PC Gaming Costs. Is it really as cheap we they think it is?

PC's come in many sizes and vary in performance. They also generally out perform Consoles in games. But how much does it cost to get a computer that does this?

Can anyone post specs that perform just as good as a console? Please don't post configs that cost more than the PS3 which is currently at EDIT: $399.

If you don't want to do it then don't and let the tread die.

Have fun!

... not this again....

Really, what's the point?

www.newegg.com

Do it yourself.

PC gaming is for the people who want the next next next next up in their gaming exeperince plus other things such as web browsing, making games, photo editing etc etc.

It does cost more to buy at the start if you want everything new... but you get the better experince for the most part :)

PC's come in many sizes and vary in performance. They also generally out perform Consoles in games. But how much does it cost to get a computer that does this?

Can anyone post specs that perform just as good as a console? Please don't post configs that cost more than the PS3 which is currently at $499.

Have fun!

Zero_epyon

PC gaming is for people who know how to use a computer (aka 5% of the population). There's not point in discussing price; it's as expensive as you want it to be. You can get a PC and literally any price.

The only reason why this is even an issue is that computer nerds make new accounts to argue about how better the PC is for gaming, etc. It really gets annoying and they don't seem to get it through their thick straw that consoles are more attractive to game developers than PCs because gaming PCs are not even close to mainstream. They are gaining ground, but it's never going to beat consoles for the general consumer. In addition, I don't give a **** that I have a gaming laptop. If I can't play Uncharted, Super Smash Bros Brawl, Infamous, etc. then I won't be happy. It's all about the games and consoles offer good games. Graphics aren't everything.

(this is coming from me who prefers all FPS, RTS, and RPGs on the PC)

I could build a PC cheaper then a console and probably performs a little worse or just as good but has 50 times more games then the entire catalogue of the PS 1-3 or Xbox-360... It is as cheap as you make it. Never really owned a major console that I liked and was stuck with a PC that could run 2002 games at max until 2007 and never got bored...

[QUOTE="Zero_epyon"]

PC's come in many sizes and vary in performance. They also generally out perform Consoles in games. But how much does it cost to get a computer that does this?

Can anyone post specs that perform just as good as a console? Please don't post configs that cost more than the PS3 which is currently at $499.

Have fun!

adamosmaki

The only reason why this is even an issue is that computer nerds make new accounts to argue about how better the PC is for gaming, etc. It really gets annoying and they don't seem to get it through their thick straw that consoles are more attractive to game developers than PCs because gaming PCs are not even close to mainstream. They are gaining ground, but it's never going to beat consoles for the general consumer. In addition, I don't give a **** that I have a gaming laptop. If I can't play Uncharted, Super Smash Bros Brawl, Infamous, etc. then I won't be happy. It's all about the games and consoles offer good games. Graphics aren't everything.

(this is coming from me who prefers all FPS, RTS, and RPGs on the PC)

EwwFanboys

Oh the irony... level 2 poster... console fanboy... right...

[QUOTE="EwwFanboys"]

The only reason why this is even an issue is that computer nerds make new accounts to argue about how better the PC is for gaming, etc. It really gets annoying and they don't seem to get it through their thick straw that consoles are more attractive to game developers than PCs because gaming PCs are not even close to mainstream. They are gaining ground, but it's never going to beat consoles for the general consumer. In addition, I don't give a **** that I have a gaming laptop. If I can't play Uncharted, Super Smash Bros Brawl, Infamous, etc. then I won't be happy. It's all about the games and consoles offer good games. Graphics aren't everything.

(this is coming from me who prefers all FPS, RTS, and RPGs on the PC)

Bebi_vegeta

Oh the irony... level 2 poster... console fanboy... right...

It's already been proven that a PC can out perform the PS3 at either price point.

The $199 360 Arcade is hard to match.

It's already been proven that a PC can out perform the PS3 at either price point.

The $199 360 Arcade is hard to match.

gamecubepad

[QUOTE="Bebi_vegeta"]

[QUOTE="EwwFanboys"]

The only reason why this is even an issue is that computer nerds make new accounts to argue about how better the PC is for gaming, etc. It really gets annoying and they don't seem to get it through their thick straw that consoles are more attractive to game developers than PCs because gaming PCs are not even close to mainstream. They are gaining ground, but it's never going to beat consoles for the general consumer. In addition, I don't give a **** that I have a gaming laptop. If I can't play Uncharted, Super Smash Bros Brawl, Infamous, etc. then I won't be happy. It's all about the games and consoles offer good games. Graphics aren't everything.

(this is coming from me who prefers all FPS, RTS, and RPGs on the PC)

EwwFanboys

Oh the irony... level 2 poster... console fanboy... right...

Oh, so you must be a alter or banned account.

I think both are great, and some people prefer consoel or PC... everyone has there opinion, but don't come bashing for no reason.

BTW, final fantasy 10 was my worst RPG experience... it was nothing more then graphic.

PC gaming is for people who know how to use a computer (aka 5% of the population). There's not point in discussing price; it's as expensive as you want it to be. You can get a PC and literally any price.

Hanass

[QUOTE="gamecubepad"]

It's already been proven that a PC can out perform the PS3 at either price point.

The $199 360 Arcade is hard to match.

Zero_epyon

I was comparing the PC to the 360. I said the PS3 can be surpassed at either price, but the 360 Arcade is difficult to match with a $200 range PC.

it's not insanely expensive as most peole thing but nor is it cheap. great gaming PC will most likely cost more than PS3 or 360 by not necessarily by a wide margin however making a PC is farily complicated especially if it's your first time

[QUOTE="EwwFanboys"][QUOTE="Bebi_vegeta"]

Oh the irony... level 2 poster... console fanboy... right...

Bebi_vegeta

Oh, so you must be a alter or banned account.

I think both are great, and some people prefer consoel or PC... everyone has there opinion, but don't come bashing for no reason.

BTW, final fantasy 10 was my worst RPG experience... it was nothing more then graphic.

[QUOTE="Zero_epyon"][QUOTE="gamecubepad"]

It's already been proven that a PC can out perform the PS3 at either price point.

The $199 360 Arcade is hard to match.

gamecubepad

I was comparing the PC to the 360. I said the PS3 can be surpassed at either price, but the 360 Arcade is difficult to match with a $200 range PC.

Not this redundant argument again.

How may I ask do you plan to play the console without any sort of screen? Because clearly you think you don't need one since you didn't include it in the price.

Have fun paying 69.99 euros for each PS3 game where in PC you play the same titles with way higher quality with 39.99 max... Save 30euros each game difference and in the long run youll end up wti ha high end rig of 1300$ simply just from games...

So DONT tell PC GAMING COSTS , is the hardware that it costs more than a console. Rather than that... No its not more than a console. Not to say less in the long run.. And you do 123123 other things and you play 2421244 free games also. So which is cheaper , tell me...

it's not insanely expensive as most peole thing but nor is it cheap. great gaming PC will most likely cost more than PS3 or 360 by not necessarily by a wide margin however making a PC is farily complicated especially if it's your first time

Ragashahs

[QUOTE="Bebi_vegeta"]

[QUOTE="EwwFanboys"] I've been on these forums longer than you think. And good job for making ****ing stupid assumptions. If I'm a fanboy of anything, it's of games that offer greatgameplay. I enjoy playing console games and PC equally (though, I've shifted from playing one platform primarily over the years to another back and forth). Counter-Strike: Source is the best FPS I've played skillwise and fun factor wise with all the mods and such. I started on 1.6 and my skill carried over to Source which was made easier to AWP in. One of the most fun games I've ever played is Age of Empires II online, age of mythology, Starcraft on battle.net, and Ragnarok Online. There have been over 8 free RPGS i've enjoyed and played on PC. I remember playing Warcraft II for the first time, I playing that campaign for hours straight. I currently own more games on Steam that I can even play (haven't played tf2 and left 4 dead often enough and I haven't beaten all the half life's eps yet). Even with all of this I still like console games just as much because they can be just as fun (super smash bros brawl with friends or playing through Final Fantasy X, one of my favorite RPGs). But, really I shouldn't have to be defending myself against someone who quick to label people because they get a nerve struck from a poster criticizing people who praise the PC platform like it's Jesus. EwwFanboys

Oh, so you must be a alter or banned account.

I think both are great, and some people prefer consoel or PC... everyone has there opinion, but don't come bashing for no reason.

BTW, final fantasy 10 was my worst RPG experience... it was nothing more then graphic.

Case closed...

Not this redundant argument again.

How may I ask do you plan to play the console without any sort of screen? Because clearly you think you don't need one since you didn't include it in the price.

AnnoyedDragon

I don't include it because any gamer has a least a monitor or TV. I started of playing my ps3 on my old 26 " hdtv then moved it to my 24" Pc monitor then moved it back to my new 42". It can be used on any monitor that takes the input. But if you want to add that to the price you can get a cheap hd monitor for 169. Zero_epyon

And this is where the whole "build a PC for the price of a console" argument falls flat on its face.

If people decide they already have a HDTV we can simply say we already have a PC and can upgrade it. Should they then decide to include the price of a HDTV they then seek out the cheapest POS that no respectable gamer in their right mind would honestly ever user in a sad effort to restrict the PC build price.

All of which is pointless because the platforms costs/functionality are not comparable.

The only reason why this is even an issue is that computer nerds make new accounts

EwwFanboys

[QUOTE="Zero_epyon"]I don't include it because any gamer has a least a monitor or TV. I started of playing my ps3 on my old 26 " hdtv then moved it to my 24" Pc monitor then moved it back to my new 42". It can be used on any monitor that takes the input. But if you want to add that to the price you can get a cheap hd monitor for 169. AnnoyedDragon

And this is where the whole "build a PC for the price of a console" argument falls flat on its face.

If people decide they already have a HDTV we can simply say we already have a PC and can upgrade it. Should they then decide to include the price of a HDTV they then seek out the cheapest POS that no respectable gamer in their right mind would honestly ever user in a sad effort to restrict the PC build price.

All of which is pointless because the platforms costs/functionality are not comparable.

[QUOTE="EwwFanboys"]

The only reason why this is even an issue is that computer nerds make new accounts

blue_hazy_basic

So if you bought a pc for 300 and now need a $150 just to run newer games, that pc now costs 450 and so on. Zero_epyon

There is something you are not seeing though.

That PC has countles uses outside of gaming, what I am showing right now typing this for example. If it would cost $150 to upgrade it into a gaming machine that is your gaming specific costs; which don't include the price of the system. The exact same argument can be made for a HDTV, it has multiple uses, but people try to exclude the TV then try to tell PC gamers they must include the price of the whole system.

[QUOTE="Zero_epyon"] So if you bought a pc for 300 and now need a $150 just to run newer games, that pc now costs 450 and so on. AnnoyedDragon

There is something you are not seeing though.

That PC has countles uses outside of gaming, what I am showing right now typing this for example. If it would cost $150 to upgrade it into a gaming machine that is your gaming specific costs; which don't include the price of the system. The exact same argument can be made for a HDTV, it has multiple uses, but people try to exclude the TV then try to tell PC gamers they must include the price of the whole system.

My question is really how much do you have to spend on a pc to get console performance? Also, using your logic, if that $150 upgrade went to getting a new OS, then other aspects of your computer just got overpriced since they didn't require it and you gaming costs stay the same. Am I right or did I interpret it wrong?Zero_epyon

I'm not sure why you are bringing up an OS.

The point was a PC, like a TV, is a staple of modern life. Everyone is going to have one, so your PC gaming related costs are only going to take into account the upgrades needed to turn it into a gaming PC. The equivalent for consoles is not having to include the price of a HDTV, if they argue against what I just said they have to accept that they must include the price of a decent HDTV with their console.

In terms of what it costs to turn one of today's retail none gaming PC's into something that can play games; I would say £140. That takes into account the price of a new PSU to power the GPU and the GPU itself, CPU power and memory has reached a point were even none gaming PC's have suitable power to beat consoles. That price is actually quite generous, as it is for a PC that plays cross platform games at 1080p.

It can be as cheap or as expensive as you want. Even the simplest of PCs can run SOME games. And if you already have a modern computer you can throw in a 9800/4850 or something for less than 100 bucks and play every game out there better than any console. If you wanna build from scratch a gaming beast capable of maxing out crysis, arma2 etc. at top resolutions you're gonna have to loosen your wallet.

But does it really matter when it comes to "system wars", does 360 get a free pass with the lack of AAAEs lately just because it's cheap? I think not.

Your average user isn't necessarily gonna build a computer just to play games anyway. I don't even know anyone with actual desktop PCs anymore. All of my coworkers and friends either have a small mini laptop for general browsing or a laptop. But what they do have are consoles if they do want to game.

I personally think PC gaming is still a niche market... unless you're playing WOW where you can use pretty much any PC. You can purchase a cheap desktop and/or laptop for the same price as a PS3... but do you really think the games will look as good compared to a PS3.

Take it from someone who built a PC with dual 8800GTXs two years ago and has been an avid PC gamer all his life. PC gaming just ain't worth it anymore.

[QUOTE="Hanass"]

PC gaming is for people who know how to use a computer (aka 5% of the population). There's not point in discussing price; it's as expensive as you want it to be. You can get a PC and literally any price.

MrLions

What? So how are you gonna build your PC? with your feet or mouth?

[QUOTE="Bebi_vegeta"]

[QUOTE="EwwFanboys"] I've been on these forums longer than you think. And good job for making ****ing stupid assumptions. If I'm a fanboy of anything, it's of games that offer greatgameplay. I enjoy playing console games and PC equally (though, I've shifted from playing one platform primarily over the years to another back and forth). Counter-Strike: Source is the best FPS I've played skillwise and fun factor wise with all the mods and such. I started on 1.6 and my skill carried over to Source which was made easier to AWP in. One of the most fun games I've ever played is Age of Empires II online, age of mythology, Starcraft on battle.net, and Ragnarok Online. There have been over 8 free RPGS i've enjoyed and played on PC. I remember playing Warcraft II for the first time, I playing that campaign for hours straight. I currently own more games on Steam that I can even play (haven't played tf2 and left 4 dead often enough and I haven't beaten all the half life's eps yet). Even with all of this I still like console games just as much because they can be just as fun (super smash bros brawl with friends or playing through Final Fantasy X, one of my favorite RPGs). But, really I shouldn't have to be defending myself against someone who quick to label people because they get a nerve struck from a poster criticizing people who praise the PC platform like it's Jesus. EwwFanboys

Oh, so you must be a alter or banned account.

I think both are great, and some people prefer consoel or PC... everyone has there opinion, but don't come bashing for no reason.

BTW, final fantasy 10 was my worst RPG experience... it was nothing more then graphic.

Your average user isn't necessarily gonna build a computer just to play games anyway. I don't even know anyone with actual desktop PCs anymore. All of my coworkers and friends either have a small mini laptop for general browsing or a laptop. But what they do have are consoles if they do want to game.

I personally think PC gaming is still a niche market... unless you're playing WOW where you can use pretty much any PC. You can purchase a cheap desktop and/or laptop for the same price as a PS3... but do you really think the games will look as good compared to a PS3.

Take it from someone who built a PC with dual 8800GTXs two years ago and has been an avid PC gamer all his life. PC gaming just ain't worth it anymore.

quicksilverXP24

I haven't known anyone who owns a console since I was a kid, but I know lot of people who play stuff like Eve or CS on their laptops. Contrary to what you might believe your friends circle isn't the whole world. You can think that a PC gaming is a niche market, but you'd be wrong, it has niche side to it too which I'm very glad of, but you can't deny the popularity of games like CS, WoW, Sims etc.

Yeah the graphics in these games aren't as good as on PS3, but the average gamer doesn't care, that's why Wii is more popular than PS3 and 360. As an avid PC gamer I'd say PC gaming is still totally worth it whether you wanna play the casual or the high-end stuff.

[QUOTE="EwwFanboys"][QUOTE="Bebi_vegeta"]

Oh, so you must be a alter or banned account.

I think both are great, and some people prefer consoel or PC... everyone has there opinion, but don't come bashing for no reason.

BTW, final fantasy 10 was my worst RPG experience... it was nothing more then graphic.

JangoWuzHere

When you take into account for all the extra bits and bobs you can buy for consoles like extra controllers, the cams (vision and eyetoy), remotes, headsets wireless etc, bigger hard drvies, memory cards, wires etc. It costs about the same as a mid entry gaming pc.

PC gaming is for people who know how to use a computer (aka 5% of the population).Hanass

[QUOTE="Hanass"]

PC gaming is for people who know how to use a computer (aka 5% of the population). There's not point in discussing price; it's as expensive as you want it to be. You can get a PC and literally any price.

MrLions

[QUOTE="MrLions"][QUOTE="Hanass"]

PC gaming is for people who know how to use a computer (aka 5% of the population). There's not point in discussing price; it's as expensive as you want it to be. You can get a PC and literally any price.

Communistsheep

[QUOTE="Communistsheep"][QUOTE="MrLions"] 5% of the population? :| A 7 year old kid with no arms can build a PC. It takes no effort what so ever all you need is a skcrew driver.OPuniverse

[QUOTE="OPuniverse"]

[QUOTE="Communistsheep"] Show me your expert knowledge. Because i don't know anything about pc's.JangoWuzHere

[QUOTE="JangoWuzHere"][QUOTE="EwwFanboys"] My old account is mD-. It's not banned, I just retired that account.OPuniverse

[QUOTE="OPuniverse"]

[QUOTE="JangoWuzHere"] Ok? Nice way to admit you have an alt account? Don't the rules here say no alt accounts? Maybe you should think before typing.EwwFanboys

REUSE:

Hard Drive

Mouse/Key board

Monitor

OS

CD/DVD drive

and there you have it.

A respectable PC that will play most games at medium settings. Less than $399.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-Preemtive counter argument section-

````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

"PCs are to complicated to build yourself" "What about the building fees?" etc.

No they are not complicated to build.

A friend of mine built his first PC with no help from me at all. I picked the parts for him and he just went to work the second the parts got there disregarding most instructions.

This guy is not the smartest guy in the world. He fails most of his classes. He even took some remedial classes as a child.

But the point is he built it with no help.

Its as easy as making a model plane or lego buildings.

```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

"You can't re use parts. I didnt re use anything from my last generation console."

The parts you will be re using aren't a vital compents for gaming and wont affect your FPS much.

A lot of peoples first builds re use some parts and a lot of peoples new builds re use parts.

If you want a brand new complete set up than the price limit for PC should be raised to $1,899 since that would be about the cost for buying a new console and a new HDTV and accesories (controlers, HDMI connection or whatever).

`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

"Yeah but what about upgrades?"

What about em?

Yeah you will have to upgrade eventually but that wont be soon as long as you don't mind overclocing a little.

Also, if you can't afford a maybe $300-400 upgrade once in about 3-4 years than I take it you still play Gamecube, Xbox, and PS2?

`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

www.newegg.com

Do it yourself.

spinecaton

Too cheap and lazy plus I only know the basics about computers.

Costs aren't really the issue of PC gaming - if you can afford a PS3 then surely upgrading a PC is within your reach as well. The issue here is more personal preference, convenience and practicality. I use my PC for writing music more so than anything else and putting it in my lounge where I prefer to play games isn't really practical for a start.

There are numerous other reasons why people prefer console gaming. It's a relatively expensive hobby as it is and the initial cost of hardware shouldn't really be too much a problem...

@Penguin_dragon

Great! Thank you. All points are valid. I love it when people actually answer the question instead of thinking that I'm bashing. Thanks again!