Let me walk you through the time that lured me into PC gaming – the pandemic.
This might have just happened to most of you reading. We were locked in, and there was nothing much we could do. So, it was inevitable that we found entertainment through screens. And it happened.
Not just entertainment, everything revolved around the screens. The traditional offices were closed, and everyone (who had jobs) was working from home. Most people already had a PC or a laptop for work, and it was the best thing that could have catered to our needs.
So, it worked just fine. But I’m not using it anymore, especially for playing games, and it is just collecting dust. So, why did that happen? Why do I prefer a console this time around?
Let me walk you through that in detail.
The Convenience
Not very long ago, gaming on PCs was considered convenient, but it isn’t the same anymore.
Let me explain why that is. First of all, the PC has become pretty complicated. If you are building it from scratch, that’s a whole other story. You need to find parts that work and complement each other to give you the utmost performance.
Then there is the issue of troubleshooting problems that can occur at any time. So, you need to turn yourself into a computer genius to solve the problems.
Even if the PC is up and running, you need to install different launchers for multiple games. Once you have everything set up, only then will you be able to play the game.
Now, picture the experience on the console. You don’t have to find different parts and assemble them together to play your favorite games. It is just plug and play. No more juggling between the launchers and different gaming accounts.
Don’t feel like sitting on a chair to play the game? Pick up your console and connect it to the TV in your lounge, and that’s it. Your couch gaming setup is ready.
On top of that, you can take your gaming console anywhere you want without much hassle. Its compact size makes it a perfect match for the sleepovers at your friend’s place.
So, it was obvious that I’d use my gaming console rather than my PC.
The Performance
It might come as a surprise, but let me take the help of an analogy here. Why do most iPhones hold up well for years? I know they have one of the most powerful processors, but it goes beyond just that.
They hold up well because it is easier to optimize them. Most iPhones share the same fundamentals, like the display, processor, and operating system. Developers can optimize apps pretty easily, and they run best on iPhones.
On the flip side, even though Android phones have great raw power, there are a lot of them, and with different variations. So, it gets difficult to optimize them.
It is the same case with PC gaming. There are a lot of variations. One gamer might have a GTX 1060 while others might be rocking an RTX 5090.
I had one of the highest-end GPUs of its time, RTX 2090ti, along with a high-speed WiFi from Spectrum Internet en Español (I am Hispanic, so I prefer Spectrum because of their tailored support for Spanish speakers).
Even though everything seemed to be just fine, the game was struggling to hold up its FPS. The reason was optimization. On the other hand, my PS5 wasn’t able to achieve the highest frame rates, but they were stable at 60 fps, which is what most people and I need.
This was another reason I switched to a console for gaming.
The Games Library
This is one of the most important reasons why I switched back to the console. It is true that video games are first released on consoles, and then they find their way to PCs.
Well, most of the time.
There are a lot of games that never made it to the PC. The developers enjoy their success in the same ecosystem, and they don’t care to optimize games for PC gamers. This leads to a limited number of titles for the Windows-based PC.
And we know that as gamers, we need as many titles as possible to make the most of our gaming machines. That’s why consoles are a better choice for most video gamers out there.
The Cost
Last but not least, the cost difference is huge.
Firstly, building and maintaining a PC is much more costly than buying a $500 console.
Secondly, the game titles on the console aren’t expensive anymore. You can buy titles and enjoy them for a while, then jump onto another. And there is that relevance. Consoles will be relevant for at least five years, while most PCs will become outdated after three years, while costing more overall.
Now is the time to make the call. Do you still want to stick to gaming on a PC, or have I convinced you to switch to the console? See more