PC vs Console gaming analysis

[Ady]

I'm a console gamer myself. There's just too much faffing around with PCs whereas with a console, it's simply a matter of inserting a disc (or cart) and you're off.

Also, whilst PCs will always be very top tier technically, being on the bleeding edge costs money, and cheaper PCs max out quickly. A £400 PC may be able to play some games 3 years from now, but you'll likely have to turn certain features off to get it to run smoothly. With consoles, developers become more familiar with the hardware over time and have usually pushed it way beyond what was thought possible by the end of its life.

I also just prefer the types of games available on consoles. The only PCs games I tend to enjoy are the smaller, experimental titles which, funnily enough don't need monstrously high spec hardware to run.

[CMcK]

I'm on about the cost and the simple fact , that not matter when you or I buy the PS3 or 360 in their lifetime , all the games will look and run and just as good and you don't need to upgrade, simple facts which no one can argue with, because that's the benefit of a closed system
I also like the easy of use of the console playing it on my sofa onthe big TV, Yes I know you can do that onthe PC, but nothing like as easy as the console .

Thats why I've been a console gamer over the years

The winner is TA!

Spot on there. The biggest problem with PC gaming is an ergonomic one. A mouse and keyboard is a lousy way to play lots of types of games. Far better with a pad for a lot of games. Even FPS games these days are well tuned to use a console controller. Sitting at a desk isn't as good as sitting on the couch, especially for local multiplayer games.
Console controllers were designed for playing games and are more comfortable over a prolonged period of use. Keyboards were designed to be used with two hands for typing and the mouse, which came later, is a pointing device.

The ease of use afforded by consoles cannot be argued with and probably has a hidden cash value that should be taken into account when looking at the value proposition.

I used to keep my PC on the bleeding edge to play the latest games but eventually realised that I was wasting my time as game after game didn't take advantage of the features the latest whizzbang graphics cards offered. All you get is better resolution at an acceptable frame rate.

Another argument in favour of consoles is that a lot of console titles have better production values and a lot of big multi format titles appear on consoles months before a PC or Mac version appears.

[Number45]

Spot on there. The biggest problem with PC gaming is an ergonomic one. A mouse and keyboard is a lousy way to play lots of types of games. Far better with a pad for a lot of games. Even FPS games these days are well tuned to use a console controller. Sitting at a desk isn't as good as sitting on the couch, especially for local multiplayer games.
Console controllers were designed for playing games and are more comfortable over a prolonged period of use. Keyboards were designed to be used with two hands for typing and the mouse, which came later, is a pointing device.

That argument is largely moot, considering you can use the 360 controller on the PC natively, and it's perfectly possible to hook your PC up to your TV.

I'm not on either side of this fence personally, I can see it from both angles. I go in cycles - basically when I replace my PC I use it for games, and as soon as I have to set the quality to anything less than high I get depressed and stop PC gaming.

[TheBlackLodge]

http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com/index.php#1759

Now obviously not everyone has such troubles but that kind of story along with my years of experience in dealing with similar issues (both personally and professionally)has meant that when it comes to the whole PC VS Console thing, I use a PC for work and a console for gaming. To frell with all that faffing about just to play a video game.

[eastyy]

i play games on the pc....and for things like oblivion or fallout 3 i will get the pc versions first (my machine is a decent spec and there is more customisaztion and mods)

my grudge is console to pc conversions.....resi evil 4 was the most laziest conversion ever....and i was really looking forward to mous aiming

[MattyD]

OMG did I accidentally click on Gamefaqs message boards instead of NSTC-UK forums?

FFS sake guys, some people around here really need to grow up.

[Ouenben]

OMG did I accidentally click on Gamefaqs message boards instead of NSTC-UK forums?

FFS sake guys, some people around here really need to grow up.

I can't see a need for this message all the conversation in here is relatively calm and just an interesting discussion of what setup people prefer.

So unless some nasty comments have been edited out between you posting and me posting I think you're seriously over-reacting and if you don't like discussion/debates then don't come in this thread

[Matt]

OMG did I accidentally click on Gamefaqs message boards instead of NSTC-UK forums?

FFS sake guys, some people around here really need to grow up.

You keep coming on and posting this kind of stuff. You know, discussion is healthy. If you're not interested, don't read the thread! It's not rocket science

[Number45]

OMG did I accidentally click on Gamefaqs message boards instead of NSTC-UK forums?

FFS sake guys, some people around here really need to grow up.

I intentionally called the thread an 'analysis', so that it could be used to discuss the differences and preferences. It's not a 'system wars' dump, and hasn't even threatened to move in that direction.

As long as it's reasonable discussion, which it has been, it's fine. I only shifted it from the FC2 thread because it was overshadowing conversation about that game, not because it wasn't a valid point of discussion.

So, as you were.

EDIT: Reading back there are some posts about RROD that can go. I'll do that now.

[Dazzyman]

lol

One argument for PC you can use it on a telly if its got a VGA port or HDMI I use mine.

The big thing you have to take into account with the 360 v PC argument is you have to go back to when the 360 was launched for that and you are talking a 2.8 grand PC with SLI what cannot run the likes of Supreme Commander and Crysis now and at the time still couldnt wow us with its graphic games like the 360 did it took another year and by then you have eaten around £1300 of that spend waiting in dropped market.

I got one March the following year at 1800 as my previous 3yr old PC would have cost me the same to build a new one (actually 300 more for same parts) and I cant run em at 60fps (dual core just before quads came out 2.67 GTX 8800 768mb card). Id always built then since 1992 but it was just so much cheaper to buy a new system at that time.

The problem with PC market is the prices tumble so quickly after 6months as you always pay thru the nose for the new tech so that machine now is less than £400. Apart from the graphics card I could quite easily buy a new PC for £400 and say yep it plays all new games and I could build my own for £250 no worries but its stilll another £250 on top of £1800 to do that for playing Crysis (not on about warhead thats optomised). So for what its going to cost to upgrade after 2half years I could buy a 360 again lol Prices of games have dropped way lower on console now. It aint the argument it used to be with PC gaming to justify itself. You used to get console games £40-£50 and PC games where £30 right down to £18 and they used to churn great PC games out everyweek. Now theirs hardly any games that come out for the PC and theirs quite a few what are very high priced at retail like spore and Red Alert 3. Even the big games are now around £25 - £30 on PC so when I can get in on console for £5 its not the bargin of old.


I adored my PC from 1991 till 360 release but times have changed the markets dying its only MMORPGs keeping it afloat and the 1% of the market that can afford Crysis built machines on launch to show the tech off. If you look at the release schedule their really aint much incoming other than WOW addon and Dawn of war 2 as exclusives to get exited about. Personally I cant believe Im saying this but I can see this being the last PC I buy and it will end up as the HD capture and editor for my camcorder and browsing. I just cant see the justification on a personal level to say now to people yep its a solid investment as a gaming platform. I crippled myself for 2yrs to pay mine back (when I got mine Crysis was actually due that month then it went on a massive delay) as the PC gaming market was still strong with the likes of Company of Heroes, Supreme Commander and MTW2 but its dead now. Theirs been 3 top games out in the last year on PC just 3!

The economic situation has changed drastically to now for a gaming PC compared to 360 release so you just cant compare £400 PC of now to then.

[Malc]

Surely if you say a ?400 PC bought now would give twice as much power as the 360, then you have to also take into account the price of the 360 as it is now as well. Which means a 360 arcade pack now only costs ?120. So, (coming back to a previous point) It's cheaper to buy a 360 and play the latest games to said levels; than a PC.

Chain, we were discussing this yesterday...

[rmoxon]

One of the biggest points I find is that PC games, besides not usualy running quite as well as console versions, take about one hundred times longer to load. To be honest I'm ready to turn off my PC in frustration before most games are loaded up these days.

[Number45]

As a PS3 gamer, I feel compelled to keep my mouth shut on that one.

[Brats]

A £400 PC, bought NOW, then yes. In terms of raw graphical power, a 4850 must be 4 times or more higher than a 360 GPU (I'm not hunting around for figures, but that will be the case I'd imagine). Given a console is a fixed platform, you can be generous and double it's performance compared to an equivalent PC. So you'd still be looking at at least 2 times the performance via a PC.

John Carmack has said in the past that a console is roughly three times the power of the equivalent PC (and he would know a thing or two about it).

If you're going to buy a PC for getting best graphics, then it's virtually impossible not to get caught up in a performance frenzy. It's wierd but if I buy a game for a console and occassionally stutters, I usually shrug my shoulders and carry on enjoying the game. If a PC game stutters, because I know I can do something about it, I usually go into mass OCD and won't stop tweaking and patching until i get the matter resolved, sometimes wasting hours on some poxy frame rate.

I know that's me, but there is something actually positive about consoles being a fixed platform without any ability to tweak. Sometimes ignorance is bliss.

On a separate note, many publishers are making grim noises about publishing 'big' games for the PC because of piracy. We've moved fairly rapidly to a point when it's perfectly normal for previous PC only developers to release exclusive games on consoles. EA Sports have already started dropping the PC from some of their franchises. If we're talking about value for money, then the future viability of the platform needs to be considered.

The 360 will have at least three years left in it, the Wii and PS3 probably more. Will the PC be difficult to buy new, full priced games for within this time frame?

[rmoxon]

The 360 will have at least three years left in it, the Wii and PS3 probably more. Will the PC be difficult to buy new, full priced games for within this time frame?

All new games can be bought through digital distribution now and I doubt this will end any time soon. But its already very hard to find PC games in shops, theres very limited shelf space for them anywhere these days.