Mal’s Computer Corner

Platform: PC, PS4, XBox One

By Malefico

With the release of the new consoles well under way and with partisans expressing strong console and PC opinions, I wanted to take just a little space to try to start a positive, thoughtful discussion of the state of video gaming today as it relates to hardware. Yep, we’re diving in to the console vs. PC debate

For those who have been reading my articles, you know that I am pretty solidly in the PC gaming camp. But I wanted to step outside myself in order to present rational reasons why a gamer should or shouldn’t spend money on the new devices.

I also hope to show that in many cases, a given platform’s strengths are also its weaknesses.

But on to the article.

Five Reasons A Next Gen Console May Be Your Solution

1. Good hardware – Without a doubt, I underestimated the gaming chops of the new boxes. While PS4 may prove to be the stronger pure gaming machine, both are more than capable of delivering great image quality and fast action. They are both speedy, efficient machines and while you could build a gaming rig for about the same money that would do as well or better, that requires a certain commitment of time and the willingness to dive into the innards of a device and build it from the ground up. If you buy a console, all the research required to properly match components to produce a viable gaming system are done for you, and in a space- and power-efficient package.
2. Steady supply of top games – Since console game sales still represent the lion’s share of the video game market, more big developers are making games for these platforms. With the release of two new consoles, that’s unlikely to change drastically in the near future. Granted, the “AAA” titles are usually released for PC as well, but since both consoles feature exclusive releases there are good console games that will never make it to PC until that console is long gone and somebody makes an emulator.
3. Ease of Use – A lot of people get home after work or school and unwind by playing games. In most cases, that individual doesn’t want to be stymied by compatibility issues, weird bugs and other oddities. With a console, you should never have to worry about any of those things. If you do, the problem represents a major failure of the software development process. But console developers employ hordes of testers, so 99% of the issues have been worked out before launch. PC games, due mostly to the fact that they are written to run regardless of your OS and hardware configuration are more susceptible to various issues related to hardware and software.
4. Performance vs. expense – If you can’t, or don’t want to build your own system a console represents good value given its performance potential. Because the core system hardware is built into the board the systems are able to run very fast, and because the software can be written specifically for the platform without having to make concessions necessary for it to be able to run with a large number of hardware configurations (as are found on PC), the new consoles squeeze every bit of performance out of the parts from which they are assembled. For a gamer who doesn’t want to build, the only PC gaming options are to go to a local builder or buy from a larger company. Either way, you’ll end up paying more than a new console.
5. Larger online community – Since most contemporary games are designed to be enjoyed by multiple players online, console gamers can count on a large community of players with which to hang out and have fun. While this is also true with PC games, there are more console gamers out there so at any given time there should theoretically be more console gamers online playing the game you want to play, when you want to play it.

These are good, solid reasons for buying a console, and for a lot of gamers (possibly the majority), they make sense. I absolutely get that many people aren’t willing to (or just don’t have the time to) fiddle and tinker around inside and outside a computer case in order to get their game on. Hell, I make money because most don’t need or care to know exactly how a PC works, they just want it to work.

Now, let’s look at some compelling reasons why PC gaming makes sense.

Five Reasons To Go PC

1. Flexible hardware – PC gamers want solid performance, but they also want to be able to fine-tune their hardware to get the most out of it. For that reason, PCs have an edge in this area. The upgradeable hard drive on PS4 notwithstanding (you could do the same thing on PS3), PC gamers can choose from thousands of cases, CPUs, boards, RAM, GPUs and storage options and build the system that does exactly what they want with the performance they want. And when the system gets a bit dated, they can opt to upgrade piece by piece to stay current or go with a whole new build.
2. More and cheaper games – Where consoles have the edge in big-studio titles, PC gamers have most of those but also another world of weird and wonderful games made by smaller studios. PC gamers also have the benefit of buying their games for a lot less money (Steam sales FTW). Since I want to stick with five reasons for PC, I’ll go ahead and lump the console online subscriber fees in here. PC gamers have always played online for free, not counting the ISP fees that everyone pays.
3. User-friendly operating systems – OS developers have made great strides, in concert with other software developers, to make gaming and other tasks easier for the end user. Especially with Windows 7, installing and gaming is pretty much plug and play. Only rarely do you run into any kind of compatibility issues, and usually Windows warns you beforehand that you are going to have problems with a specific program.
4. Cost of ownership – If you are willing to invest a little time researching and bargain-hunting, you can put together a good gaming rig for a little bit of money. As I described in my Guerrilla Gaming article, there are thousands of desktops out there that make a decent basis for an inexpensive gaming rig. Now that laptops and tablets are the hot thing, the used desktop PCs are going cheap. With one of these and a few well-chosen aftermarket pieces, you can have your PC gaming machine and spend the money you saved building on a bunch of cool games. Since you don’t have to pay to play online, you can shift that expense back into your budget or use the funds to expand your game library.
5. Game compatibility – PC gamers have this advantage over consoles, and it’s an important one. I don’t want to have to line up numerous boxes on my entertainment center so I can be sure I have the hardware to play the game that strikes my fancy at the moment. PC offers a solid platform with the ability to play the newest games as well as those that are heading toward their 20^th birthday. Then you have the emulators to expand your library and play old console games on the same system.

So there are five good reasons why PC gaming might be an option you want to explore.

What it all boils down to is that each camp has their own philosophy, and neither one is “best”. Best is what works for you. Each gamer makes tradeoffs based on what is important to him/her. Of course, some gamers do console and PC – they are the ambassadors to both worlds.

If you just want to play games with no hassle, you are willing to accept that what you buy you own until the console manufacturers release another box, and you want an absolutely pain-free gaming experience with guaranteed access to major titles then console is the way to go.

If you want upgrade options, like to keep pace with the game industry as it moves forward, and like the idea of having a blend of AAA and more indie titles, then PC is the way to go.

So the things that make each option attractive to some will be anathema to others.

The careful engineering of the consoles makes the most of limited hardware and results in them running “better” than the all-around PC, while simultaneously limiting them; they will never be more capable than they are when you unbox them. The flexibility of the PC means software developers can’t develop a game that will run “perfectly” for anyone – they have to make concessions so the software will run well regardless of what brand or type of processor, board, or video card you have. But, you can always address hardware shortcomings as the need arises and based on individual preference.

With consoles you get the hassle-free gaming experience, but you’re at the mercy of the manufacturers; they get to decide when you’ll get a better system or if you’ll pay repeatedly for different releases of the same game that will run on the newest hardware. With PC, you will run into hassles from time to time and have to do research to figure out how to fix it, but you get to choose what’s right for you to a far greater extent and with few exceptions, that old game will install and run well right next to that new title you just bought.

I tried to represent what I consider to be each platform’s best features. No doubt I missed some and I am hoping that you, the reader will expand on this article to cover ground that I overlooked. No matter what “side” you are on (I’m of the opinion that gamers should stick together, but it’s human nature to draw arbitrary lines and divide…), it’s important to internalize, to understand in the deepest part of your inner being that you are neither right nor wrong, neither superior nor inferior, but simply that you embrace a perspective based on your own experiences and personal perceptions.

Keep it civil, please. Profanity, etc. will result in me editing your comment so it sounds like the dialogue from an R-rated movie edited to run on a Ted Turner channel, for example, “Why don’t you go fix yourself, you crazy slimy major fumbler…” It just sounds silly. We can all air our views in an adult fashion without using “adult” language. Remember, there may be young eyes reading.