The Digital Foundry 2015 budget gaming PC guide - PlayStation 4 performance for £300

Digital Foundry:
Building a capable gaming PC has never been easier - or indeed cheaper. There's a multitude of options of available, but we went into our own budget gaming build project with one objective in mind: to run the latest games well and to attempt to match the overall experience offered by the current generation of consoles. Could we match or even exceed PlayStation 4 performance with a computer constructed for a mere £300/$400?

[jackanderson1985]

to sum it up you can, just about but it's going to quickly fall off (think the final price was £320 without an OS)

[vishmarx]

how does one definitely say this pc will outperform ps4?
games arent tflops and even if they come up the same, ps4 will always have better optimization.regardless of what statistics say,
practically ,ps4 will outperform it 90% of the time .
meanwhile you miss out on console exclusives and first party support just to prove a damn point.the whole point of a pc is better graphics and you dont even get that.

not to mention raw tflops means nothing when 4gb vram and quad core processor and windows os is a pre requisite in most high end games today.the game wont run.period.

I can get a ps4 today and guarantee itll run all high end games for the next 5 years and theyll look and better than they do today.
how long will the 300 bucks pc last?

also, I wonder why df wouldnt compare xbox as well.they cant resist a single opportunity to downplay ps4

[jackanderson1985]

they never said it'll outperform the PS4, they're saying they can get the performance that the PS4 is giving out at the moment with the games released

they even mention that PS4 games (and console games in general are better optimised) and that the pc might already be dated

and why would the use the lower end console for building a comparable rig? that'd make no sense at all.

This PC technically outperforms the X1 while it's on par with the PS4. not sure how that's a dig at PS4 but hey whatever floats your boat

[Crimzon]

"I can get a ps4 today and guarantee itll run all high end games for the next 5 years and theyll look and better than they do today."

I wish GTA5 and Bloodborne ran well, but those are two games that the PS4 already struggles to run at a measly 30fps. Sucks that driving fast in GTA gets the framerate down to the low 20s and Bloodborne stutters around, dropping into the teens at points when calling in a co-op partner or getting invaded.

I really envy people who are going to get to enjoy GTA5 at 60fps on PC, no doubt pushing extra graphical effects that PS4/XB1 can't handle. It looks like the PC version of Witcher 3 is going to be far beyond PS4/XB1 as well. We already saw the PC version of Ground Zeroes looking/running better than the console versions and PC owners got to enjoy all these current remasters such as Borderlands and Dark Souls 2 at 1080p/60fps years ago.

PC will always be far ahead of consoles in terms of performance and graphics. Nice for the people who can afford it, I envy them.

[freshslicepizza]

they don't compare it to the xbox one because the ps4 is the most powerful console out right now. it's actually more of an opportunity to downplay the xbox one as they don't see it as big of a challenge.

you also talk about console exclusives you will miss out on. yes, we know that but on consoles you also miss out on thousands of games not available on the ps4.

i myself would push people to spend at least $600 on a pc. that way it's more future proof, exceeds the ability of the current consoles and gives way more options of what you can do with that pc. you can also use it as a media centre that plays all audio and video files and since it's also a computer it can also be used as a workstation.

we should not be viewing the pc game platform as a threat to consoles. this type of thinking is just plain silly. it is another option, that is all and an option that can give better results of you want to invest in it. just like you have the option to spend $500 on a tv. you could also spend $5,000 on a tv. how does that more expensive tv threaten your cheaper one? it doesn't. it's call an option.

[spacedelete]

DF are just trolls. they use these comparisons to each console and PC to bait fanboys and trolls which helps them as they plaster advertisments all over the site earning money off fanboys.

[cmgs]

To be able to state "statistically" you need actual statistics. Raw t flops meaning nothing is actually an argument that can be used against ps4, since pcs achieve more performance with less flop/s. No game requires 4gb vram btw, even 1gb cards run fine , and games that require 4 cores take i3 as a 4 core, because it is hyper threaded and is equivalent of amd quads. In comparison, both quad amd and dual intel builds are superior to 8 core consoles, because consoles are running dual low energy netbook processors, and 2 of the cores are reserved by os. Pc exclusive library is bigger than whole ps4 library, with backwards compatibility as well, if you only bothered. You also don't pay for online, and get games for dirt cheap thanks to steam.

Did you know that pcs can also do other things? Like, nobody can prevent you from plugging a hard drive, you can have a browser that can play every video, can play music on the background, take screenshots... And everything a pc does.

[johndoe11211]

@Crimzon

Exactly who do you think you're fooling? You constantly stealth troll every single ps4 article. If you bloody hate the system and sony so much (which is painfully obvious from your comment history) why even visit the articles? It's freaking pathetic.

[Crimzon]

@johndoe11211

I don't need to fool anyone? Everything I said is fact. You mention how I'm apparently constantly "stealth trolling" and how you've been digging through my comment history, which if anything paints you as the one who's pathetic, not me.

I don't troll. I have my opinions and that's that. If you get so upset by that you're left feeling that you need to follow me from article to article and stalk me, then I'm afraid it's you who's pathetic. Leave me alone you weird troll.

Edit: Oh my god I just looked at some of your recent comments and wow, you have got to be one of the most shameful fanboy trolls on this entire site. And you've got the nerve to call ME a troll? Jesus.

[Shineon]

I could be trippen but isn't the ps4 based off PC architecture? I mean I know ps3 wasn't, but aren't the current gen consoles more like a PC now because if so Optomization won't do much compared to last gen of course. Another thing, if DX12 is as good as its been reported to be, I don't think these consoles will stand a chance

[Somebody]

"I can get a ps4 today and guarantee itll run all high end games for the next 5 years and theyll look and better than they do today. "

Really? During early days of the PS3 and 360 everyone praised their power and potentials, just like how everyone's praising the PS4 and X1 now. But after several years, even more so during the couple of years before the PS4 and X1 came out, we see game devs struggled to keep up that praise and some even bitch and moan about how limited the hardware were. There were great looking console games but again just a handful.

Yes, that $300 PC will struggle after 5 years but that doesn't mean the PS4 and X1 will still be breezing past the latest PC hardware at that time. In fact, we're actually witnessing a preview of that when suddenly every next gen console devs are struggling to get their games to the 60fps 1080p standard after a solid year of hyping it.

PS4 and X1 games will require extensive optimizations to make them look as shiny as the PC version because their hardware is getting old but the latest features it needed to process are getting much more demanding. The $300 PC however will simply get one or two components upgraded to get it to play with the latest bells and whistles.

[ravencry]

just as you said before regarding xbox one . hardware is hardware with pc getting dx12 metal optimization i am sure gtx 750 ti will last just as ps4.

did you forget ps3 ran at 720p low-med settings after 5 years. ps4 being pc like architecture. this gen will be soon over. ps4 will run high end games after 5 years sure but at low settings

[otherZinc]

Digital Foundry is overrated and so is the PS4.

The PS4 has yet to run One 1080p 60fps AAA Exclusive Next-generation game. Not 1. Now, Digital Foundry wants to compare it to a PC.

Digital Foundry gave The Order 1886 a pass by not saying how blurry 1886 is when scoping on one of those "same Ole looking enemies" at short distance. Our eyes were killing us looking at that blurry mess.

Digital Foundry needs to get some integrity back.

[vishmarx]

@Crimzon
get a life, bad stealth troll

@moldybread
dont bring listwars here.a smartphone will stomp the pc's library that way.but id care if those things werent flash games or mmos or rts's.

@cmgb
will that 1gb/i3 card run witcher 3 batman aa at 1080p with med high?
because i have an i5 with with a 1gb vram gfx car(nvidia) and it doesnt even run dr3 at playable fps at the lowest possible res/settings.and it ran witcher 2 at med @60fps back when it launched just fine.those extras you mention arent anything to be proud of. even the most basic pc's/smartphones do it,

but how about-dedicated wireless controllers that i do not need workarounds for?blu ray optical drives ?
nobody buys a console to outperform a high end pc.
but when its about gaming, nothing beats console in convenience and productivity.

@somebody
never said consoles will look as good as high end pc's 5 years down the line. i said theyll run games thatll look much better than they do now. will an i3 run ANYTHING NEW after 5 years? that setup mentioned above will be lucky to run witcher 3 at 1080p at med/high with playable fps let alone outperform ps4.and that game releases in months.

[ravencry]

Taken from youtube comments :

Do you think the pc hardware magically get weaker by time ?
That argument made no sense since the ps3 played a lot of games at 640p with a terrible frame-rate, lets not forget how all the consoles ran in the lowest settings in the last few years of the consoles life.
You want shit to work ? Cool. Don't upgrade. You want to have a good experience ? Then you will need to upgrade your hardware

It's like giving you an outdated phone and telling you to keep it for the next 7 years while technology moves forwards.

[ravencry]

http://www.metacritic.com/f...

pc has more quality games than ps4

45 exclusives higher than 75 metacritic

45 80/100 games > 5 90/100 and 4 80/10

[TheDevKit]

You realize PC games can be "optimized" too?

[freshslicepizza]

@vishmarx

"dont bring listwars here.a smartphone will stomp the pc's library that way.but id care if those things werent flash games or mmos or rts's."

i didn't make listwars, i offered a perfectly reasonable counter to your argument about the pc missing out on 1st party games. so don't get upset because the list is rather large in comparison. is pillars of eternity not acceptable to your rather limited list? how about ori and the blind forest, it's not on the ps4 either. both are recent games too and you also don't need to worry about backwards compatibility for older titles either. once you stop moving the goal posts to suit your own debate you soon realize the pc actually has a lot to offer.

like i said, stop viewing this as a threat to console gaming where you need to keep validating why you prefer console gaming. each has its pros and cons.

"will an i3 run ANYTHING NEW after 5 years?"

why wouldn't it? in five years the pc will further the gap to consoles but that doesn't mean pc gamers have to upgrade. it just means that if you want the best features you may have to. the pc they built today will still be comparable to the consoles in 5 years. the difference is the pc is able to scale along with increased technology, the consoles are not. all that they can do is further optimize the hardware. which also applies to the pc without the need to upgrade. that's what driver updates do and other sources like directx12 will do.

[livininsin]

I'm sorry but I just don't buy the whole 'consoles are better optimized' rhetoric that people keep tossing out there. It just doesn't hold any water when you make actual apple to apple comparisons.

Comparing the ps4 at 1.84 TFLOPS to a 7850, almost 2 years older and only 1.76TFLOPS, you would expect the PS4 to easily outperform the 7850, especially if it was better optimized.

Evolve:
Digital Foundry has the ps4 running at 1920x1080, 30fps and high settings.
Techspot benchmarked the 7850 at 1920x1080, 46fps with all settings maxed out.

Dying Light:
Digital Foundry has the ps4 running at 1920x1080, 30fps with dips in framerate and medium to high settings.
Techspot benchmarked the 7850 at 1920x1080, 37fps with all settings maxed out.

Far Cry 4:
Digital Foundry has the ps4 running at 1920x1080, 30fps and high settings.
Techspot benchmarked the 7850 at 1920x1200, 36fps with all settings maxed out.

Alien Isolation:
Digital Foundry has the ps4 running at 1920x1080, 30fps and (mostly) ultra settings.
Techspot benchmarked the 7850 at 1920x1200, 49fps with all settings maxed out.

With an older, less powerful GPU outperforming the PS4 I just don't see how anyone could claim that consoles are optimzed better. In fact, it seems like PC does more with less to me.

[Dee_91]

the gpu and cpu alone is $300, excuse me if my currency converter isn't correct but I highly doubt everything else needed for a functioning computer would equal $17.
Regardless, this is a kinda decent starter pc.I might look into making this and updating components when I get the funds.

[mattdillahunty]

why the F would you want to build a PC with similar performance to a PS4 or XB1? one of the major selling points of PC gaming is being able to blow past the limits of console hardware.

if your budget for PC gaming is $400, then you might as well save your money until you can afford a better PC, or just buy a console.

[Articuno76]

The PS4 has better performance in the cross-platform games PC builders doing these exercise typically use.

[miyamoto]

Eurolamer are just trying hard to downpay the PS4- a negative disservice to the console gaming industry as a whole. These guys are really scumbags that instead of helping console gaming flourish they spread FUD. You can tell what twisted minds they have.
They better repent of their wrong doing.

[Genuine-User]

Can it be done for £300? (spoiler: NO)

Based on DF's conclusion, G3258 is a bad idea. Get an I3 with the suggested specs and you might last till the end of this year as far comparable performance is concerned.

I must add, Batman Arkham Knight and The Witcher 3 will most probably struggle at 1080/30fps (comparable graphics) on the suggested machine with an alternative CPU.

[MrSec84]

Yep, plus it doesn't include an OS (which isn't free in a new build, costs over £70 in the UK), in order to match PS4 you need a bluray drive (that's about £38, rather than £10 for a DVD drive).

Best case scenario for matching PS4 you need to spend well over £400, probably closer to £450.

PS4 can be bought for £349 with a game.

Before anyone says that age old line of "games cost less on PC", not always, another factor is that PS Plus gives you access to over 24 games a year, so it pays for the cost and the PC costs more to run in your energy bills.
All of that should be added to the cost.

PC's great if that's where your community of friends are and of course if you don't care for console exclusives and want the added performance, but the console audience isn't interested in PC gaming.

[Genuine-User]

Yep. A user by the name of ShiftyGeezer (EUROGAMER) says: When you look at the compromises, it's not really comparable. The case is big and clunky, unsuited for the living room. The noise is probably pretty bad from the stock fans and the lack of engineered airflow. There's no optical disc drive so no disc playback if you value that. It doesn't include a controller, HDMI cable and a Headset - pay extra for that.

I'd like to see a minimum spend to actually match PS4 in terms of games, form factor, movie playback, noise levels, peripherals. Factor in future proofing too and you're probably at least at £500.

PC's have never been about economy of hardware. That's where consoles will remain supreme. PC is about a different experience, a better quality experience for a bit more money coupled with productivity.

[Spotie]

So, in other words: no.

[SilentNegotiator]

These "better than..." /"just as good as..." "...consoles for the same amount of money!" articles are always complete garbage. They pretend like the OS doesn't exist, use trashy PSUs, cutrate CPUs guaranteed to bottleneck the GPU for many games, weak RAM (RAM is so cheap; there's no reason to use weak RAM), use stock fans, exclude wifi (hope you have a port where you want to play games!), and/or etc, etc, etc.

As someone that has built a PC for gaming and isn't an elitist idiot trying to make a point about the cost of PCs vs consoles....don't skimp on any parts, it isn't worth it. The initial cost of a gaming PC is more; it's that simple. Do yourself a favor and save up to spend a good $700 or so.

[Dee_91]

I don't mind the articles, you know, its kinda fun to try at least to get comparable results with comparable prices..The annoyance come from the PC crowd using these types of articles to go "see look, pc supreme!".Other than that, and the fact that the price usually comes with a catch or 10, I like these articles.

[frostypants]

Not sure why you got disagrees. PC games are never optimized as well as console games, so even if a PC has console-like specs, it is unlikely to look as good for a particular game as that same game on a console, especially later on as devs have even less reason to optimize to low-end PC specs. This is reality.

Also, they cheated on the OS, recommending using a Windows 10 preview, or an "affordable" copy of Windows 7...but then didn't factor it into the price. Sorry, that's a BS move. Realistically add $100+ for the OS. Sure, you can run an evaluation copy indefinitely if you're willing to be illegal, but baking theft into the numbers is lame.

Also, $10-20 for miscellaneous items like thermal paste and internal cables.

Just buy a console if you aren't willing to spend at least $600.

[duplissi]

I should note that there are plenty of ways to get a legitimate copy of windows for around 20 bucks.

[greenmiker]

Interesting comparison here.

[johndoe11211]

It isn't interesting or even remotely comparable.

[BC_Master_Haze]

Really? I see numbers for price, I see frame rate comparisons, there's two right there. Just because they're different doesn't mean they're incomparable. I compare my $1800 (don't worry I only payed 1000) rig to my PS4 all the time, it's the first thing I did when I got it.

In fact, like most comparisons this one features 2 items with near opposite advantages/disadvantages.

[hello12]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/...

First problem i see with this why would anyone use a PSU like the one shown? Its probably go on fire or shutdown after prolonged use!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/pr... Its better to use 1 stick instead of two if you can

gtx750 is a great card i recommend this one! http://www.amazon.com/Gigab...

H81M-P33 - Mainboard - mATX motherboard doesn't have to be that expensive you don't get increased performance buying a expensive motherboard. Expensive motherboards just offer more bells and whistles.

Harddrive and CPU are fine for the build they are trying to achieve. As pointed out already its missing an OS.

[Pl4sm4]

do what you want cause a pirate is free... you are a pirate .... rawr har a pirate be free

[MRMagoo123]

Who would buy that junk even if they were on a budget, I would rather go without. Not trying to be snobby but pay a couple hundred more and you would probably triple the specs.

[Pl4sm4]

agreed ... pcs are not meant to be on a budget (but they can be anyways)... pcs are all about the price to performance ratio. Spend double the ps4 price, get 3 or 4 times the performance in games. this also does not count the universe of things the pc can do but the ps4 and xbone cant.

[jp_footy2]

I have a feeling Gaikai is providing additional power to Driveclub...

The graphics are bonkers.

[Moldiver]

Did you really just type that? *cringes*

[BC_Master_Haze]

-____- no man, just no, they would have so much trouble with that.

Bubble system is corrupt

[frostypants]

Really no sillier than similar claims made by Microsoft about their cloud capabilities. Or rather, just as silly.

[Moldiver]

@frostypants

Its not silly if you can prove it though is it? MS have proof...and you are just backing up a silly remark made by one of your bretherin. Which in itself is silly.

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

Will be interesting to see who eats crow in a years time....

[frostypants]

@Moldiver, they've proven nothing outside of a controlled environment. Don't be a shill.

[ps5fanboy]

Great , I can build a PC with the same performance as a ps4 for the same price pretty much , can I play ps4 games on it?

[SteamPowered]

Sorry, just the billions of backwards-compatible Pc games to chose from.

[Pl4sm4]

renting and lending pc games ... wut ... this has turned interesting *pulls out chair with popcorn n some fantas

[ravencry]

sorry but can ps4 run pc exclusive games ? nope

does ps4 have steam sales ? nope

can ps4 play ps3 and ps2 games ? lol nope

your username is ps4fanboy suits your comment

[JackVagina]

Can PC run PS4 exclusive games? nope

can PC rent games? nope

can PC lend games? nope

Can you buy and play used pc games? nope

can you trade games in? nope

PS4 has its own sales and PS+ games

[Two-Face]

Can PS4 run games over 60 fps? Nope
Can PS4 run games in 1440p or 4k? Nope
Does PS4 have backwards compatibility? Nope
Do you have to pay to play online on PC? Nope
Does PS4 games have mods? Nope.
Does PS4 have better multiplayer support? Nope
Does PS4 have a huge library of games? Nope.
Can PS4 be used for other various things like education, photoshopping, music creation? Nope.
Can you play on PS4 with whichever controller you want? Nope.

[Corpser]

Can't even play ps4 online unless you add $50 more per year, over 8 years ps4 gaming costs double of that PC

[akurtz]

All of you look pathetic with your lists.
@Corpser - 8 years? Long enough to stop caring.

[Maul_T_Pass]

For those saying the PC is missing an OS consider it a wash. PC needs an OS ( roughly $60) but FREE multiplayer. PS4 no OS required but you need to pay $60 annually for multiplayer. So over the life of your PS4 you technically pay $300 extra just for multiplayer. Or in other words the cost of a high end video card :D.

[MrSec84]

A PC with similar specs to PS4 costs more in energy bills to run per year and PS+ gives you access to over 24 games a year, so for that money every year you have access to games that would cost you more money to buy on PC.

As PS3 and Vita have shown, their instant game collections have included a fair few AAA, retail games, so it's a great service.

PS+ isn't just multiplayer, it's a game collection that continues growing every year, that is well worth more than the price of entry!

[Software_Lover]

You talk as if there are no free games on PC. Stop defending the console so hard.

Edit: I'm not saying I agree or disagree with you or anyone, I'm just saying you are copying/pasting the same lines over and over.

[MrSec84]

@Software_Lover: I'm talking about games you have to pay for, not F2P or browser games.
Adding up the value of the games on PS+, just for a month and a bit often equals the price it costs per year, that's just the PS4 games, if you have PS3 & Vita then it's even better value.

Don't bark orders, I'm talking nothing but truth, but you're probably one of those people that doesn't like the truth coming out because it messes with your agenda!

FYI my comments aren't copy and pasted, they're written fresh each time I post, which is clear to anyone that actually bothers to read.
If points are valid then they're going to be repeated when someone doesn't bring anything of note to the table in comments like yours!

[aquamala]

Guess you never heard of the humble bundles, $1 gets you like 5 games with each bundle, and you own these games not renting, and don't like the value of a bundle? Don't buy it

And we're talking about ps4 here, plenty of people have little interest in the "free" games offered so far (just look in the comment section on every months ps+ articles) but they still have to pay $50 a year to play online

[duplissi]

Costs more in energy bills? lol... Have the 10-20 dollars a year... that come out of your wallet in 1/12 increments. SUCH A VALID POINT.

[Maul_T_Pass]

Energy cost is debatable. Depends on how many hours you log on each device and total power draw from those devices. PC has power saving features if you aren't gaming so it fluctuates.

PS+ is great for sure I had it for my vita, but you don't get games for free. With PS+ you are in a sense renting them permanently as long as you keep forking over $60 a year. Don't renew you PS+? Loose access to your 'free games'.

So Sony decided its better to eat the cost of some older games as long as they can retain your $60 a year. Trust me as a company SONY is not giving you anything for 'free' if it doesn't financially benefit them somehow. They're a business not a charity.

As far as software goes its ALWAYS cheaper on PC. I just picked up Alien: Isolation a few weeks back ( yea yea I know older). It cost me $13 bucks. Price on PS4? Still $39.99 (new).

When games are released on PC you can usually find a brand new $60 game for $39.99 or cheaper if you do some digging either before or a few weeks after launch. Haven't paid $60 for a PC game in years. 1.5yr argument aside, I just picked up GTA V for $43 last week. Still $60 on PS4/XBone I believe...

[Majin-vegeta]

Damn where do you live that PS+ is $60??It's $50 where I'm from.xD

[5yb5n6u]

a little bit out of topic here,
but is this build would run videos with madvr at max?
i dont do pc gaming, but need a decent pc who would run bluray disc with madvr

[Nio-Nai]

I'm just going to point something out. As someone who owns a PS4, and a high end PC *i7-5820k, 32GB DDR4 3200, 3x 4GB R9 290 liquid cooled* No one buys a Pc because it's cheap, or that they can do it cheap. People build PC's to do high end stuff. They don't buy it to be "on par" with anything.

despite owning a really good PC I went out and bought a PS4 so I could play a few games that just aren't available on PC right now, And those would be Desitny, Driveclub, FF T-0, And possibly Bloodborne once I finish these.

The point of the matter is, you don't make a PC to compete with a console, it's just silly. Build a PC as if it's a hobby and something you want to spend time with, Not something to just say "ha I didn't have to buy a console".

[raWfodog]

This is true in my case. I'm mainly a console gamer but the PC that I'm interested in building with my kids will run AT LEAST $900 as I'm looking at one of the more powerful graphic cards. The PC is just something my kids and I are interested in doing together. They will probably play on it more than I.

[BC_Master_Haze]

I'm the same as Nio-Nai, but a little less high end (i5-4690k, gtx970 G1 OC, 8GB 1866 ripjaws maybe 16 soon, 6 fans rather than liquid cooling) and just got my PC on black Friday of last year. I bought my PS4 at launch, very happy with both of them.

Very worth it, it's a good kind of hobby for your kids if you build it with them, you could get a nice gtx960 and be set.

[windblowsagain]

Well said.

[aquamala]

Disagree, PC gaming is all about freedom and choices, you can spend thousands and game in 4k or have a budget console-like experience , all up to you

[Articuno76]

You could. But I think most people want far more than parity from a PC they build. It hardly seems worth the effort if you are going to only aim for that.

[Dude420]

This topic really has been done to death. I'm also guilty of trying to come up with a selection at the cost of a PS4, but I stopped that because I realize that it's just such an unrealistic thing to do. If you're just doing this for fun, or you're truly at a very tight budget (which is coincidentally the cost of a PS4) then that's great, more power to you.

However, I can't help but notice that whenever someone tries to beat a PS4 at the same price, he/she will ultimately come up short on some components. For example, this selection may end up with a weak motherboard/weak CPU/4GB RAM/low storage capacity/weak GPU/weak PSU/low quality case. People also don't have a Windows key on hand might have to actually purchase it, which brings down the quality even further. These compromises will likely help in hindering your PC experience. The other factor to remember is that games are not optimized as well as consoles due to a vast amount of configurations in PCs, so in order to compensate, PCs require more horsepower to runs games smoothly such as capable CPUs with 4 threads or more.

People need to remember that PCs are not dedicated gaming devices, it certainly can be used as one, but that's not its true purpose. The PC can do a vast number of tasks that a PS4 cannot. People also need to realize that the cost of PC gaming will be cheaper in the long run compared to consoles even with a higher upfront cost. PC is also naturally backwards compatible with most older games, as well as have emulators to play games from older consoles. There are so many things to list, but I won't list them all.

The point is, people have this false notion that we have to assemble a PC that matches the PS4 in price and performance in order to prove that PC gaming is cheaper, without even considering that console games are more expensive, and you also have to pay extra for online service on a console.

Guys seriously, if the purpose of your build is to match the PS4 in price and performance, then you're just doing it wrong. If gaming smoothly at 1080p means spending $100/$200 (if you can afford it) more than a PS4, with room to make upgrades in the future, then just do it, you won't regret it.

[N4g_null]

It's weird how no one has mentioned that you could up grade an old pc! The whole you don't have an os problem is solved. You call ms to get a new code and your pc verified. Some people actually already have cpus that will work and many can just get a 970 or more and be done.

On topic this was just posted because they knew the Sony fans would come in to protect sony. You know the same guys who sold their pc biz because they couldn't compete.

The article is pointless but it does provide one thing. Sony fans need to stop acting superior due to specs. Next year the 970s class cpu goes on sale.... win 10 is rumored to be free... ddr5 rocks!

Enjoy your games man. If a pc is better then so what.

[Dude420]

You're correct about the ability to upgrade the PC while retaining your Windows key. However, I was mostly referring to the ones who don't have that luxury and have to start from scratch. There are people out there with only cheap prebuilt PCs, laptops or even just a console.

[N4g_null]

True yet that is assuming a lot. Prebuilt pc sales are down from what I've heard.

[higgins78]

This gen is mad crazy concerning visuals. For example, the Wii U trolls, Nintendo does not need an uberpowerful 'rig' to run its games at maximum capacity - a point being proved with SM3DW, Mario Kart 8 and Tropical Freeze (for example) all running at 720p (min) and 60fps. In real terms Nintendo's games look and run brilliantly. Still we have people arguing statistics and numbers, games under a microscope in a lab environment. Realise that if any games are struggling to run at maximum capacity it is PS4/XB1 games. Sure, the potential is available, but at the moment that is EXACTLY what it is, potential.

[BlackPhillip666]

Burn both processors get an I7 and a 980gtx sorted :)

[MegaRay]

Well, as long as my fev games (persona/ Final Fantasy/ Kingdom hearts) remain in PlayStation, I cant abandon it.

The day Japanese developers release their games in PC will be the day I build a strong pc. Now I have a decent pc and im okay with it

[Father__Merrin]

@crimzon it's clear you have no games. oh apart from indie/bundle games that is!

just wait till Consoles are in full flow with thier exclusive games, thier envy & trolling will only increase regardless how much they spend on thier cumpters

Ha!

[Doritos_Pope]

Richard Leadbetter . . .lol

[magiciandude]

PS4 performance for $300 aside, the day that I understand this whole fascination for a $300 PC that i son par with or does better than a PS4 will likely never come to pass. It's simply not worth the trouble. To get a great experience out of PC gaming you are just going to have to invest a lot of money. That's just the way it is and that will not change.

I, for one, will simply not bother with PC gaming unless I spend at least $1,000 for the hardware. That way, I won't regret it if or when I do make the jump onto the PC bandwagon. A $300 PC will definitely leave a lot of room for desire and you'd be better off with even a PS3 (which is for cheaper) at this point...

[aquaticDonut]

As someone with a $1000 PC, I know for a fact, that I'd be spending much more money in the long run if I'd made the mistake of choosing a current gen console. When you look at game prices, sales, and the lack of a premium for multiplayer, it's just cheaper to get a PC. People need to stop thinking in the short term and look beyond initial prices. :/

[Losso-Oso]

I'm not sure if that rings true though. Consoles usually have about a 5 to 7 year life cycle. In that same time frame a PC gamer could potentially have upgraded twice, at least once for sure.

Lets do some math.

PS4+7 years of PSN+an average of lets say 4 new games a year(I think that's fair since your getting 24 free games a year with PSN+)= That is a cost $2430 USD, which includes the console, 7 years of PSN+, 4 new games a year for 7 years plus the 24 free games you get a year for 7 years which is a grand total of 196 games for those 7 years.

So in summary, a PS4 for 7 years with 196 games will cost you about $2,430 USD.

Now lets do it with PC, and we'll use a starting rig of $600 USD, which is $100 USD less than what I would recommend to get started, but seems fair.

Same amount of games bought new since both Steam sales and PSN sales and their iteration of Flash sales are inconsistent in their pricing. I believe the average PC game new is what, $40 USD is that fair? I'll use that.

I'll also do 2 upgrades in a 7 year period, which from personal experience is more than realistic, of one component, I'll do one CPU and one GPU, fair? I'll also use Amazon prices for those upgrades.

ok here we go.

ok so for a basic starting point of a starter rig for $600 USD, nothing special, plus 28 games over a 7 year span (that's 4 new games a year), one upgrade to the GPU to a Geforce 960 with 4gigs of vram of $239 USD and one upgrade to the CPU to an intel core i5-4690k that I found for $140 USD, I got to $2,098 USD.

PS4 in 7 years will cost= $2,430 USD with 196 games.
PC in 7 years will cost= $2,098 USD with 28 games.

Everything I included is everything you have to pay for new and everything you get when you pay for that. I did not include sale prices or even average sale prices.

You decide.

[JasonKCK]

I have a gaming laptop that outperforms the PS4. It cost $200 more and it's heavy as hell though.

[Azzanation]

Just imagine when DX12 is released. You wont need high end hardware to run Console spec games at superior settings.

[Tzuno]

you can hate as much as you want but the truth is that with i3 and the rest of the configuration you can play all games out there and do much more with a PC, hell you can even hook a Xbox one controller to it and transform it in to a console. The only thing that consoles have to offer are exclusives and that's about it. One thing that i hate the most for the consoles is that you need to pay for online, that sucks.

[Losso-Oso]

Oh God, not one of this articles again. Its always hey PC gaming is dying or Consoles are dying, its either or, I am getting sick of this crap.

Take it from a gamer that's been doing it for 30 years, most of those spend only on the PC, actually like 70% of my gaming life has been spent on the PC, and if you are trying to get into PC gaming on a budget rig, not only are you doing it wrong, but you will have an incredibly bad time.

PC gaming, to me anyway, is all about tinkering, its all about the luxury of max settings. It used to mean something back in the day to be a PC gamer, it used to mean you knew how to tinker with BIOS settings, it used to mean you had a working knowledge or were at least familiar with some programing and coding, it meant you were part of a close community of extremely helpful people, it meant that you could enjoy your hobby I a multitude of ways, it meant so much.

I don't know exactly when all of these entitled, elitist and straight up God awful people infiltrated the PC community, but holy F%^&# batman, did they ever.

"The PC has a larger library, the PC has this it has that, 60+fps, 4K gaming, ultra high rez textures", blah blah blah.

It used to be gameplay above all, it used to be fun above all, immersion, innovation connectivity above all, but now apparently is 60+fps above all.

WHO CARES!!!!!!!!!

Maybe its because I'm getting older, or maybe its because of fatherhood and being a husband have kind of made me into a primarily a console gamer due to time constrains, but I couldn't care less about the difference between 60fps or 30fps. I'm enjoying the heck out of Destiny at this time, lost in its lore (of which there is a ton, story and context is severely lacking though) and in its amazing gameplay, ask me if I care if its only 30fps. Go on ask me!

Ask me if I care about a 1000 different variations of a resource based RTS, or another pixel art indie, or if I care about the 100s upon 100s of useless Skyrim MODs, or useless MODs for xyz game in general!

You want to know what I actually miss about PC gaming? I miss the tinkering with BIOS and graphical settings, I sometimes miss M&KB, but I miss most of all, is the close knit community.

I have made several attempts since my sons were born to try and get back into PC gaming, I even spent roughly $800 upgrading my rig in 2012, I got in there and what I found was a toxic cesspool elitist young s&^%$ spouting off at the mouth about a "PC master race".

Something that maybe at some point and time was funny, an observation made by Yathzee about the idiocy of putting consoles or PC above the other, because at the end of the day, we are all trying to do the same thing which is game, and this fools have spread it in an incredibly offensive fashion.

They wear their idiocy like a badge. I haven't touched my rig or steam in about a year or so, and it is a shame, because as my career takes off and my kids grow, I will have more time to enjoy those things once again, but if it means dealing with this new elitist attitude, then forget it.

I'll stick with the sometime immature players of PSN and XBL Gold, I'll stick with my 30fps and so on. But at least I'll also have my friends with me, a more sensible community it appears and extra gaming time.

By the way, PC gaming has never been about budget rigs, PC gaming has always been and will always continue to be about power and freedom. If you want to in earnest get into PC gaming you will need roughly $700 at minimum to get started.

[Losso-Oso]

Another thing, even Valve is trying to get into the console space. Yes its a modular console, yes it will have different variations and it will be upgradable by the end user, but its a console none the less.

We will how successful they are with it, I still struggle to figure out who is this thing for? And history is not on their side either. We shall see I guess.

[ScaryMonkey]

Lets be real here, no one builds a PC to mach console specs, they build them to exceed those specs and then spend hours on end online telling us how much better PC is compared to console.

If you want console specs and are willing to spend almost as much as the console costs in the first place, just buy the console and save yourself the trouble.

[Dowie]

Point proven you can make a PC as powerful as a PS4 but for how long will it last? PS4 will be around for at least 5 years and the games will only get better. That PC will be obsolete in less than a year, i'm guessing a lot of PC elitists would already consider it obsolete.

If you want a PC thats going to last and be worth your time then you'll be spending a decent amount of money. Before people get butthurt let me point out there's nothing wrong with that! Making a large investment into your hobby is something everyone does, it's something i've done so i'm not shitting on PC gaming...i'm just pointing out its costly to get the best or at least near the best.