There is a longstanding debate in the gaming community about which platform – PC gaming vs console – offers the best gaming experience.
Some gamers believe that PC gaming offers far more flexibility and options than console gaming, while others maintain that consoles provide a more streamlined gaming experience. Ultimately, the choice between PC and console gaming comes down to personal preference.
PC vs Console Gaming
Exclusive Games
This category is not going to be a winner. PC is the best option in terms of numbers and has the advantage that it’s not as tightly divided by generation. The switch is in second place, followed by PS4 and Xbox One. (Note: You can also play many Xbox “exclusives” on PC like Forza and Gears of War).
In terms of numbers.
It doesn’t matter what games you play. You want to play Halo 5, and You will need an Xbox to do this. Mario Odyssey? Switch. Spider-Man? PS4.
This is the basic idea. It is impossible to measure game quality objectively. It will come down to this for many people trying to decide, “Should I buy a console? or a PC?” If exclusivities are important to you, you will need to decide which games you’d like to play and what platform.
(The Nintendo Switch is the author’s favorite exclusive game if you are curious.
Pricing
Let’s start with pricing. Let’s keep it simple and use the hardware power & performance of the PS4 for our baseline.
System Pricing
$400 for a new PC that offers gaming performance compared to the Xbox One or PS4. You will need a new PC comparable to the Xbox One X. It will cost you $600. The PS4 is $300, and the One X is $500. So consoles win.
If we are talking about something new, then yes.
But, we should consider used hardware. You can get console performance at a lower price if you purchase a pre-built PC from eBay for $100. Although used consoles are less expensive, they will not be as affordable.
Here, we’re leaning on the Used PC with Used Console coming in close second and New PC last. The upgradeability of PCs (described below) can mean that they can be more expensive. Still, you’re choosing to invest in diminishing returns at a niche market that is not competitive with consoles.
The price of the system is not the only thing to consider. Let’s keep going…
Display Pricing
Display pricing. For the sake of simplicity, let’s say you’re looking for a 1080p display, and you want a monitor for your PC and a TV for your console (although you can use monitors for your console as well).
This is where buying a new PC wins. New, gaming-ready monitors can be purchased for as low as $100 on a PC. The average price for a new 1080p HDTV is $200.
The fight for secondhand markets is a little more complicated. Although used HDTVs are available secondhand for as low as $50-$150, they tend to be smaller. Used 1080p monitors are typically priced at $70-$80. This makes the entry barrier slightly higher.
Monitors that are brand new take the crown. Although used TVs are slightly better than new ones, they still have advantages. This is due to the many situations they might be used for. However, plenty of people already owns TVs and monitors that are more suitable for gaming.
Our article on gaming monitors and TVs will help you understand the differences.
Controller Pricing
Console controllers can be used with either their respective consoles or a PC. There is no price difference. The cost of an Xbox controller is the same regardless of whether it’s used with an Xbox console or a PC.
We should be discussing the cost of a great gaming experience on every platform.
The official controllers for current-gen consoles range from $50 to $70, depending on the sales and which console you choose. One controller will typically be included with the console.
Although third-party controllers can be purchased for consoles, they reduce features and quality, particularly at the lower end. Let’s be honest, though, a competent third-party controller costs $20.
Logitech offers a quality keyboard and mouse set for as low as $15. Although mechanical keyboards can be nice, they do not objectively improve gaming like a third-party controller. Although gaming mice can provide an objective improvement, they can also be purchased for as little as $30.
This is a close race, but we will give the edge to Computer.
Game Pricing
Let’s start with physical game pricing. The PC and console are almost equal in terms of physical games. The PC is not able to compete in terms of used physical games. However, used console games can be purchased for as little as $10-$15. Physical PC games are often more expensive than digital.
Digital games offer fewer choices, but it is not a contest. This is a clear win for PC. Steam is well-known for its frequent sales and steep discounts on AAA games. Steam also offers competitor storefronts like GOG or Humble Indie Bundle, which drive down prices and encourage sales.
This doesn’t even include the modding community. It is certainly worth its point and is free despite adding tons of value to many games like Skyrim and Don’t Starve.
The online marketplaces for consoles are the only ones that allow them to sell their games. Digital games are often priced the same as physical copies at launch. However, sales on consoles aren’t as plentiful or as generous as on PC.
Membership Pricing
This shouldn’t be a contest, but it is. Playing online with a PC is free. This category is won by PC.
Online play is available on all consoles at the moment. Nintendo charges $20 per annum for annual memberships, while PlayStation and Xbox charge $60 each. Xbox and PlayStation offer monthly games to ease the blow and additional discounts on games on sale. However, this does not even cover Steam sales savings.
VR Gaming
VR gaming is the latest trend in the market. Both PC and console have their respective markets. Only PS4 has a VR headset, while the PS4 is the only console that offers it. The PC, however, has many options, with the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive being the most well-supported and popular.
The PS VR is technologically inferior to the PC offerings. This is due to its old tracking technology and the PS4’s less powerful hardware. PS VR is also less attractive because fewer games make it less appealing overall.
PS VR is significantly less expensive. For VR, it is recommended to use a faster PC (although a PS4 Pro is more powerful than the PS4 Pro), which will cost you a substantial amount of money. The PS VR is available for as low as $200, while the Vive retails at around $500, and the Rift costs $350. However, peripherals like controllers will likely cost you an additional $100.
These are not future-proof, though. PS VR is the least of these, as Sony will likely push the technology further with its next console.
It’s best to test one in a store like GameStop or Best Buy. Although you might save money on the PS VR’s quality, it could be worth the difference between having a great gaming experience and needing to have a trash can nearby.
Backward Compatibility
Let’s suppose you want to play older games with your current system. Which system offers the best backward compatibility rate?
PC Backwards Compatibility
This is a great feature of the PC. Your PC library can go back further than the existence of Nintendo consoles thanks to built-in compatibility mode, user-made fixes, and outlets such as GOG. You can also emulate almost any console with the help of emulators and the right hardware.
Nintendo Backwards Compatibility
This is the sad part: Nintendo used to be a great choice in this category.
Nintendo could play all its most popular games on modern systems thanks to the Wii U/3DS Virtual Consoles and Wii U/3DS Virtual Consoles.
The Nintendo Switch does not offer backward compatibility, except for emulated NES titles. As of 2019, they are a very poor choice in this category.
PlayStation Backwards Compatibility
This category was dominated by PlayStation, which is similar to Nintendo. To reduce costs, the launch PS3 could play PS2 and PS1 games. Later models of the PS3 lost compatibility with PS2.
There is no backward compatibility on the PS4, only PS Now, which offers streaming access to PS3 games. You can also buy PS2 games from the PS Store to emulate them, but very few PS1 games have the same treatment.
Xbox Backwards Compatibility
Xbox is the best console here.
Although limited, Xbox One offers backward compatibility with many original Xbox 360 and 360 games. Some of these games have improved resolution and performance on Xbox One X!
Upgradability
We’ll do it regardless of what you think.
Upgrading Drives
Both consoles and PCs can upgrade their internal hard drives. They can now also use external hard drives like the latest console generation. (Again, without the Switch.)
Consoles can only accept 2.5-inch drives. However, this is a limitation. These are usually more expensive for the same storage and more expensive per gig (in the case of 2.5 HDDs).
There are many options available for upgrading internal storage. Everything else…
Upgrading Everything Else
Yeah. This is a clear win for PC. You cannot upgrade your console or open it without violating your warranty except for storage. You can repair, upgrade, and even rebuild your Computer if necessary.
Warranty and repairs
It happens. Gaming setups can be damaged or lost. What are your options?
PC Warranty and Repairs
You can upgrade your system with a PC without violating your warranty. Independent shops and you have the full right to upgrade or replace any component in your system as long as it is compatible. The warranty can usually be voided if a component isn’t repairable.
The warranty on the PC platform is quite strong in terms of the warranty. Each component of your PC is covered by a warranty and return policy. This usually covers you for between 2 and 3 years. This period is typically shortened to 1-2 years for pre-built gaming PCs.
Console Warranty and Repairs
All three main consoles come with a 1-year warranty.
The repairs are… more difficult. There are no restrictions on how you can upgrade your internal drives. Sony and Nintendo have allowed third-party repairs after notice by the FTC. However, Microsoft will still void any warranty if they are responsible.
It seems fair to say that the PC wins, especially self-built computers.
Control Methods
What are your options for playing your games? What are your options?
Console Control Methods
The current-generation console controllers are the only ones that can be used to control them. Sometimes, there is limited keyboard and mouse support. Although there are some exceptions to this rule, such as the GameCube controller being soon available on the Nintendo Switch, these are very rare.
PC Control Methods
All of this, plus the previous generation controllers and just about everything you can imagine. For God’s sake, people on PC have discovered how to beat Dark Souls using an Xbox 360 Rock Band Guitar.
Accessibility
Let’s now talk accessibility. This article will address accessibility from two perspectives: software and hardware.
Console Accessibility
The console has an advantage software-wise in terms of accessibility. There’s no need to worry about game patching, driver installation, or any other issues. You plug in, and you play. Sometimes you may have to download updates. From a software perspective, there is very little between you and your game when playing on the console.
Hardware-wise, it’s a completely different story. The majority of console games do not offer the ability to rebind controls. You can map OS-wide controls in PS4 or Xbox One accessibility settings, but you cannot apply these per game.
Neither Sony nor Nintendo offers adaptive controllers to disabled gamers. The Xbox Adaptive Controller can be used on a PC, however.
PC Accessibility
Software-wise, the PC is losing hard. Even with the best cases, there will always be a need to fix or tweak something. This is the cost of PC’s freedom and variety: lots of tweaking.
Hardware-wise, PC wins. The Xbox Adaptive Controller is not the only option. Most PC games offer control rebindings and can be used with just about any game.
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- What To Look For In A Gaming Monitor 2022? Top Full Guide
- What Does CPU Stand For? Top Full Guide 2022
Conclusion
There are many different opinions on PC gaming vs console gaming. Some people believe that PC gaming is the superior option because of its versatility and freedom.
In contrast, others claim that consoles are better because they are more user-friendly and affordable. In the end, the difference between PC gaming and console gaming comes down to personal preference.