Enaa Mari
It’s not easy to decide between a new PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, or a new gaming PC. Both video game consoles and gaming PCs have their own set of benefits. But if you’re leaning towards your first gaming PC, then there are certain advantages and disadvantages you should know about:
Cost
Gaming PCs can cost anywhere from a thousand dollars to several thousand, depending on the nature of the build and brand. The prices are unusually high nowadays due to pandemic-related supply chain issues and cryptominers buying up graphics cards to mine for cryptocurrency. You can cut costs by building the computer yourself instead of buying a branded machine, but even so, you’ll undoubtedly spend more than the latest console if you want to run the newest titles at high settings.
On the other hand, PC games are a little cheaper than their console counterparts. Additionally, PC gamers usually enjoy steeper discounts during yearly sales. You can also find a massive library of classic computer games at throwaway prices on the right PC gaming marketplaces.
As far as displays are concerned, high-end TVs and high-end monitors can cost around the same. However, a high-end TV can be more useful than a top monitor for your family.
Versatility
There was a time when PCs had a clear advantage in the versatility department, but modern gaming consoles are multipurpose entertainment units. Besides playing games, they run videos from your favorite streaming platform and even let you browse the Internet. Additionally, consoles can usually stream video at the best quality, while PCs can require some workarounds due to copyright measures. However, your gaming PC can function as your work computer — you can browse the Internet, shop, write emails and documents significantly more efficiently on a PC than on a console.
Upgrades
PCs are a clear winner in terms of modifications and upgrades. For example, you can upgrade your graphics card to play the next generation of games if your motherboard and power supply support the new hardware. Likewise, you can easily add several hard drives for many terabytes of data on a PC. By contrast, console storage upgrade options are more limited.
Controls
PCs also have a significant advantage in terms of controls. While some consoles can use keyboards and mice, most console games don’t support those peripherals. Meanwhile, you can play most PC games with keyboards, mice, and gamepads. Of course, the keyboard and mice combo provides more precision and input options than gamepads.
Genres
On PCs, you can enjoy deep real-time and turn-based strategy games. The same titles are often scaled back to run on consoles because of the limitations of the gamepad. Likewise, first-person shooter purists prefer playing on PCs because of the better controls.
But certain genres like sports, platformers, and party games benefit from the console experience, particularly for gamers with large 4K TVs with all the bells and whistles.
Cybersecurity
Undoubtedly, consoles are more secure devices than PCs due to their closed nature. PCs are more likely to face adware, spyware, Trojan horse malware viruses and worm attacks. The best way to secure a gaming PC is to use the best cybersecurity software that shields your system from all types of malware. You don’t need to install an antivirus on a console, though you should secure your accounts with strong passwords and two-step authentication measures.
Ultimately, you can’t go wrong with either a console or a PC. Many gamers have a gaming rig and a console to get the best of both worlds.
