PC vs. Consoles: Which Has Better Value?

The age old of debate of PC vs. Consoles isn’t going to end any time soon. There are fanatical fanboys on both sides of the fence. The problem is that many of these fans are unwilling to take an objective, analytical look at the conflict. There are many facets to this argument, but for this particular article we will be focusing on the importance of “Value”. It’s important to keep in mind the difference between “Value” and “Price” when reading this article. Price is the number written on a sticker. Value is the culmination of many variables regarding enjoyment. So, without further ado, please enjoy the Armless Octopus match up of PC vs. Console “Value”.

[NastyLeftHook0]

both have there ups and downs

i prefer consoles because of exclusive games (i prefer)

i understand pc has tons and tons of exclusives but they don't interest me as much as i would like, and vice versa, one guy may love starcraft and hate killzone, its all an opinion.

[Morrigan-Aensland]

Consoles now have the better value over pc due to the exclusive games and consoles not requiring newer parts to experience newer games.

Gaming on the pc is awesome but it lack a lot of quality games that are available for consoles. PCs are upgradable which leads to better performance of certain games but it is costly

[rufusman91]

Ya but PC has mods and the steam sales. Though I still prefer playstation.

[CaptCalvin]

You don't need newer parts to experience newer games. Most games on PC nowadays are made with consoles in mind anyways. System requirements became pretty much stagnant for the past 4 years or so.

[ShinMaster]

Every time a new PC game is released, especially multiplatform games like BF3, Skyrim, Max Payne 3, etc, they're all priced at a full $60 in stores and even on Steam.

But sure, some downloads are cheaper, just like on consoles.

On the plus side, you can play enhanced versions/ports of multiplatform games, given that you have the hardware for it....

[dark-hollow]

"Consoles now have the better value over pc due to the exclusive games"

and PCs have their own share of great exclusives, in fact, no standalone console compare to the amount of exclusive games on pc (that due to the almost infinite backward compatibility on pc)

"consoles not requiring newer parts to experience newer games"

what? same for consoles! after a period of time, a new console will launch and you HAVE to upgrade of you want to play the new games on next gen consoles.

" PCs are upgradable which leads to better performance of certain games but it is costly"

again with the cost myth!
read this, you dont need a $2000 PC (and upgrade it frequently) to play 99% of pc games.

am not saying one is better than the other, but your argument is just false.

[GrandTheftZamboni]

PC gaming = Carpal tunnel syndrome.

[SilentNegotiator]

*Steam Sales
*Mods
*Cheaper games in general

I really don't think more needs to be said.

[Autodidactdystopia]

The only value console has over pc is convenience.

trust me if you know what your doing... which isnt very convienient, you can do SO much more than a console can that it is not even funny, and im only talking in relation to games.

you may like exclusives for your chosen platform, hell i loved killzone 2-3 when i owned a ps3, but when it comes to value PC is so far ahead its not even funny.

but if convenience (not having to know what your doing) is more important to you then consoles have that hands down. Im actually gonna go make a video about the pc i made for my girls who definitely dont know what they're doing but the way i designed it they have all of the convenience of a console and all of the value of a pc in one convenient box.

..... wait im gonna go make it. :)....

[andyboy13]

I mean my 2 year old pc plays max Payne 3 at 200 fps on max with aa at 1080 p. that being said, it was closer to 2k. You don't need the latest tech for a long time.

[STONEY4]

"Every time a new PC game is released, especially multiplatform games like BF3, Skyrim, Max Payne 3, etc, they're all priced at a full $60 in stores and even on Steam."

Steam sales. And Amazon sales. Spec Ops: The Line was $30 the week after it came out. Max Payne 3 was $30 after a month. Dead Space 2 was $5 only 8 or 9 months after release. Even Battlefield 3 from anti-sale EA had a sale where the game + premium was $70, and the game alone was $30.

You make up the higher upfront money so fast with how ridiculously cheap games get. For the price of a $60 console game, you could build a pretty good sized Steam catalog that would have cost over $200 at the current console prices.

[Morrigan-Aensland]

Silly pc fanboys love pretending and ignore logic.

Pc is way more expensive and isn't as convenient as a console like a ps3. Pc can be cheap if you don't spend additional money upon the initial cost of the pc but then you'll be running a lot of games worst than console ports. To have a pc and not upgrade things like graphics card every 2-3 year's is ridiculous because most new games won't look or run to its optimum.

Gaming on the pc can be amazing but people need to have newer hardware parts such as graphics card to experience games the way they were made to be experienced. Why game on the pc with compromise where you cant play at the best resolution or everything on high. People love to brag about how computer gaming is amazing and cheaper but they can't play newer games with everything on high.

Ps3 is better than gaming on the ps3 if you're a gamer who wants to play Hugh quality games without spending a lot of money. If I wanted to play most quality exclusive titles available today I can't get them on the pc.

Ps. I wash my dishes with Palmolive dish washing liquid

[MarkusMcNugen]

Silly Morrigan-Aensland loves pretending and ignoring logic.

PCs are not that much more expensive. The only people who will say they are, are people who dont know what they are talking about. You dont have to upgrade every 2-3 years. My old PC is going on 5 years old in a couple of months and it still rocks most games maxed at, and at a much higher resolution than the 360 or PS3.

Im assuming you must think all PC gamers have to have the latest and greatest or its not worth playing. You do realize that there are multiple settings that can be changed on a PC to make it run better while still looking amazing on older computers. Interestingly enough, you must hate consoles. After all, all those multi-plats have more features/options on PCs, so you must not be experiencing the game the way it was made to be experienced.

You do realize that there are more titles on PCs, and those console games youre playing are not on "High" settings. You must not pay attention to AA, Shadows, Lighting, etc... when playing console titles. Or resolution for that matter, seeing as how almost no console titles support true 1080p.

I think consoles have their uses. While I support consoles, and have owned and still own plenty of them, I cant believe anyone would try to make a direct comparison about graphics or sheer amount of games to the PC.

[Autodidactdystopia]

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

THERE YOU GO GUYS

I am not playing games at worse settings than the consoles. I am Playing games firstly at the highest settings graphically available, and then the resolution is lowered if performance is an issue. however most games are running a 1080P with the exception of the beastly games.

I can sit on my couch. and I dont want to hear about how much bigger your screen is with a console

AS I DOUBT IT IS LARGER THAN 150 Inches Full HD

everything is accessible from the controller.

and this is a FULL tour. Keep in mind this video is long but if you want to see it all i have edited it for time but its still like 20 mins after editing.

what else do people say about pc.... I dunno but their pc has all of the console exclusives ever released for previous consoles with the exception of Xbox

Like I said

IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR DOING... then the value of a pc far outstreches a console.

3GB ddr3
amd phenom 2 x2 dual core unlocked to quad core. half the price

amd 6670 rumored to be in the next xbox although i doubt it.

750 gb hdd
blu ray drive
wifi N / gigabit ethernet.
wireless 360 dongle used to be mounted inside pc.

ENJOY!!

[StayStatic]

Someone's after a bubble ? :D most rational comment I have seen all day lol +1

[adorie]

I think the majority of people that visit this site are biased towards consoles.
I have only been commenting for awhile, but have been lurking for a few years now.

In my unbiased opinion the PC has the the edge in value.
You could potentially have all software for free on the PC, while that's not exactly good it is value, none-the-less. Also, I don't have to circumvent the restrictions on the hardware to access certain things.

I don't need to "hack" my PC because it is an a multi-faceted machine that is open and ready to be taken advantage of.

With consoles, the hardware is closed, walled-in, etc.

In the end, I buy consoles for the simplicity of putting in a disc and playing.

Technology is converging on itself,little-by-little.
There will probably be a place in time where PC's will become so small and be able to do it all... even be as simplistic as a console and able to do the same thing in the same way.

With all that said... I want to ask a question..
Does anyone think, in our foreseeable future, that we will have devices that truly do it all?

Phones are starting to head that way.
Currently, I can stream from and to my phone, hook it up to my TV and use the Blue Tooth with my PS3 remote and play emulated games there, play movies in native res, stream documents to my printer, act as a remote for my TV/PC.

I think phones and or tablets/smart devices that pack a large amount of productivity, features and multiple technologies under one hood, will be the wave of the future, I have said it before and received so many disagree, yet it won't change anything.

We're seeing it already, it's just people too blind, biased and pessimistic to realize or want to realize it.

Intel is pushing for it, AMD realizes it your favorite 3rd party dev probably has it on their roadmaps, if not already partaking, Microsoft even realizes this and Sony's strengthened approach towards mobile is a clear sign of the times as well.

[MarkusMcNugen]

Bubs for you for this response. Very well thought out and intelligent.

To answer your question. No. I dont think we will have devices that will do it all. Perhaps be able to process more information, better UIs, etc. However there are too many different technologies, screen sizes, controls, competition, and more that will make this impossible.

Plus we are seeing the patent wars just starting to heat up, I would imagine its going to get worse unless someone can unify these companies on sharing patents reasonably.

There will always be devices built for certain demographics, or for a certain purpose that it will excel at over other devices.

Just my two cents :)

[Oh_Yeah]

is this a serious question...wtf?

its not an opinion, its a fact pc has better value. im primarily a console gamer myself...but this is seriously the dumbest technological question ive ever heard.

pc is used to keep track of criminals, your bills/money, to record music, important documents, create/edit some movies etc etc etc etc THEY'RE USED TO DESIGN DAMN CITIES! where do you think they design buildings from, an etcher sketch?

on the gaming side its also cheaper, just because it costs more than a console to build a decent gaming rig doesnt mean it isnt cheaper in the long run, plus a graphics upgrade is going to be cheaper than a new 500$ console with less power.

pc has endless amounts of free games and the same multiplatform games are cheaper on pc. you dont need a monitor anymore either, most pcs come with hdmi out so you can plop that ass on the couch hook it to your tv, hook up your ps3 or 360 controller and your ready to go.

pcs can do ANYTHING a console can plus more. consoles are a jailed version of a pc...only the manufacturer has a say of what goes on it.

[xwabbit]

I love how some people here know about pc gaming and type in comments that are just retarded.

First: You don't need to upgrade constantly. The 8800 series came out in 2006, you can buy the card and it will play every game till this day and it will look better than on consoles.

Second: Some games may start at 60 when they release, but If you had steam, you would know they lower the games value really quick.

Third: Some 1 said better value ? I mean how stupid does that sound ? Consoles have been getting add-ons like Skype and Netflix when PC has had it since... they first began ? because they where made for PC in the first place. Everything they are adding to consoles come from the pc already.

Fourth: PC gets tons and tons of games, just because you don't see adds on them don't mean they don't exist, If you had steam you would know a lot of games arrive every time.

Fifth: You don't need m/k to play on pc or on a monitor. You can add controllers made for Pc or even ps3 and 360 controllers. You can connect you PC to a Tv too, its not just consoles.

It all comes down to opinion when you pick, but don't submit comments that are so stupid when you don't even game or know anything in PC

"Morrigan-Aensland" is so far off, it would leave anyone stupid. Go to toms hardware site and look at benchmarks kid, learn something before talking about it.

[Bobby Kotex]

I guess I should mention PC game revenue is greater than consoles. Fanboys don't like to believe this.

[Shok]

Dem Steam sales.......

Though I agree with the above, I enjoy console exclusives much more than PC ones, although, as I said, dem Steam sales......

[ChickeyCantor]

People often forget that a PC does so much more than just gaming.

It has far more value than a console.

[OC_MurphysLaw]

I did have to laugh at how they gave pc the win on price because in the end PC games were cheaper. "The PC makes up for this barrier to entry with a very simple premise; cheaper games. While console games have climbed to a whopping $60 at launch, many of the same games are available for $50 or cheaper on PC. Sales also offer considerable value on top of the already cheaper games." I guess this person missed some of the recent $60 pc games... I find the cheaper game argument pretty weak anyway as both PC and Consoles seem to be having game sales and discounts all the time lately.

Does PC gaming trump console? Sure, it wins out overall in a head to head but does that mean consoles are not a good choice? Nope.

[shackdaddy]

I've bought 8 full games for $10 on Steam once. I could never do that on consoles.

Hell, I even have 1 or 2 games in my library that Steam gave me for free.

[OC_MurphysLaw]

PSN+ you would get far more than that offered at no additional cost to you in a year time frame. So $50 nets you in this week alone 12 "free" games you can download. XBL had a 75% sale a few weeks back on a ton of games. My point being...the console boys are catching on and the disparity of price and deals on offer isn't as big as it once was.

Yes, Steam sales rock...no question. But you can find tons of good deals on both sides of the fence these days.

[ShinMaster]

Except for new/multiplatform games like:
http://i46.tinypic.com/30c3...
or
http://i47.tinypic.com/35ml...

On the plus side, you can play enhanced versions of those multiplatform games, given you have the hardware for it.

[OC_MurphysLaw]

Oh look...Amazon sale on PS3 exclusives...

http://n4g.com/news/1044650...

As I stated....you get sales on games all the time no matter what platform now so trying to claim PC game costs are far cheaper doesn't feel as strong a claim as say 3 years back.

[Laika]

Lol are you talking about the indie bundles on steam? Those are Crap usually. steam sales were good the first time I experienced them. After that they discount the same games over and over and over. The latest summer Sale I bought arkham city and that was it. Either because the rest of the games ducked or a already previously bought them a different sale. point is valve recycles most of the games they put on sale.

[shackdaddy]

edit

[STONEY4]

"Oh look...Amazon sale on PS3 exclusives..."

And the majority of those are over 2 years old, plus they're still $20 and over. Games on Steam will hit $15 within a couple of months on sale. And you pretty much never see a game over a year old that doesn't hit $5.

"Lol are you talking about the indie bundles on steam? Those are Crap usually."

Indie games... crap?

[Lilioups]

i get quality AAA sony exclusives for free via psn
and your point is? ???????

i get quality AAA sony exclusives games for 14 bucks

i get free ps1-ps2 games or 4-9 bucks

[TitanUp]

initial launch is high but just a month or 2 after they go on sale from 20% to 50%.

according to when the game launches it might take longer to go on sale.

[pr0digyZA]

Also depends country to country. Where I live console games are literally double the price of PC games at launch, so PC games are the better choice if you have a console and PC.

[Captain_Tom]

I'm sorry Dlacy13g, you have got no idea how great the July Steam sales are.

I got Mirror's Edge $5, Fallout: NV $5, Far Cry 2: Complete Edition $2.50, the Witcher: Enhanced $2.50, the Witcher 2: GOTY $16, Portal 2 $5, and STALKER:CoP $5.

Oh but look "Eye Pet and Friends" is $18!!!!!!!!! Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ken22]

To each his own people jeez just play what you enjoy and stfu!

[kevnb]

Depends on how much time you put into gaming. For people who game lots PC is king, for those that just want to play call of duty and uncharted type games every now and then go console.

[WeskerChildReborned]

I'm a gamer and i'm saving up for a PC but for now, i gotta stick with my console but i really have no problem with it.

[WeskerChildReborned]

Both have their pros and cons, i personally wanna get a gaming PC and that's why i'm waiting but i'll still keep my consoles for the exclusives since Last of Us is coming to PS3 and it looks really amazing.

[Bonerrr]

PC wins by default, why?

Here's my spin on it.. I spent 1500 quid on a PC 2 weeks back, first time getting into PC gaming. I'm still trying to get over how brilliant and open ended it is compared to just owning PS3/360.

If i ever want to upgrade the option is there, it's not necessarily expensive but the "option is there" I can keep up with the industry, i don't have to conform to the same hardware for years and years. I can play all the latest multi Platform titles at 90FPS+ (it makes the difference)

PC gaming to me is ONE massive payment then you're practically future proofed for life. Cheap games, Modding (it's made Skyrim feel like a new game), When i was a console gamer, i was always being held back, that horrid concept of conformity that pissed me off when i seen how easy PC gamers had it.

I used to think "next gen" was being on the subject of the next Xbox/Playstation when in essence PC gamers have had "next gen" for a while now.

[hiredhelp]

Im happy to see your enjoying your new pc.. Welcome aboard even thoe i agree from most part what you stated 90fps is a tall order for some games.
Now im also a britt so i understand the £1500 Witch is ALOT btw people you dont need to go this high but bloody nice.
Anyways back on track £1500 take it you have sli or cross fire or at least i top eng GPU for 90fps im guessin your SLI or Crossfire. Your right you wont heed to upgrade your video card and Processorfor quite some time, But would not say future proof for life lol thoe i adire your excitement.

Im glad you also have notices that you can save like standard £10 off every new title example RRP console max payne £39.99 PC £29.99 imagin game a month thats £120 saved from console stand point or off your computer.
Steam save you loads dosh waiting few months on new games just makes money sense again more money saved.
Games running faster than eye can see full custom setting at game menu, life good right.

But pc's have darker side too viruses malware registery issues, lets not forget that and one thing consoles never need to worry about.. also plug play awsome kick back put game in console sweet. Both sides have bennifits.
Ive been a gamer since 6 yrs old started PC's aged 17 now 33 had nearly every console loved them all. Like how nintendo has mario brought me zelda on n64 first time WOW loved goldeneye amazing still best 007. Love playstation for bringing us a vast range of games too many i like they brought us first true racing sim GT they brought us metal gear solid ,jack daxter gta. List goes on. Xbox brought me abe strangers wrath great game and halo.

But i still after all that always fall back to my PC's my build cost tad more than £1500 in tottal crazy money be honist a £400-£500 can be just as nice. I've built many for others So yeh best luck your pc buddy your lucky have such costly beast :-)

[Bobby Kotex]

Back in the day, PC gaming graphics was increasing each year, instead of every 5-7 years. I place the blame 100% on consoles and multiplats.

[Kanzes]

1 popcorn please

[ChunkyLover53]

Consoles. I just prefer the big screen, lounging in my recliner, with my controller. I know some PC games allow controllers, but its not all that do.

You can get a console and that is all you need, buy your games and your good to go.

I know some PC gamers, none of them have these "killer rigs" that people talk about on forums, I'm guessing very few spend more then a few hundred dollars on a computer. The one thing I've noticed about my friends that do like PC gaming, they are cheap and lack cash to buy console games. They pirate games and buy cheap games during Steam sales.

[TitanUp]

your friends probably haven't seen steam sale then.

a lot of pc gamers do pirate but people are pirating less and less.

easier to buy a game 2.50$ to 10$ that will work and get automatic patches and play multiplayer.

[ChunkyLover53]

Yea, I mentioned Steam sales. They load up on cheap games when those happen. I don't think they are in the situation that I'm in, where I can buy whatever game I want whenever I want it.

Its just that so often I hear PC gamers, like my friends, brag about PC gaming and how its ahead of consoles, when in reality they are gaming on pretty average setups and are just poor or cheap.

[TitanUp]

well not all pc gamers are like that though hopefully they can get them a good job so they wont have to pirate.

i love pc gaming i have a pretty good set up but if i had to resort to pirating then i would just play on consoles.

im full time pc gamer though it would be hard for me to switch.

[x800]

just do yourselves a favour ''GET A PC'' i promise you, you will not regret it one bit...

[RXL]

you buy a six hundred dollar machine and you're set for 10 plus years...

or you can plug that money into a gaming pc..and update you hardware every two to three years...

i think the thing that puts off a lot of gamers to pc gaming is the size of it..

consoles are like a lake..don't get bigger than when they were created..while pc is like an ocean...big...deep..and scary to those who don't know how to swim

[TitanUp]

only thing i dislike about pc gaming is the tower size itself. everything else im fine with.

[MiamiACR21]

PC's can also be a one time, although large investment. Build a great PC for 800 bucks, hook it up to your HDTV and use a controller of your choice, or just stick with your monitor and mouse/keyboard. As time goes on you'll be saving a lot more, and spending a lot less money in the long run with Steam sales and other cheap downloadable alternatives that can be found through various online stores.

People say they love the couch gaming experience, but that same experience is offered on the PC via cables hooked to your HDTV, and you'll be gaming at crispy high resolutions. As your computer begins to get older, and games get more graphically advanced, you have the option to turn down some texture or AA settings without sacrificing image clarity that degrades with lower resolutions; all at 60fps. Keep your consoles for the exclusives you love, but also keep a decent PC handy and you won't regret it.

[thezeldadoth]

Nintendo makes consoles worth it. With dark souls coming to pc in a couple weeks, my only reason for playing ps3 is gone. Its been a netflix machine for a year now. Unfortunately even Twisted Metal sucked.

[givemeshelter]

To each their own.
I love being being to game on my 3 monitors.

[MadLad]

Console:

Ease of use.
Less initial cost.
Better for local multi-player (split-screen)

PC:

Cheaper games, often times much cheaper.
Mods.
Overall better performance and visual quality.

I say that pc pays for itself in the long run. You can argue the initial cost, that is definitely a factor. But, overall, games perform better, they have more longevity, and, as long as you update your gpu every three or four years, the performance and overall graphical fidelity has always surpassed that of console.

Being that things like steam sales can balance a lot of the extra initial cost to pc gaming, while still supporting the developers and publishers, I say, overall, PC is the better deal. For those willing to put in that initial investment, mind you. I get that for a lot of people, myself included, paying in spurts is a lot easier than dropping a lot of cash at any one time.

[_-EDMIX-_]

For about $600 to $700 you can build a great PC. The Value will always be with PC. Period. Its backwards compatible with ALL OF PC GAMING, you can have games either retail or download (a lot of times WAY cheaper to get the retail disk then to download it, yes Steam Sales are good an all, but take a look at Amazon or Ebay on new PC games vs what they normally are on Steam or Origin or GOG etc)

You can use any controller of choice...yes ANY! There are many mods out there that have SNES controllers.

LCD, LED who cares. You can hook it up to pretty much anything.

But there are 2 reason why PC gaming is the best value of all.

1.Its parts are universal and interchangeable. PSU breaks, get one at Best Buy or CompUSA. HDD fails, go buy one online or at Best Buy, CompUSA etc.

2.Its not JUST for gaming, don't think about a PC for gaming as something that is JUST dedicated to gaming. If you own a laptop, tablet or a desktop, chances are if you add up those prices and add them to what you would pay for a new console, you'll be way over what a normal gaming PC cost. Think of it as a new PC that can also play games, if your getting a $400 or $500 PC, think about building one or just adding a GPU and some more ram to that PC and your good to go for gaming.

[ame22]

With Steam that's hardly a question. PS3 great machine btw.

[GREW50ME]

Skyrim on PC with an Xbox 360 pad and 30+ texture/graphics mods... gaming doesn't get much better.

[DFresh]

PC all the way.
While you may pay for in hardware you get your value back in the software with all of the deals on Steam, GOG, Impulse, Direct 2 Drive, Gamers Gate, etc. in the long run.
You have a lot more freedom with your games like mods, graphical upgrades, computer parts & accessories, etc.
Besides you use a computer everyday anyway so I think of it has an all in one use platform for all of my entertainment needs.
I do also enjoy console gaming mainly Playstation for the exclusives.
The way this gen is turning out console gaming has turned into a money pit and your not getting anything back for your money.
PC continues to improve while consoles continue to limit what you do as the player.

[tachy0n]

im going to upgrade parts in my PC for the first time since 2008, and i will not even spend more than $250, i prefer to do that than buy any console which cant even play games in real HD, PC definitively has the best value.

[PersonMan]

Get out of here with your "real HD" statement. I've got a pretty big TV, and when I'm sitting away from it on the couch, it becomes very hard to tell "real HD" from console resolution.

I'm a PC gamer converted to a console gamer and I can tell you, it's not that different. PC games for the most part just look like sharper console games. So far, I haven't see anything "next gen" appear on PC (yes, even Crysis 2 and Battlefield 3 aren't next-gen quality).

[tachy0n]

not sure if u're just retarded, or still working your way towards it...

there are huge differences in graphical terms when comparing pc games to console, specially when it comes to battlefield 3 and crysis, I bet ur brain isn't capable enough to keep up with the massive fps drops in consoles or maybe you are just that poor and can't even build a decent gaming rig.

[PersonMan]

Disagree all you want. I play on PC and console and they're not that different. Same game, similar graphics. What I mean is this.

Comparing PC GTA IV to console GTA IV is pretty much the same. It doesn't look that different. However, I'm not talking about installing icenhancer mods and making it look like a totally different game. I'm talking about what developers provide for the graphics of console vs PC.

And yes, I've played Crysis 2 and Battlefield 3 on PC and it's not that far off from console.

[isarai]

Overall Value? for the people with the smarts it's easily PC as i can pretty much make my own games :/ and if you're into indie titles there are tons of free ones sooo...

Don't get me wrong i love my PS3 to death and actually play on that more than PC but PC can do a lot more with games other than just play them, you can create them, mod existing ones, enhance them, plus games are usually cheaper and game retailers have amazing deals on digital downloaded games.

Though the value you get out of it really depends on how much you spend on it.

[PersonMan]

The PlayStation 3 has higher quality games. The production value in Uncharted is phenomenal. Usually, multiplatform games are just shy of being amazing.

[deletingthis34675334]

Yeah but Uncharted is nothing special apart from the graphics, sad to say. I guess as long as it looks good you like any mediocre 8-hour third person shooter with no depth and no substance. I like games that are meaningful like Amnesia.

[PersonMan]

Hah! I wouldn't call Uncharted a mediocre game by any means. It's fun, engaging and the writing is top notch. Show me any other game that gives you all of this:

A shooter
A platformer
A beat-em-up
An intelligent story
Puzzles
Great graphics (especially for a console game)
Great style (Not everything is about textures/lighting... it's also about art style)
Characters that you actually care about

Consoles also have a bigger assortment of genres to choose from. Show me Heavy Rain on PC. How an equivalent to Little Big Planet? Skate? Red Dead Redemption? Show me a game like Uncharted on PC? Heck, even Gears of War is a console only game. Show me the equivalent of GT5 or Forza on PC (oh wait, there isn't one). How about sports games on PC? Is FIFA on PC?

PCs are pretty much just for Call of Duty, Battlefield and Crysis. I'm not much into shooters, so consoles have a lot more to offer me.

[deletingthis34675334]

Pretty much all the things you listed about Uncharted are easily found in any other game:

-A shooter
...with repetitive kill wave sequences and cookie cutters like the 4,173 other shooters on the market

-A platformer
...with weak platforming elements that most platform games do better

-A beat-em-up
...hardly a beat-em-up. Even the beat-em-up sequences are few. Most of the game is shooting cookie cutters behind covers and platforming

-An intelligent story
...the story is ok, but it's nothing amazing

-Puzzles
...a 6-year old can solve

-Great graphics(especially for a console game)
I'll give you this. Too bad this is the only redeeming quality I got out of Uncharted 2 & 3

-Great style (Not everything is about textures/lighting... it's also about art style)
...doesn't make the game much less shallow and boring

-Characters that you actually care about
...uhh you got only half of this correct. Nathan, Sully, and Elena were enjoyable characters, but every other character introduced in the sequels are nothing special. Especially Chloe. I don't care about that bitch.

"PCs are pretty much just for Call of Duty, Battlefield and Crysis. I'm not much into shooters, so consoles have a lot more to offer me."

Uhh I am a PC gamer and I play none of those games. I play games like Torchlight, Bastion, Amnesia, STALKER series, The Witcher 1 & 2, Oblivion, Skyrim, Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas, Neverwinter Nights, Portal 2, the Mass Effect series, Dragon Age Origins, Total War series, Borderlands, Saints Row, Sonic Generations, etc. There is too many games to list. What about you? The Last of Us and some boring interactive-movie you call a "game?"

[Rock_On_PS4]

if you have unlimited money to burn and prefer top end graphics on PC only games, PC is the best value for money.
if you have limited funds consoles are better for value but you have to make

consoles are upgraded once every 5 to 7 years. pcs require annual graphics card upgrades and once every 3 or 4 years a full PC system upgrade. pc gaming is far more expensive in regards to hardware upgrades to play the latest games but there are a lot more PC games available than console games at little or no cost.

[JoeSchmoh]

I only bought LEFT4DEAD on PC because I refuse to buy an Xbox.

[Somebody]

I still can play my old PC games with my current decent PC, even those from the 90s. PS3 owners have to buy HD remakes of their PS1 and PS2 classics - which are just a selection of the older PS games, not all.

[jrbeerman11]

I can play my ps1 and ps2 games on my pc. Playing dragon quest 8 now... Frustrated that i couldnt play my ps2 games on ps3 but now my rig can.

I know that you can play all snes nes gameboy genesis n64 on pc, but its a little shadier considering you cant insert cartidges into pc.

Steam sales are amazing, so much that i repurchased some games i alreeady owned on consoles or may never touch because 75 to 90 percent off is hard to pass up.

Pc has its exclusives, blizzard games alone is a huge advantage, its also got the best strat games as well if your into it. I will fully admit that i prefer consoles exclusives though.

I have ps3 and 360, and i love them, i prefer controllers over mouse and keyboard. I love uncharted, halo, gran turismo, gears of war, red dead (why no pc!!), and playstation 1 and 2 rpgs. That being said i ONLY use them for exclusives now.

[glennco]

does anyone actually need to read this?

[black911]

All im gonna say is Sony & Nintendo

[Rock_On_PS4]

annual upgrades on graphics card, motherboard upgrade once every two years and a new PC once every 4 years to play the latest and greatest PC games on the newest OS.
Console system cycles last 6 to 10 years. PS1, PS2 and PS3 are future proof investment with no upgrades of hardware needed to play the latest and greatest video games over a 10 year console life cycle. Nintendo system typically last for 6 to 8 years.

[Ziggyvertang]

this is easy...console. The PS3 is closer to 7 years old, at the time it launched it cost £425. Now how many PC's that are 7 years old that cost £425 play games like battlefield 3 and skyrim as good as the PS3...NONE!!!

Yeah these games look better and play better on the PC but only after the gamer invests EXTRA money and even then so what as the new consoles come out soon anyway and will be on par with high end PC's again.

To me PC only wins because gamers keep chucking money into it to beat the consoles in terms of graphics but its no way close to having the same value pure and simple.

Cant see how anyone can argue with this

[Ziggyvertang]

Well people seem to disagree but as the topic is about value not who's has the better system plus im having a feeling by alot of the other posts that most people on here that play PC seems to be coming up with silly reasons like steam to be at justifiable way to say that pc is better value...it just isnt im sorry yeah granted better but value no not even close it is really that simple

[level 360]

Hate the constant upgrades with PC, too much money *NOT well spent really. Plus the barrage of hardware/software one-upmanship is simply annoying.

I just want to play the game, so I choose consoles.

[Asgaro]

I'm a PC gamer and I bought my PC in 2007.
My first ever upgrade was last year, and that was only my graphics card.

The "constant upgrades" argument is BULLSHIT.

[Ziggyvertang]

And how much did that computer cost you in 2007 and how much did that graphic card cost you? constant upgrades nah unless you want to play all the lastest games at full blow then yeah.

Well what ever you paid for it bet it was more that what a PS3 cost at the time and maybe plays games better but hey im still playing dead space, mass effect, GTA, skyrim, battlefield, crysis but spent less money to do so...which is the point of value.

people stop turning this in to a debate about PC VS CONSOLE its not about that its about the value and to me its so clear just as clear as 1+1=2 i dont see how people go against this unless they are just PC FANBOYS

[Somebody]

@ziggyvertang

Buying the latest PC hardware isn't simply about raw power anymore. Now we consider the efficiency of any tech. Who wouldn't want some new hardware that perform twice the performance at half the electrical and heat requirement of the previous generations?

I hear there's a new, slimmer version of PS3 being developed. Obviously they've managed to find a way to make it more heat efficient for going with a slimmer profile. I'm sure there's some prospecting buyers out there. I wouldn't want to call them fanboys if they do buy a more up-to-date PS3, do we?

[Braid]

One thing I love about gaming on PC is that you can always find or create solutions to your technical problems. The main plus is that you can adjust the graphics the way you want. Too much tearing? Turn on or force vsynch. Anti aliasing not enough? Triple the amount of AA than the console version, if still not satistied, force additional AA through your GPU driver or use SMAA/FXAA. Got a GPU that supports DX11? Enjoy tesselation, soft shadows and additional goodies not possible on current-gen consoles. Better yet, you can tweak the gameplay as well with modifications. I've been fighting on horses long before Bethesda decided to bring that to Skyrim, thanks to the huge modding community. That's why I like playing multiplatform games on my gaming rig and use my consoles for great exclusives that can not be experienced on anywhere else.

Believe me, if you can financially manage owning and constantly upgrading your configuration and if you think it won't bother you to deal with technical details yourself, owning both a PC and consoles at the same time is the way to go. That'll also make your wait for the next-gen consoles a bit less tiresome.

[Jirachi]

With consoles you get one your fine for games for 5 ish years. with pcs even if you get a top of the line pc it's gonna be obsolete with in two years (meaning that the newest games won't run on it)

[beerkeg]

Um, that's not true at all. A decent pc from 2007 will still play the latest games, it won't be able to max it out but it will be able to play them.

[Jirachi]

Please explain why i bought a really expensive pc(paid 1000 for it) last year(2011 model as well) and it can't run swtor,diablo3,and many,many other games.

[beerkeg]

Because maybe, just maybe, the pc you bought wasn't very good and wasn't made for gaming. What are the specs of this 2011 model?

[fourthpersonview]

A 10 year old console can still play new games while a 5 year old PC cant.

Developers have to adjust to the hardware/software of the consumers if they develop in consoles while the consumers will have to adjust to the developers in the PC.

I prefer them adjusting to what I have.

[Asgaro]

Not true.

My PC is from 2007 and to this date, I have only upgraded 1 part. My graphics card, last summer.

I could have easily not upgraded my PC and that way I could keep playing all my games on Medium settings and some perhaps on Low yes.

Fact is: even when you run your games on Low settings, they still look better than on consoles. This is because even on Low, all the games still run on the 1080p resolution.

[fourthpersonview]

That's my point. To play new games on PC you have to upgrade whereas in a console you dont. How long has PS3/X360 been released and yet it plays new games and doesnt require you to buy an add on to play new games.

Why buy something you cant use fully? Buying a game and not playing it in its intended fidelity is like buying a car to listen to its radio.

[Rifkens]

In 2008, I bought my new PC. Core i7, ATi 4870x2, 6gbs of ddr3 memory and the other bits and bobs. In 2011, the only "upgrades" to my PC is my graphics card. I got a full refund of £350 and bought an Nvidia GTX 470 for £210. An upgrade and £140 cashback!!! Still runs all the top spec'd games fine. With that £140, I could buy another 470 and be sorted for the new batch of "Next Gen" games

Maybe the author should include warranty into the argument. Practically all PC hardware come with 2+ year warrantys.

[Tzuno]

Consoles have exclusives and that is what it takes to keep them alive. PC is more complex and you can do more things. If i have to choose to own only one of them it will be PC any-day.

[KontryBoy706]

I was seriously pro PS3. I just recently got into pc gaming. My consoles have been collecting dust and I sold most of if not all my 360/PS3 games. PC gaming is just on another level. I'll keep my PS3 to watch movies on and buy Last of Us and God of War... other than that there is no reason to by any other game on consoles outside of PS3 exclusives. All the games run 100 times better on PC as long as you have the necessary requirements. Mods are a whole different story. BF3 is like a completely different game on the PC. Not to mention Steam.... the unexpected discounts on games are freaking boss

[BelieveinGhosts]

Until developers start to optimize PC games, Consoles will always be a better option financially.Consoles are usually around $500 at launch where as High end PC's are over $1000. Very few games are optimized to push a High end PC to its limits, the only notable games that use the power of High end PC's are Crysis 1 and Battlefield 3.

Where as Console developers are constantly pushing Consoles past it's limits. When Killzone 2 was released, the graphics were so good that many thought the PS3 had reached its limit. A couple of years later, Uncharted 2 released and had surpased Killzone 2 graphically. Same with God of War 3 and Uncharted 3 which had yet again pushed the PS3 past its apparent limit.

However, gameplay videos of The Last of US, and God of War Ascension show that the PS3 still has a lot to offer and the graphics will again show noticable signs of improvement.

This is the same with Xbox 360, Halo 4's graphics look to yet again push the Xbox 360 past the limit that was previously set by Gears of War 3.

This proves that even though on paper, PC's are more powerful than consoles. In reality, Consoles will continue to hold its own and even rival PC graphics because there is competition between elite Developers on both Consoles.

This is why i believe that even if next gen consoles e.g. PS4 and Xbox 720 have exactly thesame graphics capabilities as a High end computer from 2011. These next gen consoles with 2011 PC graphics capabilities will produce better graphics from what we saw in Crysis 1 and Battlefield 3.

Talented Console developers such as Naughty dog, Sony santa Minica, Guerrilla games, Rockstar games, Epic games and 343 industries will surpass the limits of a 2011 PC like graphics Card, to produce graphics similar to a 2012 and maybe 2013 PC graphics Card

[KontryBoy706]

I beg to differ. Being a sony fan myself now having pc and PS3 experience; As good as a game Uncharted is it runs in 720p at 30fps. As great as all the sony exclusives are not one of them run at 1080p 60fps besides pretty much wipeout hd. There are 2011 pc cards that could run Uncharted at 100fps a few 2011 cards can run BF3 at 60fps with everything on ULTRA 1080p. That's not opinion that's fact. If you hook a PS3 or XBOX up to a high end computer monitor you will see just how much they lack graphically. Jaggies are very apparent as well as weak shadows/textures/filtering etc. The only devs that are pushing consoles to the limits are Naughty Dog and Guerrilla Games in my opinion. Halo? no... Gears still looks better than Halo even the Halo 4 trailer doesn't look better than Gears 3 as far as XBOX 360 is concerned. I do agree that PC devs should start pushing the limits of PC more, no disagreement there. However, it doesn't matter what PS4 or 720 come with next gen the fact is Nividia and AMD are still and will still be making graphics cards as well as Intel and AMD will be making processors newer than what the PS4/720 will launch with or probably already being constructed with. Again making consoles look old and out dated as soon as they hit the street. It's a never ending cycle. I will buy a PS4 next gen for exclusives but everything else I will get for the PC.

[fabiani]

pc is just 1080p and 60fps but it still looks like the same game.Its all about exclusives like ratchet and clank hd collection. The last of us is more then good enough graphically.

[deletingthis34675334]

PC. Cheaper games, better discounts and more exclusives than every console in existence. The hardware MAY require you to spend more money upfront, but gaming on a PC is getting cheaper...while consoles increases significantly in pricing by the console generation. Any console kiddie that thinks the PS3 has better value than PC is ignorant and delusional.

[Saryk]

The only thing I will say is that I own my PC. Sony and Microsoft owns the console you bought!

[MadMen]

consoles, hands down

[2pacalypsenow]

That whole build a Gaming PC for under $600 is a load of Bull..

Cooler Master case (decent gaming one ) $69.99
AMD Phenom II X2 $94.99 (can unlock to 4 cores)
Asus AM3 Motherboard $89.99
EVGA Gtx 560 Anything lower then gaming on PC is useless since everyone here talk about 1080p 60fps $179.99
cooler master GX450watt PSU $59.99
Cheap mouse $9.99
Cheap Logitech Keyboard $17.99
Microsoft windows 7 Home 109.99 (new pc's dont have OS)
Crucial Ballistix Ram 4gb $34.99
Seagate HDD 500Gb $74.99

total $741.91 and those are crappy components and not even a monitor

[2pacalypsenow]

But it's amazing what PC's can do 0_o cant wait for Pc games to look like this :-)

2002 Dawn

http://i98.photobucket.com/...
2012!
http://i98.photobucket.com/...
http://i98.photobucket.com/...
:-)
http://i98.photobucket.com/...

And @Saryk if you use windows then Microsft owns your Pc :-)

[capcock]

A gaming PC is a much better value because it's not only used for a superior gaming experience, it's used for EVERYTHING else too. Chatting with friends, editing videos and photos, web browsing, burn dvds cds etc. + u'll end up saving money in the long run (steam discounts)