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With the world of online gaming growing bigger every year, you may be asking yourself, are gaming PCs worth it?
This article should hopefully shed some light on the value that PCs offer vs consoles and other gaming systems.
PC games
At the core of every gaming experience is the games. PC games offer a multitude of benefits over console games, but the main advantages are as follows.
Cost: The average console game is currently £60 PC games tend to offer the same title at a reduced price. Lets take for example EA Sports FC 24. At the time of writing this article, and purchasing directly through the EA website, the PS5 variant of the game is £69.99 the PC version on STEAM is currently on sale for £17.99. Also consider that the retail price of the PC version is £59.99 a full £10 cheaper.
Quality: It is true the that current generation of consoles (XBOX Series/ Playstation 5) offer great visual fidelity, but nothing compares to a high-end gaming PC. The customization that PCs offer through increasing graphical settings and even modding cannot be compared.
Variety: Consoles have started to include backwards compatibility to be able to run previous generation games, but with PC gaming, this is a core feature. A modern gaming PC is able to play high-end AAA titles as well as your favourites from the 90's, making a PC a machine that can be enjoyed by multiple generations.
Take a look at the visual comparison of Cyberpunk 2077 running on a PS5, compared to a high-end gaming PC.
PC Hardware
When it comes the PC vs current-gen consoles it is no surprise that a top-of-the-range PC will destroy the performance of a current-gen console. But that is obvious, it would not be fair to compare a £500 console to a £5000 PC. But what is interesting is the capabilities of mid-range gaming PCs. You can really get a PC with comparable performance to a PS5 and XBOX Series X for a similar price. You may not be gaming at 4K like the consoles but if you are looking for an e-sports beast that can keep you or your family member entertained for hours on end, you may even be looking at a reduced initial investment by going with a reliable gaming PC.
Keyboard and mouse
If you are looking for a competitive and fast-paced gaming experience, then a keyboard and mouse is for you. Keyboards and mice offer a much more immersive and sophisticated gaming experience than a controller. If you are into shooting games such as Fortnite, Overwatch or even GTA for that matter, then a keyboard and mouse will offer you an improved experience over a traditional controller.
There are some areas where a controller does come out on top. For example racing games, which is why using a gaming PC controller is so great. Windows 10 and 11 offer native support for XBOX controllers, with rumble functionality. PC gaming really offers you the best of both worlds and allows you to play your games, your way.
Budget Gaming PCs
Budget gaming PCs in my opinion, are some of the most exciting devices in the gaming world. There is nothing more satisfying than purchasing a cost-effective system that performs well, and gives you enough remaining budget to buy a collection of cheap games on STEAM or pick up a nice keyboard, mouse or monitor. You don't need to spend an arm and a leg to get a high-functioning and beautiful looking PC.