Is it worth PC gaming anymore? Why I think I may be switching to consoles.

[I/O]

Though I understand where OP is coming from with an attitude like that he will never experience GTA V on the PC which is going to be a way better experience that PS4 or Xbox One. Only problem is you are going to need $500 worth of graphics hardware and a top end expensive CPU to make it much better than consoles.

[Monarch]

I've been thinking the same. 

I'm tired of having to worry if I'll be able to run the game, worry about the game being AMD or Nvidia optimized, microstuttering or stuttering in general, screen tearing, SLI/CF graphics glitches... When will AMD/Nvidia issue new drivers? Will they bring more problems, like BSODs from YT?  Is switching to Windows X going to give me better performance? Even if the port is generally good, will the game perform well on my machine? Is it going to force mouse acceleration?

There are so many possible issues with PC gaming that something very bad is bound to happen with every game that comes out. So many issues without even looking at the actual game and it's flaws.

 

Oh rockstar i hope you give a shit about pc. Please optimize GTA V

 

This is exactly what I'm talking about.

 

I'm a fan of GTA series. I didn't play GTA V when it first came out since I didn't own a console. Then it came out for next gen and again I'm not able to play it, waiting for it to come out for PC, probably just to find out it's an unoptimized stuttering crap.

I'm also a fan of Far Cry series, and while it's rock solid on consoles, black screen, mouse acceleration and stuttering when driving on PC. Guess I won't be playing it either. 

BF4 had performance issues as well. People with certain hardware still experience terrible lag spikes.

 

I agree with what you said, that gaming is about taking a break from reality and having fun. It seems that's easier to do on consoles. I've been a PC gamer since I got into gaming but all those PC related issues significantly lower the gap between PCs and consoles. It's probably what corporates wanted anyway.

 

[ThatOtherGuy95]

Two words... STAR CITIZEN

[AlwaysFlexin]

I know this was a long read, and if you made it to this point without losing interest and falling asleep, I applaud and thank you.

I read the entire post because I knew from the beginning that I was going to agree with most of what you were saying, and I was correct. It can be tiresome adjusting settings, upgrading, and monitoring when you just want to game, but A. You don't have to do all this, and B. This is where the fun is at for me.

 

Like others have said, just put the settings on something that you can run a good frame rate at and enjoy the game. Stream it to your living room and use an xbox controller. I do this all the time.

 

Also, for me, I could spend an entire day (weeks?) just looking at parts, planning builds, or benchmarking my current setups. This is where the fun is at. I spend more time doing this as well as researching games than actually playing them. I've come to accept that this is more entertainment for me than playing a game non stop for 5 hours. It all depends on what you personally want from PC gaming. And if you simply want to game, then just simply game. 

[Diederik_Gr]

This is the price you pay for the freedom you get. Always wanting something better is completely human, and the PC market always becomes better by the day. I also struggle with this, it's just that i want to buy a car as well when i need one.

[-TesseracT-]

I am not concerned about upgrading hardware. Right now, if I can play the game in 1080p, 80fps average and atleast high settings (medium settings in a very good looking game) I'm more than happy. Right now that's not possible due to having to sell my desktop but...

[pugz]

I have only just recently upgraded my home rig as alot of my work is thin client stuff and i would take advantage of the servers(still do).. Before that i was more than happy using my laptop to play games at low settings(otherwise my balls would fry from the heat)... Never lose sight of the real picture.. Games are meant to be fun regardless as my first gaming rigs was commodore 64 and later an amiga... If games have issues(take a deep breath) and wait... Play another game until they fix it... Or yank some cash out and upgrade yr baby... Just please don't buy a poorly built console which foxconn(just to name one) uses students to assemble their components and does not even pay them and as far as i am concerned are directly to blame for the current pc gaming market with console makers push pc player to run at ridiculous frame caps when we have more power push it better frames let alone resolutions.. That is what pc gaming is about.. Some of us have wicked pcs some not so... But we can still play no matter what, even if i don't get my beautiful ultra textures i love now i just can't see myself buying a console again.. My last was a PS2 fat model which i could even boot Linux on... 

[Monarch]

Two words... STAR CITIZEN

 

What's the big deal about it? It seems like a P2W game.

[MEC-777]

From time to time I hear these arguments against PC gaming:

 

-Have to update the graphics drivers.

-Have to fiddle with getting the settings right.

-Have to fix some compatibility issues.

-Have to make sure your games are up to date.

-Have to deal with screen tearing, micro-stuttering etc.

-Have to upgrade.

 

The basic summation here amounts to the argument that PC gaming is less convenient due to the above "issues". However I think some people are blowing these point way out of proportion and exaggerating. The reality is most of the above are not really issues anymore with PCs and what many people fail to recognize is that console gaming over the last two generations has become much less convenient than it used to be.

 

Let's quickly break this down by point:

 

Graphics drivers

-On console, not an issue, you don't have to worry about it. If it is updated, it's done through system updates.

-On PC it can be done manually or automatically. Usually straightforward, just follow the directions. Only needs to be done once every couple months or so. If setup to update automatically, then you don't have to worry, same as consoles.

 

In-Game Graphics Settings

-On console it's fixed. It's convenient in that you don't have to worry about it, again. But the downside to this is the games are often setup to give the best possible visual experience, but at the cost of running at bare minimum and barely playable frame rates. Consoles lack the ability to adjust the settings to obtain better frame rates if so desired. Some games are not at the native resolution of the display (seriously, what the heck is 792p?) and must be scaled which has the adverse effect of providing a more "fuzzy" image that lacks sharpness and detail.

-On PC, really, it's easy enough if you want it to be. Most games have resolution options (which you set once and forget) and graphical preset options (low, medium, high, very high, ultra etc.). If you don't want to waste your time adjusting each individual setting, just change the preset to where the game runs smoothly and you're done. Simple. It doesn't need to be complicated, unless you choose to do so.

 

Compatability

-On console, if you buy a game for that system, you know it will run. Simple and convenient, I agree. But, you can ONLY run games for that system (with the latest gen), there is NO backwards compatibility. This makes the system very limited in what it can do. Consoles are also very limited in terms of types of controllers and input devices.

-On PC, you can pretty much run any old or new game you want and they will run regardless. Want to play Counter Strike from ~10 years ago? No problem. it's never been more easy/convenient to run just about any piece of software (game or not) on any modern PC with windows 7 or newer. For the most part, everything "just works". On PC you also have the luxury of using any controller/input device you want. Gamepad, keyboard, racing wheel? All compatible and all have simple or no installation steps required.

 

Game/System Updates

-On consoles, based on my own experience and what I've seen and heard, this can be one of the least convenient aspects of the consoles, especially with the last two generations. Game updates are often only issued the next time you go to run that game. Typically, when you go to play a game, you just want to play. But if you want the update (sometimes mandatory), you'll have to let it do it's thing. Depending on the size of the download, it could take a minute or an hour+. Not too convenient IMO. Same thing with system updates.

-On PC, Steam has made it extremely convenient to receive game updates as it simply does so automatically, when they're issued, so long as you're logged in and your PC is running. I've never had to wait for a game to update before playing in Steam, I just open it and click on a game. Steam updates itself and so does Windows. Anyone who's been using computers for more than a few years knows about Windows updates and how it gives you the option to restart now or wait until it's more convenient for you.

 

Screen Tearing and Micro-Stuttering etc.

-On console, you typically don't get screen tearing due to the game being setup and designed to run at either 60 or 30fps. Some games can and do drop below 30fps on the latest gen, which will result in choppy game play (already choppy at 30fps IMO, but I digress...). Make no mistake, consoles are not without their own share of frame rate issues in some games. Regardless of what is causing those issues (poorly optimized game or inadequate hardware or both) doesn't matter because the reality is the issue is there the existing hardware/software and there's nothing that can be done about it as a user.

-On PC, screen tearing can be easily taken care of by enabling V-sync or limiting the frame rate. Micro-stuttering is an issue that used to be typical of running multiple graphics cards (crossfire/SLI). With PC, we have the option and the choice to run one or more graphics cards and anyone who does even a little research on the pros and cons of multiple cards, should know that running a single more powerful card will deliver better overall frame rate consistency and game play experience vs. two less powerful cards. Again, it's the user's choice to run as many cards as they want, but it should be obvious; if you want to maintain simplicity and fewer "issues", then you shouldn't be adding complexity by adding more hardware. With frame rate issues, in general, on PC there are many options at the user's disposal to remedy any frame rate problems that may be present. You simply don't have any such options with consoles.

 

Necessity To Upgrade

-Consoles do not have any such option, aside from expanding storage. The hardware is what you get and as PC hardware advances, console hardware remains limited in that capacity.

-With PCs, no you don't HAVE to upgrade on a regular/frequent basis. The very fact that you CAN upgrade a PC, in and of itself, is a very tempting thing. Many will often upgrade components even if it's not necessary or yields next to no discernible benefit to the user. That doesn't mean it's mandatory. It's a choice. A brand new freshly built mid-range ($500-$600) gaming PC will outperform the current gen consoles and allow the user to continue gaming for as long as those consoles live, without needing upgrades. The thing is; because PC gaming allows the user to adjust the settings, many of us naturally want to turn them up and that's where we get into necessary upgrades. If the user can be happy with not running everything at max settings, this is not a problem and upgrading is not necessary. Remember, it's the choice of the user to upgrade or be happy with the way their system performs. When the option exists to make one's system perform better, that adds temptation to upgrade, but is not a necessity.

 

 

This post is already much longer than I wanted it to be, so for the TL;DR - PC gaming is far more convenient than it used to be and arguably just as or more convenient in certain aspects, compared to the last two console generations. The above listed arguments against PCs are extremely weak and simply don't hold up when you analyze each point more closely.

 

I understand the appeal of consoles, but as they become more and more like PCs (but with restrictions/limitations), they have lost that console charm that many of us remember from our childhood. The golden age of consoles is gone. Nintendo is the only company that has been able to hold onto that true console experience, IMO.

 

It should also be noted that everyone has their own personal preferences. There's nothing wrong with saying "I prefer to game on a console", it's your preference. But that shouldn't be substituted by poor arguments against another platform. Also, I don't understand this notion of having to choose one or the other when you have the option to use both. I just don't see the logic in that.

[deathjester]

Snip

 

Few things here. You can lock any PC game to 30 FPS and have a SMOOTHER 30 FPS than the consoles. AC Unity drops to the teens on consoles. It is literally worse.  You have a GTX 780 and a I7. Any game that will play 30 FPS on a console will play better at 30 FPS with higher settings on a PC, no matter how bad they sabotage the optimization. The steps to do this is literally like 30 seconds and a one time process for each game. HDMI cable to a TV and you have a "next gen console" that is better with no monthly fees...

 

You moving to a console would be a downgrade even on badly optimized games.

 

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/253755-guide-to-playing-crappy-next-gen-ports-without-a-oc-haswellkiller-gpu/

[johnnyTheMac]

Thanks for all of the replies and input! Really good arguments here. Oh, and just to be clear...I never meant this to be one is better than the other type of thread and I feel a few took it as such. I have nothing against either platform. If I didn't make that clear in my OP, I apologize and allow me to state it now: I have nothing against the PC, nor do I have anything against consoles. I don't think that I wrote I prefer one over the other. Although, it was a lengthy post. This was just a stream of consciousness. 

 

Anyhow...with that stated, I bought Far Cry 4 tonight for my PC  :rolleyes: . 

[Trik'Stari]

 

Fuck yes PC gaming is still worth it. Console gaming is slowly dying because the console makers aren't making good hardware anymore, and the Devs are having to handicap PC in order to create a false "parity" between them. There may be a time where we get shit ports, as console is in it's death throws, but those who stick with it will eventually see a much bigger payoff than console gamers.

 

Edit: Not to mention that with Steam, we have a MUCH larger library of games to choose from than any single console does, especially now that they are trying to kill off "backwards compatibility" on console.

[johnmhigh]

I think that I may have an obsession with constantly upgrading my rig and constantly wanting to tweak the settings to get the best possible experience that I can have. It has gotten to the point where I actually spend so much time doing this that I have been totally missing the point of gaming, which of course is to take a little break from reality and have fun.

 

 

 

I do that too.... spend ages changing all the setting and stuff for a game, rearranging fan directions and moving cables about, swapping out ssd and hdds, upgrading parts, full teardowns and dusting/cleaning, and if theres some time, i might play a game for 30 mins or so.....

[Mooshi]

Tbh, the Nintendo Wii U seems more compelling vs PC gaming for me right now. Nothing wrong with console if it has the games you like to play. So many forum members seem to mistake power for fun factor. Power=/=Fun Games are supposed to be about having fun and nothing else really matters as long as it makes you happy. A good chunk of Steam games are absolute crap since just about anything can squeak through being greenlit, GabeN really needs to instill more quality control. Too many 3edgy5me kiddies with 11/10 for the worst games is an issue, same goes for AAA titles by the likes of companies like Ubisoft that shows there is no effort in pleasing PC gamers. Or the blatant greed..Borderlands DLC is disgusting.

 

Conclusion: If you have a decent rig and not really compelled by what's out, couldn't hurt to grab a console and play some exclusives. A true gamer can appreciate the games and not bitch all the time over platform. Yes, we get it. PC Master Race muh FPS and resolution numbers. This is like constantly trying to convince someone the sky is blue when they already know that. If a game is visually appealing to someone, stop knocking someone for wanting to play it just because it doesn't use keyboard and mouse controls.

[MEC-777]

Tbh, the Nintendo Wii U seems more compelling vs PC gaming for me right now. Nothing wrong with console if it has the games you like to play. So many forum members seem to mistake power for fun factor. Power=/=Fun Games are supposed to be about having fun and nothing else really matters as long as it makes you happy. A good chunk of Steam games are absolute crap since just about anything can squeak through being greenlit, GabeN really needs to instill more quality control. Too many 3edgy5me kiddies with 11/10 for the worst games is an issue, same goes for AAA titles by the likes of companies like Ubisoft that shows there is no effort in pleasing PC gamers. Or the blatant greed..Borderlands DLC is disgusting.

 

Conclusion: If you have a decent rig and not really compelled by what's out, couldn't hurt to grab a console and play some exclusives. A true gamer can appreciate the games and not bitch all the time over platform. Yes, we get it. PC Master Race muh FPS and resolution numbers. This is like constantly trying to convince someone the sky is blue when they already know that. If a game is visually appealing to someone, stop knocking someone for wanting to play it just because it doesn't use keyboard and mouse controls.

+1

 

PC is still the most compelling platform for me, if I could only choose one. But I can't lie, the Wii U looks like a lot of fun. Primarily, it's because of the exclusives and unique experience only that console can provide.

 

As PC enthusiasts, it's easy to become "graphics snobs" where anything less than very high settings and 60fps is unacceptable. As such, our expectations are elevated to somewhat unrealistic standards and instead of enjoying the games and immersing ourselves into the games, we instead end up paying more attention to the textures and frame rates and less about the game itself. I like tinkering and benchmarking, but I've found I get much more enjoyment out of my PC when I just invest myself in playing the games, rather than concerning myself with how the games look and run. Though I have to say; modding Skyrim is a heck of a lot of fun and makes the game SO much better.

[MEC-777]

Thanks for all of the replies and input! Really good arguments here. Oh, and just to be clear...I never meant this to be one is better than the other type of thread and I feel a few took it as such. I have nothing against either platform. If I didn't make that clear in my OP, I apologize and allow me to state it now: I have nothing against the PC, nor do I have anything against consoles. I don't think that I wrote I prefer one over the other. Although, it was a lengthy post. This was just a stream of consciousness.

 

It may be because the title of the tread includes the words "switching to console" [from PC], which implies using one instead of the other, more or less exclusively.

[Mooshi]

+1

 

PC is still the most compelling platform for me, if I could only choose one. But I can't lie, the Wii U looks like a lot of fun. Primarily, it's because of the exclusives and unique experience only that console can provide.

 

As PC enthusiasts, it's easy to become "graphics snobs" where anything less than very high settings and 60fps is unacceptable. As such, our expectations are elevated to somewhat unrealistic standards and instead of enjoying the games and immersing ourselves into the games, we instead end up paying more attention to the textures and frame rates and less about the game itself. I like tinkering and benchmarking, but I've found I get much more enjoyment out of my PC when I just invest myself in playing the games, rather than concerning myself with how the games look and run. Though I have to say; modding Skyrim is a heck of a lot of fun and makes the game SO much better.

 

I believe it was Slick who said the best combo was having a PC and Wii-U. Between the two of them, there are a lot of titles to play.

[johnnyTheMac]

Delete, please.

[johnnyTheMac]

It may be because the title of the tread includes the words "switching to console" [from PC], which implies using one instead of the other, more or less exclusively.

While that may be true, the title states why I may switch to consoles. Additionally, it is apparent in my post that I wasn't for one or the other, just something's that where going through my head at the moment. It was a long post, though, so I guess I really cannot expect everyone read through the entire post and judge it by its title alone.

[Klerk]

Hello,

First off, this is more of a rant than anything. Sometimes, I think these forums are for things like this because my friends, and especially my wife, cannot stand when I talk about technology, upgrading and gaming lol. I would also like to state that I am a PC gamer, and I have been for a while. This is not to bash PC gaming, at all. I know many may see this as that, but it is not. It really just a stream of consciousnesses that I want to get out and share. And, perhaps, some of you may have the same experience or thoughts that I am having. Please, feel free to respond in any case.

I have been going through a bit of an internal struggle lately. Should I upgrade this or that? Will my rig run this at the highest settings possible? What are the frame rates going to be? Is there going to be screen tearing or micro-stuttering? What do I have to to make my gaming experience smooth and graphically amazing? There are more questions that I have asked myself in my head, here in the forums and other forums around the web.

I think that I may have an obsession with constantly upgrading my rig and constantly wanting to tweak the settings to get the best possible experience that I can have. It has gotten to the point where I actually spend so much time doing this that I have been totally missing the point of gaming, which of course is to take a little break from reality and have fun.

With the latest batch of games that just came out, mainly from Ubisoft, it made me stop and think to myself, "Is it worth it anymore?". I mean, some of these developers are not optimizing games to run on the PC that well, so you have to have a pretty beefy rig to run them, but even then many with beefy rigs still have issues. I have a pretty nice set-up, with an i7 3770K, Gigabyte Windforce 780 GHz Ed, 8GB RAM..., but I have noticed that some games are still riddled with stuttering, screen tearing, low FPS drops and just not being able to run where I would expect games to run. Perhaps, though, that is just my fault for expecting too much, or falling into the graphics hype machine that is game marketing.

I just think that I am at a point in my life where I have to prioritize and ask if it is worth my sanity and my cash to keep chasing the PC gaming dream. Someone once said, "A computer is never finished, you just run out of money." I have a family now, with a wife, a daughter and a boy on the way in January. So, time and money are hard to come by and it seems that those things may not be coming back anytime soon lol.

I took a break from PC gaming a little while ago because I became way to, let's say, involved with upgrading, graphic and performance. I picked up a PS4 and finished Assassin's Creed Black Flag, Infamous Second Son, Battlefield 4, Madden 15 and some others. I don't mind saying that it was quite an enjoyable experience. I popped in the disc, grabbed the controller and gamed right on my couch. Simple and easy. And, to my surprise, the graphics were not that bad. I didn't have to press pause and go into the settings and tweak them. I didn't have to monitor my temperatures. I didn't have to worry if my GPU was good enough to run the game. I didn't have to worry about the noise of running a big rig.

I know, graphically, the PC is superior. However, when you are actually immersed in the game, do you really notice half of the stuff we jack up our graphics for? Is there that big of a noticeable difference between the current generation of consoles and PC's to warrant all of the stuff that I personally get uptight about? Is worth the price of building and upgrading a PC gaming rig? I don't know...these are just some of the things that I have been thinking about lately.

As I stated in the beginning of the post, this is not to bash any type of gaming and I certainly do not want to start a flame war. This is just simply more or less of a rant and some thoughts that I have been having lately that, I guess, I needed to get out of my head and off of my chest. Whether you agree with me or not, or share some similar thoughts and experience, I welcome all conversation.

I know this was a long read, and if you made it to this point without losing interest and falling asleep, I applaud and thank you.

Well the problem with you constantly needing to upgrade is a problem within yourself and not with pc gaming. I understand that it is very addicting to get upgrades and everyone will do it everyday if we had unlimited amounts of cash. It all boils down to self control and knowing what you need and when it becomes too much.

 

As with regards to recent games release of terrible games, it affects consoles too not just pc gaming. This past couple of years has just been the era of unfinished and overhyped games. I myself have been only playing dota2 for the past months despite recently upgrading to a gtx 970 though I will get shadow of mordor this sale.

 

Console gaming is not bad. It all comes down to personal preference. A lot of people say pc gaming is expensive. I myself find pc gaming a way better investment since I use my pc for a variety things involving both pleasure and productivity.

[MEC-777]

As with regards to recent games release of terrible games, it affects consoles too not just pc gaming. This past couple of years has just been the era of unfinished and overhyped games. I myself have been only playing dota2 for the past months despite recently upgrading to a gtx 970 though I will get shadow of mordor this sale.

 

Console gaming is not bad. It all comes down to personal preference. A lot of people say pc gaming is expensive. I myself find pc gaming a way better investment since I use my pc for a variety things involving both pleasure and productivity.

 

This is very true. Games that are bad PC ports and don't run very well, still run better on PC than they do on the consoles.

 

The types of people who say PC gaming is expensive most likely don't have a very good understanding of PCs - the different components and how they relate to gaming performance. A little education goes a long way and would probably prevent a lot of the arguments we see on the topic.  

[xboxvspc]

Honestly PC gaming is still worth it... forget about graphics or resolution it's just that in the end of the day everyone wants to save money on games, because I recently started PC gaming and i can tell you now that games are really cheap when it comes to PC copies especially if your picking them up digitally. For example I picked up Far cry 4 gold edition recently on the PC from https://www.g2a.com/r/far-cry-4-gold-uplay-cd-key-global-html for only £35 pounds compared to the Xbox one edition that ain't even doing gold edition and selling the game for £42, I picked up battlefield 4 premium edition on origin for only for £24 pounds whereas i bought the normal edition on Xbox one for about £44 as a student am always looking for the cheapest place to get games and PC seems to do it for me. Am just saying that you will have more money left in your pocket when buying a PC game then buying a console copy of the game.

[MEC-777]

Honestly PC gaming is still worth it... forget about graphics or resolution it's just that in the end of the day everyone wants to save money on games, because I recently started PC gaming and i can tell you now that games are really cheap when it comes to PC copies especially if your picking them up digitally. For example I picked up Far cry 4 gold edition recently on the PC from https://www.g2a.com/r/far-cry-4-gold-uplay-cd-key-global-html for only £35 pounds compared to the Xbox one edition that ain't even doing gold edition and selling the game for £42, I picked up battlefield 4 premium edition on origin for only for £24 pounds whereas i bought the normal edition on Xbox one for about £44 as a student am always looking for the cheapest place to get games and PC seems to do it for me. Am just saying that you will have more money left in your pocket when buying a PC game then buying a console copy of the game.

 

It's interesting you brought this up because I showed a friend of mine how cheap even relatively new games were on PC (Steam, Origin, GMG, GoG etc.) and it didn't persuade him to move to PC gaming at all. He has a Macbook for his everyday PC needs and an Xbox One for gaming. He doesn't have a lot of time to game and doesn't need or want a massive games library. He's totally content to play one or two games to completion (when he has the time, a little bit at a time). Also, to him, the Xbox One graphics are "good enough" so long as the game itself is held up by it's own merits (game play mechanics, story etc.). He's certainly more than a casual gamer, but not as hard-core as I am (I'll play for hours on end). The fact remains; he just doesn't care that games are cheaper on PC, nor does he care to have the absolute best graphics/frame rate. He would rather just simply pop a game in, play it and enjoy it. And I know he's not the only one who takes this approach to gaming.

 

Another friend of mine, very different from the one I was just talking about, owns a PS3, Xbox 360 and a high-end gaming PC. I jokingly called him a "multi-plat whore" this morning (he laughed) because he said he's looking forward to GTAV for PC, even though he already bought and played the PS3 version when it first came out. This isn't the first game he's purchased for multiple platforms either. Usually he does this because of exclusive content, but my point here is; that's at least $50+ a pop for 2 different versions of the same game. He loves taking advantage of Steam sales for sure, but to him, it's worth spending the money for both of those games. To myself and my other friend, we would consider that a waste. If it brings him enjoyment, who am I to say he's wrong or tell him how to spend his own money?

 

So this is why I've said before (and in the "PCMR is ignorant" thread) that the argument over which platform is cheaper/easier is not relevant to many. It really boils down to the individual's personal preferences and situation.

[xboxvspc]

It's interesting you brought this up because I showed a friend of mine how cheap even relatively new games were on PC (Steam, Origin, GMG, GoG etc.) and it didn't persuade him to move to PC gaming at all. He has a Macbook for his everyday PC needs and an Xbox One for gaming. He doesn't have a lot of time to game and doesn't need or want a massive games library. He's totally content to play one or two games to completion (when he has the time, a little bit at a time). Also, to him, the Xbox One graphics are "good enough" so long as the game itself is held up by it's own merits (game play mechanics, story etc.). He's certainly more than a casual gamer, but not as hard-core as I am (I'll play for hours on end). The fact remains; he just doesn't care that games are cheaper on PC, nor does he care to have the absolute best graphics/frame rate. He would rather just simply pop a game in, play it and enjoy it. And I know he's not the only one who takes this approach to gaming.

 

Another friend of mine, very different from the one I was just talking about, owns a PS3, Xbox 360 and a high-end gaming PC. I jokingly called him a "multi-plat whore" this morning (he laughed) because he said he's looking forward to GTAV for PC, even though he already bought and played the PS3 version when it first came out. This isn't the first game he's purchased for multiple platforms either. Usually he does this because of exclusive content, but my point here is; that's at least $50+ a pop for 2 different versions of the same game. He loves taking advantage of Steam sales for sure, but to him, it's worth spending the money for both of those games. To myself and my other friend, we would consider that a waste. If it brings him enjoyment, who am I to say he's wrong or tell him how to spend his own money?

 

So this is why I've said before (and in the "PCMR is ignorant" thread) that the argument over which platform is cheaper/easier is not relevant to many. It really boils down to the individual's personal preferences and situation.

Fair enough because I generally don't hate gaming on the console nor do i hate PC gaming so I do get best of both worlds, I guess your right in the end of the day it down to personal preferences and situation.

[EpicAdom]

You're getting too into the tweaking side of PC gaming. Just bring the settings down a bit and enjoy playing games.