If you’re using the lockdown as an opportunity to get back into gaming, you’re not alone. It seems that everyone from social media personalities to newspaper reporters are extolling the benefits of playing games in 2020, both as a way to cure boredom and even to keep in touch with your friends (if you’ve chosen a multiplayer game).
But one question that consistently arises – and that few people seem to agree on – is whether playing on a PC or a games console provides the better gaming experience.
Based on their price, performance, and the availability of different games, this article will compare PCs with various consoles to help you decide which one is the better investment for you.
Price
Perhaps the most obvious difference between PCs and games consoles (such as Xbox, PlayStation or Wii) is that PCs are substantially more expensive. For the price, however, you’re getting not only the capacity to play games but also a fully-functioning computer. With this, you can play additional online games, such as the online slots available at casino.com or other games which you can access via websites.
PC Gaming is therefore a bigger investment than console gaming. The question is: does this make it a better investment? In general, consoles are harder to update, which means their lifespan is typically shorter. Once you’ve had your PC for several years and it’s feeling a little outdated, you can extend its gaming capacity by upgrading its components.
There are plenty of different components that make up a PC, so this is relatively straightforward as long as you know what you’re doing. When a console becomes dated, on the other hand, you’re better off replacing it than attempting to switch out any of its components.
Which Is Better?
If you’re only planning to game for fun and already have a working laptop, investing in a PC is almost definitely not worth your money. Stick to a console instead.
Performance
Yes, it’s obvious, but bear in mind that gaming consoles have been designed exclusively for gaming. Although PC gaming is incredibly popular, the machines haven’t been built specifically to optimise this capability.
Consider how easy you find gaming using a mouse and keyboard, as most PC games require you to use these during gameplay. These tools are often less intuitive than specialised console controls, particularly for dextrous games where you need a high level of control.
Because there have been so many different editions of the PC, it’s also easy to buy games which your computer isn’t powerful enough to run.
Which Is Better?
Gaming consoles are often a more reliable bet when it comes to gaming performance, unless you’ve created your own purpose-built PC.
Availability Of Games
This is where the PC comes into its own. PCs have access to a huge number of games, partly thanks to the fact they can access browser games and MUDs (multi-user domains).
Many PC gamers also enjoy the freedom to modify game files or rewrite code – something which is a lot more difficult on a console.
Which Is Better?
Although PCs undoubtedly offer more freedom, this is mainly a consideration for serious gamers.
While a high-end, purpose-built PC may offer superior performance, it’s only worth investing in one if you intend to game seriously. For casual gamers, a good gaming console should provide all the power you need.
