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PC vs. Console Gaming – Part 1

Are Games on Better on PC or Console?

Choosing between these two can be quite a challenge. People refer to it as the “Console Wars” because of how heated the debate quickly becomes in any game forum. It also resembles the typical YouTube rants about Subbed vs. Dubbed anime.

I am aware that PC games have diversified into countless genres and continue to increase in popularity among kids and adults today. This is why Steam grew into such a renown platform with most gamers at least, having heard of it.

They can access to thousands of games, including those that are free to download and mainstream titles as well. Casual for family fun and hardcore for those who want to get the high score.

Despite a few drawbacks, one being that most PC games are limited to the mouse and keyboard, people like us can still enjoy the games we play. Most traditional games utilized primarily the arrow keys to move, spacebar to jump, and A-S-D to attack.

Some of them had point & click as the primary mechanic since it was the easiest to implement as a full-fledged game. But later on, they started adopting controllers into PC games to enhance player coordination and movement.

Pros of Gaming on PC

Some people argue that PC games are a better investment than console games because they believe PC games are fairly cheaper than games made for console. It’s true that people nearly spend $1000 on HP laptops, but there are some aspects that people don’t often consider. PC games generally cost less if you compare the prices of the same game from both PC and Console stores.

PCs usually come with upgrades such as more GB of RAM, video graphic cards to improve frame rate, and enhanced processing power. These components cannot be applied to consoles because PlayStation and other companies only improve hardware/memory every few years or so through selling boxed upgrades.

Gamers are unable to improve console performance past the current version via graphics cards nor can they take apart their GameCube and replace the CPU processor. There are many reasons why some people prefer PC games over console games. First of all, they have the option to run their full desktop system while gaming, giving them time to multitask.

As a matter of fact, PC gamers are exposed to DLC like player-made mods or add-ons that spice up their gaming experience, whether it involves changing the graphics, creating new BGM, and customizing character skins. Last but not least, many people are into online multiplayer games like League of Legends or SWTOR.

Why People Shop on Steam

Thus, people are encouraged to buy games on Steam. They could just download games on Steam library, bypassing the need for owning physical copies of CDs or game chips that are exclusive to consoles.

Steam lets gamers connect controllers to their PC and play shared library games with people on their friends’ list. In addition, Steam has featured games that used to be console exclusive like Call of Duty: Ghosts, Tomb Raider, No Man’s Sky, and even Street Fighter V.

© 2015 Jakub. Licensed under CC-BY 4.0.

Whereas you end up having to get new consoles to play the latest releases (i.e. Wii U exclusive games) since they don’t run on your older systems, you won’t need to replace your PC every few years. Just think about how often you replace your iPhone with an upgraded model.

Now I do think it is necessary to dedicate another post to show the opposing point of view since there are people who prefer console games for valid reasons, those gamers who grew up playing the Pokemon, Mario Kart, Assassin’s Creed, or Resident Evil series.

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6 thoughts on “PC vs. Console Gaming – Part 1”

  1. Hey there! This comparison between pc vs console for gaming has been out for a long time. I’m can’t decide either I buy pc for gaming or console. I heard that the community of console is better than pc but I heard that pc has better graphics and fps than console. Right now I’m thinking of getting pc because it has more things to offer compare than consoles. But still can’t decide, I might get both of them if I can save enough money. Thank you for sharing this information.

    1. Your welcome, I think the best community experience comes from XBox Live and PlayStation online since you have easier access to multiplayer games. But the PC has faster loading times and higher fps like you said. Gaming on PC is a money saver but consoles games are a classic and their own unique brand known worldwide.

  2. Hi Wendi I would like to add that pc gaming nowadays are not bound to just keyboard and mouse. With the purchase of a controller like the Logitech or Xbox controller. You can transform your pic gaming experience to a console experience.

    I have been gaming with my PTC for the last 17 years or so and I never had an issue without a console. Many popular console titles are also being released on the PTC. For example naruto or final fantasy has been released on steam and I had a blast playing it with my faithful Logitech controller! Likewise I also have sonic and more!

    1. That’s true! I think times have changed since 2005 since I use either PC or console separately. Though I’ve heard about Xbox controllers being able to connect to laptops, I haven’t tried it.

      What is Logitech? How is it similar to a PlayStation controller? I’m thinking of getting Final Fantasy because I’ve seen the cinematics from FFVII.

  3. Hi,
    thank you for this great post. This is a great question. PC versus Console Gaming. I am playing both since many years, and I need to say that I prefer playing shooter games like Rainbow Six on the PC just because I can aim faster and the controls are better for me. There are other games like Gran Turismo or Metal Gear Solid, which are in my opinion a must on the console. I personally concluded that it really depends on the game and the situation. Both options are nice for me, and it is difficult to chose which one is better because both have pros and cons.
    Thank you and have a great day!
    Simon

    1. I’ve heard the debate is not coming close to an end. I really want to play Metal Gear Solid on my PS3, too bad it got disconnected once I moved houses. Thanks for the recommendations since those titles are new to me.

      Surprisingly, I’m not familiar with the more popular titles but I bought really obscure games on Wii and PS3.

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