PC Gaming vs Console Gaming | The Showdown of Smug
PC gaming and console gaming have always been at loggerheads, mostly because they are played by humans who just love to get tribal over things. Here's a fair and balanced breakdown of three common slurs against PC gaming and console gaming, along with a verdict that doesn't involve Glen Beck crying.
PC Gamers say:
'I won't play any game that involves pressing buttons,' usually delivered with a derisive sneer, as if the only people who push buttons are cretins actively trying to mate with family members.
It's stupid not to play console games just because they use controllers. Controllers are a hundred times more comfortable than playing a game on a keyboard, and they are usually more 'intuitive' because the relatively small number of buttons means that you're likely to very quickly figure out how the game works. PC games usually have a steeper learning curve because of the vast arrays of keys and key combinations you could press in order to take action in the game world. They also contribute to far more RSI style injuries than console games because controllers are designed to be comfortably held and slammed with desperate fingers, whereas keyboards were originally designed for the monotony of repetitive rhythmic typing.
PC Gamers say:
'PC's are so much more powerful than consoles, so games look and play so much better,'
Sometimes this is true, depending on the console you're talking about and depending on the PC you own. The major bonus with console gaming When you buy a game for a console, you know it is going to work. When you buy a game for your PC, unless your PC is top of the line and has been upgraded in the last 12 months, you stand an even chance of experiencing 'not very good' game play. Yes, system requirements are always printed on the side of the box, but lets face it, some games don't work all that well with the minimum systems requirements, and not everyone upgrades their PC every year, let alone every three years. When you buy a console, you know that you will get good performance out of every game put out for that console, when you buy a PC game, there is a great deal more variance in potential performance.
Console Gamers say:
'Consoles are so much more powerful than PC's, so games look and play so much better.'
Yeah, both sides of the debate think
that their machine of choice does the job better. The reality of the
situation is that it vastly depends on what game you're talking
about, what console you're talking about and the specs of the PC
you're comparing the console to. There is a greater variance in PC
performance than console performance, and the quality of individual
games ported from console to PC and vice versa is also so variable
that most general comparisons are fairly meaningless.
The Verdict
So should you PC game or console game?
Personally I still prefer PC games because a PC can be made to run almost anything, and I can switch between gaming and working very quickly. However consoles definitely have their place. If you are looking for a solid little box that will do nothing but game and will definitely be compatible with any game put out for it, then go for a console. Just be aware that the next gen version could be just a year or two away, although to be honest, 'outdated' consoles like the PSX, PS2 , Nintendo 64 and original X Box have a large catalog of games still available for them and a are a great investment for a gamer on a budget or a family that wants to introduce their kids to gaming without shelling out thousands.
If, on the other hand, you want something that you can upgrade over time rather than replace, and you don't mind the additional complexity which can come with PC gaming, then put your money into a PC.
