Console vs Gaming PC: Which one should you buy?

The gaming industry has flourished since the advent of technology. Gone are the days when we used to have hand-held consoles to play games like Circus and Mario; the new age of gaming has brought console gaming and Gaming Computers to the forefront. The war between these two factions is heated; as to which is the best amongst them is still a topic for discussion. There are two sections among gamers based on this topic, and both of them have a serious number of followers and lovers. 

What should you as an avid gamer opt for when provided with these two choices, a gaming console or a gaming computer? The following sections will throw some light on why each has its own set of advantages and how you can choose. 

Why must you have a Gaming PC?

One of the very first obstacles that many aspiring PC gamers face is overcoming a mental one. Creating a gaming computer is not everyone’s cup of tea. If you were a console player before and are making a transition towards computer gaming, it will seem challenging.

It would be best if you are not afraid, though. Creating your gaming computer is something that anybody can do. You can build one even though you are not a techie. You would have seen Henry Cavill build a Gaming PC on his own that he featured on his Instagram page. In essence, you do not need any prior experience to create a great gaming system. There are many walkthroughs and resources available online, along with a catalogue of items that you need to purchase to create one.

Additionally, you don’t even need to create a custom rig if you think that would take too much time. There are loads of prebuilt computers and gaming laptops that will suit your requirements.

But it is a wholesome experience to dive into the build of a gaming computer because it is exhilarating. You will not get this opportunity repeatedly, and there would be rare instances where you can choose your parts and construct a PC bit by bit as you need. That is the entire point behind carrying out a custom build instead of buying a lone-configuration gaming console. You can make your system powerful or satisfactory enough to meet your needs. There is no point in spending $1000 on a 2080 Ti Graphics Card if you are interested in Indie games. On the other hand, you can create a custom RGB lighthouse with loads of colour variants, thereby giving you a complete gaming experience. 

Monitors give gamers a lot of freedom compared to connecting your gaming console with a TV. You can choose from amongst Curved, Flat, LED panels with appropriate refresh rates and have a blast. It is worth noting that a good gaming PC will outlive the constant hype of next-generation gaming consoles. Instead of upgrading to a PS5 Pro in the next five years or so, you can take a PC, swap your graphics card, CPU and motherboard. A fact to be noted is that a good gaming PC will always be more powerful than a gaming console. 

Peripherals are another thing to look out for when it comes to console vs PC gaming. You can play FPS games using a mouse and a keyboard, but you can do so quickly if you want to switch over to a DualShock controller. 

Freedom of choice on hardware is not the only advantage when it comes to gaming computers. When it comes to choosing from a wide variety of games, there are many more choices in PC rather than in console gaming. Competitive MOBAs, battle royale shooter games, MMORPGs, indie games, AAA games have their variants on PCs. You can play these games online at no additional cost. There will be advantages to console players regarding exclusive games in the market, but that is a small price to pay. 

It would help if you also understand that PC games are not restricted to one storefront. You can shop around extensively on various platforms like Steam, Epic Games Store, Uplay, Origin for a wide variety of PC games. 

Another advantage offered by PC gaming that does not cause any issue is backward compatibility. You can use emulators in gaming computers to play some high-end retro games in high-definition settings. There is a need to download a remastered version of it to make it PC compatible. You can look at some of the games like Skyrim to check how it can transform a game like that through the gaming communities. It would be best if you understood that the PC ecosystem is advantageous and accessible to all. If you have a gaming hobby, you can invest your time and money to develop a fine-tuned gaming computer. 

Also Read: 6 Best Low MB Games for your PC

Why must you have a Console Gaming setup?

When we argue against Console gaming vs PC gaming, you must understand that a PC does far more than just gaming. So, any potential argument coming to cost-effectiveness is out of the park. Even though you find it cheaper to buy a console every five years and change, which might or might not be the case, a PC is a sensible option than a gaming console.

But it is important to note that the latter does have some advantages over a gaming computer. Let us begin with some prevalent ones, the games. There were many initiatives from Game Pass and Play Anywhere regarding giving an Xbox-like experience on a PC. Some of the games that provide this experience include Horizon Zero Dawn and Death Stranding. 

But many console games are just nuts to play on a PC. From the existing console generation, a PC player will miss out on some exclusive gaming titles like The Last of Us, The Last of Us Part 2, Marvel’s Spiderman, God of War, Persona 5, Shadow of the Colossus, Uncharted 4, Bloodborne, The Last Guardian and a lot more. 

There are some exclusive titles specific to PC, but if you are a big fan of AAA blockbuster games, then having a console gaming setup is a sensible option. 

If we talk about Sony’s PS5, it gives users options to choose from the disc-based model or to go for a complete digital experience. Even Microsoft follows the same model with their Xbox Series S along with Series X. In PC games, you do not get an option for physical copies of the games, which is a let-down. 

There are a few exceptions, but almost all of the PC games arrive from the digital stores. For you, it means that you do not own anything physically unless you possess a DRM-free version of it. If you have physical copies of your games on gaming consoles, you can trade and buy a new game with the money you received from the old one. You can even loan the game to your friend, as long as Microsoft does not develop any new rules concerning game sharing. 

Another advantage that you get in console gaming which is unavailable on PC, is local co-op. In PC, you and your friend need to be side-to-side for a co-op game which is alright but sounds uncomfortable. Gaming with your friends is much easier when you have a console in your hand, an excellent space to relax and enjoy the experience. You don’t have to shell out money for a gaming chair as you can take it at affordable rates. 

Another great reason that you get on console gaming is the simplicity of it compared to PC games. Gaming consoles act as pseudo-media centres, but their primary purpose is to boot a game and then immerse the players into the action. You can buy the game from the store and play it to your heart’s content. 

You do not get that experience when it comes to PC gaming. There are a lot of things to consider before you hit the Play button. These include,

1. You need to check the game launcher
2. The setup of your PC as per the game that you have
3. Are there any graphic optimizations needed?
4. Are there any additional GPU drivers that should be installed?
5. Is there a need to upgrade the core hardware to get a good experience?

These are some of the factors that you need to consider as prerequisites. 

In essence, gaming consoles like PS5 and Xbox Series provide a great gaming experience compared to gaming PCs regarding hardware and architecture than any other generation. It might not last long due to Nvidia’s improving the PC graphics by a sizeable amount, but its simplicity makes for a very nice advantage. Since there are so many factors to be considered while selecting PC gaming, it can prove to be a lot. Therefore, it is safe to assume that the gaming consoles are just like gaming computers, but they offer something more than their predecessors. 

Conclusion

Console vs Gaming Computer, choosing the best amongst them is a difficult choice indeed. There are so many pros and cons, as discussed above, on both fronts. You, as a gaming enthusiast, need to decide which side you are on. Do you love the traditional hand-held consoles with their flexibility and simplicity, or you are a fan of the gaming computers with a seemingly immersive experience; the choice is ultimately yours. There is a possibility that gaming PCs would become the new norm since they are getting upgraded fast with great graphics and other advantageous factors, but the console market will not go down without a fight.