Considering buying a console this coming fall/winter season? Here’s some reasons not to:
We’re not here to convince you to buy a PC (okay, we are), but sometimes the computer market is a better option for landing your next entertainment rig. Not to tote the PC Master Race flag or anything, but we’ve offered some solid points to turn away from dropping four bills on a console to investing in a more capable machine that will likely outlast the life of a console. Here’s the details on what we’ve got at Syber Power:
Wanna play all your PS2 games on PS4?
Sony has been kind enough to include some old-but-gold games on the PSN for purchase, but those libraries are often limited and, well, you’d have to purchase them again if you want to see older titles on the newer game systems. To add, you’d be hard-pressed to ever get a Sierra classic adventure game on a console, let alone a range of other titles, and with Steam in the background pulling some of those relics back a console can’t touch the library you can find on Steam. The Steam-supported releases are patched and altered to run on modern machines so people don’t have to hunt down guides on how to get The 7th Guest running properly. So not only can you avoid dusting off the PS2 console (if you still have a working one), your access to games has increased, especially since many ports have found their way into the Steam library. No PC option? You can still emulate responsibly.
Keyboard and Mouse, all the way…
We’ve stood by PCs because there are plenty of games that require a keyboard and mouse to play with. Anyone is welcome to play Overwatch or Battlefield 1 on a console, but E-sports fanatics and long-term gamers prefer a greater degree of precision using a keyboard and mouse. Maybe once consoles adopt a keyboard and mouse structure for gameplay we’ll be able to see a level playing field (see what I did there?), but first person shooters–which, we might add, are topping the charts on Twitch.tv–almost need a keyboard and mouse to play accurately. Plus, your customization options on how to control the game are blown wide open. Not every game ships with full customization on control styles, so keep that in mind the next time your K/D ratio is lower than a roach IQ. Playing a fighting game on PC? Grab yourself a USB controller.
Twitch
Yes, console streaming is out there. It takes a PS4 camera / Kinect to rock the house and a decent upload speed, but there’s something nice about being able to scale upload options, use chroma key features, and load up one rockin’ Stream Labs alert once someone mashes that purple follow button. It’s more complicated, yes, but PCs still win out over customization options. There are plenty of stream programs that streamline (heh, see what I did?) streaming options, so if streaming is in the cards for you to play, get a small guide and stick with PC to get all the extras you can’t find on consoles.
Benjamins
We know. A quad-bill console is tempting to pick up and jump into. Some video cards for PCs can break the bank with the popular NVIDIA 980 Ti passing 600 dollars. However, since the console companies assured us before the launch of their boxes that these consoles would last ten years, a lot of console-goers are upset now that the companies are pushing newer boxes–namely the Xbox One S and the PS4 Pro. Sure, the PS4 Pro is 4k capable out of the box, but so are plenty of mid-range computers. Buying a PC up front can save you more money in the long run–seen as we’re likely to see new consoles again, supporting more than just 4K. We don’t know when 8k will be the law of the land, but it won’t be price-friendly for another console launch. PCs will need a slight upgrade, and we’re betting we won’t see much of a price point for 8k cards in comparison to consoles.
Multiple Monitors
‘Nuff said.
Freebies
There are plenty of free-to-play games for download from many services and more obscure offerings through cloud services like Desura and Itchio. It’s not likely we’ll ever see cloud services like those landing on consoles soon. Services like Humble Bundle offer wonderful games for less than a cup of coffee.
Development
Want to get into game development? The easiest way to learn is through a PC. Tools like Unity are making it easier for independent developers to hone their craft and market their hard work to the gaming world. How does one break into video game development on a console? We think it’s through requesting the SDK kit for the consoles their selves, but Unity is a much more accessible avenue for development.
Wrapping it Up
Yes, you’ll pay more up front. Your systems will last longer, upgrades will be cheaper, games will drop in price, and your potential game library will expand. Before peering into the console market, take a look at the myriad of options available to you to keep your gaming experience running top-notch. Many great games on the PC are free to play and provide months of LOL-worthy experiences. Just don’t play Heroes of the Storm with a controller, okay?
There’s a wealth of games out there, and PC is the only way to play a lot of them. Let’s game together.
