Pc gaming isn't that expensive

[hitmanmoney]

I get tired of hearing that pc gaming cost a ton more then console gaming or that you need 2k for a good pc. You can get a good pc for $700-$900. That would get you and i5 and 6850 or better which is enough to max the latest games out. Take into consideration that most people own a pc anyway that probably cost them $400-500 dollars and a console can cost $200-$299. Add both of the cost together and you could get a $700-$800 computer which is more then enough to play the latest games at max.

Upgrading isn't nearly as costly as people think you can get a way with less then 16 gb of ram. As long as you upgrade within reason pc gaming is affordable. 4gb of ram can play any game out now 8 gb is safer thou but that would cost what 39.99 that's not a lot. DDR2 and dual cores still play games and there 5 years old. I just get tired of hearing "you have to spend $300 on upgrade every 6 months" it's not true. video card upgrading isn't that costly either a 6850 almost keeps up with my 5850. When i bought my 5850 it was top of the line(I learned form that lol should have waited for the 6xxx series instead) and ran me $300. Now you can get two 6850 for around 280 and get way better performance the point i am trying to make is that as time goes on playing at the same resolution gets cheaper and cheaper. So this you have to spend $200 on video card every 6 months is false and its really annoying to here from the people i know in rl life.

Pc games are usually $10 dollars cheaper then console games this adds up. If you buy 22 games over the course of three years. That's $220 dollars which is more then enough for a graphics card upgrade and every time a new consoles comes out that's a new processor and graphics card. If prices of release consoles stay the same which where $400-$500. So pc gaming is affordable under the right conditions. Console exclusive are exclusives now but in 5 years we will be able to play all of them plus pc games and if you try to mod your x box 360 and ps3 to play old games you get banned from x box live.

 

[Toxxyc]

This sounds a little like a rage. But let's discuss the points you made - you mentioned that a console costs ~$300. Fair enough. Now go buy a gaming PC for that price (you can't use the current PC you have, as that will ruin the comparison). Wait, you can't? Well, I guess I just proved that PC gaming is more expensive.

With regards to the physical games, console games are a little more expensive than PC games, yes, but you get to trade them. You pay, let's say, $40 for a PC game and $50 for a console game. Fair enough, you finish the PC game. Now what? Now you've got a game you've already completed, and you can do *** with it. Console game? Easy, take it to your nearest video games store, trade it and get back $20~$30 from the game you brought back. Thus, you spent less on console games than on PC games as well.

The reason PC gaming is more expensive is pretty simple - a PC is a mixed machine. Everything WILL be more expensive as it has a lot more functions, functionality and uses in everyday life. A console is a dedicated gaming machine, purposefully built to play games on. Cutting the extras and additions saves a lot of money, and it's visible.

 

[Alex The PC Gamer]

I disagree. I'll pick PC gaming anytime over console gaming (I have both a Gamer PC and an XBOX360) but PC Gaming is much more expensive.

PC: I spent 2000$ on my rig 5 years ago (built it myself) and the only thing I've changed was my videocard which I probably upgraded every year or so (spending roughly 250$ every time). Lets say I spent 3000$ total in the last 5 years then that's the equivalent to 5 fully equipped XBOX360 (or PS3)!

I did it to get shinier graphics and a K+M control (i play lots of shooters). For me it was worth it. For many though, it's definitely not worth it (not to mention people who simply can't afford it).

 

[heids24]

I don't know that I'd agree a $800 pc is more than enough to play the latest games at max. BF3, Metro 2033, Crysis Series, etc. are beast of games and playing any of them at resolutions above 1650x1080 requires more than an $800 machine. I will however state $800 is probably enough to play at visual levels better than consoles. So, while perhaps a bit overstated, your point is valid that it isn't "tremendously" expensive to be a pc gamer - unless you're like me and just have to play at 2560 x 1600 resolution with max settings.

 

[stillerfan15]

I have a rig with a dual core amd 2.8 proc with 4 gig ddr3 mem and an amd 5670. It plays the games I usually play at high settings (mostly older games) but I bet it would be hard pressed to play the newer games at high settings. So yes I do believe PC gaming is more expensive but at least you can upgrade. And use it for so much more than gaming.
Dave

 

[jaguarskx]

The cost of gaming between a PC and a console comes down to the components. The components of a Xbox 360 never changes (performance wise). A Xbox game released 5 years from now will play on a Xbox bought back in 2009.

The same cannot be said for PC games. Try playing a game in 2016 on a PC built in 2009, chances are if it can be played it must be played at low settings. This is because hardware for PC continually evolves and game developers like pushing the envelope of performance. Therefore to play games at the best settings you must continually upgrade your PC until the results are good enough for you. If someone has a PC with better specs, that person will have better graphics.

That is totally different for the Xbox 360, everyone's performance will be exactly the same and developers will not push requirements for Xbox 360 games because if the game runs poorly, then no one can play.

As yourself these simple questions:

#1 - Assuming you bought a Xbox 360 back in 2005 when it was released and it is still in working order. How much money would you have spent if you buy on average 5 games per year by now?

#2 - Assuming you built/bought a gaming PC back in 2005. How much money have you spent on games and upgrades (or new system) if you buy on average 5 games per year by now?

 

[songorocosongo]

I just built my first rig and I have to say IT IS expensive. My budget was under $1000, with that kind of money you can buy a PS3 and a 360. But I have no regrets, keyboard and mouse takes gaming to a whole new level! it's good to know your hardware and it's a good experience to build your own system.

 

[TBirdOnline]

That is what I love about PC gaming. Great games can be found for dirt cheap. I tend to hold off on buying the latest and greatest games, so I can save a bundle. Unfortunately, the entry fee is steep. Mouse and keyboard are my gaming peripherals of choice, so I am stuck with the cost. Thankfully, I am also a programmer, so i can justify the expense. I have had my current rig for five years and paid about $650 (Dell Dimension E510) for it. I have upgraded the video card twice, the hard drive once (ran out of room), and the memory. Up until recently, I could play most of the games that came out.

 

[joedastudd]

It depends on a few things, but its mainly down to how you buy your games.

Personally I buy 99% of my games when they are on a Steam, D2D or indie sale/bundle.
So I get pretty much all my games at 50% or more.
On top of this I always look into Mods once I've completed games.

Most of the time I'm paying £10 for a £30 game then installing a mod and extending the game time by 10+hours.

To get the same about of gameplay on a console would cost me the full price atleast doubled.

On the hardware side my £600 build (pc, monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc) about 4 years ago has only had about £300 worth of upgrades and still can play all of the latest games at my native resolution (1280x1024) with a decent framerate. Like the games its a case of buying when the price is low, although I always make sure then parts are the best bang for buck as well.

 

[mathew7]

But the 5-year old console will never have better graphics. If a new console is released, chances are the old games will never run. Even the PS3 at release could not run all of the PS2 games. Newer versions of the PS3 dropped even that. So you need the old console for older games.

With PC, I can still play most of win95 games. I may need to resort to some tweakings, but I can still play them. And there is no problem of playing XP games under win7, except maybe because of DRM. But I'm not stuck with the release graphics, because even the old games can be made to look better thanks to AA and AF. Not to mention modding community.

One more thing, in the 700$ price, do you include also the monitor? Because with the PS3/Xbox, you don't include the TV in the 300$.

 

[Gothams Finest]

Of course PC Gaming is more expensive.

 

[jaguarskx]

If a new console is released, chances are the old games will never run.

Here's a list of Xbox games that are compatible with Xbox 360:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Xbox_games_compatible_with_Xbox_360

 

[hitmanmoney]

I don't know that I'd agree a $800 pc is more than enough to play the latest games at max. BF3, Metro 2033, Crysis Series, etc. are beast of games and playing any of them at resolutions above 1650x1080 requires more than an $800 machine. I will however state $800 is probably enough to play at visual levels better than consoles. So, while perhaps a bit overstated, your point is valid that it isn't "tremendously" expensive to be a pc gamer - unless you're like me and just have to play at 2560 x 1600 resolution with max settings.

With $800 you can get an i5 2500k and a 6870 and play all those games at ultra with 30fps+ on 1900x1080p since thats the highest consoles can play on i just sort of used it as a standard.

 

[hitmanmoney]

The cost of gaming between a PC and a console comes down to the components. The components of a Xbox 360 never changes (performance wise). A Xbox game released 5 years from now will play on a Xbox bought back in 2009.

The same cannot be said for PC games. Try playing a game in 2016 on a PC built in 2009, chances are if it can be played it must be played at low settings. This is because hardware for PC continually evolves and game developers like pushing the envelope of performance. Therefore to play games at the best settings you must continually upgrade your PC until the results are good enough for you. If someone has a PC with better specs, that person will have better graphics.

That is totally different for the Xbox 360, everyone's performance will be exactly the same and developers will not push requirements for Xbox 360 games because if the game runs poorly, then no one can play.

As yourself these simple questions:

#1 - Assuming you bought a Xbox 360 back in 2005 when it was released and it is still in working order. How much money would you have spent if you buy on average 5 games per year by now?

#2 - Assuming you built/bought a gaming PC back in 2005. How much money have you spent on games and upgrades (or new system) if you buy on average 5 games per year by now?

My 5850 will be able to play games for 3 years before i need to ugprade. If you buy 5 games a year that $150 dollars saved which would get me a new graphics card. As time goes it gets cheaper to play on the resolution you play on 1900x1080p used to take a 4890 or a 5850 both were over $200 but now you can get a 6850 or two for the price of 1 5850 back then and get better performance with crossfire.

 

[hitmanmoney]

But the 5-year old console will never have better graphics. If a new console is released, chances are the old games will never run. Even the PS3 at release could not run all of the PS2 games. Newer versions of the PS3 dropped even that. So you need the old console for older games.

With PC, I can still play most of win95 games. I may need to resort to some tweakings, but I can still play them. And there is no problem of playing XP games under win7, except maybe because of DRM. But I'm not stuck with the release graphics, because even the old games can be made to look better thanks to AA and AF. Not to mention modding community.

One more thing, in the 700$ price, do you include also the monitor? Because with the PS3/Xbox, you don't include the TV in the 300$.

129.99 for a phenom ii x4
59.99 for antec 300
64.99 for a micro
70.00 for harddrive
ddr3 8gb 39.99
corsair 500w 2 6 pin 59.99
90.00 windows 7
drive $14.00
6850 $150
1900x080p moniter $150+

$824

$200 for console and 1080p tvs are $700 on newegg price check don't know how to find them cheaper.

consoles plus moniter is $350 thou so with moniter it's cheaper.

not taxes if you get it off newegg

 

[hitmanmoney]

This sounds a little like a rage. But let's discuss the points you made - you mentioned that a console costs ~$300. Fair enough. Now go buy a gaming PC for that price (you can't use the current PC you have, as that will ruin the comparison). Wait, you can't? Well, I guess I just proved that PC gaming is more expensive.

With regards to the physical games, console games are a little more expensive than PC games, yes, but you get to trade them. You pay, let's say, $40 for a PC game and $50 for a console game. Fair enough, you finish the PC game. Now what? Now you've got a game you've already completed, and you can do *** with it. Console game? Easy, take it to your nearest video games store, trade it and get back $20~$30 from the game you brought back. Thus, you spent less on console games than on PC games as well.

The reason PC gaming is more expensive is pretty simple - a PC is a mixed machine. Everything WILL be more expensive as it has a lot more functions, functionality and uses in everyday life. A console is a dedicated gaming machine, purposefully built to play games on. Cutting the extras and additions saves a lot of money, and it's visible.

You got me on the trade in didn't think about that one but if you like to keep your games the cost would add up over the years. You can mod the pc game by upgrading the graphics, or add new levels. Where as with the console you have to pay for dlc(crap the game should have came with). You have to pay for xbox live and dlc as well which is stuff we get for free only point i got so thats it lol. Plus my point with the thread wasn't that pc gaming was cheaper but that it wasn't as expensive as people make it out to be.

 

[jaguarskx]

My 5850 will be able to play games for 3 years before i need to ugprade. If you buy 5 games a year that $150 dollars saved which would get me a new graphics card. As time goes it gets cheaper to play on the resolution you play on 1900x1080p used to take a 4890 or a 5850 both were over $200 but now you can get a 6850 or two for the price of 1 5850 back then and get better performance with crossfire.

Actually, the price for many PC games equals the price of console games. It's a new trend. It used to be that new PC games were always $10 (or more) cheaper than new console game. Not anymore. Unfortunately, $150 will not get you a performance card, the HD 5850 is a high performance card and it was priced at around $280 - $330 when it was available. Therefore, if you want upgrade your card to a similar new high performance card you will need another $130 - $180 dollar (assuming the price of new high performance cards always remains the same).

As long as Xbox 360 games are being developed you will never have to "upgrade" the Xbox 360. Of course if it fails, then you need to buy a new Xbox 360. Therefore, playing games on consoles it cheaper.

I don't advocated playing console games, I actually don't like console games, but in the end it is cheaper than PC gaming.

 

[hitmanmoney]

Actually, the price for many PC games equals the price of console games. It's a new trend. It used to be that new PC games were always $10 (or more) cheaper than new console game. Not anymore. Unfortunately, $150 will not get you a performance card, the HD 5850 is a high performance card and it was priced at around $280 - $330 when it was available. Therefore, if you want upgrade your card to a similar new high performance card you will need another $130 - $180 dollar (assuming the price of new high performance cards always remains the same).

As long as Xbox 360 games are being developed you will never have to "upgrade" the Xbox 360. Of course if it fails, then you need to buy a new Xbox 360. Therefore, playing games on consoles it cheaper.

I don't advocated playing console games, I actually don't like console games, but in the end it is cheaper than PC gaming.

A 6850 performance pretty close to a 5850 and it is $150+ dollars but it will if you stay at the same resolution if you upgrade moniters then that a different story.

 

[jaguarskx]

The point is you are not going to upgrade to a graphics card to a newer card with similar performance as the card you are replacing, otherwise what is the point of upgrading?

Also using the Radeon HD 6xxx series as a comparison is not a good choice because AMD shifted their naming convention slightly. The direct replacement for the Radeon HD 58xx series is the HD 69xx series. The HD 68xx series would be a replacement for the HD 57xx series. The HD 67xx series is the oddball because they are in fact Radeon HD 57xx rebranded to HD 67xx.

 

[hitmanmoney]

The point is you are not going to upgrade to a graphics card to a newer card with similar performance as the card you are replacing, otherwise what is the point of upgrading?

Also using the Radeon HD 6xxx series as a comparison is not a good choice because AMD shifted their naming convention slightly. The direct replacement for the Radeon HD 58xx series is the HD 69xx series. The HD 68xx series would be a replacement for the HD 57xx series. The HD 67xx series is the oddball because they are in fact Radeon HD 57xx rebranded to HD 67xx.

What happens three years down the road when resolution get higher and single cards can play games at like 3000x2000. Playing games at 1900x1080p will get cheaper. 1280x720p was consider high at one point and you had to buy a really expensive card but now a apu that cost $100 can do that. That's what i am trying to say playing at your resolution gets cheaper and cheaper.

 

[madsweeney]

To be fair, I've only once built a system from complete scratch (usually upgrade/scavenge). I Typically upgrade CPU, Mobo, RAM ever 2 years and video card the year after. On average my upgrades cost $600 every 4 years. Yes, that costs more than a single console, but if you bought an Xbox 5 years ago, most likely you've had to replace it due to RROD.

If you were to start from scratch, $900 can get you a pretty damn good budget system, PC or console (gotta buy a tv to play console, right?)

End of the day, PC gaming can be more expensive because there are so many choices and most people spend the extra $$ to get the best performance, not necessarily the best value...well that and most console gamers are using mommy and daddy's tv.

 

[joedastudd]

A big thing people tend to overlook is even if you build a PC with the intentio of gaming you'll always use it for other things.

I've used my "gaming pc" for image and video editing, programming, CAD (ok I'm terrible at it, but I tinker), write essays and a whole bunch of other things.
A console can't even touch on most of them. Heck even a check general usage PC would have struggled with the CAD and video editing.

 

[hitmanmoney]

To be fair, I've only once built a system from complete scratch (usually upgrade/scavenge). I Typically upgrade CPU, Mobo, RAM ever 2 years and video card the year after. On average my upgrades cost $600 every 4 years. Yes, that costs more than a single console, but if you bought an Xbox 5 years ago, most likely you've had to replace it due to RROD.

If you were to start from scratch, $900 can get you a pretty damn good budget system, PC or console (gotta buy a tv to play console, right?)

End of the day, PC gaming can be more expensive because there are so many choices and most people spend the extra $$ to get the best performance, not necessarily the best value...well that and most console gamers are using mommy and daddy's tv.

My point was that if you own a console you most likely own a pc. So if you have a pc and a console that $700 spent which could get you a pc that can max out most games now. I was never trying to say pc gaming was cheaper but that it wasn't a $700 difference. I own a 360 and a ps3 but both would ran me 400 dollars together. I would still need a pc. Everyone does but consoles aren't that much cheaper under the right conditions. I was also trying to point out that you don't need to upgrade that often either. Pc gaming isn't as expensive as people make it out to be and it pisses me off.

 

[madsweeney]

My point was that if you own a console you most likely own a pc. So if you have a pc and a console that $700 spent which could get you a pc that can max out most games now. I was never trying to say pc gaming was cheaper but that it wasn't a $700 difference. I own a 360 and a ps3 but both would ran me 400 dollars together. I would still need a pc. Everyone does but consoles aren't that much cheaper under the right conditions. I was also trying to point out that you don't need to upgrade that often either. Pc gaming isn't as expensive as people make it out to be and it pisses me off.

And I agree with you (well, except it doesn't piss me off). For the most part, $150 investment will make almost any computer purchased within the past 1-3 years capable of running 90% of games. PC saturation is at a point where your home is just as likely to have a PC as it is to have a TV. I understand that it is more difficult to install your own video card than it is to hook up a console to the TV, and that's really what separates the two communities.

 

[hitmanmoney]

And I agree with you (well, except it doesn't piss me off). For the most part, $150 investment will make almost any computer purchased within the past 1-3 years capable of running 90% of games. PC saturation is at a point where your home is just as likely to have a PC as it is to have a TV. I understand that it is more difficult to install your own video card than it is to hook up a console to the TV, and that's really what separates the two communities.

I iz a fanboy : D