Five Issues with PC Gaming

PC gamers can argue that their platform is by far superior to consoles. GameZone takes a look at PC gaming and exposes its shortcomings, that hold it back from being king of games.

[Caspel]

If I had a better gaming rig, I'd be playing games on the PC for the majority.

[Blaze929]

exactly the same issue I have as well

[Conloles]

'. Of course, that’s still far more expensive than a console, but bearing in mind virtually everyone has a PC anyway, and upgrading is easier than ever.'

He complains about not having a unified platform? Doesn't affect me more specials that you wouldnt get on consoles.

[writersblock]

You may have a valid point, but since you constantly troll console games nobody cares anymore

[Reibooi]

Upgrading is easier then ever my bum.

I am in the process of upgrading my PC so it can run Final Fantasy XIV and let me tell you it's NOT easy. Now keep in mind I am not a super hardcore PC player but I am not ignorant of PC's either. It has taken me IMMENSE amounts of time to find things that are compatible with my PC.

On newegg I looked though about 200 different ram kits before I found one that would work. Then I wanted to get a new Graphics card and though perhaps sense my motherboard supports Crossfire that I would get 2 and that lead to the problem of a power supply and then I needed to go through like 100 power supplies to find one that would not only fit in my tower but had enough inputs to support what I needed it to. Low and behold after nearly a month of research and double checking with a PC nut friend the Power supply WASN'T COMPATIBLE. For no foreseeable reason either. It had everything but just didn't work. I had to send it back and start over.

So yeah PC upgrading is not easier then ever.

[darkmurder]

Its not that hard, lol how is it that hard to find RAM thats suitable tell me your mobo and I can find out compatible RAM in 5 minutes, just look up your mobo and it will tell you what's possible. And you shouldn't be complaining about your power supply, you wanted Crossfire instead of just getting a better card so you only have yourself to blame for that.

[Fred-G-Sanford]

"On newegg I looked though about 200 different ram kits before I found one that would work."

[Motion]

The better and faster approach would be to find out what ram your computer uses, then search for that ram specifically. Were you seriously just looking at random sticks of RAM and seeing if they were compatible?

[k3x]

@Reibooi: You're making it sound like putting together a gaming machine is a game of some kind of extremely complex puzzle with a lot of pieces that don't fit anywhere, which is not the case. I'm not sure if you're being purposefully misleading or if you're just that clueless. While it's true there have been (and probably still are) some issues with different parts conflicting with each other, they're in the minority.

There isn't just ONE power supply that fits my case, just like there isn't only one RAM kit that fits my mainboard. I don't know about the mini cases, but generally, if you buy an ATX PSU, it WILL fit in your case as the size is standardized. The only thing you need to worry about is for it to have enough wattage to support all the stuff you put inside. Pretty much every desktop PC RAM kit sold today will physically fit into your mainboard. You do need to make sure you're buying the kind your mainboard supports, but you still have loads of different options you can go with.

Yes, you do need to have a tiny bit of a clue. No, it's not close to impossible, as you falsely suggest, to put together a gaming PC.

[Commander_TK]

There´s nothing wrong with PC gaming. It´s the best experience ever

[Gago]

I lol'ed so hard

do these morons even what there yapping about?

[rexus12345]

to someone who has never opened a PC case before, what Reibooi said maybe true. I remember the first time I tried to upgrade my PC, bought a 8800GT PCIe card, but it turns out my PC only has AGP and PCI slots [facepalm], at that time I don't even know what PCI/PCIe/AGP is.

[AndrewRyan]

One of the points I see would be an advantage to the parasite, downloading or as they say "pirating" games. The honest working man would buy his copy.

[Reibooi]

@everyone above.

Yeah okay I exaggerated on the numbers a bit. Let me state a few things first. My PC is a Dell XPS 420 a PC that isn't exactly easy to upgrade(nothing pre built from a maker like Dell ever is)

If i was to go to a site like newegg and just randomly buy stuff because they were standardized or whatnot chances are they would not work. I looked at the ram i needed and finding a exact match with high numbers was a pain everything was either incompatible with the motherboard or wasn't powerful enough for what i wanted. In the end I had a friend give me a suggestion on what would work and work well.

Getting a new power supply for my tower is also not exactly easy. Size is a non issue as the 420 is massive however there are ALOT of things the power supply needs to have inputs for. It needed to have at least 8 SATA ports and the ability to support cross fire and that's not even counting the extra's that are built into the PC that it needs to support. Bottom line is a off the shelf PSU would not have worked in all likelihood.

All PC's are not the same. What is easy as hell for one person could be hard as hell for another. All because of the difference in setup. My experience with upgrading PC's is a pain in the ass. But then again I don't waste my life learning what every single bit of PC lingo means.

[Narutone66]

to upgrade a desktop PC, but for those who use high-end notebook pc to game is another story. Like me, I use my notebook pc at home to game and my Acer Predator with Quad Core at the office. The admins are going to upgrade our office PC to a high-end IBM/Lenovo Laptop. I wonder if it will be able to play those processor/graphic intensive games.

[WorldOfSam]

I like both PC gaming and Console gaming. I prefer PC for FPS as I haven't been able to adapt to playing them well with a controller, playing RTS and also as a workstation and I prefer console for kicking back on the couch in front of a big screen TV.

Also, people who find it too hard to put a computer together, I see there is some anger and I apologise for the missing warning label "Warning! Chocking Hazard! Contents contain small parts, not for idiots".

[WorldOfSam]

@Reibooi ... Seems that you're the one making it complex. If you're not willing to learn that the square block doesn't go into the round hole then don't complain. Their is plenty of easy to follow information on the web on how to upgrade or build a computer, even videos for those slow readers.

To debunk the misinformation you're trying to give, the XPS 420 doesn't have a crossfire or SLI MBoard, doesn't have room for 8 sata drives, any modern "off the shelf" power supply with sufficient wattage would work as most have more than enough connectors and they say if they are crossfire capable. Also, most 667/800 MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM will work with up to 8gig running in a 64bit environment for your system.

However, I agree that this isn't for everybody as you do have to do some "learning".

[Reibooi]

@WorldOfSam

Well there is the proof that internet research doesn't always work.

If what you say is true and the 420 Mboard cannot support crossfire then many different PC forums I had read that it WAS able to support crossfire is wrong.

With that being the case how the hell do you know who is right and who is wrong? You can't really unless you try it for yourself. Which is a huge waste of time and money should something you try not work. Not to mention you risk breaking something and having to pay even more. When you know what you are doing perhaps PC upgrading is easy. However for the average Joe is doesn't waste their time learning every single insignificant detail it's not. Simple as that.

On the separate note don't insult my intelligence because I'm not a god of PC upgrading. I don't waste my life learning everything there is to know about PC's because I am primarily a console gamer. The PC is in my opinion an over expensive waste of time when it comes to gaming.(lack of selection when compared to console) Even a cheap upgrade costs as much as a console and you still have to worry about support and drivers and updates and all kinds of annoying crap that may prevent a game from working on your machine. Excuse me for not wasting my life studying every little thing in the world of PC upgrading.

[kneon]

I have a good PC for gaming, though I didn't build it for that purpose, 12gb, i7, 5850. It's connected to my main TV and can run most any game at max settings, and yet it goes for weeks without ever being turned on. On the other hand if there is someone awake in the house then odds are at least one of the PS3s is in use.

I just don't find many compelling games that are only on PC.

[Agent-86]

My PC is for all my FPS and RTS games (which are simply better on a PC) while the PS3 makes a great complement with its remarkable lineup of exclusive games. I got my PS3 slim Oct. last year after the Slim launch and price drop. It's been a great purchase. I really enjoyed the major exclusives (like UC 1 & 2, Infamous, GOW3, Heavy Rain) with some others that are not available on my PC (like Red Dead Redemption, Fight Night 4, Madden 10) and ones that are just better on the PS3 than the PC (like FIFA 10).

Most of the 360 exclusives are also on PC and usually better so I haven't seen it being necessary to buy a 360 plus it's annual fee. Before you argue Live cross game chat, we PC gamers have already had it for ages with TeamSpeak, Ventrillo, and now Skype (all free, by the way). In fact, with my PC and PS3 connected to the same LCD HDTV, my friends and I have the ability to cross-platform chat. Also, the games that are truly exclusive, like Halo, I'm just not interested in since PC FPS's are so much better (IMHO).

[kneon]

If I were still playing RTS games then I'd probably use the PC more. Despite playing PC games since the Apple ][ I've never liked playing FPS games with the mouse and Keyboard. I'm well aware that it's more precise but I still don't like it. Just like I hate driving games without a wheel and I hate flight games without a proper joystick. I have an over abundance of controllers of every description for every genre imaginable.

I've played pretty much every major console since pong but the PS3 was the first I've ever bought so it's not like I'm a long time playstation fanboy or anything. I just find the PS3 games more interesting and entertaining.

[AndrewRyan]

kneon you do realize the microsoft 360 usb controller can be used to play any PC game as well as shooters. I also have a PS3 and a PC, properly connected to my 40''.

[kneon]

Yes I know, I don't have the Xbox controller but I do have 2 different Logitech controllers, one wired and one wireless, plus a couple of joysticks+pedals for flight sims and an X-arcade 2 player for my retro gaming needs. It's not a lack of controllers that keeps me from playing on my PC.

The only recent FPS games I have for the PC are all the Crysis games and I used the controllers to play. But I found the games kind of dull. My oldest daughter wants to play with her clan so all the other FPS games I buy for PS3. The only ones I continue to play are KZ2 and Mag, and once in I while I go back to Operation Flashpoint Dragon Rising, I still haven't finished it.

So I could have got the COD, Battlefield and Operation Flashpoint games for PC but as my daughter wants to play on PS3 I would have to get 2 versions, and none were good enough to warrant doing that.

[HolyOrangeCows]

DRM. If it weren't for DRM, I'd be a PC gamer.

[Gawdl3y]

Steam's DRM is very fair. You can play games online as long as you're signed in on your Steam account, and you can install the games onto any computer you want. There's even an offline mode that doesn't require you to even sign in, but you don't get to play online if you aren't.

[Nihilism]

I game only on PC and i'm with you on that one. Even steam sucks ass. We get games in AUS sometimes 2 days before the rest of the world...we have to wait 2 days before steam will let us activate it. I have 1 game on steam that screwed up with their latest update and I can't play it. Sacred 2 a game I bought with DRM won't let me install it...the only known fix is to buy the expansion which has a working crack....if anything ever makes me quit gaming it will be DRM. I won't go to console's though and pay $10 more per game...that's what they want. Besides DRM will be on console's soon enough. You just watch, next gen, games will require online activation on console's...

[Rifkens]

If it weren't for DRM, you'd be pirating and you would be wondering why you can't glide on Arkham Asylum :)

[Persistantthug]

I still have a single core computer. lol

[GrilledCheeseBook]

@Reibooi

biggest failure at upgrading I've ever seen
200 ram kits
100 psu's
the fuck is that. only thing worse I've seen is this guy on the The Old Republic forums was asking whether Alienware or Windows 7 was a better computer (he didn't know windows 7 was the os)

[solar]

article loses all credibility when one of the complaints is "lack of split screen".

its a "Personal Computer".

[ChickeyCantor]

"article loses all credibility when one of the complaints is "lack of split screen".

its a "Personal Computer"."

...so?

I think games should have splitscreen.
You see i have a 52" of a beauty( no, my tv!), my pc is connected to it.
So if i had pc games that offered splitscreen I could be playing the old fashioned console way with my PC.
Best multiplayer experiences are with friends in the same room and you damn well know it!

[zagibu]

Ever been to a LAN party?

[ChickeyCantor]

LAN is still not the same as Splitscreen.
It just isn't.

[zagibu]

No, it's better, because on split-screen, you can't do sneak attacks, because the other guys can see your screen as well.

[gillri]

PC hardware never gets close to utilising its potential when compared to console's

these days with so much focus on consoles, better graphics cards tend to only give you higher framerates and resolutions , just isnt worth the money these days

look at Halo Reach on xbox 360, thats 5 year old hardware with a 1800XT and 512 MB RAM, look at UC2 and GOW3 on the PS3 with a 7900GT and 256 MB of RAM

yes my PC can run Crysis on full settings and its looks incredible ( i have a high spec for my 3D work btw), but UC2 is still a more visually rich experience than Crysis

UC2 and GOW3 have a level of polish I havent ever seen on a PC game, having to consider all the different hardware configurations a developer never has complete control over the final look of the game, and considering my PC has hardware 5 or 6 generations ahead of my console's then you realise just how much more juice is gotten out of the PS3 and 360 when you have games like UC2 and GOW3 competing with Crytek's game on highest settings

anyway is doesnt matter cause the PC hasnt had a GOTY since WoW, PC and console used to be equal in the early mid late 90's and early 00's, some of my favs including Deus Ex, Thief and Half Life, they arent now

these days spending money on the very latest PC hardware purely for gaming is waste of money

[Johnny_Bravo]

Starcraft 2 has a pretty damn good shot at GOTY. Starcraft is about the only game I can stand playing on PC.

[punisher99]

@Johnny_Bravo: Starcraft 2 and that new Star wars game is probably gonna be GOTY contenders for PC.

[NYC_Gamer]

well thats your opinion because i think otherwise just got into pc gaming and loving every min

[Chris399]

There's a lot more content, but A LOT more crap. There are dozens of Diablo clones, Warcraft/ Starcraft clones, shitty MMOs and FPSes to sift through.

I have a really solid rig, but I'm saving it for Tera and Diablo 3 at this point. Nothing else has really caught my eye. I find the PC to be the supreme platform for MMOs, that's for certain (seeing as how you can count on one hand the number of MMOs on consoles).

I do like my PC gaming, don't get me wrong - I've been gaming on PC longer than any other platform (over 20 years now), but I sort of agree with what gillri said. The SP experiences on consoles this gen have been pretty impressive. Oh, and if you haven't played Oblivion on PC yet, you should, it's easily the "definitive" version.

[Reefskye]

I been a console gamer since the late 80's and a PC game since 2000. Loved PC gaming for years but the amount of money I've spent on hardware over last 10 years either for upgrades or parts that failed (I'm looking at you PSU's) make my PS3 seem cheap. I haven't played a PC game for ages, but considering buying Starcraft 2 seen as I have a nice gaming rig cant let it go to waste :P

[hi2]

has 512 mb of memory as well just a different(split) architecture,anyways you hit the nail on the head about pc gaming though

[Mmmkay]

the ps3 utilizes ram differently. most gfx is handled by the cell... (if programmed correctly).

[DeathMetal]

do not compete with Crysis at all. Crysis has alot more going on in game than those games you mentioned. Uncahrted 2 looks great but not a lot of action in many parts of that game unlike Crysis

[RedDragan]

I play Crysis maxed out at 1080p, but there are more quiet periods in crysis than UC2.

[punisher99]

@gillri: I could not have said it any better than you just did. The consoles just simply produce more GOTY contenders than the PC platform. While PC gamers like to brag about higher HD visuals and frame rates. Console gamers can brag about better actual exclusives. Exclusives is what set your platform apart from another. Not frame rates and HD visuals.

[DeathMetal]

are great but so are many mulitplat's which are on PC and much better than console versions.You guys talk like there are so many exclusives that are good on consoles, there are about 4 that's it. GOTY contenders are uncharted 2 for last year that is it for exclusives maybe GOW3 but highly doubt it, just another hack and slash.Pc will have starcraft 2, the old republic, diablo 3, doom 4 as exclusive and most likely battlefiled 3 so we'll see

@ below only ones I would play are MGS4, uncharted, GOW3 and GT

[Mmmkay]

choose 4 then!
(these are IPs as well. Not games)

metal gear solid
uncharted
ratchet
motorstorm
demon's souls
god of war
gran turismo
heavy rain
infamous
killzone
little big planet
mag
mlb the show
resistance
valkyria chronicles
wipeout hd

remember the ps3 only has like 4. the rest of them are on the pc as well.....

(only counting games i like. xbox/wii not included)....

[kevnb]

witcher

command & conquer (not going to count the terrible console versions)

starcraft (not going to count some cheap n64 version)

diablo (ya not going to count the abortion of a playstation version)

left 4 dead (360 version is very gimped in comparison)

half life (again console version is just a cash grab console makers paid big bucks for)

Supreme Commander (same)

dragon age (same)

Elder Scrolls (same)

Guild Wars

Mount & Blade

Company of Heroes

World in Conflict

Risen (abortion on 360)

Stalker

Arma

Team Fortress (playing on console is painful)

Counter Strike Source

Sims (console versions are for the birds)

Civilization

Total War

there you go, I could go on... but im not going to stretch for something like wipeout hd...

[CoxMulder]

"not going to count, not going to count, not going to count, same, same, not going to count etc."

If there was a point you were trying to make, I think it got lost somewhere along the way..

LMAO

[Persistantthug]

I had gone over all of the AAA Quality games on Metacritic (90+), and the only 90ish exclusive game(s) released in 2009 was Empire: Total War.

I don't know what developers can or should do, but hopefully the PC platform can acquire more defining MUST HAVE exclusives, because if it doesn't, PC gaming may continue to fall behind, and honestly, that isn't really good for gaming as a whole.

--My take

[Gawdl3y]

You're forgetting that the PC versions of Team Fortress, Half-Life, Left 4 Dead, Dragon Age, Elder Scrolls, etc. AREN'T the same as their console counterparts. The PC versions have mod support and SDKs that allow the community to make mods for them, which infinitely extends replay value, especially if you're a modder yourself.

[zagibu]

The reason why PC games are rated lower in average than console games has nothing to do with lower quality. It's just that PC gamers remember a time when games were truly original and innovative. Most games today don't try anything new. This holds true for both games on PC and console, but because console gamers are on average younger (or at least don't play as long as PC gamers), they are easily wowed by a mediocre shooter like Halo, that, apart from the flood, doesn't offer anything new.

[sid4gamerfreak]

While I do agree that the PC hardware hasnt got to its potentia yetl, about 95% of multiplatform games are better on the pc. Seriously how can u even compare UC2 and GOW3 to a game like crysis, generations and polish ahead?? UC2 is not a more visually enriching experience than crysis, it doesnt even come close to it.

Crysis is open world, can uncharted 2 and GOW3 even try to be open world with those graphics? It would probably fry the ps3...Theres a LOT more going on in crysis than uc2 and GOW3

U say no GOTYs, fine but dont say there r no exclusives or quality games for the pc.

The Stalker series - best atmospher till date in a game, can console compete with that?

Then theres rts games, mmo. Plus starcraft 2 can get goty 2010.

You have absolutely no idea on what ur missing my friend, ur missing an exciting and rewarding gaming experience only on the pc

EDIT: cbhamblins got a point ya know, most games r multiplatform and better on the pc. Your so called "precious exclusives" are only 4.

[punisher99]

@sid4gamerfreak: Lets see here. Crysis scored a 91 on metacritic. Uncharted 2 scored a 96. GOW3 scored a 92. You see its more than just higher visuals that make a game great. Its about the entire experience the actual game brings.

[mrlahey]

Good graphics doesnt = a better game.

I have played and beaten Crysis and im almost done with Warhead. And i can say both those game suck, the story is really stupid reminds me of a B movie sci-fi flick.

I also played and beaten UC1 and UC2 multiple times, and the production on both those titles are through the roof compared to the experience of playing Crysis. And dont tell me its because i ran Crysis on minimum settings cause i didnt i ran it on highest settings with a resolution of 1080p, yes again looked and still looks great, but! the game still sucks in the story and quality department.

[Theonetheonly]

metacritic is a joke.

not to metion pc gamers are harder on thier games in regards to review scores.

we expect ultimate quality and when devs arent living up we dont buy.

im gonna stretch and say that would be a big factor in why the pc is in a drought of sorts.

why develop for critical gamers when console buyers will fight tooth and nail over the scraps thrown into the market at $60 a pop

[BattleAxe]

Don't be an idiot.

[kevnb]

as lets say any blizzard or valve game on pc, they just arent on the same level. And uc2 and gow3 dont really look that great, they cant even compete with most multiplats on pc.
And I cant believe they said pc has no killer app, world of warcraft is the killer app right now period. Then the witcher 2, starcraft 2 (here today), and star wars the old republic are all coming soon!

[Persistantthug]

Why?

Because many PC gamers are playing WORLD OF WARCRAFT, I did too, and I enjoyed it...but I think you'll find that for the most part, many and most of the WoW players aren't playing anything else.

If you're so enthralled with MMO's, it becomes very difficult to play other games, and it creates a sort of albatross on the other games on the PC platform that aren't MMO's, simply because they aren't buying anything else.....just their next month's subcription, month after month after many continuous months.

That's actually not a good thing, imo.

[DeathMetal]

"UC2 and GOW3 have a level of polish I havent ever seen on a PC game"

ever heard of Blizzard.

those games you mentioned are good but really nothing special

[MiamiACR]

Since I am more or less in favor of the PC, I still have to agree with you on all your points made. Consoles are always dragging PCs behind since of course if you would look at the launch of the consoles, PC developers gave a damn back then about the PC versions. As time went on and more and more games came out, more and more graphics cards were released . Until the developers said "Fuck this, too much work" and started doing straight console ports, which is sad. Having said that, I can't wait for the new consoles to be released for obvious reasons.

[STONEY4]

"UC2 is still a more visually rich experience than Crysis... you realise just how much more juice is gotten out of the PS3 and 360 when you have games like UC2 and GOW3 competing with Crytek's game on highest settings"

What? The only way they could compete with Crysis is if you put the settings at medium. High and Very High are miles above what Uncharted 2 and God of War 3 can do, and the majority of us people with rigs to max out Crysis are able to do it at 1680x1050 or 1920x1200, and with AA. And that takes ALOT more power than 720p.

Plus Crysis has huge sandbox levels, some of the best destruction physics, is rendering large jungle areas (arguably the most taxing kind of environment), has extremely smooth shadows (none of that console low-res shadow BS), per object motion blur, volumetric clouds, ambient occlusion, ect. I could go on and on about all the things Crysis does, and all in real time.

Now for consoles, yes, UC2 and GOW3 do look great. But comparing them to Crysis is REALLY pushing it.

[athmaus]

good read!

[Dizzysdt]

I’m not a PC gamer because I dont know how to be one. I cant customize my PC. I dont know how too. So that is a big turn off for me to be a PC gamer. With a 360 Or PS3 i just pop the game in and go. But if the PC did have 2 or 3 must have games…I would probably figure it out. Until then I will stick with my consoles.

[kevnb]

5-10 absolute must haves in my opinion. I hate console gaming because when the game doesnt work I cant fix it!

[Johnny_Bravo]

All my games on PS3 and Xbox 360 work perfectly fine.....what the problem is?

[kevnb]

for one oblivion would run in the single digit framerates until I learned how to clear the cache, then it just ran poorly. Bayonetta, assasins creed 2, gta iv etc.. all ran horribly on one or both consoles I owned.

[Nihilism]

"I can't change a car tire, I don't know how to. So that is a big turn off for me to be a driver, so I'll just stick to walking"...yeah....I get your logic now...PC gaming is bad because you can/cannot upgrade if you want to/don't want to. Wait a minute....no I don't.

[Demarco156]

i play any multiplat game on the pc

it cheapier, easier and better

[BattleAxe]

Price point is exactly why I've turned more to my PC for multi plats. The only thing is that it takes a year or two for the prices to come down.

[writersblock]

A PS3 and a $2000 dollar gaming rig. The computer has saved me a lot of money since buying games on steam etc costs less than on the console

$2000 is a lot, but its pretty top of the line, it wont need to upgrade for quite a few years

[Caspel]

what kind of rig do you have?

[bobrea]

The author says that PC has no killer app, even in the shooter genre. OP is clearly butthurt because his 1997 computer can't even run Counter-Strike. how about you get a job and upgrade your rig? Pussy

[bobrea]

I'm also pretty sure that WoW is a killer app. It has 12 MILLION subscribers, jackass

[Nihilism]

The complaint about PC's not being a unified platform is insane. It's as valid as saying "Console's are not unified, I can't play games from all my console's on each other"...console's are not unified. Double standards ftw!

"Competing Platforms"

Um, that is not a negative, competition helps create innovation AND price brings game prices down.

"Lack Of Killer App"

The Witcher, Crysis, Stalker, Starcraft 2...and let's face it, every multiplat. Not just for the graphics either, you can play Dragon Age isometrically if you want like diablo...hows that for customisation?

http://img341.imageshack.us...

That is a screen shot from DA PC. Notice the taskbar for spells, see how long that mofo is, nice and easy. That Robe my mage is wearing...that's a mod. The input of a K/M makes the game much easier, the inventory is different and streamlined, and yes last but not least...graphics are better. DA asside. PC games have a customizable FOV...I play all my games at 90..it makes games a lot more enjoyable.

"You’ll regularly read about gamers rigs which cost upwards of $1400"

No. I honestly couldn't make a PC that cost that much if I tried. I mean I could make one with sli 480's and 6TB of storage, maybe a blu ray burner, and best keyboard and mouse you can buy, full tower, water cooling, GPU water blocks... but that's not how much PC's cost. Person 1 goes out and buys a Ferrari...that does not mean all cars cost as much as a ferrari. I recommended an upgrade for someone the other day

quad core 3.4ghz
gtx250
550watt psu
motherboard
4gig 1600mhz ddr3
just over $400, that's 90% of the components for a PC and they already had a monitor, case, keyboard, mouse and O.S

"Lack Of Split-screen"

LAN, dedicated servers....there is no need to share a screen when motherboards have inbuilt networking capabilities.

How about instead of putting that dubious point down as a negative for PC, we put the lack of ability to hook 200 console's together for insane MP matches...like you can do on PC as a negative for console's. There's that double standard sneaking it's ugly mofo head up again. Seriously 5 points and most of them wrong.

How about some console negatives:

720p maximum res for any reasonable looking game, and even then it's with 2aa or less and 30 frames. With a headache inducing low FOV of 55, pop in, poor texture streaming, imprecise controls low number of enemies on screen at a time. Low numbers of players in MP matches.

No backwards compatibility guaranteed.

Short warranties on the console's.

Overpriced peripherals by default, there is no 'cheap alternative' like there is on PC.

@bobrea

"There are rigs that start at $800 "

Yes there are...pre built one's. I am talking about PC's you build yourself ( in half an hour ) that perform twice as good a a pre-built PC and cost less too.

Did you know alienware makes $3000 laptops...did you also know that for $1000 you can build a desktop PC that is literally 2.5x as powerful?. That is the sort of insane price premium pre-build PC's charge.

I saw an add for a $1999 pre-built PC...it has a $200 GPU...and it only has 1 GPU....Honestly I could build it for $800 as well as throwing in a few upgrades.

But that is not to say you couldn't still build a good gaming PC for $400.

[bobrea]

I agree with most of your points but saying you couldn't build a gaming rig for $1400 if you tried is retarded. There are rigs that start at $800

[GrilledCheeseBook]

the only time is see rigs for $1400 is when it's also aimed at workstation use like 3d modeling

also people that seem to need the dual gpu cards or ssd

[RedDragan]

I don't live in America, so I instantly pay a large Premium on my kit.

My PC cost me £2000, at exchange rate... about $3000.

It is:

Intel i7 OC'd @4GHz 3 year guarantee
2x (HIS) ATI HD5870
6GB 1800MHz Corsair Triple Channel RAM
58A 6-core compatible Mobo
750W PSU with built-in surge protection
1TB 10,000RMP WD
160GB Intel SSD (OS installed only)
930(Antec) case
DVD-RAM Drive
BD-RE Drive
Wireless N Dongle
Wireless N Router
40" Sony Bravia HDTV
Microsoft Wireless Keyboard
Microsoft Wireless Laser Mouse
Sony 7.1 Tru-Surround 3x HDMI Repeat Amp and Speakers

All in all... I think it is $3000 well spent! XD

Although the Processor is guaranteed to 3 years at this OC level, it applies to whole rig... not incl. the HDTV, 7.1 Kit and Keyboard/Mouse kit. So yeah, easily worth the $3000. Remember, this is the UK. Where the Xbox Slim and PS3 250GB still costs about $450!!!

[tdrules]

Fuck the graphics.
When you have this large of a library, that's all that matters

[Aphe]

Exactly. No games to play on pc? It's got the biggest gaming library of all gaming platforms.

[MRMagoo123]

yeh just most are shit and not worth playing like a wii

[EditorAtGNG]

While I tend to agree with the general issues that pleague PC gaming such as the cost of hardware, the lower (non-existent) competitiveness and the general problem with piracy, I simply can't agree that PC gaming lacks exclusives. Sure, consoles will ALWAYS have more exclusives but damn it, can a console run Starcraft, Warcraft Diablo or any Warhammer game? Can a console ever run a MMORPG? Sure there will be some attempts at this in the future but you can never claim with certainty that PC is in a dying need for exclusives.

As for the eternal notion that PC gaming is dying (yadda yadda yadda), there's just two little things people need to consider before indulging themselves into one of those pointless debates: a PC is a multyplatform - you can do all manner of things besides gaming, while on a console you're still limited. The console might provide better gaming experience due to it being specifically designed for that purpose, but when it comes to both money/performance/multi-functi onality you can never dump the PC. Not ever.

[HeyImWiiTARDED]

That's why you buy a cheap PC for multimedia purposes, not spend grands to play mediocre games and needing to upgrade it again half a year later.

[EditorAtGNG]

I agree with you but there's one little thing - when you have a gaming PC you can play all PC games. When you're buying a console, you limit yourself to just one platform. Sure I love Halo and Gears of War, but I also enjoy playing God of War, Killzone and Uncharted. Not to mention Mario and Zelda games on the Nintendo.

[Aphe]

'not spend grands to play mediocre games and needing to upgrade it again half a year later. '

That's just complete bullshit, pure and simple. You only need to upgrade your pc every 6 months if you have some sort of pc gaming OCD, it's not neccesary at all.

I think that reason against pc gaming is only used by ignorant people. Count yourself amongst them.

And what mediocre games are you talking about? Let me see what you are counting as mediocre games.

[pippoppow]

Drm has been more hurtful than helpful. Right or wrong it has led to more pirating and overlooking of many titles. The main issue is the lack of exclusive high profile blockbuster budget titles. Imagine a bigger hd version of san andreas but with an alien other worldly setting with a story and gameplay mixture of out of this world and shadowrun, all with a great story. They probably would at least be able to port it to the ps3 at a later date depending on sales figures.

[HeyImWiiTARDED]

PC gaming is dead, you just paid 1 grand just to get botted and hacked in a game. Wow, money so well spent!

[Aphe]

Who spent 1 grand? Who are you talking to?

[jdigitalseven]

I guess if you like carbon copy shooters then PC is the way to go. I guess if you like sitting close to a screen, using more buttons (Pressing X + cntrl + F1 + L + 5 + M to do something a trigger button can do on a console), carbon copy shooters, controllers that arent as good if you dont buy a $60 console controller (If you arent against controllers), carbon copy shooters, feeling like its 1980-early 90's, carbon copy shooters, carbon copy shooters, carbon copy shooters and carbon copy shooters. then PC games are for you!

[HeyImWiiTARDED]

LMAO@ "(Pressing X + cntrl + F1 + L + 5 + M to do something a trigger button can do on a console)"

[tdrules]

haha its the exact opposite to what you're saying!
Console controllers limit the abilities a game can have, do you not realise?
16 buttons means only so much can occur, a full keyboard leaves a lot more opportunities

[comp_ali]

You made me belive more and more that more bubbles means the user is "more" trolling.

[GrilledCheeseBook]

lets take multiplat rpg games for example

360 - Mass Effect
button - wheel comes up- Scroll to power - select and release button for wheel and see it happen

PC - Mass Effect
All you do is push 1 or whatever number it's mapped to

[Faelan]

Don't play carbon copy shooters if you don't like them.

I don't play shooters... period. They do nothing for me. Yet I don't have any problem finding enough PC games to fill out my spare time and then some. How is that possible if PC gaming is all about carbon copy shooters according to you?

Heh... and if I'm going to play a shooter anyway... you can bet I'll take my mouse and my Zboard fang keypad over a console controller any day of the week.

[hiredhelp]

As much as i love gaming on pc i am curruntly building a i7 RIG just waiting on a haf x case or i may go for a corsair 800D the issue today is parts of raised in price. likes oc pc world are selling pure cr*p at low cost and gameing on the pc market isnt as good as it used to be.with microsft implamenting live subscription.this is only damaging to free pc servers to gamers on pc.sure. steam personally i dont like steam myself my own personal opinion.i think hes like microsoft in it for the money. as for gaming it still be generations ahead of consoles.thoe i love my ps3. for graphics and online gameplay you cant beat pc.
well as said im in middle doing a 17 RIG and be my last for few years or more as now my sons just gone 1 i dont have much time no more.already set me back £800 without new graphics card.

ASUS ROCKS
p6td palm edition
corsair 1000watt hx
corsair dominator GT 1600mhz 6gb
i7 920 do stepping
h50 or maybe coolermaster v10 cpu cooler undecided
and haf x case or corsair again undecided
graphics card running a 4870 1gb may upgrade later date. runs everything on high at the mo. wot you guys think

[Faelan]

What's a 1000watt Corsair PSU doing in that build?

[hiredhelp]

the corsair is in that build ready for a 5890 crossfire
with overclocked cpu and memory

[GrilledCheeseBook]

that 1000w psu is a big wtf

"microsft implamenting live subscription"
how did that turn out? No one used it so they got rid of the subscription and then by then no one was interested in GFWL and now somehow the largest company can't even compete with Steam, D2D, GOG or not even Impulse

[A change in the wind]

I`ve been playing on my PC quite a bit more lately, especially in this drought that`s going on right now. Tons of Killing floor, and tons of Left 4 Dead. I must have put 35-40 hours into both of those games last week. I quite enjoy the modding, the customization, and the under the radar games on the PC. It`s hilarious though, one little negative article, and the PC fanboys rage and post their walls of text like anybody cares to read their drivel. I really enjoy PC gaming, but I`m not going to sit here and pretend like it`s my favorite. Consoles as a whole have the best games. Sorry.

[kagon01]

I agree with some points with exception of the "split screen"...

Also, I want more console's wide variety multiplatform games, but instead the PC is mostly dominated with MMOs, RTS and FPS...(Those games aren't my type)

[Saryk]

I have never understood the need for split screen; I always disliked the split screen for any gaming. Hell I built 4 computers so we can play coop, lan and everyone can’t look at each other’s screens. And if I wasn’t a PC gamer I would have bought 4 of X (XBOX, PS3, Wii) to do the same thing. And this isn’t hard to do if you wait for the prices to drop.

But one thing the author forgot to add. Steam, D2d, Impulse and the rest have awesome deals that only PC gamers can get. Example I bought 4 copies of Dirt 2 off of D2D for less than $40.00 (summer sale). Also a user does not have to use 4 different user ids for each site, they all can be the same.

[yuni18]

I love both PC games and console games but PC games are better because you can always upgrade your PC but not your console. Although upgrading a PC can be expensive and difficult at times in the end it's all worth it.

[Jamaicangmr]

Am a console gamer while i have a pretty good gaming PC i just don't find it as compelling as consoles.
My set up before anyone say asks.
Q6600
4gb DDR2
Intel G41 Motherboard
750GB HDD
600Watt PSU
EVGA Geforce GTX470 Superclocked

All games i run minimum 55fps so performance really isnt my issue. It's just the games. There is nothing on PC which i can't get on consoles that i didnt have more fun with on my PS3. MW2 for example yeah i run that between 60fps to 180fps at times. However i just get a better experience on my console. PC gaming is dying because i just paid US$700 to purchase and import my GTX470 and am mainly running benchmarks with it.

[GoodSpeed]

Anyone looking to get into PC gaming and don't know what to look for or where to go to find the parts, this site lays it all out there for Random Joe Schmoe. You should have no problem deciding what you want or if it's compatible because this guy does it all for you. And he's budget conscious, with PC's ranging for 400 to 2000 bucks. Never again will you have a reason to complain.

http://www.hardware-revolut...

[kraze07]

I guess ignorance is bliss when it comes to console only gamers not having a clue about PC gaming and thinking that their prefered console is so much better. I have all 3 major consoles and a gaming laptop and I have to say the only ones I've been using lately are my PC and my PS3. You console only guys should really learn something about PC gaming before typing that nonsense you so strongly believe to be the truth.

[tlarn]

But when it comes right down to it, I still prefer my mouse and keyboard/macropad over a controller for games such as first-person shooters. When it comes down to it for me, it's simply personal preference. WASD, ESDF and so on aren't as intuitive as "push stick forward, move forward", but as I said, it's a personal preference. I also still believe that while a joystick offers great stability for aiming, a mouse is more accurate and easier to aim with.

On top of that, there are many indie games made for PC that never see a console release, and then there's the ability to mod games on PC. Sure, some console games can be modded, but it's usually a hassle to do so.

-GZ, #APB

[JonnyBigBoss]

PC gaming isn't perfect, but that's why I do PC/PS3. Best of both worlds!

[shikwan]

http://s43.photobucket.com/...

But I can't see gaming on it cause it's too tedious to keep up with patches & updates for games, tedious to get in contact w/my gaming friends so we can team up for games & I can't see their progress in games via an achievement/trophy system.

[NYC_Gamer]

ever thought about joining steam?it has all those features...

[shikwan]

I'll look into to it thanx.

[Gxgear]

No killer apps? Starcraft 2 JUST came out...

I would have guessed that piracy is the biggest issue when it comes to PC gaming, which goes hand in hand with DRM.

[Caspel]

Before StarCraft 2, what was the biggest release of the year?

[Saryk]

You need to remember that the retail stores give stats but digital download does not.

1. The Sims 3: Ambitions
2. The Sims 3
3. Sniper: Ghost Warrior
4. Battlefield: Bad Company 2
5. APB
6. The Sims 3: World Adventures
7. World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King
8. Command and Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight
9. Arma II: Operation Arrowhead
10. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

[Eidolon]

Not expensive, I upgraded a $300 Emachines ET1831 from Best Buy and can play Crysis at all High at playable framerates above 30FPS. All I did was buy a Sapphire 5670 and Pentium Dual-Core e5500, which cost a total of $175 from Amazon Prime. It runs perfectly even overclocked just slightly on the 250Watt 15A on +12v Power supply it came with. Starcraft 2 and Diablo 3 will run flawlessly for $475 + 24tax from BestBuy. Of course it would have been cheaper if the system was built from scratch or just possibly better for that amount. PC gaming above console level is cheap if you don't go all out like some enthusiasts do. I can also play recent games like Borderlands and Singularity at above 60FPS sometimes reaching above 100FPS without AA but full 16x af and no dynamic shadows, it still looks nice on a 1600x900 screen. Will be improved further with the constantly updated drivers.
WHQL Catalyst Drivers are released every month by ATI, and can bring with it improved graphical performance and great features to utilize the cards processing power. PC is just awesome. Mac too i Suppose

Games are also cheaper for computers, and sometimes free ;). That alone makes computer gaming much cheaper.

[DarkBlade4658]

Recently getting a really good gaming computer, I can say that I definitely love playing some games on the PC. That being said, I love the convenience of console gaming, pop a disc in, pick up a controller or two, play online instantly or against a buddy. Everything seems way more convenient.

[Eidolon]

I can do that too, my PC is always on and you don't have to pop in discs if it's installed. Community is way better for consoles though.

[trig456]

and beside gaming you can you use your PC for a lot of other things!

[Eidolon]

Yeah like porn!

[Nihilism]

Or you can combine the two and masturbate to crysis!!!....*a little PC gamer self parody*

[Saryk]

And posting on this site!

[Faelan]

Oblivion sex mods FTW!

[TABSF]

Issues, Issues, Issues

#1. Digital Rights Management (DRM), yeah its an issue but I get all my games on steam
#2. Competing Platforms, its the great think about PC
#3. Lack Of Killer App, hahahaha he is joking right http://adrianwerner.wordpre...
#4. Hardware, an issue ha, GTX 460 is £150/$200 and plays everything
#5. Lack Of Split-screen, yeah but you can get software for that and besides LAN!!!

My current Rig:

CPU: AMD Phenom II X6 1055T
RAM: OCZ 8192MB PC2-8500 (1066MHz DDR2)
GPU: ATi Radeon HD 5850 (vendor Sapphire)
PPU: Nvidia GeForce GT 240 (Vendor XFX)
SSD: Kingston SSDNow V series 64GB Windows drive
HDD: 500GB Western Digital Caviare Blue & 1000GB Samsung Spin Point F3
PSU: OCZ 550W Fatal1ty Modular
Case: Cooler Master CM 690 Pure
CPU cooler: Artic Cooling Freezer Xtreme Rev.2

I have all current Gen consoles and handhelds, only got them for exclusives PC all the way, Love you Valve

[Calajeff]

PC games are often enjoyed in a completely different room of the house... at least for some of us...

[Sprudling]

I don't mind the price, but I never seem to be able to get hardware that's stable. My current computer keeps hanging at random times, and it's impossible to find out what's wrong. I haven't been able to get a stable gaming computer since the days of Quake 3. Consoles just work.

[Nugundam0079]

I cant enjoy Star Craft 2 because my laptop doesnt meet the requirements-in other words-I hate PC gaming.

[TheObserver]

Most people always spout BS that you need to upgrade your PC every time a multiplat releases.

I upgraded my PC to run Crysis on High and never have to upgrade since. Pure console gamers think that their console's GPU gets a magical upgrade and out competes current or past top GPU somehow.

Ignorance at its best.

PC/PS3 combo. I have a Xbox 360 Elite, but it is literally just a poor and ignorant man's PC.

[punisher99]

I see one thing I can tell from reading everyone's response is. That PC gamers seems to be all about visuals and frame rates. While us console gamers are more about the actual game play itself. Metacritic dont lie. Just look at the review scores between the top console exclusives vs. the PC exclusives. For the past 4 years the consoles have been producing better quality games overall.

[djfullshred]

The main issue with PC gaming that made me eventually throw in the towel & stick with consoles is the never ending arms race between software & hardware makers. As soon as a new graphics card comes out, a software developer tries to max the capabilities out with a new game. If your rig is a few years old, you then have to decide if you want to pass on that game, upgrade hardware, or have it run poorly on your sub-par system.

[jy_mrnd]

PC gaming is the best gaming platform ever! I will always be a PC gamer! MY RIG:core i7 930 [email protected] corsair 6gb ddr3 1600mhz 2 evga gtx 280 ssc in sli gt 240 oc for physx x-fi titanium soundcard asus p6x58d premium motherboard corsair 850 watt psu.

[barefootgamer]

DRM is the biggest issue I have with PC gaming, one that will cause me to buy the console version of a game a lot of the time (Assassin's Creed 2 anyone?).

That, and I find the couch a lot more comfy than my computer chair. ;)

[Trroy]

If wireless KB and mice weren't so flaky, and my TV supported more than 1360x768, and using a KB and mouse didn't require a table or somesuch which sitting on my couch, and...

Yeah I think prefer console gaming, to being hunched over a computer monitor, or having to turn my TV/couch into a computer gaming rig monitor and chair. Comfort >> tech.

[ATi_Elite]

Hopefully I educate someone with my long post as I get so tired of these morons making these articles depicting "incorrect truths" in PC gaming. PC gaming is not perfect of course.

DRM:
DRM and Piracy are a problem but if the heads of all publishing houses and developers get together and agree on one form that is "hardware and gamer friendly" then this would be resolved very easily. Other than that it just gets bypassed. Almost like it's not even there which is good for me as I bypass DRM on every game I buy because I don't want a disc in the tray when I'm gaming from the HDD as it doesn't make sense and I could be using that tray for something else while gaming.

Competing Platforms or lack of unifying platform:
That's the beauty of PC gaming. No one entity controls it so there for it's open to all. NO problem here as this brings forth great innovations and freedom of creation.

Hardware:
A gaming rig doesn't cost $1000 or $5000 as you can build a decent gaming PC for under $500. Do some research people! And yes a PC cost more because it does more. Are you browsing the web right now on your PS3 360 or Wii? NO.

Upgrading:
Sony Microsoft and Nintendo tell you to upgrade by releasing new consoles and not supporting old ones. You can still play Halo on an old xbox but it doesn't look like Halo 3 on a 360 right. Well you can still play ANY PC game on a DX9 PC but it just won't look as good when played on a DX11 PC. Upgrade when you want to.

Split screen! This is what the LAN settings are for (connect to other PCs)so you don't have to share the screen or just connect another monitor for two players to use the same PC. Or if you have just one monitor then you will have to find a split screen mod on a MOD site. Easy. LaN parties are the way to go! very fun!

Killer App:
This one really hurt my feelings as the PC has the best killer APP hands down. The ability to MOD your game so that you can play it to you and your friends liking. For example I've play BFBC2 with just Knives or just pistols. You can play on private servers with just your buddies. Even better MOD the entire game and make a new one like the 100's of Half Life 2 mods.

Face of the PC:
Sony has GOW3/Killzone/GT Wii has Mario/Zelda/Metroid 360 Gears/Halo/Fable well the PC has

World of Warcraft
Starcraft
Half Life
Arma II
Pokerstars
Sims
Doom
Counter Strike
Diablo
Simulators

and about a thousand other games that are PC exclusives or that can only be played with the power of a PC. PC gaming kinda doesn't have that one game that represents it because PC gaming represents just the core belief that this is the best gaming experience no matter what genre of game. Hell what do you think ALL developers use to make games? PCs of course.

If your a consoler and have questions about PC gaming don't be scared to ask a PC Elitist like myself as all PC gamers are friendly and we are a community of helpers.

Happy Gaming

[alee]

Of all of these, I think the biggest issue is the cost of the hardware. After that would be that building or buying and setting up a decent gaming PC requires more knowledge than buying and setting up a console. GZ

[Rifkens]

The guy is complaining about DRM. Do you think the majority of game developers will make their games for free?

[ranmafandude]

damn i wish i had the money to get a good ass gaming pc. i would play so many damn games it's not even funny. i'm not into mmo's or rts games though so i would play many fps,emulators,and indie games.

[clarkdef]

Some people perfer PC and some Console. Get over it you idiots, doe it really matter, but hang on keep arguing because its entertaining me xD

[Letros]

SW:TOR, nuff said, go build a rig.