PC vs Console in 2024... time to ditch PC?

so today I'm going to talk about a topic that I don't think I've touched on since 2013, to be honest, and that's whether or not you should say "screw the PC and get a

console

." A quick and easy way to get a new gaming PC Create a gaming PC on your budget using the built-in configurator that now includes Intel's 14th Gen CPUs with faster cores with higher core counts and speeds up to 6 GHz for a better overall gaming experience If you don't want to build it yourself, choose from BL's pre-configured player PCE systems, built with performance and various budgets in mind, to see the full line and specifications of BL's pre-configured PCS NZXT Build Player series, follow the sponsored link in the description below.

So the

console

versus PC conversation has been going on probably since Atari, to be honest, and then Nintendo, Super Nintendo, GameCube, N64 and all that, and it's gone on and on and on because there's definitely two schools of thought when It's about computers versus consoles. So today we're going to talk about whether or not you should say to hell with the idea of ​​building yourself a computer or buy a pre-built one and just buy a console. so obviously there are pros and cons to both, and the reason we're even having this conversation is because I've actually noticed an increase in the number of inbox questions I'm getting about whether or not they should buy a console and in fact I was having a conversation recently with someone who is not a PC enthusiast in any sense, he has a laptop for work and that's it and he doesn't play games or anything like that, but he has a kid and he was like should I buy one computer?

Do you think I should buy a PlayStation 5? This person doesn't like games at all since he graduated from college a few years ago and now he's getting some free

time

back for himself after he already finished his grad program and stuff and now I just have some

time

, so what should I do to really get me thinking and get something real to think about here and an unbiased one because one would assume that Since I'm a DIY PC builder I would automatically be like P DMR only you already know the peasants from consoles and I don't really think that way because I actually have a PS5 and several computers, technically I have a PS4 and the latest one.

The Xbox I had was actually the . public that they're moving away from the whole hardware side because with Xbox um, the Xbox app on PC, when it comes to Windows-based PCS, you can pretty much get any game available on Xbox on a computer and guess what it's going to run. However, it's better on PC than Xbox, but that also means there are also exclusives available on PC that are Microsoft exclusives on Xbox, so that line has been blurred drastically; There was actually quite a while when you couldn't get Xbox exclusives. PC, including Halo and things like that, like Halo was like the Halo title, no pun intended intended for the Microsoft platform, being Xbox and then with PlayStation, specifically PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, like the Sony exclusives, that line It's starting to blur now, to what extent. of the titles that you would want a console for for exclusivity, which was really the main selling point of wanting a console, is starting to come to the PC, now the most recent, very big, IP that came to the PC, uh. was the last of us and that was a completely remastered title, so you know, the game itself is like 10 years old, the first one, um, so that shows as for PC owners, if I didn't have a I wouldn't have a PlayStation when The Last of Us came out and it was huge I heard everyone talking about it it was all over YouTube it was all over Reddit everyone was like losing their minds because of how good the story was and I was cool no I don't know what it is because I don't I have a PlayStation, so obviously when it was ported to PC and remastered, I was very interested.

Fun fact, although it really correlated with the release of the TV show, etc., on HBO. And it really piqued my interest because I first watched the show and then played it, but the console ports or should I say exclusives like PlayStation are starting to come to PC more regularly now, where it's about a year, but a lot more studios are leaving Of course they also want to support their PC gaming platform because, truth be told, it's a huge platform, so one of the positive aspects of consoles like the ones we've talked about is the fact that you're going to get exclusives from the first day available to you, immediately, now most consoles have now moved to digital and also have discs available, that was one of the positive things for consoles in the past, but not so much these days was the fact that if you had a game, you had a disc, you were done with that game, you could sell that game to a friend, make some money back or online or whatever, you could sell the disc and then that. one person could play the game, it wasn't DRM for one console or for one account due to the fact that discs are a bit archaic at the moment and there are still console versions available, almost everything is digital content now, so initially One of the disadvantages of the consoles was the fact that you couldn't necessarily expand the storage, now on Xbox you could connect an external hard drive, it was a spinning disk and it was actually quite expensive to connect those external drives. on your Xbox was a good chunk of the cost of another Xbox or you could sell your Xbox and try to get one with more storage back then, like a 256GB Xbox was huge, like 120 was the max for the longest time. then there was like 40GB, which was like the base models, you might have been able to keep a couple of saved games and stuff in there and maybe a couple of downloaded titles, but luckily you were still very reliant on discs, especially specifically the PS5 .

I even have a video on this because I use NVME drives, there's an NVME expansion drive in there so you can add storage to your PlayStation and it's kind of an extremely easy add-on to our previous video. I'll try to make sure to note or have In the description, it's very easy to do with any modern NVME drive, so what was initially a con is now a positive for consoles due to the fact that you have upgradeable internal storage. Let's talk PC for a second. One of the biggest disadvantages of PCS, especially in recent years, is its initial adoption price.

PCS will be significantly more expensive than a console, even a quote-unquote $500 PC that you could technically build today, especially using as an internal APU or GPU with AMD 7,000 series processors or Intel processors, believe it or not, a $500 PC isn't going to be as good as a $500 console when it comes to graphics fidelity and overall gameplay simply due to the fact that we're talking about such a huge hardware iteration configuration possibility when it comes to computers where you simply you don't know how the title will run, there are too many different graphics cards you could potentially put in there, different types of storage, different CPUs, if they are old CPUs, are they?

Newer CPUs, while on console the gaming experience is universal for everyone due to the fact that there is a specific set of hardware that developers can optimize, which is why there is always a difference between PC titles and console titles that they are cross-platform and such, because of the fact that it takes time to make sure that they are at least optimized for both, most of the time they are console optimized rather than PC optimized because they will simply depend on the brute force approach of the PC to have better hardware to run a game that may not be as optimized, the disadvantage of the console is that every time there is a new generation of consoles, the Xbox brand has also done this, it tends to leave console titles behind older, what I mean by that is that there's not necessarily forward disk compatibility, so if you're running like you have a PS3 and you get a PS4, a lot of times those disks wouldn't work in a PS4, same thing when It's about Xbox if you go for an Xbox 360 or an Xbox One.

There was a list of titles that were compatible where you could take an old disc and run it on the new platform, but it wasn't always guaranteed that it would work, so it was like you would have to make a cross reference. whether or not an old disc would work on a new console, so you can't update it, you can't update the experience, you can't make it faster or stronger, not to mention consoles come out with new revisions as time goes on. Now we have the PS5 Slim, this one isn't slim, it's like the first PS5 OG even before they started changing the coolers and everything inside them.

There are no hardware changes that you can really upgrade and improve your experience. they aim for 4K, but for most titles on similar consoles they aim for 4K 30, which, if you're a gamer and you know that 60 fps is the sweet spot, you want 60 FPS or more when it comes to gaming, the good thing about the PC. If you can build a $500 PC that can give you 60+ FPS on medium 1080P settings and even a PC on medium settings will be much nicer to look at than the way the graphics are basically factory set for consoles I don't mention that you can't even go in and adjust most of those graphics settings and games on the console because, again, like I said, they're very restricted to the hardware that's known to exist on that platform.

Now I think this conversation comes up. A lot because in the early days of consoles they weren't like mini PCs like they are today, you couldn't browse the internet, you couldn't check email, you couldn't download apps and watch things like Netflix and Hulu, HBO, YouTube, but now . In reality, they are like all-in-one PCs to which you connect a television or monitor. They already come with a controller, which is another disadvantage for PCs that spend another $50 or $60 to get a controller, at least the one they come with. At least one of them can do pretty much most of what a computer can do nowadays, now a computer can do all those things, better not to mention that a computer can do all kinds of things that a console can't, and you can use it. for work spreadsheets, email, yes you can send emails on a console, but it really sucks trying to type with a controller, so unless you're going to plug a keyboard into it, do everything like one letter at a time while you write an email.

It really sucks, but when it comes to console, streaming is very basic with a PC, obviously, you can do a full OBS type setup and get a very high-end gaming experience and streaming experience for your audience on PC , you can update it like me. I've already said that you can start with parts that may be enough to buy today, but making smart decisions means you give yourself an upgrade path and ensure you have options in the future to be able to upgrade the system. without having to change your entire rig, not to mention you can make it your own aesthetically, you can choose a case you like, you can choose parts that are aesthetically pleasing or you can go for super basic No Frills type parts to make sure you get all the performance possible for the possible money without paying for any of the extra features that are perhaps useless so to speak, but not only that, we know that a computer will work most of the time unless you reach the lowest specifications.

You don't go to the PC, it will last much longer than, say, a console. I mean, consoles tend to have a 5-7 year lifespan, that is if the console doesn't die on its own, we all know the old Network. Ring of Death we all know the blinking lights of death, all the things that You know what happens with consoles. I think I went through three Xbox 360s with the red ring of death before I finally got one that didn't cook itself to death, but I think realistically when it comes to PC, Zak, it's not just about gaming. on the computer, it's not just about watching content on it or whatever.

I think for a lot of computer enthusiasts, it's more than just playing and it's about the connection you have with building the tower, upgrading it, modifying it, making it truly your own, customizing it and having an infinite number of options and combinations of parts and configurations. , which for me is what I enjoy most about computers. I play my games. I don't have a huge catalog of games. He's one of those people who plays one game at a time, so the storage size on a console wouldn't be a big deal for me because I'd just play one game and then when I'm done I'd delete it and install another one. one, um, but for me, thefun and enjoyment of a computer and PC games is the PC itself.

I love it, how can I make it mine? And I think that's what a lot of people who have built PCS, especially their first PC. Like saying it becomes addictive. A few people emailed me and told me I built my first computer and that wasn't enough, so I started trying to find someone I knew who wanted a computer and I would build it for them for free. It was fun to even accompany my daughter in one of my recent videos, you saw her in the background. The reason she was here that day is because she had been bugging me for a couple of weeks saying that she wanted to build a computer like her. you don't need a computer you have a very strong computer you have 11900 k you have a 3080 and you play Roblox what the hell do you need a new computer for it, I just want to build the computer and that seems fair to me, I brought it to work, took out the parts and just built it I let the computer be assembled, it worked, I published it, I was super excited, so that's the passion I want to cultivate. especially with my own kids and friends, but I think my channel is about encouraging that for people as well and you're not going to get that with a console, it's not to say consoles are bad, consoles do exactly what they're supposed to do. you press a button, you will probably have to wait for an update, at some point you go to the game you want to play and it works, it works almost always until something breaks, which every console has some known generation problem that is going to happen, the same thing can happen with a computer, although your computer may be working perfectly fine and suddenly one day a blue screen of death appears and repeats and repeats over and over again, and then that's where beginner frustrations happen and newbies when it comes to computers is not knowing how to troubleshoot or diagnose that's where they are where I bring it what I do normally you go to YouTube you start doing a search to see if anyone has videos on the problems that could help you fix it, it's because that there are channels like mine, but I think the most important thing should be less about PC versus console because they are both really the same, it's just that this is a very big, very customizable. you can make almost any type of console instead of having a very narrow niche purpose, it's a little bit broader now, like I said, with all the entertainment and apps and everything else available on them as well, but I think anyone who ever I may have switched from console to PC more frequently.

No, I heard that they got bit by the PC virus and now that's just what they want to do, they want to build computers and stuff. I've even had people tell me that they've made career changes. I'm going, I won't. I gave their name, but I recently got an email from someone telling me that they started watching my channel when they were like 12 years old. I told him, thank you for making me feel old. They are literally AMD engineers now, so it's true, it's great to see people find a passion and follow through with it. I don't think a lot of people have a passion for consoles, but I think the PC could open up a whole world for you if you have something in front of you that maybe you never thought could have been part of who you are in the future.

I just wanted to post this video to give you something to think about about the pros and cons. We will analyze them again. Very fast PC. Expensive initial cost. It is expensive to access it. As a really solid gaming PC, every gaming PC makes. a great PC for work, but not all PCs for work are good gaming PCs, it's important to remember that, okay, but I think you're looking at around $1500 or more to get a really good PC that will last you for years, that's three times more. cost of a PS5 or an Xbox if, for some reason, I mean, this really belongs here, okay, they're the same, they really are, you don't need an Xbox, okay, you can play all the Xbox titles on a computer, That's why the Xbox app is pre-installed on Windows, on the other hand, okay, we'll get back to the pros and cons here, but it's expensive.

Pros, it is very powerful, it will give you much better frames per second. much better fidelity, meaning your game will look sharper and improved, many features that are enabled in a game, um, on PC, compared to the same game on a PlayStation, overall the experience will be good, The disadvantages are also something. If it goes wrong, you'll be able to fix it and fix it unless you choose an SI that has a warranty to back it up. They're bigger, they're quite a bit bigger, they consume more energy, so if energy costs and energy bills go up. something that's really important to you that's going to be more on that um and then don't plug it into a TV please even a gaming TV like the one I'm still using, LG is really testing it.

The monitors are designed with super high levels. refresh rates, very fast response times that will also be fine on the console, but the console has other input latency and lag and stuff outside of the PC, the total cost of this is just the number one disadvantage. Pros in a console that are already assembled and ready to use. To connect them, set up your account, you're up and running. They can be upgraded now in terms of storage. Storage is something that, as I've said in the past, can't be upgraded unless you replace the entire console. or connecting additional external storage which was also very slow, and then the other advantage will be the fact that you get the exclusives on the first day of their availability and they take time to reach the PC, it could be a year or similar, in cases like The Last of Us, it could be 10 years, who knows, we're still waiting for Last of Us 21 for PC, just saying uh, cons, although they can break, they do break, just go and look for any of the PS5. like the flashing light of death or the red ring of death on Xbox 360.

I don't know much about I don't know and the Xbox One had problems too. I forget what it was, but they exist anyway, you can find millions of posts. about those issues, the other downside is the fact that they can't be upgraded, so as hardware advances in the future, when titles are designed and built, those engines and those titles are built around the hardware that exists at the time they develop. the game now yes it can take 5 years to develop a game but there is a time gap that occurs in a leapfrog effect when developing games versus the hardware that is available at the time it comes out you know a PC could be upgraded if If it is not fast enough for a modern title or does not meet the minimum requirements, you cannot upgrade a console, so any title that exists for the console that comes out later will probably be a really reduced version of the graphics settings in those games and they'll just look terrible on console vs.

PC, lots of side by side videos where you can see major differences between a console version and a PC version. Another drawback also is that it is not a full-featured computer like a computer. You know there are so many. things you can do on a computer that are outside of gaming and things like: did I ever think that my passion for computers would lead me to a complete career change and owning my own company? Speaking of which, I suppose the same could be done with consoles. too, but I think there is much less passion for a console than for computers, but that is a personal choice.

It may not be important to you, but again, $500 total and that's it, anyway, there you have it guys. I just want to post this video, it's something that's been on my mind lately and I was like, I want to post something for people who right now might have been on the verge of trying to decide, now is the time to build a computer. I mean, prices have come back like they're pretty much back to normal. I'm going to do a video here in the near future where we'll look at something like a 3080 versus a 4060 to see whether or not you know where we are now. with hardware prices and performance and stuff, and is it worth buying new or used?

Etc., so we're going to do more things like that, which I think really interests a lot of people because the initial purchase cost, like I said, is very high. PC, so speak up below, do me a favor, put your top five reasons why you would choose one over the other and be brutally honest. I think this could start a little war there because, for whatever reason, I think people just decide. choose one side or the other, but you can also be like me and own them all.