Which is better, computers or consoles?
 

In recent console mags I have read about a PS3 and an X-Box 2. And both companies have announced the new features that will be available later.

Here's some facts that I hope will make you think about your choice of either buying a console or just getting games for PC.

* Consoles can only be used for playing games.
* PC's can be used for games and anything else that involves software or hardware.
* Consoles go out of date within 10 years.
* PC's will NEVER, I repeat NEVER go out of date.
* Consoles can't be upgraded, they just get external addons.
* PC's can be upgraded and enhanced in over 30 different ways.
*All CD console games can be emulated for PC.
Sometimes resulting in better game performance.

*And finally there are 200 companies making games for Playstation, 150 making games for X-Box and over 1300 companies making games for PC.

THINK ABOUT IT!!!!

I enjoy the comfort and convenience of a console in the living room. For the casual gamer, I'd recommend consoles.

Re: Which is better, computers or consoles?
 

"The" PC will never go out of date; however "the" console won't either. Game consoles have been around at least as long as PCs have. But, any given PC will go out of date just as any particular model of console will.

My 5 and one-half year-old Pentium 166 is quite capable of handling word processing, e-mail, financial management, spreadsheets, databases (i.e., real work). I love it. I buy PC games for as little money as possible, which means they have usually been out for quite some time, and my machine can handle them fairly well.

However, there are very few games published in the last three or four years that it can handle, despite the fact that I have upgraded the video card, hard disk, and memory. So, if Halo, or even Munch, came out for PC, I would have to buy a new PC to play them.

Why is this an either/or proposition? My suggestion: get a PC; they're enormously useful. If you want a console, too, why not get one?

Re: Which is better, computers or consoles?
 

And audio CDs and DVDs.


I prefer consoles because I prefer controllers to keyboard and mouse for my favourite generas.
For example, I had to sprawl my right hand over the keyboard when I played Unreal Tournament. The Xbox's controller is much more comfy to play with.

Computers take a while to boot up. Consoles dont. You have to install games with computers. Consoles you dont. Consoles better.

Computers. Not because they have better games... But they are incredibly usefull. With computers, you can get on the internet and gather information for work/school, type documents, chat with friends, post on message boards, find interesting and funny sites, edit TV/film and there are some good games for the PC... Consoles just have games, CD's and DVD's. You can listen to CD's on the computer, and there are many games on the computer. I would rather play games on a console, but computers have far more things to do on them. I'm not really a big gamer any way... My favorite game (Sanitarium) is a PC game any way... I played AO and AE on the PC... PCs are more usefull and fun for me... Consoles... aren't.

Consoles. Computers have to be updated almost every month, I can't keep up. With a console you have around five years and no worrying that the game you buy will not run fast enough or just not work at all. Of course I still love computers, they are very useful(I couldn't be typing this without one.) For games I prefer a console.

Well, PCs are incredibly useful. I think everyone so far has mentioned most of the uses. But I prefer consoles for games. When gaming, you have to have certain specifications for games on PCs. With consoles, you don't have to worry about specs.

You can do that with consoles, now, too. ;)

Morgan, Tom WAS talking about consoles... He meant that consoles can play CDs and DVDs... :S

dont have to think much thier *CONSOLES* they are takin over the world, they are so cool, you can play DVD on them and Music and Games, sure you can do the same stuff with computers but i think more peeps would want to see DVD on thier T.V.

For games I prefer consoles but computers are good for a lot of things that have already been mentioned. My computer is used for work and the net mainly.

I've got to agree with you there. I know DVDs have other uses on computers, but as far as DVD movies are concerned, it's a bit hard to imagine the family gathered around the PC to watch a movie, especially on your average 15 or 17 inch computer monitor.

Oops! I'm not thinking straight today. :S

Well, when you think about it for gaming computers usualy involve more complicated games, like The Sims and online gaming with theings like Half-Life. I know Blue Shift is out for X-Box I think, but alot different. Like The Sims you need lots of space to save on, the keyboard and mouse function much better than a controller. Consoles in my opinion are better for things such as RPGs and fighting games, and the simpiler shooting games designed for a contorler, aka Goldeneye and Halo. I tried an emulator of Goldeneye on PC once, it completely stunk, the complicity it was designed for was gone. Thats why I guess companies are making games for younger audiances now, the consoles are easier to use for non-educational games. Computers are more for the "more complicaated" as I put it, whereusualy a little 7 year old won't be dodging bullets with the ease of an expirienced computer user. Thats why I tend to notice computer games for young audiances are usualy educational (blah!) and focus for more mature knowledgable ages. Basicly,it just depends on what you want to game with.

Now comes to my next point, other uses. COnsoles are better for watching DVDs and VCDs, yes, and with some you can bbrowse the internet (ie. Dreamcast) with a keyboard and mouse, although many interactive things are cut down such as chating and although I haven't tried it, I believe you may not be able to post at forums. Word processing and usualy better equiped audio programs that can run in the background can be used on PCs, along with keeping large stores of records and information files (like Doug said, I believe). Consoles aren't designed for things like that, maybe thats why they cost hundreds of dollars less. PCs are made to be fully functioning, although most simplicity can be lost for gaming. Thats probably one of the reason better and better consoles are developed, even when most gamers have PC. So a game doesn't have to be complicated with keys for everything, the ease of using two hands at all times with les to concentrate on. COnsoles are becoming more like computers howeverl, like the previously stated DVD capabilities and things like on X-Box being able to insert your own music files into desginated games. Online play is developed, which allows the user to play with other people with a simple controler.

Just as a side note, using like a gaamepad for computer is very akward, seems stupid, most games for PCs usualy aren't desgined for soemthing like that...
EDIT: I forgot to add I abstain from this vote, consoles and computers aren't in the right line to compare, at least in my books... Like I said, consoles have some strengths, computers have some strengths, some are the same as the others, but the overall purpose of the two different types of machines are different.

You guys forgot to mention arcade units. Mmmm...DanceDanceRevolution....Puppy Keyboard Kennel.....fun...

Well, if your just talking about gaming systems, than I vote computer. You can upgrade PCs. However, I'm not to fond of most of the games on PC, so consoles all the way. (as far as software goes)

Re: Re: Which is better, computers or consoles?
 

You've missed the point, here. Consoles go out of date, but it's parts of PCs that go out of date, and those parts can be replaced or upgraded.

I choose PCs, simply because I don't really play games, except for tacky arcade games like Tetris and Arkanoid... If I had a console, it would almost never get used...

Re: Re: Re: Which is better, computers or consoles?
 

I haven't missed the point at all. Naxos said "PC's will NEVER, I repeat NEVER go out of date." That's ridiculous. The original PC from IBM came out in 1980 or 81. How many people still have that machine? How many still have Intel 286-, 386- or 486-based machines? Those machines are out of date, and they couldn't have been upgraded to anything similar to the machines being built today.

As I explained, I have upgraded my own computer almost as much as it can be upgraded without changing the motherboard, and if I do that the only original part will be the box. It will never run the most modern games or any other modern software no matter how much more I upgrade it -- it's too damn slow.

Yes, a PC can be upgraded, but it is not infinitely upgradeable. If you replace all the parts (which almost no one ever does -- they go out and buy a new PC every 2-4 years after it's gone out of date) then you've got a new PC.

DDR you say Oddball? That rules. You know the whole series thing with Beatmania and Guitar Freaks? And uh, Poppin music or whatever... Have thoseon playstation, but theres 3 arcade places around where I live that have DDR to play. True, arcade units do provide moe things, but usualy once again for the more mature aduances, the little kids just usualy try to win points. Its a shame Time Crisis and House of THe Dead suck on consoles, such a shame.

Computers are better than consoles.

Computers are better at doing many things, like going online, using word, etc. but not for games and DVD's

Consoles are best when it comes to games and DVD's.

The two are too different to compare.

What a convincing argument!

Anyway, my previous reply was made under the impression the question was in regards to games only, in which case I voted for consoles. However, PC's are great for email, internet and design. I've never played a game more complex than SimSafari on my computer; I tend to stick with consoles for playing games.

Re: Which is better, computers or consoles?
 

Everything you said was wrong or stupid:

*You forgot DVD's and CD's
*Not all software and hardware
*PC's go out of date in a month
*Your kidding right
*I don't have time to upgrade
*Just get a new one, to much work
*That is not going to happen, remember bleem

You should have researched this before giving out faulty facts.

The only game on my PC that I play is Worms Armageddon.
I did have several other games: both the Abe's games but they don't work on ME, Lego Racers but that always crashed at a certain point on a certain level, several other 3D games which all looked crap and often crashed.

I have sixteen PlayStation games and two Xbox games. The graphics on most of my console games far surpass any graphics that have ever been on my PC.

In terms of gaming, generally, I'd choose console over PC - I've never known a console game to have requirements greater than the console's capabilities. But then, for sim games I'd have to return to the computer.

My current PC is about 5 times more powerful than my last - but in just two years computers are being produced with terrabytes of 'room'. I doubt an old dilapidated thing like this one I'm using now could be 'upgraded' to that (then again, my computer physics knowledge is through the floor).

But, of course, I can't view the Internet through my PlayStation, and, even though I've looked really hard, I still can't find a calculator on it either.

I'm now eagerly awaiting the time when digital TV is mandatoy - then emails, home shopping and home banking will all be done on those big epensive widescreen television sets.

Oh yeah, and console's don't crash as much as PCs. Well, mine don't anyway (not a difficult challenge).

1. I already home bank...;)

2. My PSone crashed about once and my Xbox hasn't crashed yet.

my XBOX has not crashed, my PS1 crashed around 4 times thats one of the reasons i did not get PS2

Hm, our Playstation crashes sometimes. Then sometimes it doesn't even work if you don't put a weight on top of it. Like, we traded our newer Playsation for my friends old Playstation so we could play imported games. But it stunk when we got it, music skips but its still running. And the screws holding the top and bottem together are missing...

My PS1 has crashed to many times to count, my XBOX has fozen 2 and a half times. 2 times creating a skater on THPS3 and on MO it froze, but unfroze after about a minute.

I just have one question for all you people participating in this debate:

Are you discussing the gaming capabilites, power, and expandability of consoles vs. computers, or the video game library that you favour most?