PC Gaming Isn’t As Expensive as You’d Think

BY JOHN SANTINA: Many console gamers cite the cost of building a gaming PC as a prime reason for sticking with Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo’s hardware. Yes, building a PC, or buying one pre-built, is an expensive initial outlay, but the cost of games is factored into the mix, grey starts to emerge from the clear-cut black and white argument.

[RazzerRedux]

I have never bought a PC game at the full price of $60 at launch. Very few console gamers can say the same.

[Gazondaily]

PC Gaming is a costly affair though. Definitely worth it imo. The savings as car as games go do add up but then I find that as a PC gamer any savings are offset by the incremental upgrades you do to your PC.

I just got a new rig with a Ryzen 3700x and RTX 2070 for about 1.2k (not including other accessories etc as they tend to get carried over). Looking to upgrade the GPU next year and that's probably another 500/600 quid.

Depends on what price point you're entering in to be fair and what you want but a gaming console with the equivalent power costs a fraction of price.

[RazzerRedux]

Upgrading your GPU every year isn't necessary though. A new console isn't necessary either, but if you upgrade to the Series X then you are going to spend about as much for that new GPU so your savings in PC game prices are not really offset. Your initial costs are definitely higher on the PC side, but part of that is offset by free online gaming. If you paid money to be online every year that you had a PS4 or Xbox One then you potentially paid approx. $300 this gen in online fees alone and that yearly savings continues into next gen.

"Depends on what price point you're entering in to be fair and what you want but a gaming console with the equivalent power costs a fraction of price."

That is more true earlier in the gen than later. Xbox One X has been only been out for a little over 2 years and upgrading to a RTX 2070 today would cost about the same as an One X (comparing base prices) and yield much better performance.

[Max_Eckhardt]

Used to be that way.
These days PC games cost a lot more. Steam sales aren’t as good. GPU and Ram are through the roof... just not worth it anymore from a cost perspective.

I wish it wasn’t so, but it is. I’ll be forced to buy a new console this year rather than built a new PC.

[Master of Unlocking]

Even 500/600 quid isn't that much when compared to the price of one of the best GPU you'll want if you want top-of-the-line graphics, like the 2080 Ti.
https://www.techradar.com/r...
That's precisely the reason why I've always been a console gamer. Well, that and all the problems I've had using Windows for over 20 years...

[RazzerRedux]

@Max_Eckhardt

Steam sales are quite good so not sure what you are basing that on. But Steam isn't the only place to buy games regardless.

"GPU and Ram are through the roof"

I can buy 16GB of DDR4 RAM for about $60 on newegg. RX 580 8 GB GPU is under $200. A newer 5700 is $300. These prices are not "through the roof".

"A PC to rival the Xbox Series X will cost 1500+"

No basis for that since we don't know the specs. Regardless, the prices of PC components will fall whereas console prices will remain static for some time after launch.

@Master of Unlocking

2080 ti? Why are you bringing up the most expensive GPU on the market in a discussion about inexpensive gaming on PC? And Windows has improved tremendously in the past 20 years. Your post really isn't relevant to the topic.

[Toiletsteak]

I only use CDKEYS now

[RazzerRedux]

I use them, G2A, Green Man gaming, Humble Bundle, and of course, I always jump on the Steam sales. Ton of competition in PC market for your gaming dollar.

[kneon]

Has there ever been a PC exclusive worth buying at full price? I can think of plenty of console exclusives that were worth ever penny of their day 1 price.

[Exvalos]

PC games always have the most bad ass jaw dropping trailers that make the game look godlike, but when you see gameplay it's always some kind of moba or diablo clone.

[Unspoken]

Plenty. Half-Life: Alyx will be my next.

[AnubisG]

You do know that games on consoles are $10-$15 cheaper two weeks after release and you can buy them for up to 50% off within 2-3 months right? Not only PC gamers get discounts and day 1 games cost the same on PC as on console. So this is really not a good point.

[RazzerRedux]

Yes, all games get discounted eventually which is why I said "at launch". I can preorder Doom Eternal, Resident Evil 3, DBZ: K, and just about any other upcoming games at a discount on sites like green man gaming. Consoles use to have preorder discounts but they are largely gone these days. Look those games up on Amazon and you will see the preorder available at full price.

@MrVux000

"Talk about generalizing."

Yes, in general, PC games are cheaper at launch than on console. So it follows that, in general, console gamers pay more for games at launch than PC gamers.

@kneon

"Has there ever been a PC exclusive worth buying at full price? I can think of plenty of console exclusives that were worth ever penny of their day 1 price."

Sure there has. Tons of games in the strategy and tabletop genres that never even come to consoles. Obviously I am not talking about AAA games. And as long as Sony keeps exclusives on PS then I'll buy that console. For me, exclusives are the only reason to buy a console and I'm looking forward to the day that ends. And I think it will.

@Father__Merrin

"A latest pc release is usually the same price a cross the board obviously they get cheaper later on down the line. Eg jedi fallen order £44.99 on pc xbox and ps4"

Preorder discounts on PC
https://www.greenmangaming....

[nowitzki2004]

Why wait? I can usually preorder games for $35-$45 on PC

[SegaGamer]

@RazzerRedux

You're right. I pre-ordered Dragon Quest XI for £30 on Greenmangaming, and I also got DBZ Kakarot for £33. The console versions were over £10 more. Then there are the sales from multiple stores that are cheaper. Best of all is the game bundles through the likes of Humble Bundle and Fanatical. This is something that just can't be beaten.

[MrVux000]

''Very few console gamers can say the same.''
Talk about generalizing.

[iggsta3o5]

@MrVux000 If I stated Chinese people are generally shorter than Westerners would I be wrong? Generalizing does not translate to being incorrect.

[Father__Merrin]

A latest pc release is usually the same price a cross the board obviously they get cheaper later on down the line. Eg jedi fallen order £44.99 on pc xbox and ps4

[Wyrmclaw]

That's a big assumption. I've spent a lot more on PC games than I have on console games. I have been PC gaming for a long time, and had a few consoles on and off but now the cost of upgrading my machine (built in 2012, upgraded graphics card twice) is way more than the projected cost of the PS5, which sounds like it's going to be a bit of a beast.
Don't get me wrong, I love PC gaming, but it's getting stupid expensive these days.

[RazzerRedux]

Not sure what I said that was a big assumption. I buy console and PC games and I pay close attention to the game prices. The preorder sales on PC are really good while they no longer exist on console. That isn't an assumption. Just a fact.

As far as your PC, yeah, sounds like you are due for a major upgrade, but you've gotten a lot of miles out of it. Your hardcore console gamer the last 7 years would have paid $800 to $900 in hardware (base models and mid-gen upgrades) plus another $300 in online fees. And now another gen is here and they will pony up $500 or more. If they want to stay on top of the console models then expect another $500 upgrade with the mid-gens that inevitably will come out in 3 years. Add on another $150 in online fees. Starting to sound stupid expensive, isn't it? So at the start of this next gen, gamers who started with the PS4 would have paid $1600 in hardware and online. If I started at the same time with a $1000 PC and upgraded my GPU midway for $300 and then my CPU/Motherboard for another $300 then we are about even except console gamers continue to pay online while PC gamers don't. So I'm not sure people really understand what the costs are for PC. I think a lot of people are under the impression that every PC is bought brand new. It is a console mindset and it just isn't accurate.

[darthv72]

The last PC game I bought at retail and paid full price for was Half Life 2. Come to think of it... that's the last real PC game I played as well. When it came to the various expansions, I just played the Orange Box on 360.

My days of gaming on PC died when I stopped going to LAN parties. I enjoyed buying the parts and putting them together. My son needed a PC a few years ago so I built him one. Nothing too fancy but it does what he needs it to do. As for myself, I'm still using the same XP machine I have been for years only now I use it to encode music and movies mostly. All my gaming is done on consoles as that is where i started (in 1977) and that is where I will likely end.

It's not about price, for me... its about personal preference. I just prefer the console experience to a PC no matter if I can hook the PC to a TV and use the same controller. I still know the difference.

[Tapani]

Oh yeah it's expensive, one needs to have around 3x - 4x the money to play games that work better than on a console. It is probably worth it, because you can do other stuff with PCs as well (although everybody already has a PC or laptop with which they can do that other stuff.) Probably costs more in electricity as well. Even still, I'm thinking of buying an elite gaming rig, because I want the best of the best.

[bluefox755]

I built a $500 PC about half way through this gen, it still outperforms most console multiplats. This idea that PC gaming is really expensive is just plain untrue.

[Tapani]

And it outperforms PS4 Pro and Xbox One X as well? Just curious, what parts do you have for that $500 rig?

[JackBNimble]

BS , so what do you have for GPU, CPU, ram , motherboard?

[SegaGamer]

@JackBNimble

It would have been possible.

8GB of DDR4 ram, an Intel G4560, GT 1030 or 1050ti, and a cheap motherboard, psu and case. It can be done for $500. This can definitely out perform most games on current gen consoles, I'm not sure about the Pro and X though.

[After10Ben]

This might be possible. The AMD 590 can be bought for $200 and it sports 7.1 teraflops, which on paper outperforms the PS4 pro and Xbox One X. PSU's are super affordable right now, but you would have to cheap out on a case and mobo. However, if you upgrade an existing PC with a 590 and say an AMD FX 8350, you would have a VR ready PC for under $400, which isn't a bad deal at all. Plus, there are always overclocking options to increase performance.

https://www.newegg.com/p/pl...

[bluefox755]

Especially if you're willing to cut corners. Get yourself an old Dell office PC for $200 off of ebay, pop in a video card, upgrade ram and/or psu if necessary, and you're playing the latest games on the cheap.

[nowitzki2004]

That doesnt sound too good. You might experience a whole world of bottlenecks

[TheTony316]

In this case you'd be better off with a console.

[RazzerRedux]

Here is a guy on youtube that did exactly what bluefox755 said above. Bought an old used Dell workstation for $150 off ebay and popped in a RTX 2060 for $350. This was almost a year ago. Today, he could have gotten a 5700 XT for $50 more. I'd take this over an Xbox One X or PS4 Pro any day.

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

[Jsm89k]

Idk, to build the desktop I wanted its roughly $3500-4k and that's not including peripherals. I rarely buy games at full price so I don't see how I would be saving.

[nowitzki2004]

Damn you are looking at some monster pc. you really dont need that for gaming though

[GameBoyColor]

This guy wants 2 rtx2080s lmao

[AnubisG]

Well that depens on what you are looming for. I think that this is being very disingenous because if you qant the latest and the greates which many PC gamers want, than it is very expensive.

Yeah, you can build one for $500 but that will not be that great. That is close to low-teir. So in that case I would suggest to make the comparison to a PS3 than which you cna get under $100 and the games for like $5 each for that console. If you want to compare to the latest and greatest than lets do PS5 which will be roughly $500 and the best PC you can buy is what now? About $3000-$5000? Something like that. Yeah you cma get games cheap on PC but not day one releases. Game sales are also on consoles which is conveniently forgotten by PC gamers. Most games are $10-$15 cheaper two weeks after relase and about 50% off in 3-4 months in many cases and there are always sales on amazon and best buy.

PC gaming without a doubt is way more expensive than console gaming. Whoever tells you otherwise are lying.

[Max_Eckhardt]

A PC to rival the Xbox Series X will cost 1500+

[Destiny1080]

Theirs no pc on the planet that will keep up with the Series X when it launches

The 2080ti cant even run a console port at 4k, Red Dead Redemption, what chance has it got against the X, Running games at 8k

[RazzerRedux]

Factually incorrect. Heck, a 2060 can run RDR2 in 4k. As far as "no pc on the planet keeping up with Series x".....yeah, that's just more make believe.

[Exvalos]

I bought resident evil 2 for 14.99 devil may cry for 14.99 both triple a games that came out this year I bought death stra ding for 34.99 again at the time the game was a new release. I picked up red dead 2 for 25.00 a triple a that came out last year. Console gaming is cheap if done right. While you may not be able to get games cheap day 1, it's not like your waiting a long time.

[HylianMigz]

people act like you have to build your PC in one shopping cart. i built mine over the span of a year.

[SegaGamer]

Yep. It took me 6 months.

The price is worth it for what I get out of it. Obviously I would be happy for hardware to be cheaper, but the price is never going to put me off using a pc.

[Terry_B]

Its pretty cheap in the long run.

[FRAKISTAN]

A PC is at minimum 2 times more expensive then the most powerful current gen console and when PS5 is released an equivalent PC will be 4 times the price

[Fraggle1987]

If u want full 4k rig then its pretty costly.

[TengHu]

I built my PC back in 2018. One of the reasons I switched from PS4 to PC was because of Skyrim SE. I have it for PS4 but I heard PC had waaaay better mods. This is currently my first and only PC build, and I gotta say it was completely worth it. Parts in total cost me around $850 but on the flip side, I've saved so much on games. It's to the point where I don't even touch my PS4 anymore. It's literally collecting dust now. PC is just a better place to play hands down.

[SegaGamer]

The thing a lot of people don't take into consideration is that pc hardware isn't 100% designed for gaming. You're not just buying the parts to play games, you're buying the parts to make an all in one entertainment machine.

Gaming, streaming, recording, photo editing, video editing, listening to music, watching videos, web surfing, etc, etc, pc's do all of this better than anything else.

[yoshatabi]

I spent $2,200 for mine

[frostypants]

Oh look it's THIS debate again...

[aaronaton]

My console setup is more expensive than my pc setup.
Sony 4k HDR TV : £1300
Sony Atmos soundbar : £800
Sony PS4 Pro : £350
At let's not even mention the collection of 1st party titles that I always buy on day 1.

[Reefskye]

Costs and benefits to consoles and PC, Console esp the playstation offer fantastic single players games, a lot of them are cut scene heavy but still a enjoyable experience, PC experience is vastly different in what its offers, PC offers more than just playing a game, it has vastly superior social options and many of them, Games like Total War, Cities Skylines, Stellaris would never come to console in full PC form (not this gen). The openness of the platform and the social aspect the ease of access to games that can just put published and not have to go through certification. I spent hours playing consoles and PCs for 30+ years (consoles longer) and PC biggest asset is its openness giving you access to things console manufacturers would never allow.

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

Games are generally cheaper for me on PS than Steam for me, especially during sales, so I often end up with the PS4 version unless I really want to experience the game with better graphics or keyboard and mouse.

[BrettAwesome]

No. But top shelf pc gaming is. The end