PC gaming may actually be cheaper than console gaming come this generation

[The Mullinator]

... As long as your console of choice is a PS3 or Xbox 360. Nintendo could end up being the same but it doesn't look too likely.

I found this on another forum after a few news sites and blogs pointed too it. I will say right now I don't necessarily agree with it however, i'm must posting this because I want to see a good debate start up.

Now and then I see the argument pop up that console gaming is inherently cheaper than PC gaming, on account of only needing to buy the console. This is utterly untrue, especially with the upcoming generation of consoles. In order to get 'the full experience', they need to be connected to a HD home theater system. So let us break down the costs of this, using the Xbox as a base:

Xbox - $400.
Wireless network adapter - $100.
Barebones HDTV - $700.
Receiver - $250.
Speakers - $450.
Cabling - $75.
Huge power strip - $40.

Total price?

$2115.

And that's going for the absolute best price to performance ratio, the cheapest parts that won't (hopefully) break in under a year. Going for a 'good' home theater system will at the very least double that price tag, with the sky being the limit if you go all-out stupid and blow $16K on a huge plasma wall-mounted TV. And that's just for playing games and DVDs on the Xbox, other forms of entertainment like satellite channels and TiVo will of course cost extra.

The immediate rebuttal comes in the form of, 'Well, I would have gotten all that home theater stuff anyhow, that two grand isn't just for games!' Which is entirely true. However, the money spent on a computer isn't just for games, either. They have a remarkable ability to be used for any number of productive tasks that don't involve gaming, strange though it may sound.

We've reached the point now where digital entertainment is so big and complicated that the days of screwing your NES into the coax port of your 19" color TV are gone for good. Any sort of respectable setup is going to set someone back a whole lot of money, and budgeting for a console is going to have to take those factors into account.

Anyway one of the biggest points made was that a lot of people won't be buying an HDTV they will simply be using an older CRT TV or they already had an HDTV. I will say now that isn't really a good point to make since PC gamers can do the same thing. I am currently using the same monitor I was using for my first computer (I am now on my second). I am also using the same Keyboard, mouse, speakers, DvD writer, and harddrive.

Its an interesting debate really.

 

[<RJMC>]

why not just buy the console and use the best tv you hav?I think the speakers and stuff are not so necesary

 

[Axyon]

The HDTV can be negated by buying a CRT monitor and VGA adapter, which comes in at a considerably cheaper price.

The whole argument's basically shoddy actually, as to get the 'full PC' experience, shouldn't you be getting that home-theatre setup as well, then hooking the PC up to it? Replace the $400 Xbox 360 with a $2000 gaming rig and it all changes.

 

[The Mullinator]

The HDTV can be negated by buying a CRT monitor and VGA adapter, which comes in at a considerably cheaper price.

The whole argument's basically shoddy actually, as to get the 'full PC' experience, shouldn't you be getting that home-theatre setup as well, then hooking the PC up to it? Replace the $400 Xbox 360 with a $2000 gaming rig and it all changes.

I just talked about that point:
"Anyway one of the biggest points made was that a lot of people won't be buying an HDTV they will simply be using an older CRT TV or they already had an HDTV. I will say now that isn't really a good point to make since PC gamers can do the same thing. I am currently using the same monitor I was using for my first computer (I am now on my second). I am also using the same Keyboard, mouse, speakers, DvD writer, and harddrive."

Overall I agree that PC gaming would be the absolute most expensive if you are buying everything from the system to the way you will play it. However only if for the PC you decide to get an HDTV as well, something which is actually not nearly as necessary for the "full experience" as it seems to be for the 360. The prices are much closer than many might think.

$2000 Gaming Rig
$500 Gaming monitor
$200 Speakers
------------------
2700

Now assuming you won't be getting a bare-bones HDTV and instead are getting something bigger and better then the price is actually much closer.

Like I said however, this isn't a clear cut argument at all. All I am saying is that the new consoles won't necessarily be significantly cheaper than PC gaming like it was in the past.

 

[Axyon]

I just talked about that point:
"Anyway one of the biggest points made was that a lot of people won't be buying an HDTV they will simply be using an older CRT TV or they already had an HDTV. I will say now that isn't really a good point to make since PC gamers can do the same thing. I am currently using the same monitor I was using for my first computer (I am now on my second). I am also using the same Keyboard, mouse, speakers, DvD writer, and harddrive."

Overall I agree that PC gaming would be the absolute most expensive if you are buying everything from the system to the way you will play it. However only if for the PC you decide to get an HDTV as well, something which is actually not nearly as necessary for the "full experience" as it seems to be for the 360. The prices are much closer than many might think.

I said CRT monitor, not TV. With a CRT monitor and VGA adapter you can use 720p and maybe even 1080i, which is just as good as an HDTV.

 

[Hazar]

meh, pc gaming is always cheaper in the long run. You can upgrade your pc unlike your console which you have to buy a new one every 2 or so years.

 

[The Mullinator]

I said CRT monitor, not TV. With a CRT monitor and VGA adapter you can use 720p and maybe even 1080i, which is just as good as an HDTV.

No good for playing split-screen however which is one of the major draws of console gaming. Like I said it's way too complicated of a discussion to come up with a definite answer.

 

[SpArKs]

At the end of the day, 360/PS3 will not beat a PC setup, any day! Theres to many customizable parts. Consoles are just tightly packed PCs anyway, with the exception that some titles ain't available on the PC. I wont be getting a 360 for about 6 months to a year, I'm sick of buying a console and a few weeks later, there a £20 cheaper. Another month later its even cheaper. If you get a 360 now you got more money than sense. Give a year and it could be half the price!

 

[VirusType2]

meh, pc gaming is always cheaper in the long run. You can upgrade your pc unlike your console which you have to buy a new one every 2 or so years.

not really dude, over time you pretty much have to replace EVERYTHING ram, cpu, motherboard, video card, case, fans, hard drive/s, power supply. the only thing you might not care about upgrading is the sound and monitor

and buy a new console every 2 or so years? well its pretty much been about 5 years unless you buy more than one of the competing systems of that generation

As for me and most people, we already have a stereo set ( an insane quality set up)cables and everything necessary on that list that you quote is for someone that has absolutely nothing, and in that case yes a top end PC might be a better choice

Im getting 360 w/hard drive $400
VGA adapter $40
------------------------------
total price $440 dollars

I've got everything else. I've got an awesome battery backup surge supressor and the ethernet internet just plugs into the back of the 360 like a phone cord

don't you think every consumer has gone over this already and decided for themselves what is a better value for gaming? besides i like Console exclusives. Only type of PC games that i like are FPS and consoles are now getting an overdose of those, and Im not complaining

already have awesome stereo and 19" vga monitor to hook it up to, and I never play split-screen i think it sucks. even my brother who's room is 20 feet from mine, we play online together

and a wireless thingy? I just plug mine into the wall. I've got hard wired cable high speed.

and I still have a PC to do all the other stuff that PC's do.

 

[DeusExMachina]

I'm just buying the damn system and a game . I don't need any of this HDTV crap or ultra omega sound system. I'm a simple person to please.

 

[Warbie]

meh, pc gaming is always cheaper in the long run. You can upgrade your pc unlike your console

That's because you have to - otherwise games will look and run like poop.

A console will last a good 3-4 years, with the most impressive games usually appearing after 2 years or so. Take a look at the GC and PS, 3-4 years old and still delivering superb games that are on par with the very best any pc can offer.

 

[DEATH eVADER]

why not just buy the console and use the best tv you hav?I think the speakers and stuff are not so necesary

The maximum speaker system I require is a two speaker system and a subwoofer

 

[VirusType2]

The main advantage i would say about console graphics is yes the console sticks around for like 5 years without upgrades and the graphics start to get dated compared to PC's at the end of their lives, but regardless, to play the latest PC games you have to upgrade at the very least your Video card anyway to play these cutting edge PC games. Just becuase the graphics on the back of the box look great that doesn't mean you can run them, then you got to upgrade your system, well, we buy a new console. LOL

then you must remember that all the console games are designed and tweeked to run nice as possible on that console. Everyones PC is different so just becuase the graphics look better on the back of the PC games box and screenshots .. down the end of a console life, that doesn't mean you can play them on your PC at those options settings. I mean people who bought Doom3 and had the hottest PC rig were complaining they had to run minimal settings! A far cry from the ultra resolution settings and full shadows on the back of the box
*breath .. whew, i type fast as shit

 

[SpArKs]

The maximum speaker system I require is a two speaker system and a subwoofer

Get the other two(rear) to make up the 5.1. If switched back to that old setup, my games would feel naked.

I cant watch a movie or play games without surround these days.

 

[destrukt]

$400 xbox.
$0 tv you already own.

bam, you're done.

you could do the same thing with a pc, list all the expensive, unneeded things, and the price for things you already have.

so, it's not interesting and it's rather clueless/useless.

 

[TheSomeone]

And most people already have computers anyways, so the price of having a gaming PC is only so much more than a regular home PC.