Console Vs PC essay

[MasterLow]

Hi all I have to write an essay about which is better? Console or pc? The two main questions I need to answer Is which is better for general purpose and which would be better for a gaming experience. If you can please give solid   facts or and even links to places I can use to find this information myself. the reason I am asking this on a TECH forum is because this website is a trusted one that has people around the world that know what they are talking about. also if It wasn't to clear please back up statements with solid facts and where they came from. thanks

[Dobbsjr]

Of course you would be asking it on a tech forum, where else would you ask these questions?  

 

 

[z123killer]

http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2015/08/why-im-a-console-gamer/

 

 

http://www.pcgamesn.com/pc-versus-consoles

 

 

http://www.techinsider.io/reasons-why-pc-gamers-prefer-pc-2015-11

[MasterLow]

6 hours ago, Dobbsjr said:

Of course you would be asking it on a tech forum, where else would you ask these questions?  

Yay positive feedback and not some snarky half arsed answer giving me a mean response on why I should ask this question or how it would be stupid THANKS

 

6 hours ago, z123killer said:

http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2015/08/why-im-a-console-gamer/

 

 

http://www.pcgamesn.com/pc-versus-consoles

 

 

http://www.techinsider.io/reasons-why-pc-gamers-prefer-pc-2015-11

Thank you!!! another informative response without sarcasm! THANKS!

[Herman Mcpootis]

why would you have to write an essay about this though? are you in the computer club or something ?

[Beskamir]

PC is objectively better. Especially with low level apis like Vulkan or DX12, a PC can have the exact same functionality as a console as well as a rather lengthy list of additional features consoles are just barely beginning to adopt (an example: mods)

[MasterLow]

6 hours ago, herman mcpootis said:

why would you have to write an essay about this though? are you in the computer club or something ?

Fair question. I'm doing a research essay for my english class. This goes towards NCEA (the new zealand crediting system) and its worth credits to my grade and passing the year!!!! I everyone was givin the option to choose a topic of their choice so I chose one that I am semi familiar with. Because I know a little about computers and consoles but not have the hardcore evidence to back any claims I have, and use info about this topic that isn't just mine or someone else's opinion. Thanks for the question. I hope this was a reasonable answer. Also its very late at night so sorry if this makes little sense. thanks and sorry

 

5 hours ago, ElfFriend said:

PC is objectively better. Especially with low level apis like Vulkan or DX12, a PC can have the exact same functionality as a console as well as a rather lengthy list of additional features consoles are just barely beginning to adopt (an example: mods)

Thank you. can you please give me some solid facts as to how you know this. If you can't I will still use and work with this. Thanks 

[RoroTheDeer]

2 minutes ago, MasterLow said:

Fair question. I'm doing a research essay for my english class. This goes towards NCEA (the new zealand crediting system) and its worth credits to my grade and passing the year!!!! I everyone was givin the option to choose a topic of their choice so I chose one that I am semi familiar with. Because I know a little about computers and consoles but not have the hardcore evidence to back any claims I have, and use info about this topic that isn't just mine or someone else's opinion. Thanks for the question. I hope this was a reasonable answer. Also its very late at night so sorry if this makes little sense. thanks and sorry

Hi, just joining the thread Not really here to give an answer (because most of it has already been answered ) but to say good luck and I hope you do well in your essay!  

[MasterLow]

Just now, Insp1r3 said:

Hi, just joining the thread Not really here to give an answer (because most of it has already been answered ) but to say good luck and I hope you do well in your essay!  

Thanks so much. that means heaps to hear that from someone I don't actually know. it actually helps in a motivational way. Definitely not sarcasm either. thank you for the support! 

[Herman Mcpootis]

14 minutes ago, MasterLow said:

Fair question. I'm doing a research essay for my english class. This goes towards NCEA (the new zealand crediting system) and its worth credits to my grade and passing the year!!!! I everyone was givin the option to choose a topic of their choice so I chose one that I am semi familiar with. Because I know a little about computers and consoles but not have the hardcore evidence to back any claims I have, and use info about this topic that isn't just mine or someone else's opinion. Thanks for the question. I hope this was a reasonable answer. Also its very late at night so sorry if this makes little sense. thanks and sorry

alright, for general purpose, PCs are meant to do just that. you can send emails, watch youtube, streaming, use microsoft office, edit and render photos/videos, etc. consoles are more for just gaming so they generallycan do less things than PCs. 

[SnowyMus]

Some pros to consoles:

 

A console has a much cheaper upfront cost. If you look online, you can find listings for the Xbox One at retail stores for only $249 and the PlayStation 4 for $349. You really couldn't get an even decent gaming PC at these low of prices without cutting a lot of corners unless you build with used parts.

 

Consoles are guaranteed to run all of their games during their lifetime, while PC games can have system requirements which can vary from low to demanding. Just because you have a brand-new PC doesn't mean you'll run an AAA game very well.

 

Consoles are, overall, more user-friendly. You simply plug in a console, and it's guaranteed to work out of the box (though maybe after an update). You can even turn the console on with the controller. In most cases, PCs don't require a lot of setup once they're assembled and the OS and drivers are installed, but you may have to be wary of nasties like malware, plus you have to actually download and install Steam if you want to use it. I know SteamOS is a thing, but it's not really a thing...

 

 

In a purely gaming perspective (basically, not including stuff like PCs being able to run Excel), here are some pros to PCs:

 

The PC's hardware can be configured to suit a specific need or budget. If you're bold, you can even take it a step further and overclock some of the hardware if you have compatible hardware. You can get a super powerful 4K rig, or be happy with entry-level 1080p gaming. Games also allow users to choose graphics settings, allowing a user to reduce graphical quality for higher framerate, or sacrifice framerate for graphical quality. Consoles at best let you choose hard drive space, at the moment.

 

Indie games thrive on the PC, as there is no single entity that controls the PC gaming market, where consoles are often controlled by one entity. Sure, you have Valve with their big and mighty Steam, but indie developers do not have to go through Valve if they want to self-publish their games. Minecraft is a prime example of this.

Most PC games don't require a paid subscription to play multiplayer, plus many games go on sale for fairly cheaply on Steam, though what games actually go on sale will vary. The cost over time shrinks the actual gap between the price of an entry-level gaming PC versus a console.

 

 

Best of luck with your essay.

[Beskamir]

33 minutes ago, MasterLow said:

Thank you. can you please give me some solid facts as to how you know this. If you can't I will still use and work with this. Thanks 

Well, try finding something that consoles are better than PCs at. Price? Not if you buy used like in scrapyard wars. Couch+TV? Bring your pc to your living room or have a dedicated streaming system connected to the TV. Controller? Plug one in. Splitscreen? Depends on the game. Plug and play? About as good as modern consoles now that they have to update quite often . Portability? mini itx systems... Seriously find anything that people consider consoles to be superior for and then look at what a pc has to offer. Chances are a pc has that feature.

 

Now what does a pc have that a console can't possibly have? Superior graphics, broad choice of controls, option menus so you can favor fps over detail and vice versa, cheaper games (hail Gaben although I prefer GOG), way more games(although a lot of them are shit... I blame steam greenlight), indie games, mods, additional functionality(can be used for work/school/etc), multitasking (can play music while playing a game, apparently that's some top level innovation on consoles judging by either sony's or microsoft's event at the last E3), multiple displays, more storage space, etc.

 

Edit: Just thought of a 2 more fairly major pros to PCs, basically infinite backward compatibility, and rts/4x games.

[Herman Mcpootis]

for value, consoles tend to be cheaper upfront compared to a similarly performing PC, but things such as xbox live membership, controllers(if they break) and games are usually much more expensive than their pc counterparts. for the PC, you pay more upfront for similar performance, but going online is free,keyboard/mouse are usually cheaper(unless you go for the more expensive mechanical ones and the ones with the fancy features) and the games are cheaper due to steam sales, and charity websites like humble bundle that sell game bundles for dirt cheap and donate the money to charity, so in the long run the PC wil be cheaper than a console.

[Helly]

PC's can do everything a console can and more. From a gaming perspective the pc has a long list of games going back to the very beginning of PC gaming, (late 70's?). All of them can still be played today. The same can never be said for consoles.

 

The PC can eventually even play all the console games themselves through emulation.

 

The only advantage consoles have for gaming is that its cheaper to get started and easier to use. Although there can be many long discussions about the easier part. I mean turning on a PC is as easy as turning on a console and then moving the mouse to an icon and double clicking isn't exactly rocket science. The only thing making it a little more difficult is the setting up part. Once set up the PC is as easy as a console.

 

The difficulty in writing that essay will be in sorting through the mess of opinions everyone has about it. There is a reason most of the topics on this subject turn into flame wars after all.

[Lukiose]

For my personal stand on this matter, i'd say there is just about absolute NO good reason to purchase a console over a PC.

 

The fact is, low cost PCs nowadays running GPU-optimised setups or APUs can perform equally if not better in games compared to a console. A PC also functions as a platform where you can do work, surf the net, download music, participate in forum communities, discuss about porn and more, whereas Consoles are more or less strictly limited to games.

 

Even for the argument for 'family friendly' and 'couch gaming' is completely invalid in 2016, because there is nothing stopping you from using something like Chromecast to mirror your digital output onto your TV, and you can plug in any matter of wireless controllers as you desire to use on your couch or bed provided you have the appropriate slots on your computer - which can be solved by using expansion hubs anyway.

 

For those that talk about console exclusive games - use your brain for a second, how many games are there on a PC that are not available on a console? You can also use a PC to run virtual machines or emulators. Games also cost an exorbitant amount on consoles, you have to pay to use the internet [PSN,Xbox Live] and pay full price upwards of 40-80USD nowadays for AAA titles.  On the other hand, the PC platform is no stranger to insane sales - most notably Steam, at multiple times throughout the year. Piracy is of course an option for both platforms, but that requires you to burn the image onto a disc for consoles - oh, and you probably need a PC to download said pirated product in the first place anyway ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

I haven't even brushed on the done-to-death topic of performance on PC vs Consoles because it is strictly not needed. PC wins hands down, it is also a modular platform that you can choose to upgrade at any time to suit your needs, whereas consoles are one-dimensional and once they feel incapable you need a complete replacement. To be fair, Sony and Microsoft do go to a great length to ensure that newly released games will run on these dated hardware. Look at games like Watch Dogs for example, severely downgraded from it's original graphical fidelity in order to make it accessible to the Playstation 4 at acceptable performance.

 

As for ease of use, is a console that much easier than a PC? While i agree that initially setting up a PC may be a daunting task for the less-able, once everything is up and running you literally

1) Press the Power button on your case

2) Wait

3) Double Click/Search whatever game you desire and run it

 

You don't even have to build a PC yourself, you can head down to your local BestBuy or something and grab a computer that already has everything fitted together and Windows installed. Hence i don't see any argument for 'ease of use' either.

 

Did i miss out anything?

[ZimFreak]

The only advantage Consoles have is ease of use and sometimes cost. You don't have to worry about your video card drivers, or having poor performance due to a memory leak on a console. You only need one account for Microsoft/Playstation instead of having a Steam account, one for Ubisoft Uplay, one for EA's Origin, one for Good old Games, one for Oculus Home, etc etc etc. This also consolidates your friends list to one place. Admittedly most PC players use Steam 99% of the time but it still bears mentioning. They're also idiot proof in the sense that you buy an Xbox, an Xbox game and they will always work together. Combine this with the fact that you can get a brand new Xbox One for $250, and I think consoles are great for some people. Of course the reason Microsoft is able to lose money on a console sale is because the games are so much more expensive. So they make up for the console with many hundreds of dollars in Xbox games over the next few years.

 

Other than that PC's are objectively better in every way. There's more games, more free games, better graphics, more options (do you want better resolution at the cost of frame rate of the other way around?), multiple monitor setups are not possible on Consoles. Modding is just starting to come to consoles but there's way more mods and more games able to be modded on PC. Plus online gaming on a PC is free. Emulators let you play any game made before the Xbox 360/PS3 (although a Wii U emu has been making great progress).