOs and F2P games are PC. Rest is console.

 

[Der Kommissar]

Sadly though, even consoles are losing these traits of convenience, simplicity, consistancy and reliabilty.

Good post and this very last sentence is very truthful it seems; the RROD type of phenomena were quite rare back in Ps1 days or even Ps2 days and long before them.

 

[twasdfzxcv]

PC is only expensive if you want to keep up with current gen performance. If you don't mind low res, low anti aliasing, low frame rate and low texture quality, you can save a lot of money by keeping your system 3-4 generation old.

 

[erto101]

Dunno if this is just in Denmark but a PS3 is often double up in price compared to same game at Steam
anyway i never enjoyed a PS game as much as some of my PC games

 

[Flames66]

I don't know how you spent $1000 on an upgrade, as I just built an entirely new rig for that much. What you also don't take into account is long-term reliability. In five years, if the 360 and PS3 are still going strong (as the two companies say they will), then we PC gamers will be enjoying a whole new generation of graphics while the console gamers are stuck with the same mid-range quality. And in ten years, when the PS4 and Xbox 720 are released at a $600+ price point, we can get a new $300 video card and have graphics superior to both consoles.

Then, of course, you have a lot more flexibility with PC gaming in terms of modding and etc. There's a lot of value in both PC and console gaming, if you know where to look. It's all about consumer research and understanding.

I pretty much agree with this guy. However, I think that graphics is gaming has gone further that it needs to. As far as I am concerned, HL2 level graphics are more than I need even set fairly low. I do most of my gaming on my DELL laptop and I haven't bought a new game since L4D2. What I think needs to be done is put far less focus on the graphics (leave them at HL2 levels) and focus on working with the technologies we have for a few years rather than constantly making new ones.

That is why I stick with the PC, it will still be the PC in years to come, not the PC 720 or some other ridiculous "advancement".

 

[Ickorus]

My computer cost me £400 about 5 years ago and i'm still using it today, my frame rate is a little low on a couple of games but thats more due to bad coding in the game than my system.

A couple of the games i can play right now:

Crysis - Medium setting
Far Cry 2 - High
Bad Company 2 - High (Except multiplayer for some reason)
WoW (Of course) - High
Aion - High (Except during sieges due to the massive zerg-fests)

And of course i use the computer for work and browsing the internet too.

Bargain in my opinion.

(Games are also generally cheaper)

 

[Ickorus]

Sadly though, even consoles are losing these traits of convenience, simplicity, consistancy and reliabilty.

Good post and this very last sentence is very truthful it seems; the RROD type of phenomena were quite rare back in Ps1 days or even Ps2 days and long before them.

My PS1 got busted once and gave me that type of problem constantly.

Of course i found that when i left the disc compartment bit open and jammed a spring inside so it didn't stop running when open it worked perfectly.

 

[Daedalus1942]

I dumped about $2,000 into my gaming rig, and only spent $300 on my Xbox 360... do the math

I'd be curious to know what you got for your $2000 as I only had to spend $700, about 2 years ago and my PC will still run games for probably the next 5 years or so.
I can run all the current games now on max graphics with max AA, and shading, so what's under your hood, just curious?

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

Cost, nah. I hear you can get a good PC for cheap if you make it.

Complexity. FUCK YES. That's why I'll never be a PC gamer.

I can't tell what's better just by name, unlike you PC people.

GTX, GTR, GTA, what's the difference?!

 

[L33tsauce_Marty]

That's a fucking kick ass rig, and at a really great price. You don't need it to be that good to even run games though, so it works if you have a lower budget.

 

[Zer_]

**Snip**

Although a PC tends to be more expensive, you need to consider that the games sold on PC tend to be somewhat cheaper. Furthermore, a PC can do way more than a console ever will. That's not counting all the different peripherals you could need to buy for consoles as well.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

If anyone can link a place that I can buy a gaming computer for the price of a console, I will be shocked.

http://www.mocustoms.co.uk/homedesktopmenu.html
£242 cheap enough? Cheaper than a PS3 at £270.

 

[mrpmpfan]

Anymore if you build your own gaming computer you are a fucking idiot. The cost is astronomical however if you find a good deal on a great computer you can have a better value than a gaming console.

That being said, there are a ton of games that don't come out for the computer and even when they do they are a year or more late to the party. So if you are a true gamer who needs to play everything as it comes out then buy a console if you can wait a year or do without a lot of different games buy a gaming PC>

FYI...

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