PC gaming costs a lot because of all these things like graphics, sound, and more.
PC gaming costs a lot because of all these things like graphics, sound, and more.
So, I'm just wondering why playing on a computer costs so much right now. I bought a PC for about $2k that has an RTX 3060 and a Ryzen CPU. I'm asking myself: what does this $2k machine do better than a $600 console? Let's talk about the PS5. The PS5 can do 1080p at 60 frames per second with great graphics, even raytracing and some games support up to 4k at 60fps. It also has 120fps support. So I don't get it why my PC that costs four times as much barely beats a $600 console when the PS5 can do exactly the same things: 60 frames per second, 4k resolution, and 120 frames per second at the same price. I just don't understand why I need to spend $2k on a PC to get performance comparable to a $600 console. PC gaming these days feels overpriced. Why is hardware that barely beats consoles so expensive? I feel lost about this. So, I guess I don't understand why it costs so much to buy a gaming PC when the cheapest ones can easily compete with consoles that cost 1/4th of what those PCs do. A PC around $1k or even $1500 should definitely be able to keep up with console performance.
The computer can do way more than just playing on a PlayStation or Xbox. You can write a resume or finish a term paper... Computer. Make or change video games... Computer. The pictures and programs for the consoles are made just for that specific machine. But the PC is much easier to tweak. If you only want to play games, buy a console instead.
Yeah, if you only want to play games and not do any other things like video editing or modeling, then buying a PC alone probably isn't smart. I mean? No camera ever shows raw pictures from my phone. Even my laptop can't handle that kind of stuff easily. I just can't run Fusion 360 on the console for 3D printing because it's too slow and not powerful enough there. So, my computer works best as a gaming PC with some extra work tools built-in, giving me about a 70% game time and 30% for other stuff. It's actually much cheaper than building all those separate machines and trying to fit a gaming console next to them.
Here are the main differences between buying a PC or a game console that affect how much money you have to spend: Game consoles made by big companies like Sony and Microsoft are usually sold at a loss. They plan to make back their losses with money from selling software, games, and subscriptions. Computer parts makers must sell their stuff for more than it costs them. If you look closely at the PS5 price tag, it's about $450 just for the plastic pieces inside. This number doesn't include shipping, labor, or the packaging that goes on top of everything. Console systems don't really get changed every few years since the first generation, so once they are fixed, production is very easy. PC makers usually release a new thing every couple of years. Consoles have no need to connect with other toys or hardware except for what you specifically want in terms of extra USB sticks or storage upgrades. When it comes to computers, there are many more things to watch out for, like making sure your RAM works well and checking if the expansion ports can handle new stuff. Making consoles is better at using big savings than making PC parts because a single model is used everywhere. Console companies also get long contracts that lock in specific prices so their customers pay the same amount for years. Even when the value of some things goes down, console makers don't care because they have agreements to keep prices steady too. Also, while consoles can do all those cool features, they can only do one thing at a time. If you want 4K video with 120 frames per second and HDR effects, a standard console won't be able to give you that.
It shows clearly that learning is important for buying a computer, or even better, building your own one.
Four K on a PC feels totally different from Four K on a game system. The systems are amazing for their money but they don't match up with the computer. I own a One X and a gaming PC, plus I can play many games on both of those.