Console Gaming vs. Computer Gaming

by Jared Strop

It's an age-old question that will only get more and more intense in the coming year as the Xbox 360 is in full swing and the PS3 and Revolution release. Which is better? What system is right for me? Well, I would suggest both, but if you have to choose one or the other then you have to consider a few things.

Price is definitely a big issue. I mean, when's the last time you didn't even bat an eye when are buying something 500 bucks or more? The bottom line: Computer gaming is more expensive. Why? Because computers aren't made just for games. They are calculators, word processors, Internet navigators, music players, movie watchers, and photo editors. They are much more than a gaming machine. Consoles, on the other hand, generally aren't. It's only recently that consoles have gone online starting with the Dreamcast and I haven't seen anyone printing off spreadsheets or book reports from one yet. Consoles are purely for gaming and run between 100-500 bucks. PCs on the other hand are much more than a gaming machine and run between 1,500-3,000 dollars and need to be upgraded every now and again to play the newest and greatest games.

Genre is an issue. If you are a Real Time Strategy fan and only have a console, I mourn for you. And if you are a platformer fan, then computer gaming will be a sad mistake. Genre makes a big deal because of the controller vs. keyboard/mouse issue. Different games play much better on the different configurations. Computer gaming is best for Real Time Strategy (RTS) games, First Person Shooters (FPS), Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORG), Flight Simulation games, and Point and Click Adventure games. The consoles on the other hand are better for Fighting games, Action/Adventure games, Platformers, Role Playing Games (RPG), and Sports games.

Tech savvy can possibly be an issue. Computers are a little more unstable than consoles. I mean, when's the last time you saw a Playstation lock up or get a blue screen of death? Never, right? The same thing comes in here. Some computer games might be a little stubborn to set up the way your computer likes it or your computer might not meet the system requirements. Consoles, on the other hand, don't have that problem. The people designing the games have to fit the requirements of the console so that you don't have a problem. If you have a basic knowledge of computers, you'll be fine. If you don't, then a console might be better for you.

So as I've explained, if you want more than a gaming system for school and work or you just like gaming genres like RTS and MMORG games, I would go with a PC. If you love platformers, Action/Adventure, or Sports games or your wallet is a tad on the empty side, I'd go with a console. It won't be able to surf the Internet or help you with anything else, but it'll play some great games.

If you want a console by the end of this article, then you have 3 options at the moment. You could buy a Gamecube if you like innovation, buy a Xbox if you like the best graphics and FPS games, or buy a PS2 if you want a huge library of games or love fighting games, Action/Adventure games, platformers, and RPG games. You also have another option. You could wait until the Xbox 360 comes out this month and get that or wait until the Nintendo Revolution and PS3 come out next year.

If you want advise on gaming computers and computer gaming, then http://www.gaming-computers-authority.com is a great resource for all your questions and even has a tutorial on building your own computer.

Well, my name is Jared Strop and I've been a gamer for a very long time. I am currently hard at work at GameStop and a devoted webmaster.

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