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Hello everybody,
I've gotten myself into quite a few arguments over the power of a console over a PC for gaming, particularly to FPS's, and specifically X360 vs. PC.
This is just what I've collected.
Cons of 360 over PC:
-RED RINGS OH GAWD
-Only has a 500MHz processor and 512MB of GDDR3 RAM, 10MB of video RAM
-30 FPS cap (AFAIK)
-Games are not updated nearly as fast due to updates having to be gone over by Microsoft

Cons of PC over 360:
-Quite a bit more expensive for something meant simply for gaming
-Requires a $50+ video card (usually) to run modern games well
-Viruses.
-The ease of aimbots and other hacks to add.

So Dakka, what do you think is better: Console or PC?
Greetz,
Mr. Self Destruct

Console, but thats just my opinion.

My pick is for the PC because I can multitask on there... iTunes + WoW (or other PC game of choice) + Yahoo Messenger + Firefox = win

Console because you don't need to be a tech nerd to play games. Or get steam lol. Also I love the Xbox controller.. But the ps3 one.. I'd rather play on PC.

PC. Although I own a 360 I am a graphics producer, digital painter, and general all around artist so my PC is almost always in a race to stay Top of the Line (it is an expensive habit that cuts into my 40k money :( ) so I am a huge FPS player on the PC, NOTHING can top keyboard and mouse. That and we have RTS games that work .

However when it comes to racing games, sandboxes, party games, and platformers, I dig the console.

X-360.

I was never able to decide. I now have a good gaming pc and 11 consoles. I swear I should give up gaming and start meth. It has to be cheaper.

rocklord2004 wrote:I swear I should give up gaming and start meth. It has to be cheaper.

QFT

I prefor x-box over pc. You know if you get the game it will work on your x-box. and you dont have to pay for an upgrade(although kinda true for pc too)
but i have somee fun with my pc.

I go for 360. PC is nice, but $$$.

Awesome name, btw.

Mr. Self Destruct wrote:
Cons of PC over 360:
-Quite a bit more expensive for something meant simply for gaming

At initial purchase, perhaps, but over time, a properly built PC will make up its cost, as maintaining a PC costs less than buying a new console every generation, and games cost less. In addition, you don't have to use it just for games. I use my PC for web browsing, email, music, and movies. In addition, I can do things with my PC that are impossible on consoles that are integral to my education and future career. Namely, graphic design, tablet drawing, and 3D modelling. When you bundle that all in with the cost, it's much more attractive. Remember, PCs aren't just gaming platforms, they are for everything.

-Requires a $50+ video card (usually) to run modern games well

Once again, it costs less in the long run. Just plan ahead and build well.

-Viruses.

Just be smart. I've had this rig for 2 years, run with absolutely no security, and I only discovered my first two (minor) viruses on the machine today (in the weekly scan). Viruses and malware are a non-issue so long as you aren't slowed.

-The ease of aimbots and other hacks to add.

Console games have the aimbots built in... Really though, hacks can be easily applied, but playing online, especially on systems like Steam, you'll almost never run into them. They may be easy to install and use, but they're also easy to catch and block. It's a non-issue.


I have a gaming PC (it's pretty much a requirement for me, since I use it for classes and work), a PS3, and a Wii. I use them all fairly equally over time, and I enjoy all of them for different games.

I used to be all about PC gaming, but I guess I'm just getting old. Sitting at a computer desk hunched over a keyboard playing WOW for 12 hour just isn't fun. And playing shooters with a mouse and keyboard just makes my hands go numb.

I'm all about consoles now. Just more fun crashing on the sofa while you play stuff

Fafnir wrote:

Mr. Self Destruct wrote:
Cons of PC over 360:
-Quite a bit more expensive for something meant simply for gaming

At initial purchase, perhaps, but over time, a properly built PC will make up its cost, as maintaining a PC costs less than buying a new console every generation, and games cost less. In addition, you don't have to use it just for games. I use my PC for web browsing, email, music, and movies. In addition, I can do things with my PC that are impossible on consoles that are integral to my education and future career. Namely, graphic design, tablet drawing, and 3D modelling. When you bundle that all in with the cost, it's much more attractive. Remember, PCs aren't just gaming platforms, they are for everything.

-Requires a $50+ video card (usually) to run modern games well

Once again, it costs less in the long run. Just plan ahead and build well.

-Viruses.

Just be smart. I've had this rig for 2 years, run with absolutely no security, and I only discovered my first two (minor) viruses on the machine today (in the weekly scan). Viruses and malware are a non-issue so long as you aren't slowed.

-The ease of aimbots and other hacks to add.

Console games have the aimbots built in... Really though, hacks can be easily applied, but playing online, especially on systems like Steam, you'll almost never run into them. They may be easy to install and use, but they're also easy to catch and block. It's a non-issue.


I have a gaming PC (it's pretty much a requirement for me, since I use it for classes and work), a PS3, and a Wii. I use them all fairly equally over time, and I enjoy all of them for different games.

I have to call BS here, console generations are upwards of 5 years, any pc wil be completely obsolete in that time, and keeping it top notch over that time is a lot more expensive then 300 bucks for a console that's been on the market for a bit(dont buy them at release, it's a waste)

As for gaming preferences, FPS obivously PC for mouse and keyboard controls, same for RTS. RPG's and the like depends on the style, the rest I don't really play but if so would be on my xbox 360. But the point is, consoles are for exclusives.

PC for TF2 and MMO's, Console for everything else.

Soladrin wrote:

I have to call BS here, console generations are upwards of 5 years, any pc wil be completely obsolete in that time, and keeping it top notch over that time is a lot more expensive then 300 bucks for a console that's been on the market for a bit(dont buy them at release, it's a waste)

If you wait for PC parts to go down in price, they can come fairly cheaply too. RAM is super cheap these days, processors rarely need to be upgraded, especially with a powerful GPU, and you only need a new HD when the old one's full. GPUs are the only parts that need to be replaced fairly often, and even then, with proper planning, you can build a decently powerful machine for quite cheap. There's no point in keeping it 'top notch' all the time, because there aren't always games out there to push the new standards as they come. Crysis is still the best looking game ever made, and it's 3 years old already. Anything that could play Crysis on medium/high in 2007 will still be far and above the requirements of the games today.

And remember, when you're picking a new GPU, you don't have to buy it at release either. For as fast as GPUs are developed and released, they drop in price just as fast. The best part of this is that the increase in power between new cards is fairly marginal anyway.

And lastly, PC games are cheaper than console games. No licensing fees, afterall.

Soladrin wrote:

I have to call BS here, console generations are upwards of 5 years, any pc wil be completely obsolete in that time, and keeping it top notch over that time is a lot more expensive then 300 bucks for a console that's been on the market for a bit(dont buy them at release, it's a waste)

As for gaming preferences, FPS obivously PC for mouse and keyboard controls, same for RTS. RPG's and the like depends on the style, the rest I don't really play but if so would be on my xbox 360. But the point is, consoles are for exclusives.

Going to have to agree here. In my (ample) experience, PC's basically have a life-span of 4-5 years. Two things start to happen at that point:

First, new-releases start running like crap if at all. Performance gets lower and lower until it won't run at all. There will be games that have minimal hardware requirements released, but they get fewer and farther between.

Second, parts start to break. Motherboards burn out, RAM goes bad, etc. It start to turn into the equivalent of a used car - "Do I put in this $100 part only to have something else need replacing in 3 weeks?"

Upgrading is also a dodgey prospect. Sometimes it works out, but sometimes the technology moves past what you were using and you'll find that upgrading is either unavailable or impractical.

I love PC's. I love PC gaming. I think the PC is no longer the top-dog must have device for a serious gamer though. While I'm hesitant to say any of hte consoles are BETTER, I have to admit that they are more EFFICIENT.

I'm not so sure about the games being cheaper for the PC either. Seems like they run neck and neck with console game prices. Only big difference I can see is that anything over a year old pretty much always drops down to $20 give or take. Console games can take considerably longer if they drop at all.

Most PC games release at $10 cheaper than their console counterparts. Of course, companies like Activision and Ubisoft want to change this, but that's just gouging.

As for parts going bad, that's not the case if you treat them right. A computer 20 years old will work just the way it did 20 years ago. Computer parts don't degrade like a car's do, unless you overclock them.

Upgrading is simple and easy if you plan ahead.

I used to upgrade my PC every year. I'd buy pretty decent stuff, then sell it on to pay for my new upgrades a year later. That way I'd only spend a fraction of the "upgrade" price.

That was when I used to game almost exclusively on the PC - never really got into console gaming until I got an xbox, and then it still took me a while to get into FPS games etc and think that playing them with a game pad was OK.

I've not played on my PC for ages now (possibly helped by the fact that it is in storage). I still think it is better for RTS games, and there is certainly an advantage in playing FPS games on them.

You also get the advantage of being able to add in bonus content for many games for free (especially the community MODs/maps/etc).

It's swings and roundabouts really, both are good, both have drawbacks.

One massive plus of consoles over pc is the ease of having some mates over and playing together. If you can get two or more consoles and tvs you can have a ridiculous amount of fun.

Looking at the Space marine trailer makes me glad I have a console.

Fafnir wrote:Most PC games release at $10 cheaper than their console counterparts. Of course, companies like Activision and Ubisoft want to change this, but that's just gouging.

As for parts going bad, that's not the case if you treat them right. A computer 20 years old will work just the way it did 20 years ago. Computer parts don't degrade like a car's do, unless you overclock them.

Upgrading is simple and easy if you plan ahead.

We'll have to agree to disagree I guess. Of the 5 computers I've owned over two decades, every single one has started having problems and breakdowns once it hits the 4-5 year range. While sometimes it's been perfectly salvagable (The last breakdown was a bad RAM chip, $80 and I fixed the problem and improved my system speed) usually it's something more catastrophic like the MB or GPU. Once the computer hits the 4-5 year mark, I generally find it's questionable to try and fix due to everything coming obsolete. This is from a non-smoking home and I regularly dust the computer and I'm ANYTHING BUT a modder.

My work bought laptops for everybody 5 years ago. Guess what started happening last year? Catastrophic failures - screens not working, HD's crashing, power supplies failing. 4 years after purchase, major problems start popping up, right on time. Has everybody's blown up? No, but out of 30 computers about 10 have been brought in for service (and usually replaced with a new one). I can only imagine that more will continue to fail throughout the this year. Sometimes a Chevy goes 200,000 miles, sometimes 130,000.

I'm not sure about upgrading being simple and easy if you plan ahead. My current computer has the old video card pin slot so I'm very limited in how much I can upgrade it because the technology moved on. My last computer got to a point where I had maxed out the RAM and couldn't upgrade to something that got reasonable performance. My father was able to upgrade the video card for his computer, but that's because it blew up on him early (2 years I believe, possibly 3) and his computer wasn't very out of date. Of course, he had something else blow on him a year later and decided to replace the whole system.

It's fantastic you've had daily-use computers last 20 years. My social group hasn't been so lucky I'm afraid. My brother does have an 8 year old computer that still works (or he did have it last time I checked), but according to him it's gotten turned on maybe once a month. He ended up buying a laptop last year to have something that was up-to-date though, regardless of having a functional (8 year old) desktop.

If it was 13 years ago then I would go for the Console due to the fact its cheap and is meant for multiplayer. But these days I would go with PC because consoles have gone down hill since they have limited Multiplayer games.

So PC in my opinion. Good to have a mouse and keyboard when playing FPS and RTS and good to have high graphics.

Price is worth it but I would make my own PC over buying a factory built PC.

Trust me I'm a computer Techie much better and cheaper

I have had PC's back since '91, i will never buy a console.

With a PC you take control of your machine, if its all too complex find out, if its too expensive, build you own.

Nothing else compares to a self build computer with tweaked OS, and while you need to be a nerd to do it, you need not be a computer nerd, so long as you have the smarts to learn.

Besides the best gaming is in retro, in all honesty the new graphics is all well and good, but there is remarkably little going on in terms of new gameplay.

PC's havn't progressed much in the last few years, just a few tweaks here and there. 600 bucks can get you a decent gaming rig that will last several years if taken care of. Consoles are running into larger failure rates due to impatient gamers demanding new shiney things before they can have enough testing to find these problems. People also seem to demand that things look pretty so some of the functionality for the computers locked in tiny boxes gets limited due to poor ventilation. Since the conversation has shifted to longevity PC's have a better survivabilty chance simply due to proper cooling. I havn't had the same amount of failures but I have had to replace both my ps3 and 360. One last note is that nothing on the market has a larger library of games than the PC.

Who says you have to be a nerd to do it

Building a PC is like playing with really expensive Lego. And with the price of Lego these days, it might just be the other way around. Either way, just follow the instructions and you'll do just fine. Hell, make something completely different if you want. Just don't choke on the pieces.

Yak9UT wrote:If it was 13 years ago then I would go for the Console due to the fact its cheap and is meant for multiplayer. But these days I would go with PC because consoles have gone down hill since they have limited Multiplayer games.

What? Xbox Live and PSN made online console gaming great. PC multiplayer is all well and good, but there's a lot of hacking and piracy nowadays. You don't nearly as much of that on consoles.

Hacking and the like only tend to exist primarily on servers that are poorly maintained anyway. Well maintained servers usually ban offenders in short order.

And you can't play pirated copies online anyway.

Fafnir wrote:Hacking and the like only tend to exist primarily on servers that are poorly maintained anyway. Well maintained servers usually ban offenders in short order.

And you can't play pirated copies online anyway.

Oh how naive :3

I want to know where you guys are getting such cheap PC parts from. I'd like nothing more then to find a $50 video card that will play all of the current and near future release games. $80 ram chips, sign me up.

As for a $600 decent gameing rig that will last you awhile..... If you built yourself a top of the line gameing PC right now with the best parts currently on the market 3 years from now it would struggle to play a new game on low settings. Gameing rigs have a usefull lifespan of 3 years, 1.5 to 2 years if you like better quality graphics.

If you think PCs havent progressed much lately you are not paying attention to whats going on in the PC would. We have multi core GPUs, solid state storage, many new northbridge and southbridge options, amazing new cpu lines, ram speeds are going through the roof...Direct x11

The biggest difference between a PC and a console, not counting the input devices is that no console out there, not even the PS3 for all you fan boys, does Anti Aliesing...Hands down that makes and console inferoir to a PC. But there are alot of great games on consoles that I cant play on the PC which is why I like consoles to.