PC, PS3 or X360?

[AJ!]

Hi all

I Haven't had a gaming machine for some time now and there are a few games building up that i would like to play. The problem is i dont know what system i could get the best gaming out of :DL

I either go for a gaming pc which i would be able to play all the multi platform/ pc games with top graphics and frame rates or i get a ps3 or xbox.

The sort of games i want to play are

Mass effect 2,3
Bioshock infinite
Diablo 3
MGS4
Ratchet & Clank games
Dead space 2
Doom 4
Total wars
and loads more :hmmm:

If i invest in a new pc will there be plenty of top games coming out in the next 2 years to justify it or should i buy a much cheaper console?

[Arclight]

That's really a question you need to answer for yourself I think.

For me the answer is PC by a mile, simply because it has more games I like. And if you find there's nothing to look forward, you can always look back 10-20 years and pick up classics and favourites of the past.

The one thing against PC is that it requires a little maintenance and know-how.

[CCIP]

I think the answer lies mostly in games and exclusives. The fact is that technically, the PC will always be a better or at least more powerful and versatile platform. However it doesn't sit well in the living room and lacks certain releases.

Looking at your tastes, I don't think you'd be able to do with just one. The PC lacks Metal Gear Solid and Ratchet & Clank and the like; and good luck playing Total War on a console. So, decide which you want more.

In my experience, investing into a better PC is never a bad idea as long as you know your options well, and right now hardware prices are very very good - so it's not a bad time to invest in one. However it looks like whether you get one or not, you'll be craving a PS3. So be aware of that...

[Spike88]

Mass effect 2,3(Ps3/360/PC)
Bioshock infinite(Ps3/360/PC)
Diablo 3(PC)
MGS4(Ps3)
Ratchet & Clank games(Ps3)
Dead space 2(Ps3/360)
Doom 4(PC)
Total wars(PC)


Pretty much a break down of which consoles the games you want are on. I would stay away from the 360. Unless you want exclusives like Halo:reach as it is the least powerful, still has Red Rings(although they changed the name), and charges you to use the online.
It pretty much comes down to what the others said. The PC is the most powerful, but requires some knowledge to upgrade, and gets the least games. Also if you're interested in Blu-ray and have an HDtv, the Ps3 has benefits in that category.

Depending on your budget, I would recommend a mid-line PC(which you can upgrade at a later point) and a PS3. Best of both worlds.

[Dowly]

Dead Space 2 is coming for PC too. :03:

[FIREWALL]

Do what we do here in the good ole USA. Go into debt and get both. :haha:

[danlisa]

PS3 320 GB Slim @ £270 approx with upgrade free gaming for the next 7 years.

Mid-Range PC @ £800 - £1000 requiring upgrading within 2 years (possibly sooner depending on games).

:hmmm:

Although Spike nailed it. Given the games you wish to play, your choice is quite simple, both.

[Dowly]

Mid-Range PC @ £800 - £1000 requiring upgrading within 2 years (possibly sooner depending on games).

There's only one type of people who upgrade their PCs that often. The ones who want 100FPS instead of 99.

[danlisa]

^ True, not necessarily the whole PC but certainly GFX card.

Would a mid range PC bought 2ish years ago have a GFX card that could run SH5 or MTW2 today, not to mention other current PC games, or am I just too interested in all the eye-candy.

Surely most of the games listed by AJ would want to be run in max detail on a high rez screen.

[Raptor1]

^ True, not necessarily the whole PC but certainly GFX card.

Would a mid range PC bought 2ish years ago have a GFX card that could run SH5 or MTW2 today, not to mention other current PC games, or am I just too interested in all the eye-candy.

Surely most of the games listed by AJ would want to be run in max detail on a high rez screen.

My computer from 2 years ago cost about as much as you listed in your last post and can still run almost all games on the highest settings (Well, except DX11 stuff, but that's another problem).

[CCIP]

And that price is sligthly high, although I'm not sure what prices are like in Europe. I got a very solid mid-range PC last year here for under $1000 (excluding monitor), and it still performs very well for everything new that I'd tried. That's a system that is technically several times superior to the PS3, costing just 3x the price. And as of a year ago, at that - now you'd be looking at an even better deal.

Likewise, the lack of upgrades for consoles is not always a good thing. It just means that the games grow increasingly technologically obsolescent compared to the PC versions; and while optimisation is always a factor, it's usually possible to tone down settings on newer PC games and run them on relatively old systems as well. I know plenty of people who run Modern Warfare 2 on 5-6 year old systems, for example, and it looks no worse than it does on a console.

Finally, my main annoyance with consoles is the cost of games. Especially with services like Steam on PC now, buying games for the PC is simply cheaper by several factors of magnitude. So I'm not so sure if the price argument really holds up. Although again, the marketing approaches and targets of PC vs. console will always be a bit different.

[danlisa]

.....although I'm not sure what prices are like in Europe.

Overpriced.

@ Raptor1

Fair enough.:salute:

I just struggle to find a PC in that price range that can max my PC games running @ 1920 x 1080 with full AA and AF.

[CCIP]

Also to add, I'd probably own a console anyway if I could afford one, and probably it would be an X-Box 360, but that's mostly on technical factors and games preferences (I never was really that interested in PS3 exclusives). But it's a bit much, and I doubt I would be playing my money's worth out of it, given how little free time I have and how much of it gets sunk into the PC.... IMO the most sensible thing to do economically is still to pick one gaming platform and stick with it. Sadly, wanting to play specific games in specific settings can throw some complications into it!

[Arclight]

Overpriced.

@ Raptor1

Fair enough.:salute:

I just struggle to find a PC in that price range that can max my PC games running @ 1920 x 1080 with full AA and AF.
"Full AA"? What does that even mean? 16x16 supersampling? :O:

You don't need more than 4x multisampling if the engine implements it right. 8x CSAA or 8xQ MSAA is enough for the ones that do it a little less well.


It was 3 years before I replaced my card, mainly because it was starting to fall behind (ArmA2 was just problematic, everything else was fine) and I just couldn't resist the deal offered in the GTX460.

[AJ!]

Thanks for the views everyone.

Its a tough one for sure. I am not fussed about the PS3 exclusives but there are a alot of games on the pc that are also on the ps3, only optimised (although not as pritty as high end pcs)

I could just buy a ps3 for now and wait until the end of next year to buy a gaming pc. At least by then alot of the 2011 titles will be out and we will have a much clearer view on what to look forward to in 2012 and beyond.

[Dowly]

Don't forget you get mods with PC. :03:

[Castout]

PC it seems you are matured and have a very good taste in gaming. PC lead the way, All the way! :D

[Castout]

Don't forget you get mods with PC. :03:

And you get to watch free porn, check your email, write some documents, voice call your distant relatives, browse the forums, play free games(ever tried FreeFalcon? Free doesn't always mean poor quality ;)) and cool games such as ArmA, Total War, and Silent Hunter(3 and 4, God curses the 5th) are only available in PCs. That's why it is a 1,000 bucks gaming, social and work platform

[Spike88]

And you get to watch free porn, check your email, write some documents, voice call your distant relatives, browse the forums, play free games(ever tried FreeFalcon? Free doesn't always mean poor quality ;)) and cool games such as ArmA, Total War, and Silent Hunter(3 and 4, God curses the 5th) are only available in PCs. That's why it is a 1,000 bucks gaming, social and work platform
You can do pretty much all that, except for the PC games, and documents on the Ps3.

[TheBrauerHour]

I just picked up an Xbox360. It has been years since I owned a console other than my kid's Wii. I missed playing all the sports games, which never seemed to be all that great on PC.

I got Madden '11 with the Xbox360 for free, and now will be picking up NCAA 2011, an NBA game, and an MLB game. I should be set for another year with those.

I initially wanted a PS3, but the price put me off. I already have a BluRay player, and this Xbox does Netflix so my wife is happy. Once we saw how cheap this new Xbox was on Black Friday special, we couldn't say no.

[danlisa]

You've made the right choice for you, especially considering the BF deals that were around.:yeah:

....and this Xbox does Netflix so my wife is happy......

Although, the PS3 does NetFlix, LoveFilm, Vudu & MUBI and will soon add Qriocity, not to mention iPlayer already exists with 4od and ITV jumping on board soon (available to the US via a UK account and proxy *ahem*):D

However, I do concede that one streaming subscription is as good as another, so I'm not sure why Sony are clogging my PS3 up with this guff, but there you go.

[Solace]

Wii is best.

[kiwi_2005]

Ive been thinking about either buying a new PC or a console this Christmas.

See if Ive got this right

*The console you wont have to upgrade till the next console comes out

*Your never go all sad cause your console can't run the game every game that comes out for the xbox or ps3 will run. Upgrades is history.

*You can ly on your couch playing your games on your big screen TV. Though setup right you can do this with the PC.

*You can't play Silent Hunter games on the console (yet) :down:

*You can't play MMO's on the console :down: Well not yet anyways but in the near future most likely.

*You can surf the internet on the console but not as more freely as a PC.

* No mods for Consoles.

* Hand controls is recommended over kb/mouse. I prefer kb/mouse.

* Sticky aim in FPS console games :stare:

* And last - What the hell happened to the W.A.D and S keys! :O:

Maybe I should just get both and use the console for RPG games the PC for everything else.

[Arclight]

Something that people seem to forget is that controllers work on PCs as well. Fact is, your PC can do anything a console can and then some. Only think going for consoles is ease of use, lower entry price and exclusives. Ease of use is going down imho, with the option to install games (that than still take forever to load compared to PC :O:).

Think Danlisa got SH3 running on a PS3. :hmmm:


But yeah, just get what you need to run the games that you want.

[Spike88]

Ive been thinking about either buying a new PC or a console this Christmas.

See if Ive got this right

*The console you wont have to upgrade till the next console comes out May be a good idea to upgrade your HDD on a PS3 to get something 300+ gigs. But this is easier than doing on a PC.



*You can't play MMO's on the console :down: Well not yet anyways but in the near future most likely. There are MMO's for consoles. There have been since PS2. Right now the only one I know of is the newest Final Fantasy, but there are a couple others coming/out

*You can surf the internet on the console but not as more freely as a PC. You can not surf the internet on the 360 at all. On the Ps3, if you have a mouse and keyboard it's about the same.

* No mods for Consoles.360 is moddable as it's not that far from PC. But this can lead to people getting an unfair edge in online games. I know people use in games like CoD. And I know in GTA 4 they modded pistols to shoot rockets, at normal pistol speeds.

* Hand controls is recommended over kb/mouse. I prefer kb/mouse.
For the most part this is true, although the PS3 does recognize a KB/mouse, it just depends on the game developer on whether or not they support it.

* Sticky aim in FPS console games :stare: What do you mean sticky aim? As in aim that automatically targets, and sticks to them? If so then it depends on the game.

* And last - What the hell happened to the W.A.D and S keys! :O: They were replaced with the D-pad and/or An analogue stick :O:
I have to say, the analogue stick is definitely better for the fact it is pressure sensitive. Instead of having to hold another key to control walk/run you can do so by how far you push the stick. Throw in a key for sprint and you have a easier method of movement.


Maybe I should just get both and use the console for RPG games the PC for everything else.Use PC for Strategy,RTS, Simulators, FPS. Use Consoles(Preferably PS3) for 3rd Person shooters, Action, Adventure, and Sport. As for RPG and Racing it's either or. Most racing games on the PS3 recognize Logitech G25 and G27's.

[kiwi_2005]

Thanks for clearing that up.

I always thought you could surf internet with the 360 as well. My bad.

Yes thats what I meant about sticky aim though t I thought all FPS come with this, no problem in SP campaign but would be pretty silly if you can use sticky aim in multi player matches.

Final Fantasy MMO ahh yes what was I thinking I remember now watching some youtube vids on FF a few weeks back, the graphics were impressive. I might have to get a PS3 just for this very reason. :).

:up:

[ShadowOps]

I prefer PC, thousands of games to choose from, graphics depend on how good your system is (which is good for me because I have a pretty good computer), you can get mods for PC, you dont have to pay extra for use of internet service other than your own (Xbox Live). The list goes on and on.

[Spike88]

Yes thats what I meant about sticky aim though t I thought all FPS come with this, no problem in SP campaign but would be pretty silly if you can use sticky aim in multi player matches.



:up:

Ah yeah. The only FPS I can honestly think of off the top of my head that has sticky aim is CoD. And that's only with the ability to autolock targets when you bring up the ironsights(a feature that I believe carries over to the PC versions). From my Experience with games like Killzone 2, Resistance Fall of man, Resistance 2(all of which are good games), and 3rd person shooters, I haven't seen sticky aim in a while. Part of the reason is that FPS on consoles have evolved to match their PC counter parts.

Edit2: Also, if you think about it FPS on an analogue stick(which you an have with PC games too) have the advantage that you do not have to recenter them like you do/would with a mouse.



Edit: Part of the problem is people look down on consoles from preconceptions from the older generation of consoles. Sure you don't games like ARMA, or Simulators, But on occasion it's great to break away from these games and try something new/fun. I can name a list of great games on consoles. In the long run, if you have the budget, get a PC and a console. Hell get a console and then buy a PC part by part on a monthly basis(which was what I was planning to do before I quit my job).

A a side note one of the best reasons to own a console right now is GT5. Don't know how it compares to rFactor, but from what another member has told me, rFactor is rumored to be harder than racing in real life.