Console vs PC gaming - building a gaming PC

[Hush]

Advantages/disadvantages to both? Would someone who has gamed on consoles for the last 20 years benefit from gaming on a PC?

The reason for the thread is I've been eyeing one of these recently: http://www.alienware.com/landings/alpha/

[Sigma]

I game on both, so here's my thoughts: -

PC advantages: -

Performance. Obviously it depends on your budget, but at 1080p you can play games with the settings on high or max at 60 FPS with a fairly reasonably priced system, and of course you can go higher than 1080p (and higher than 60 FPS too). I game at 1440p on my PC, but you could do 4K if you wanted to (and had the bank balance to afford it).

Mods. A lot of games have mods that are used to improve them or add new content.

Versatility. A gaming PC does a lot more than any console ever will, assuming you're running a full OS like Windows and not SteamOS.

Game prices. The sales you get on PC are way better than the ones you get on consoles, although recently the sales on consoles have been getting better. Most new games can be bought a fair bit cheaper on PC too.

Controls. While you can't yet use an Xbox One controller wirelessly with a PC (you can use it wired, but MS really need to sort that shit out!) you can use an Xbox 360 controller or Dual Shock 4, plus obviously many games are more suited to keyboard and mouse, but at least you have a choice.

Backwards compatibility. Windows in particular has excellent legacy software support, so you can play games going back years and if you build/buy a more powerful PC further down the line, you can still play all of your games on it. You can also run emulators and play arcade games (MAME, for example), SNES games etc.

Upgrades. It's easy to switch out a GPU or add more RAM or whatever with a PC. That will depend a little on the machine, as some of the small, compact pre-built PCs can be harder to upgrade.

Lots more indie games. If indie games are your thing, you'll find tons more of them on PC than on consoles.

Free online. Aside from subscription-based MMOs, online play is free.

PC disadvantages: -

Initial price. You can buy/build a PC that will outperform an Xbox One and PS4 for not that much more than the consoles cost, but if you want top of the line performance then you can spend more on a GPU alone than you'd spend on a console.

DRM/digital games. You don't really own games on a PC, as even games that come on disc are often activated via Steam. If you're used to buying console games and lending them to friends, trading them in, or selling them, well, you don't really get that with PC.

Lack of a unified online service. I like Xbox Live and PSN because you have a single friends list, a single store etc. and in some respects that's an advantage. With PC gaming, the most popular service is Steam, but then you've got UPlay, Origin and others. You can choose to chat to friends using various pieces of software, but it's not as straightforward as it is on console. Obviously there are advantages and disadvantages to walled gardens.

Not getting console exclusives/getting games later. PC gamers are sometimes treated like second class citizens, so you will regularly find a big game comes to the consoles first, then to PC weeks or even months later. Obviously, you don't get to play platform exclusives either. PC gaming is lacking in a few genres IMO, for instance, if you asked me what's a good action/adventure game for PC that's like, say, Uncharted, all I could really come up with is Tomb Raider and even the sequel to that will be released exclusively on the Xbox One (for a limited time).

Cheats. It's much easier to cheat in games on PC. In Titanfall on PC, for instance, there are aimbots and speed hacks, so you might see a player running about at twice the speed of everyone else, or if a player is using an aimbot then the targeting reticule will just snap directly to your head so the aiming is being done for them. The vast majority of players don't cheat and people do get banned for cheating in some cases, but it's still a bigger problem than it is on the current generation consoles - at least, until the current gen consoles get hacked.

I won't bother listing console advantages/disadvantages as you've got a lot of experience with consoles and you can figure out how they compare from what I've mentioned above.

[Combo7]

I played games on consoles for about 25 years. Built a PC a few years ago and never looked back.

[Hush]

I played games on consoles for about 25 years. Built a PC a few years ago and never looked back.

What was it about PC gaming that made you never look back?

[Combo7]

The fact that, with the exception of Zelda, I don't really care about console exclusives, and for many of the reasons Sigma gave. Dirt cheap games, control options, wider selection of indies, better performance. I rarely play online games so the greater prevalence of cheating wasn't really an issue for me.

I also found the whole process of researching parts and ultimately building the computer a ton of fun. Scratched the same mental itch that compelled me to build Legos as a kid.

[ChaMerZ]

Once I graduate and get a job, I'll be looking to join the master race. Good thread OP.

[ChaMerZ]

I played games on consoles for about 25 years. Built a PC a few years ago and never looked back.

How few are those years? I have a friend, who always has the latest stuff and he told me that his PC is quite dated by today's standards and can't play games like watch dogs.

I am planning on building a PC that will run the latest games (circa 2015) butter smooth. How much, conceivably, would I have to drop? I don't mind dropping 2 stacks for a machine. I could drop 3 but it would really have to be worth it. Like Sigma said, the latest and greatest GPUs, have a horrendous price tag associated with them. Basically, I want it to feel like an investment. I don't want it to be more trouble than it's worth playing the latest games (over the long run). GTA V, which is dropping soon for the PC, looks to be optimized pretty badly from what I can tell.

[Combo7]

Two years ago and I'm still good, though recommended requirements are starting to outpace me a little bit.

I spent a few thousand -- can't remember how much exactly -- and that was with getting a lot of peripheral equipment like a monitor, keyboard, mouse, and speakers/sub. I even got a special oversized mouse pad. You'll lay out some decent cash upfront, but if you decide to upgrade you'll probably just be spending money on a video card. Your case, motherboard, and power supply shouldn't need to be upgraded (provided you get good stuff the first time around). You may or may not want to eventually upgrade your CPU depending on how hardcore you want to go.

Newegg.com is a great place to start researching parts, and the eggxpert.com and tomshardware.com forums were a good resource while I was preparing to build.

[Combo7]

This is Newegg's "How to Build a Computer" series, an invaluable resource when I was learning about all this stuff a few years back. They published an updated version of this series last fall, but these are the ones I used and can vouch for.

[ChaMerZ]

Two years ago and I'm still good, though recommended requirements are starting to outpace me a little bit.

two years isn't bad. might not be your fault that you are being outpaced. a lot of studios are notorious for releasing poorly optimized games on PC. watch dogs PC i heard runs like sh!t compared to the console versions. same deal with a few other games published by ubisoft.

This is Newegg's "How to Build a Computer" series, an invaluable resource when I was learning about all this stuff a few years back. They published an updated version of this series last fall, but these are the ones I used and can vouch for.

ty

[Sigma]

I am planning on building a PC that will run the latest games (circa 2015) butter smooth. How much, conceivably, would I have to drop? I don't mind dropping 2 stacks for a machine. I could drop 3 but it would really have to be worth it.

It depends what resolution you want to run games at really. The best single GPU card you can get right now is probably the Asus GTX 980 Strix and that runs for around $550. One of those would be ample for gaming at 1,440p or below. There are only a couple of games that would test that card, Crysis 3, for example, although if you're gaming on a TV/monitor at 1080p you'd still get close to 50 FPS with the settings cranked up. Drop the AA down a little and you'd hit 60 no problem.

$1,500-$1,600 would get you a PC with a 4970K, 16GB of RAM and one of those Asus GPUs and that would eat up the latest games at resolutions up to and including 1,440p. If you want to go 4K you'd want to drop a second GPU in there.

[Yohan]

I've been playing games on a PC for nearly two decades now, starting with old floppy disc stations. I've tried a console (bought a 360 back in the days) but could never really get used to the controls. The biggest pro's for me are:

* Keyboard and mouse. Superior in nearly every range, from FPS, RPG, RTS to MMO's. I can see how a game pad could be an advantage in several other genres, though.
* Customization. Especially if you build your own, you can tailor it to your liking. I also like to tinker with my setup and building or customizing my PC is as much fun as playing a game itself.
* Play a game and have the TV on with a movie, TV show or simply YouTube.
* PC exclusives. Doesn't happen a lot, but many RTS, simulation games (such as Football Manager) or simply strategy games in general, which I like, are usually PC only.
* Sales and game prices. Full games are still a little expensive (don't like to spend 50-60 bucks at release date) but if you don't mind waiting a while, one or two years down the line you can usually pick them up dirt cheap.
* Mods and addons. Don't really fuck with mods that much but it's a given they can add to your game tremendously.

Cons
* Some games are console exclusive while other games are released at a later date (see GTA5).
* Optimization. Most games are developed for consoles and are later ported to PC. Some games aren't as fluid as they could be, as PC hardware is usually superior to console hardware.
* Depending on your social circle, if friends play online with their consoles, you miss out on multiplayer.

All in all, I sometimes regret not making the jump to consoles earlier when it would still be possible for me to adapt to the controls. I sometimes feel like I missed out on some amazing games such as Red Dead Redemption or not being able to play multiplayer with friends, but then again, I'm also very content with my current PC and the way it handles games. I build it nearly 2 years ago and I'm fairly certain it can go on 2-3 years without a problem. And if I should upgrade, I'll start by overclocking my processor, replace my videocard and possibly my power supply.

[Spartan]

Don't know how anyone can play on a keyboard and mouse. Feels way more unnatural than a controller.

[Hush]

Don't know how anyone can play on a keyboard and mouse. Feels way more unnatural than a controller.

Probably just depends on what you're used to using. Since I've been console gaming my whole life, I can't really get down with a keyboard and mouse, but I understand how someone would prefer it.

Most of the "hardcore" PC gamers I've known swear by the keyboard/mouse as they claim they can "pwn" noobs who use controllers because of the increased accuracy of aiming with a mouse.

The primary reason I prefer a controller is because I game on my couch.

[Sigma]

A controller is better for some games because you have more than 8 directions of movement and analogue controls rather than binary on/off keys, but a mouse is a quicker and more accurate pointing device than an analogue stick and there are a lot more keys on a keyboard.

Also, with a controller 2 or 3 of your fingers from each hand are being used just to hold it, so you tend to use 1 (or sometimes 2) fingers from each hand for the triggers/bumpers and your thumbs for all of the controls on the front of the controller. If you're playing an FPS, for example, and you need to press any of the 4 face buttons on the controller, you have to take your thumb off the right analogue stick, so you're no longer aiming. Likewise if you want to switch weapons with the D-pad, you have to take your thumb off the left stick, so you're no longer moving.

[wheels]

There are controllers that will let you remap the face buttons to additional triggers. I forget what they're called, but they're out there. Those controllers are expensive, but if you're going to go balls out on PC gaming you kind of have to stop worrying what shit costs up front.

For me, the ease with which you can use a 360 controller on a PC is what made me switch. It may be less effective, but it's what I'm used to. Even games that have an absurd number of buttons are playable with a little creativity.

Most MMOs require you to be able to use two full action bars of abilities, which is 24 buttons, in addition to the movement keys and use the mouse to look around and turn your character. I've been able to fuck with the keybindings enough to get all of that on a 360 controller, and I could probably get even more on there. I'm not going to bore anybody with the details but if you want to know I'll write it out.

[Hush]

I'm still thinking about building a PC, but if I did it I'd probably go the super budget route, like < $500. Can anyone recommend any guides out there for building a decent gaming PC on a budget?

[Sigma]

Reddit is a decent place to ask if you want parts suggestions. I could suggest a build for you too. Do you have any existing components you can use in the build, such as a hard drive? Do you need to purchase an operating system?

[Hush]

Reddit is a decent place to ask if you want parts suggestions. I could suggest a build for you too. Do you have any existing components you can use in the build, such as a hard drive? Do you need to purchase an operating system?

I do have a 500GB Toshiba hard drive lying around that I could use
Also don't need to purchase an OS

[Hush]

I also have a decent desktop that I use as my general PC. Would adding a mid-range GPU be all I need to do to convert it into a gaming rig?

I'm not sure of the rest of the specs off hand but I could check later.

[Sigma]

Post the specs. You can use Speccy to grab a quick overview of the system specs.....

[ChaMerZ]

Post the specs. You can use Speccy to grab a quick overview of the system specs.....

funny thing, when you mentioned 1440p in your previous post I was thinking that it was slightly below 1080p, like 1920 x 1440p or something. turns out its 2560 x 1440. it is incredible that you can get good performance at that resolution from one card. doubling up to hit 4K doesn't seem cost effective though. i know friends who've done it but ... it looks stupid to me. that's like a stack right there. probably better to wait for the prices to go down (& more games support 4K).

[Sigma]

Yeah man, it's a big leap up to 4K! 8.3 million pixels, compared to the 3.7 that my PC is pushing now.

I think if I was buying a high end card now, I'd go for one with more VRAM. We're starting to see a handful of games that benefit from that, such as Shadow of Mordor which eats up about 5.5GB of VRAM if you use the ultra preset.

[Hush]

Post the specs. You can use Speccy to grab a quick overview of the system specs.....

Thanks! I'll try to do this tonight.

[Hush]

That Alienware Alpha is still tempting me. I really like the form factor and the price doesn't seem to be too bad for what you get spec wise. I'm guessing the main disadvantage to that is the built in GPU (couldn't be upgraded)?

I'm thinking if I did get it, I could use it for gaming for a couple of years and then when its time to upgrade, this thing would make a kick-ass HTPC.

[Neuro]

please lock this thread

[Sigma]

That Alienware Alpha is still tempting me. I really like the form factor and the price doesn't seem to be too bad for what you get spec wise. I'm guessing the main disadvantage to that is the built in GPU (couldn't be upgraded)?

Yeah, you can't upgrade the GPU. I'm not sure if the RAM is soldered on to the board. The power supply is external, so the only way to upgrade that is to get a PSU that's used for the X51, which would supply enough juice to allow you to upgrade the CPU. The GPU would be the biggest limiting factor though.

[Hush]

please lock this thread

Why?

[Neuro]

i take it back, i thought the thread was going to be an actual VS, when its more of helping peeps set up a pc

i think the whole console vs pc is very very tired topic, who gives a fuck play what you want to play

[Hush]

i take it back, i thought the thread was going to be an actual VS, when its more of helping peeps set up a pc

i think the whole console vs pc is very very tired topic, who gives a fuck play what you want to play

Cool, I edited the thread title.