Remember guys, consoles are more expensive.
Dear PC gaming: It's not you, it's me. Okay, so maybe it's both of us
- Thread starter Tek7
- Start date
XionTawa
New Member
Uhh...I have spent THOUSANDS, probably close to $10k on my PC...since buying my 360 (using my TV I have had for 4 years that was $300 at the time now selling for about $100), I have spent MAYBE $500 on it, and have 7 games which will keep me entertained for years if I so choosed to play them to complete every little part...
I read that link and much of it does not pertain to me...I do not buy a new console right as it comes out, I have been playing my PS2 for over 10 years...and I don't see getting a PS3 or a 360 a good reason to get a huge LCD HD TV...
Also, maybe 1% of the time I will buy a new game, mostly I buy used games, for $10-$20, which is something you cannot do with PC games... Now lets take this into consideration, if you want to play all the good PC games as they come out you are looking into putting $200 of upgrades into your computer at least every few months, that is if you want them to look like they do on the 360...plus...my TV is a bit bigger than my monitors...
That persons opinion only for a small group of people in my opinion...since in 10 years my 360 may cost me up to $1000, when in 10 years my PC has cost me close to 10 times that... Oh yeah, a console works...all the time, PCs...well...don't...and PCs are also a lot higher maintenance...
Also, one of the main things I wanted was a media center...to get my computer to do that like a console I would need about $150 in hardware...and I would have to set up Boxee or XBMC since WMC is a joke...my 360, just just plugged it in and it was ready to go...
Oh yeah, and he kills his point here (made me laugh): "Keep in mind that is assuming that you already have a PC with motherboard and all the other tiny important parts that make a PC run." This will cost you over the $150 he claims you will save... XD
My 2 cents about the cost
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Uhh...I have spent THOUSANDS, probably close to $10k on my PC...since buying my 360 (using my TV I have had for 4 years that was $300 at the time now selling for about $100), I have spent MAYBE $500 on it, and have 7 games which will keep me entertained for years if I so choosed to play them to complete every little part...
I read that link and much of it does not pertain to me...I do not buy a new console right as it comes out, I have been playing my PS2 for over 10 years...and I don't see getting a PS3 or a 360 a good reason to get a huge LCD HD TV...
Also, maybe 1% of the time I will buy a new game, mostly I buy used games, for $10-$20, which is something you cannot do with PC games... Now lets take this into consideration, if you want to play all the good PC games as they come out you are looking into putting $200 of upgrades into your computer at least every few months, that is if you want them to look like they do on the 360...plus...my TV is a bit bigger than my monitors...
That persons opinion only for a small group of people in my opinion...since in 10 years my 360 may cost me up to $1000, when in 10 years my PC has cost me close to 10 times that... Oh yeah, a console works...all the time, PCs...well...don't...and PCs are also a lot higher maintenance...
Also, one of the main things I wanted was a media center...to get my computer to do that like a console I would need about $150 in hardware...and I would have to set up Boxee or XBMC since WMC is a joke...my 360, just just plugged it in and it was ready to go...
Oh yeah, and he kills his point here (made me laugh): "Keep in mind that is assuming that you already have a PC with motherboard and all the other tiny important parts that make a PC run." This will cost you over the $150 he claims you will save... XD
My 2 cents about the cost
Yeah, he is more or less talking about upgrading your PS2-quality(or maybe Xbox-quality, the PS2 was kind of bad in the system specifications department) PC to a PS3-quality PC, not building one from scratch. However, you say you have been playing a PS2 for years and it still works, if you were to get a PS2 quality PC when the PS2 came out, it would still run PS2 quality games, you don't "have" to upgrade a PC any more than you do a console, it's just a console is buying a new one, and a PC is throwing some different parts into an old box. And in both cases there is poor backwards compatibility.
XionTawa
New Member
If you want your games to look like they do on the 360 you do HAVE to upgrade, and the 360s backward compatibility is 99%...the PS3s is 0%...Also, your "PS2 quality" PC would need a new PSU and MOBO also to run the parts he listed...and possibly a new case...which again, is at least $150...
Now you say you don't have to upgrade often, which is true, but let my show you my perspective: last year I "maxed" my computer for the most part, any game out would run at max...now, 1 year later, I cannot run ANY mainstream new game at "max"...but the 360 didn't need an upgrade to run MW2 at "max"...
Now again, this is just my situation, but in my situation the costs are much different...
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Elader Arkon
Helped Tek test a thing
I don't know what you guys are talking about with poor PC compatibility. I can still play games from the 80s (Carmen Sandiego is the still awesome.... ) on my Win 7, quad core 64bit gaming rig. I have yet to have a game for the PC not work due to compatibility issues.
) on my Win 7, quad core 64bit gaming rig. I have yet to have a game for the PC not work due to compatibility issues.You say you can't run MW2 at max on a year old PC, while this is true, you also can't run it at max on a 360, it just doesn't have graphics options, you don't see how much better it is actually able to run on a brand new PC. Saying a game can run at max on a PS2 or even a PS3 or Xbox 360 is simply untrue, you just don't get the option to upgrade them to have them more than playable. And my PC is 2 years old now, I've put less money into it than a 360 or PS3 would cost and it still easily runs new games, not at max mind you, but easily comparable to console quality, and remember each game usually costs $10 less, MW2 didn't at release, but it's an exception.
I don't know what you guys are talking about with poor PC compatibility. I can still play games from the 80s (Carmen Sandiego is the still awesome....
Well, you obviously haven't spent hours trying to get the videos working for Thief Gold. And of course I also don't have a 3 1/2 floppy drive, which adds to the problem. And if you are going with a game from the 80's why not go for a nice classic CRPG, like Ultima or Might & Magic, they were far superior to Carmen Sandiego.
Keero
Tribe of Judah Membership Administrator
As for the consoles being expensive, I got a PS3 and gear for about $550 ($400 80gb), but I ignored that HDTV noise and got a very good 23' HDMI monitor that actually gave better quality than the big TV. Handles all my gaming needs and saved me 400 bucks for more gaming. This new PC cost me about 900, nearly 180 in shipping (Alaska ), but it too can run new titles with ease.
This new PC cost me about 900, nearly 180 in shipping (Alaska ), but it too can run new titles with ease.
Three things:
- Building a upper-mid-range system will allow you to play most (95+%) games at a respectable level of detail at full frames per second. Upgrading said system or building a new mid-range system every 3-5 years should cost substantially less than $10,000 over 10 years, especially if you re-use components like keyboard, mouse, and monitor. Building a new top-of-the-line system every 2 years will cost substantially more.
- Infinity Ward is no longer relevant to PC gaming. Comparing the PC version of Modern Warfare 2 to the Xbox 360 version of Modern Warfare is like comparing a starving wild mutt to a show dog.
- DOSBox. There's your compatibility.
Elader Arkon
Helped Tek test a thing
I merely listed Carmen because it was a game I played within the last month or so. I don't own the Thief games, but apparently there are still ways to get it to run. Which is rather the point I was making... I prefer to buy PC versions precisely because I don't have to worry that in 10-15 years I won't be able to play it. I worry about will it play on my machine now or will I have to wait until I upgrade later on.
And DOSBox is indeed ftw.
Keero
Tribe of Judah Membership Administrator
My Thief games on Steam had a lot of graphical glitches, and Deus Ex 2 wouldn't run. :*(
There are quite a few more problems with early windows games than DOS games.
RyanB
Legacy of Elijah Guild Leader
That article is terrible; really surprised that came from you, Orry.
Counting the cost of the TV? Really? "Hey guys, if you buy a $600 tv with your ps3/xbox and a $200 monitor with a computer, the computer comes out to be less! Yeah!" Let's forget that many people (like me) use their LCD for both the computer and console, and that many people do the same with monitors. Also bear in mind multi-gamer households. I play many games with my wife with one PS3 and one copy of the game...no second gaming computer needed. That cuts costs significantly.
As for the cost of games, it really depends, but I think the $50 MSRP vs $60 MSRP is misleading. That discounts monthly costs (for most MMOs) and the fact that you game buy new games for well off MSRP even a month after they come out nowadays. PS3/360 games tend to be much cheaper than Wii games unless you are paying full price on day 1. Many launch/near-launch Wii games are still $50.
The only way I could ever see PC being cheaper as a gaming option is in a case where you already have a decent PC (so you count that as "free"), and you just add a video card or something. This tends to have pretty limited use, though, because it's rare you can get away with just putting in a nice card without having to replace a stock PSU or mobo.
RyanB
Legacy of Elijah Guild Leader
This is a good consideration, although the main problem is staying power. Computers don't really last that long if you're trying to stay current. The current lifecycle of consoles (5-10 years depending on your console of choice) is another area where console gamers save some cash.
Really there are just so many variables, though. A "good" MMO can keep you busy for years, and even with subscriptions they're often cheaper than buying new games every few weeks.
That article is terrible; really surprised that came from you, Orry.
Also bear in mind multi-gamer households. I play many games with my wife with one PS3 and one copy of the game...no second gaming computer needed. That cuts costs significantly.
As for the cost of games, it really depends, but I think the $50 MSRP vs $60 MSRP is misleading. That discounts monthly costs (for most MMOs) and the fact that you game buy new games for well off MSRP even a month after they come out nowadays. PS3/360 games tend to be much cheaper than Wii games unless you are paying full price on day 1. Many launch/near-launch Wii games are still $50.
The only way I could ever see PC being cheaper as a gaming option is in a case where you already have a decent PC (so you count that as "free"), and you just add a video card or something. This tends to have pretty limited use, though, because it's rare you can get away with just putting in a nice card without having to replace a stock PSU or mobo.
For the PC games to play properly, with the intended field of vision you need a TV for the console games and a monitor for the PC games, you can do with the other, but it doesn't look right. Now granted it probably shouldn't really be counted, but by that account neither should a lot of things on the PC.
Often times you just need a new CPU, mobo, GPU or just more RAM to upgrade, not everything. If you slowly phase out parts as needed it isn't that expensive. Not to mention that PC games are generally a lot cheaper.
Overall I know I've spent far more on consoles than on PC's and I have a similar number of games for each.
It depends on how current is current, quite a few people stick with XP still, and it isn't exactly "current"
Odale
Active Member
Edit: I totally missed where you mentioned this... so I'll post something else .
For the extra money you spend on a gaming PC you get LOADS of utility. Remember, it isn't just for playing games... Word processor, check email, music library, video library, photo library, communication device, etc.
The comparison between a gaming PC and a console is much like this comparison.
.RyanB said:
For the extra money you spend on a gaming PC you get LOADS of utility. Remember, it isn't just for playing games... Word processor, check email, music library, video library, photo library, communication device, etc.
The comparison between a gaming PC and a console is much like this comparison.
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XionTawa
New Member
To be fair though, the 360 and PS3 can do these things as well...not as good as a PC, but they can do it...
RyanB
Legacy of Elijah Guild Leader
I agree with utility, that's why I mentioned it.
My "gaming" PC is a cheapest-of-the-cheap Dell Inspiron desktop from two years ago. I've added a little more RAM, an nVidia 8800GT, and a new PSU (stock had no 12v line). I get 60FPS/1080p max settings on the few games I do play on PC, and I consider my "gaming" investment there to be ~$200, since I already had the desktop.
Of course, as I stated above...many people just don't have that option. They either don't know how to upgrade their computer, have a laptop (most laptops have no room for a video card, and even if they do they are very, very expensive), or have to replace more than 2 or 3 components.
Ultimately, it just depends on people's situations...but it's rare that PC gaming comes out cheaper.
My "gaming" PC is a cheapest-of-the-cheap Dell Inspiron desktop from two years ago. I've added a little more RAM, an nVidia 8800GT, and a new PSU (stock had no 12v line). I get 60FPS/1080p max settings on the few games I do play on PC, and I consider my "gaming" investment there to be ~$200, since I already had the desktop.
Of course, as I stated above...many people just don't have that option. They either don't know how to upgrade their computer, have a laptop (most laptops have no room for a video card, and even if they do they are very, very expensive), or have to replace more than 2 or 3 components.
Ultimately, it just depends on people's situations...but it's rare that PC gaming comes out cheaper.
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It's also worth considering that most console gamers already own a PC, and probably play at least a few games on it, even if they're not top-of-the-line. It might be true that fewer hardcore PC gamers also own a console, or perhaps not as many consoles and games (and controllers) as a console gamer.
With that information (if it's true), means that console gamers may actually end up spending more, since they buy the PC, the console, and all the games and devices that go with it.
Also, most people (well, some anyway) get all gosu on building their PC's as a hobby, and end up building a far more powerful and expensive machine than is necessary to play the game. This, however, I don't think should impact the argument much since it would not be counting "the recommended system requirements" but rather the absurd maximum potential of the system.
Either way, it's not an entirely level playing field in the first place. It's like comparing Picasso's paintings to pages from Tek7's coloring book. The winner is hard to be determined. (Random, I know, but I like picking on Tek)
With that information (if it's true), means that console gamers may actually end up spending more, since they buy the PC, the console, and all the games and devices that go with it.
Also, most people (well, some anyway) get all gosu on building their PC's as a hobby, and end up building a far more powerful and expensive machine than is necessary to play the game. This, however, I don't think should impact the argument much since it would not be counting "the recommended system requirements" but rather the absurd maximum potential of the system.
Either way, it's not an entirely level playing field in the first place. It's like comparing Picasso's paintings to pages from Tek7's coloring book. The winner is hard to be determined. (Random, I know, but I like picking on Tek)
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