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hi newbie here. just wondering which is better pc or console gaming? I can't decide which one to get...any suggestions?

thanks!

Better? There is no better, you'll never be able to get a clear answer as to what is "better" - it is subjective and personal preferences which decides which you think is "better".
For "better" answers you need to define what is your own preferences and what is the critirias for a game being "better".... then you can ask specific questions instead of vauge unanswerable ones

A while ago I would have said I prefer PC as it has online capibilitys. But now I have Xbox live I'm going to go with Console. It seems to come out with a lot more better games.

Before I begin I'll say that I never owned a console but I did try it from a friend.

From what I heard on the PC you could have better graphics if your system is strong enough, while on the XBox/PS you're guaranteed maximum performance.
The consoles usually have action games and you can play them while you're on the sofa or in your bed, but PC games have all sorts of actions games, real time strategy games (which you'll never get to play on a console), and FPS that are much more accurate since you have a mouse... but you'll probably play those games on a chair which isn't quite as comfy as the sofa or bed. You can use your console to play music and movies (I think), but you can se your PC for all those things and much more (Internet, chat, programming etc.).

So, imo, if you're the kind of gamer that just wants action and comfort at the same time, consoles were made for you, but if you want to use your gaming machine to more than just games, or if you like RTS games, get a good PC.
Oh, one last thing, a powerful PC costs more than 1000 dollars while a console costs around 200 dollars.

Hope that helps.

From what I heard on the PC you could have better graphics if your system is strong enough, while on the XBox/PS you're guaranteed maximum performance.

You can lag as much on a console as you can on a PC. Quite a few of the latest XBox or PS2 games run at 15-20 fps because they've reached the maximum capabilities of the console.

As for graphical quality, at the moment the best PCs tie with the PS3 and the XBox 360.

The consoles usually have action games and you can play them while you're on the sofa or in your bed

Fire Emblem for Nintendo GameCube? There are plenty of slower-paced games, although it is true that consoles tend to be more skewed towards action games.

and FPS that are much more accurate since you have a mouse

There are just as many FPS for consoles as there are for PC. While you can't aim as well on consoles, many console-based FPS do have auto-aiming. And I've heard that you could move better using controllers.

while a console costs around 200 dollars.

Which doesn't QUITE measure up to the powerful PCs; they would match a $500 PC designed for gaming at best. Consoles which can match the powerful PCs cost around $500, but at the present due to lack of availability the few actual models available on the market are closer to $1000.

Personnally Ive always prefered to play RPG type game's (NWN, BG Diablo) on PC for obvious reasons

Game's which have more of an arcade feel to them but are on both PC and consoles, like Need for speed, Halo etc etc should be played on the consoles and kept away from the PC (IMO anyway)
But then you have games that arent out on PC (Resident Evil for instance)
so I need a console at my disposal anyway
I feel as though they balance themselves out in the long run so I choose to own both type's.
Unless I'm just greedy :devil:

For me, and I'm sure I'm not the only one, if you have a really good computer to run games on (*Cough* Dell XPS *cough*) then I have to go with computer games all the way. I find the controls easier, online gaming easier, graphics and performance better and an endless number of multitasking opportunities (which I enjoy )... The games I enjoy (RPGs, strategy games) are much better on a computer too; the best RPGs on consoles, for example, are also available on PCs! If you're an RPGer there's no possible way you can turn down a computer or you will be forced to strictly stick to the KOTORs and MOrrowind (which isn't all bad, but not enough for me ).

Console's work better for partying with friends or such, however, as a Halo party beats the crap out of an... Erm... Civ 4 party? confused: ). You will also run into less technical problems on a console, but having a high-end computer will cut down on this as well.

Most of all look at the games available. If you're a strategy gamer (Warcraft, Civilization, etc.), for example, you need a computer because the console titles for strategy games tend to be small in number and lackimg (for the most part IMO). If you're more into sports games (Madden, FIFA, etc.) then you want a console because those games don't port very well to the PC.

I'd make a list of the titles you find interesting and go from there; some are only available on certain systems (Civ4 on comp, Dead Or Alive on XBOX), some only play well on certain systems (see Madden ), and some arew entirely interchangeable (KOTOR, Morrowind, etc.)!

I do both console and PC gaming. It's true that console gaming can be much more comfortable. If I could have a better set-up for my computer area I'd get a comfy chair and a way to keep the laptop at just the right level. My chair has no arm-rests and my wrists get tired from hanging off of the edge of the desk while I type. So when I put in hours on an MMOG I'm constantly fidgeting.

i tend to agree with the consoles being better for sports and other action games. but consoles not being good for rpgs??? have you good people never played the Final Fantasy series at all??? granted that FFX and X-2 were not the height of squaresofts excellence, but no one can doubt the excellence of FFVII. dont get me wrong the only reason i still play consoles is for the Final Fantasy games, and the metroid games. but like its said its all prefrence. had i started playing consoles before pc games id most likely be a console junkie. its just that the brands i like and love to play are best on pc. also said brands are not on console like WoW, or Joint Operatations, or star wars empire at war.

now as for the graphics thing about how a 360 and ps3 are equal to a pc, lets just say that may be true. as i havent read anything to see it for sure either way so ill just take your word. in 3 to 6 months a newer better monitor will come out. a new better graphics card will come out. a newer better mother board will come out. basicly by the time a ps3 or 360 reaches their 1 year anniversary the pc will have blown them out of the water in graphics potential. now granted said computer will cost around 4000 dollars US money so itll be a pretty penny (that is if you build it yourself). basicly what im driveing at is that the pc will always be recrowned king of graphics, memory, frames per second, and lets not forget even if its a Macintosh (ok please dont shoot me for just envokeing the word mac) itll still be more versatile then any console that comes out.

but also keep in mind this is all a moot point. seeing as most people can afford a decent computer and one or two, if not all three major consoles at the same time. so while you may just wish to have one console, if you plan right you can also get a decent computer to play the games you want that will never come out on console. so you can debate all you want which is better. just keep in mind that the real debate is which console is better :devil:. oh yes folks i just opened a new can of worms that even i wont touch. /me laughs evily

i think there is a place for both console games and pc games. some games i prefer to play on my ps2 as the controls suit the games more, but certain games, like bg2 etc. i could never imagine being a console game. i would not say consoles are better than a pc or vice versa. i just think they are suited to different types of games. i love sports games and fps games on a console for example, but love rpgs and strategy games on a pc.

I prefer PC gaming better than console gaming for a couple reasons. However I do have an Xbox I just don't use it a lot, but I still enjoy it.
The big advantage I see with consoles is if you buy a console every game you buy you know will work. The requrements are already met. Unlike a PC.
But I like PC gaming because I have a decent PC (in sig). More customizeable and I enjoy a lot of shooter games, and those are more fun On PC IMO.

I would have to say console for the factor that i am a pure sony fan. I have the ps1 and ps2, and with games such as the devil may cry series, bloodrayne, and the newly releasedsequel to bloodrayne, it is just so ace.

It depends on the game. I prefer pc for FPS & strategy, since the mouse is so accurate. But I play most of the other game types on one of my consoles (have PsX, Ps2 & Xbox) simply because there is no installation required, just put in the disk and play. When it comes to games released to both console & pc, I check if the pc version has noticibly improved graphics, if it doesn't, I rather have it on a console.

pc or other

No problem in this house, 3 pc's, 2 Playstations, and an Xbox...personally I prefer PC, but that stems from the fact I'm over 50 and an old style gamer.

I like kiddy games (Zelda, Sonic, etc.), so I prefer Nintendo and Sega consoles.

Plus, handheld consoles are very handy!

In my opinion, it depends on what type of games you play. If you like playing strategy games, FPS (First Person Shooters) and top-down RPGs, PC is the way to go. The keyboard and mouse settings really suit those type of games. If you prefer 3rd person action RPGs, sports games and racing games, consoles is the way to go. You could play those types of games on the PC but as what Tony said, sports games tend to suffer on the PC due to the control setup.

Personally, I prefer to play on the PC since I've been playing games on that platform for a very long time. Anyway, I'm not that much of an RPG player and I tend to play more 3rd person shooters, FPSes and quite a number of strategy games even though I'm more of a jack of trades for most games.

i say console just because my comp sorta sux. it has a really old graphics card and all kinds of problems.

PC:
+ If your computer is good enough, graphics may be very beautiful
+ Mods and updates!!
+ RTS, FPS and most complex RPG games are easier to play with mouse and keyboard
- Needs regular upgrade
- Thousand of different combinations of hardwares, almost impossible to get everything out from each game...

Console:
+ You can play from couch
+ Handheld consoles are very easy to take with you to holidays
+ Good sport and racing games
+ No need for upgrades
- Mods and updates aren't possible
- Games with complex controls nearly impossible
- Playing FPS games is more challenging since accurate suffers from controls


Conclusion:
As I love RPG and RTS games, I prefer computer. Also, the possibility to get mods and updates is also very nice thing.

I have an Xbox, but i'd say it has a lot to do with how strong a computer you have.

What is most important for me in a game, is how much ingenuity there has been put into it, and i would say that both PC and consoles have equal opportunities for that.

I recently got myself a new one, and as long as it is capable of keeping properly up with the games that are being published, i would say PC, since it has more potential.
On consoles, it is mostly FPS or sports/racing games, while PC is for every genre.

But if you had asked me while i had my old PC, i would probably have said Console.

Woozaii wrote: What is most important for me in a game, is how much ingenuity there has been put into it, and i would say that both PC and consoles have equal opportunities for that.

I agree. However, there are some slight differences in terms of the control configuration. The games on the consoles tend to have a more simple control scheme compared to the PC. The PC control scheme is much better overall since its much more flexible compared to the consoles particularly on most genres. Other than that, almost most of the aspects present in both console and PC games are quite similar, including games ported from the console to the PC and vice versa.