A good monitor for gaming costs about $400, a decent set of speakers will be $50-100.
i bought a nice 22" monitor for $200 almost a year ago. it's just fine for gaming. 1680x1050 resolution is plenty. and i figured about 60 bucks for speakers.
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I use my monitor for my Xbox 360, since I already had a decent one hooked up to my computer.
ok, so then you're adding the same cost to both PC and consoles. so why even bring it up?
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You don't need an HDTV to play on an Xbox 360
in which case, any monitor made in the past decade will far eclipse the resolution of an SDTV.
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and if you wanted to, I've seen plenty of HDTV's of decent size for $500-700 with speakers built-in.
ok,.. so now we're talking built in speakers. you can get those on monitors as well. remember these arguments have to go both ways to be valid.
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Your $1000 PC won't play anything in 2 years, and an 8800GT will be a dinosaur in 4 years.
my 1k pc will play *everything* in 2 years, just not on the highest settings for those games. it will still play everything in as good quality as it does today.
the xbox360 will be a dinosaur in 4 years
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Using a card that supports an older bus limits your options. The older buses are slower and why would you spend so much money to get a faster video card when you'll still be limited by the bus speed? And what do you do when a switch like AGP to PCI-E is made? You go out and buy another motherboard and CPU.
or you wait until you buy your next computer.
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So after 4 years you end up buying another computer, and if you want a good one, you're spending $1500 or more.
pc prices go DOWN over time, while console prices go UP(although nintendo may have reversed that trend if the wii continues to be successful, at the cost of forward technical progress).
the fact that i can build a good pc today for 800-900 means i can build a good one in four years for 700-800(unless some wild new technology is introduced and somehow immediately embraced by the pc community and developers)
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Meanwhile, the console guys in 4 years will just buy another console for $400.
if microsoft and sony continue in the same direction, expect the next wave of consoles to begin around $500, with "premium" sku's hitting closer to 700.
if they go the direction of nintendo, expect fewer tech advances and a similiar price point to what we have today.
i think thats a reasonable expectation for a gamer. personally i probably average out to about 2 per month since i try to blow through them and keep up with the games im interested in
i think thats a reasonable expectation for a gamer. personally i probably average out to about 2 per month since i try to blow through them and keep up with the games im interested in
i probably buy a game every 2/3 months or so,
but I use my free rental at blockbuster everymonth so I always have
a new game for about a month
I just download most of my games, unless I know its going to be good, then I support the programmers
Oh and PC > consoles. I used to argue this same thing in OT but I was constantly getting ridiculed for such blasphemy.
BTW you don't have to pay an arm and a leg to get the power to play games like Crysis on max settings. Take a look at two 9600GT's, which easily overpower an 8800GTX, and you can get them for roughly $150 apiece.
the fact that i can build a good pc today for 800-900 means i can build a good one in four years for 700-800(unless some wild new technology is introduced and somehow immediately embraced by the pc community and developers)
The fact that I have to build a new PC for a "next gen system" kind of hurts your argument a bit.
I am all about pc gaming, but its too expensive to do when you can just buy a console.
When the 360 came out I opted for a 7800GS instead spent $350.00 on the card and exptended the life of my computer, however now I am stuck with an old computer and need to spend $700-800 minimum to get the same/better experience I would from a console.
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damn smoger, looks like ppl dont agree with you on the pricing. i didnt even get all the way through their posts and i can tell that. im pretty sure i was right when it comes to spendin money modding ur pc as in just buying a console and gettin it all in one package. not to mention i dont know anything about moddin a pc and not everyone does like you. so a console is better for the everyday person, and its cheaper too. thanks, come again, and have a nice day.
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If your going from Generation to Generation you have to include the cost of a new PC. You pay more to have a gaming PC (double or more). But it is also a fact that you can do a whole lot more with a PC than you can do with a console. If somebody is simply into gaming, the console will be the best choice money wise for most people.
Allright, I am here and we can finally get started.
As I have told you before I do both. And I have the real life numbers.
Your assuming that someone has a pc already with a processor decent enough to run new games. Then adding $310 for an 8800 and a gig of ram.
Does that mean we can take the price of a media center, or at least a dvd player out of the cost of the console?
You also seem to have this misconception that PC games at low res still outperform 360 games. What exactly are you smoking?
We have already discussed how your monitor res is not x1080 (1080i/p)
So I take a pc game, I crank it up to the res I want, its going to lag on your 300$ computer. This is just fact. On your little 22" screen it might not look that different. But on my 65" TV the difference is obvious
Can you not agree that a no hassle approach, for the same performance is not worth a little cash?
So back to the topic at hand.
Running and xbox 360/ps3 for ~5-7 years (just a guess at before they are replaced)
How much does that save you in hardware? your not going to play that many generations of PC games on the same hardware.
Bargain bin pc games are total crap....
If you asked me which I spent more on.... I would have to agree with your Smoger, its probably been more on my 360. And as you often yell at me about, I pirate games
Yes its true, for every console I own.
I still shell out the cash for what I like but on the PC that list is much much smaller.
What good games are even out on the PC? Because of this I spend more on my console. I dont think its a fair comparison to include games on this, because either way you go, your going to spend about the same
Now days if I have an option between sitting at my desk to play a game, or lounging on my couch...im picking couch, call me lazy.
What fucking ass did you pull $310 out of? You're assuming that everyone ALREADY has a good monitor, good speakers, a decent mouse, a fast hard drive, a motherboard and CPU that can run a PCI-E x16 card without any trouble, and already has good ram to mix the new ram in with. All ram is not created equal and there's a lot of garbage out there that can't handle any sort of aggressive timing.
To build a GOOD computer that doesn't require you to run your games on the lowest quality setting at 20fps, you're looking at $1000 including the monitor and speakers. If you want to max out all your options you're definitely going into the $2000-3000 range depending on what you want.
In 3 years you don't have to upgrade your console through 6 generations of technology updates like you do with a PC. You buy a DirectX 10 card now and in 3 years they'll have DirectX 12 out with all sorts of shit your $400 video card doesn't support. Also, when you do decide to buy that new video card, chances are it's on a new bus, sorta like the AGP 1X-8X deal, now PCI Express 1.0, 1.1, 2.0, which means in order to use a new card you're looking to buy a new motherboard. But the socket your CPU uses is now been replaced and you have to change that with the motherboard. Then of course the bus on the new CPU is faster so you need faster RAM to enjoy the new CPU to the fullest extent. Next thing you know, you just built another computer. Everything is consistent on the console, everyone sees nearly the same image and you don't have to worry about dropping down to 15-20fps because your shit can't handle the game. You don't have to upgrade it every year or two.
I prefer PCs to consoles, but there is no way in hell you can figure that a PC is the cheaper route. You're a moron if you think otherwise.
Just went back to read your post. THANK YOU
This is exactly the BS no one takes into account. You have to basically start from the ground up when you decide to renew your rig.....
Smoger wont get it though, because his 2ghz system runs everything just fine
you're right, because noone who games on a pc would own a pc otherwise.
keep trying guys.
Its not cost effective to own a PC only for gaming......consoles are more cost effect.
you said "
PC
-------------------------------------
Console.... $310(8800 gt + 1gb ram over your existing computer)"
I said " My current computer is 6 years old. It does everything i need it to do and plays the last gen games on max settings. If i wanted to play Crysis on decent settings I would have to buy a whole new machine. Gaming is the only thing I would do on the computer that would require a lot of power, othwerise its fine. "
I dont have to buy a new PC to do anything i need to do other than gaming. I guess it depends on when you bought your computer, but to say that "everybody needs a new computer every 4 years or so anyway" is flat out wrong. So....what if I dont buy a new computer every 4 years it will explode and no longer turn on Everybody who wants to play the most up to date games on a PC should get a new one. Which brings me back to my point, you have to include the cost of the WHOLE system, not just a graphics card and more ram.
Allright, I am here and we can finally get started.
As I have told you before I do both. And I have the real life numbers.
Your assuming that someone has a pc already with a processor decent enough to run new games. Then adding $310 for an 8800 and a gig of ram.
Does that mean we can take the price of a media center, or at least a dvd player out of the cost of the console?
you can do that when you can buy a console that slots into your home theatre system as an add-on.
In the pc example you're adding a specific function to something you already own. in the 360 example, you are buying a NEW, self contained unit that happens to have functions that duplicate or replace what you already own.
in the pc example you are literally tossing a few hundred bucks into something thats in your house anyway. noone in their right mind would say "i have a dvd player already, so its like that xbox is 50 bucks cheaper than it is!"
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You also seem to have this misconception that PC games at low res still outperform 360 games. What exactly are you smoking?
We have already discussed how your monitor res is not x1080 (1080i/p)
monitors aren't I-Anything, first off. Second, very very few games run at 1080p. sure some of them are upscaled to it, but don't mistake that for native resolution. so yeah, for the average monitors that people have nowadays, 720p is low res(and again, you're still going to be able to achieve better shadows and other effects)
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So I take a pc game, I crank it up to the res I want, its going to lag on your 300$ computer. This is just fact. On your little 22" screen it might not look that different. But on my 65" TV the difference is obvious
considering the 8800gt i spec'd is BETTER than the 8800GTS that i own, i can say for sure that the games are NOT going to lag out. ive already stated that the only game thats somewhat slow is Crysis @ 25fps(high details, 1280x800). Every other game I own is 60-100fps @ 1680x1050 maxed out.
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Can you not agree that a no hassle approach, for the same performance is not worth a little cash?
for some yes, but thats NOT the point of this thread. re-read the title.
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So back to the topic at hand.
Running and xbox 360/ps3 for ~5-7 years (just a guess at before they are replaced)
How much does that save you in hardware? your not going to play that many generations of PC games on the same hardware.
there's no way in hell the 360 and ps3 are going to last that long. the ps3 MIGHT still have games coming for it when the ps4 is out, but they will be relegated to bargain bin B games like the ps2 is currently receiving.
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Bargain bin pc games are total crap....
so when games are old they suddenly become crap? starcraft for 20 bucks is crap? the entire command and conquer lineup is crap for 50 bucks? hell i just got civilization 4 in trade for 3 crap ps2 games that gamestop probably gives $5 in trade credit each for(maybe)
also,.. have you looked at casual games lately? some of them are crap but every year they get bigger budgets and more quality titles being released.. like puzzle quest and peggle.. you can't do much better for $10 each.
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I still shell out the cash for what I like but on the PC that list is much much smaller.
What good games are even out on the PC?
theres not much on the 360/ps3 that isnt on pc.. but theres a lot on the pc that isnt out for consoles
c&c3 /kane's wrath
lost planet(hated it, but people like it for some reason)
bioshock
assassins creed next month
mass effect in may
orange box
sins of a solar empire
spore coming soon
universe at war
call of duty 4
world of warcraft
supreme commander
these are just some of the recent games off the top of my head without even getting into older stuff
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Because of this I spend more on my console. I dont think its a fair comparison to include games on this, because either way you go, your going to spend about the same
that's so not true though when the per-game price is higher from the get-go on consoles. i dont recall a pc game ever being $60 at launch. ever.
oh, also.. for that 5 bucks a month you'd be spending on xbox live, you can spend 6 on Gametap on PC and have unlimited access to about 1000 games that they're constantly adding to, including some exclusives, and even launch day releases(that means theyre available on gametap as soon as they're in stores). with leaderboards, multiplayer, and all that good stuff
Its not cost effective to own a PC only for gaming......consoles are more cost effect.
you said "
PC
-------------------------------------
Console.... $310(8800 gt + 1gb ram over your existing computer)"
I said " My current computer is 6 years old. It does everything i need it to do and plays the last gen games on max settings. If i wanted to play Crysis on decent settings I would have to buy a whole new machine. Gaming is the only thing I would do on the computer that would require a lot of power, othwerise its fine. "
I dont have to buy a new PC to do anything i need to do other than gaming. I guess it depends on when you bought your computer, but to say that "everybody needs a new computer every 4 years or so anyway" is flat out wrong. So....what if I dont buy a new computer every 4 years it will explode and no longer turn on Everybody who wants to play the most up to date games on a PC should get a new one. Which brings me back to my point, you have to include the cost of the WHOLE system, not just a graphics card and more ram.
if your computer is 6 years old, it's not even going to run the current operating system comfortably, so that's still not a great point.
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