In 2020 the gaming industry has accumulated over $159.3 billion in revenue. That means that the gaming industry has taken over the overall entertainment industry. Nowadays, you can play games on a PC, console, or even a mobile device.
Of course, each platform has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, a mobile device gives you the freedom of movement, but it’s limited in graphic quality. What about consoles and PCs? There are countless reasons why PC gaming is better and very few why the console is better.
PC vs. Console gaming has been a debate ever since the PC came into the gaming field. Today we will examine eight reasons why PC gaming is the best way to game and some tips for choosing the right PC. But before, let’s take a brief look at why most PC gamers look down on the console as a gaming platform.
Console vs. PC Gaming
Perhaps you are familiar with the names Console Peasant and PC Master Race. It is not because PC gamers view console players as poor people—quite the contrary, as a lower-end gaming PC costs around the same as the latest console. And in the end, Gamers are Gamers no matter what platform they decide to play on.
Using the term Console Peasant is aimed at console players who think they are special since they have access to exclusives and believe in dishonest misinformation from console developers. PC gaming is a non-exclusive gaming environment where you wield the power of shaping your PC to your liking. That gives you one idea why PC gaming is better, but let’s get an in-depth view of all the reasons.
1. You Choose the Price
Some people may argue that consoles are a lot cheaper than PCs. They may be right to a certain degree, as an ultra-high-end PC can cost more than $5,000. But in reality, those PC users who buy those ultra-expensive PCs are doing it to showoff, as many low to mid-range PCs can handle modern games.
There are many cheap alternatives when it comes to PC gaming. A low-end PC that costs around $300-$400 can perform like or even better than a PS5. Having the liberty to pay what you want for a PC is one of the significant benefits of PC gaming.
2. Freedom to Upgrade the Hardware
If you even dare to change a console’s hardware, this will render its warranty invalid. What does that mean? You are stuck with that console until a newer one releases a few years later.
Fortunately, PC gaming has no limits; well, the limit is how much you are willing to spend on hardware. Many PC users have used the same case for many years and have changed the GPU, processor, graphics card, and overall storage. So you can tailor your PC to your current gaming needs without changing your whole PC.
3. PCs Are Not Limited to Gaming
A PC is multifunctional, unlike a console, which will only be useful to play games or perhaps watch series. Nowadays, people who enjoy playing games and need a work-related PC can enjoy both without spending more. You don’t need to get a PC made for gaming as many modern PCs can handle most new games.
On top of that, most laptops can handle newer games, so if your work has you moving around a lot, then a laptop is perfect for you. And if you’re looking for a PC for your family that balances both, be reassured that you can find it!
4. More Games On PC Than On Consoles
As you may already know, consoles are infamous for region-locked games, meaning many games are limited to specific regions. Steam alone has over 23,000 games available to play on PCs, and that’s not including the other digital distribution services. Not to mention that PC games are usually a lot cheaper than console games.
Having more games is one of the best benefits of PC gaming. Pc gaming also caters to all sorts of ages and playstyles. PC gamers will never run out of games to play!
5. Multiplayer is Free On PC
Consoles are notorious for making users pay subscriptions to play their games online. Even if you buy a game that is mainly based on multiplayer, you still need to pay for a subscription to play! Lucky enough, subscription-based gameplay is unheard of in the PC realm.
Some console users may claim that paying a yearly subscription isn’t expensive. Still, it costs about the same as a triple-A game. Without a doubt, PC gaming will save you money in the long run.
6. Cheap Gaming All Year-Round
There are loads of reputable websites that sell PC games for a lot cheaper, and it’s not something rare. Steam has its famous sales year-round, offering huge discounts on games. Unfortunately, consoles are very limited when it comes to sales.
New games for the console usually cost $15 to $20 more than a PC version. Once again, PC gaming will save you so much money in the long run.
7. Choose How to Play
Most gamers agree that the best way to game is with a mouse and keyboard. And PC gaming was born with a mouse and keyboard. Many hardware gaming companies have created ergonomic mouses and keyboards, meaning your hands won’t get tired, in sharp contrast to a console controller.
Of course, if you prefer using a controller, then your PC can handle that too. Plus, you can control your mouse’s DPI (sensitivity), which is what wins in online FPS games. One final benefit is the ability to have lots of RGB colors on your keyboard and mouse, making PC gaming even more fun!
8. Play Old and New Games
Another downside of consoles is that it’s not always backward compatible. What does that mean? For example, you can’t play all of the older Playstation games (PS1, PS2, or PS3) on the PS4, and the same happens with the Xbox. Hopefully, one day they will break that habit and allow for true backward compatibility!
A PC game will always be a PC game, no matter if it came out forty years ago or five days ago. Thanks to the internet, gamers can find many older games like the original DOOM or The Oregon Trail. You can even play classics from the SEGA or N64 era on your PC!
What Should You Look For In a PC
Since you are now fully convinced that the best way to game is on a PC, let’s take a brief look at the specification you should look at when getting a new PC. Once again, the scope of your PC will vastly depend on how much you are willing to invest in one. Of course, as we already covered, you can always buy a low-end PC and slowly upgrade it to have higher-end hardware.
Processor
The heart of any PC, the processor, will determine how your PC will perform. They range from two to sixteen cores, the latter being too much for what the current modern games demand on a PC. A six-core chip will be more than sufficient when it comes to gaming.
GPU
Your PC’s graphic card will help beautify your games, enable high frame rates, and making higher resolutions playable. The higher the number on the GPU, the better the quality of graphics will be. As with all PC hardware, you can find GPU’s that cost $200 to ones that surpass $1000. The limit is in your wallet!
RAM
RAM, or Random Access Memory, is the super-fast and temporary data storage space that a computer requires to access programs. RAM’s range from 4GB to 64GB, and once again, 64GB of RAM is way too much for any game. The average game modern game will require 8GB, while older games manage with only 4GB.
SSD
SSD (Solid-state drives) is what makes PC gamers wish they had a console. Why? Since an SSD will boost any game start-up, which means they can no longer read the loading screen tips! Sarcasm aside, a good SSD cuts down on the time it takes to load up your PC and how fast it takes to load up any game.
A decent SSD is 500GB, but you can find high-end PCs using 1TB of SSD storage. It depends on how many games you have, as 500GB can be sufficient for an average gamer. But if you are a true gamer, then 1TB or more is what you will need!
It’s Clear Why PC Gaming Is Better
Without a doubt, PC gaming will be the cheaper option compared to console gaming. There are even more reasons why PC gaming is better, but the reason previously mentioned are the ones we felt most important. So please don’t be shy; join the millions of PC gamers that enjoy freedom when it comes to gaming.
If you found this article educational, feel free to have a look at our other articles. We cover a collection of topics that will, without a doubt, pique your interest.
