by Enigmasflame » 09 Nov 2016, 01:03
One huge myth still plagues PC gaming today, and that is the myth that buying/building a computer capable of playing modern games is significantly more expensive than just getting a console, which has been debunked for well over a decade. Your typical console on launch day costs ~$500, buying a pre-built PC that can have similar capabilities is rarely feasable, whereas building one yourself is insanely cost-efficient, and you don't have to use the latest and greatest parts. It's pretty much like building legos, every part will only fit one way, clearly labeled diagrams on the motherboard and accompanying booklets show you where everything needs to be plugged in.
Consoles on launch day already have outdated hardware, easily comparable to PC with specs that are already a few years old at the time. For instance, the Xbox One's GPU is about equivalent to a Radeon HD 7770, a card that came out in the middle of 2012, which can be had for the $50-$100 range used, more recent cards can be had for about the same price new, like the GTX 750ti (Nowadays the new 1050ti is more cost effective), while offering superior performance. 8GB RAM kits, a case, a sufficient power supply, can be had for about $100, 1TB HDs are usually $50, a motherboard compatible with a capable CPU could be had for about $200. If you want to splurge a little more for insanely fast load and boot times, you could drop another $50 for a 120GBSSD. Legit copies of Win10 can be had for $20, no need to drop $100 for it. From there on out the console will drop in price, but so will various PC parts, with the option of buying second-hand being viable as well, just get your PSU new. Keyboards and mice that do the job are maybe $20 for a bundle, no need for anything fancy, I find Logitech to be a reliable brand. Every PC needs a monitor or tv, same with the console, that all comes down to personal preference, $100 is a fair price point for a 23-24 in monitor, and you're likely to spend a considerable amount more if you're looking for a big-screen tv for your console.
If you want to factor in time, or go with that concept that time=money, when or if your console fails, there's hardly any workaround other than sending it off to the manufacturer, usually having to pay cost of shipping, waiting about a month. With a PC, sufficient cooling, and avoiding second-hand PSUs are ideal for making sure your rig lasts for a considerable amount of time without a hitch. Most common issues are easy to resolve, and replacement parts are hardly ever going to burn a hole in your wallet unless again, you took a risk with a second-hand PSU. You're most likely not going to be waiting for a month to resolve an overheating issue like what the 360 suffered from.
