Here’s Why You Need To Switch To PC Gaming Right Now

Now this is not PC elitism or arguments that the PC has superior graphics and more horsepower than the console brethren. Because at the end of the day all that matters is the ability to play games cheaply and easily.

So, why should you drop consoles and switch to PC gaming this instant? Its simple: cheaper games and more of them. Recently I wrote about why I don’t buy full priced games anymore and there is a very good reason for that: Steam sales and humble bundles and other digital sales on a scale that simply cannot be matched by Microsoft or Sony. Sure they have them occasionally but not the deep discounts that you see on Steam, especially during the seasonal/holiday sales. Heck, Steam has sales everyday, such as Weeklong deals and free weekend game trials as well as discounts on those. It is unlikely that you will go on Steam and not see a sale or two.

Not to toot too much of Steam’s horn but Steam’s philosophy has spilled over to other digital distribution sites. Origin has ’em, so does Uplay (though I’d stay away from the latter). There are also reputable third party Steam game sellers such as GreenManGaming, Gamers Gate and what not. Then there are dedicated sites such as CheapShark which exist with the sole purpose of showing the lowest price from the myriad of digital game sellers. If you’re feeling a bit adventurous, you can turn to third party key sellers such as CJS CD Keys as I’ve had good luck with them.

Next, PC has a hidden trump card: indie games. With no big budget marketing requirements or fat cats in expensive Armani suits breathing down their neck, indie developers offer a greater variety of gaming experience than AAA developers and almost-always cheaper as well. This boils down to risk and reward. The big budget developers will never consider making such games because it may be too niche to get the level of (absurd) returns they want or may consider it too risky (for their inefficient, bloated regimes). Indie developers are small and nimble and have gretater appetite for risks while not demanding sky-high returns. All of this makes the fact undeniable that games are cheaper on PC than on consoles.

Now you don’t need a 5 grand rig to run the latest and greatest (though you can if 4K surround gaming is your thing). The fact that the Xbox One and PS4 both use PC x86 architecture and AMD APUs means that the tech is also cheap on the PC. Now, before I get into hardware price comparisons, I’d like to point out one thing. The mere fact that the consoles use PC x86 architecture has been a boon for PC gamers. This means that more console games are appearing on the PC because it is easier to port to similar architectures. That may be one key reason why Metal Gear Solid made the jump to PC. Also, you do not need expensive hardware to get performance on par with consoles because there are less shoddy ports and are more optimised. Another benefit of those AMD APUs has resulted in Mantle on the PC which means you can use cheaper hardware to get better performance.

You can get a gaming PC that is on par with consoles and at the same price. You may be seeing at a 10 to 20 dollar difference either way. I won’t be giving you exact hardware specs because there are better people qualified out there on the internet and there are numerous articles available as well as YouTube videos. The beauty of the PC platform is that there are so many options to choose from and there is something to fit everyone’s needs. As a start, I’d recommend the Intel Pentium G3258 Anniversary edition because it is budget priced and overclocks like nobody’s business. You can even skip the overclocking or have someone do it for you or build it for you. If you want to do it yourself, just watch a couple of YouTube step-by-step videos and you’re golden.

Finally its more convenient on the PC. Most PS4 and Xbox One games have to be installed nowadays. This negates the convenience factor that the consoles held over the PC, the fact that you could just pop in the disc and start playing. This isn’t the case anymore. Also, you don’t have to drive down to the store to get your favourite game, not that you would find it at GameStop anyway. The latest Call of Duty will release simultaneously on multiple platforms, the only difference on PC is that you can start playing without ever leaving your house and it will just look better. Just have your credit card handy, hit purchase, go grab a drink (or wait overnight if you’re not blessed with amazing internet speeds) and the game has already been downloaded and ready to play.

Don’t prefer a mouse and keyboard? No worries! Just plug in a Xbox 360 controller or Xbox One controller and you’re done. Most PC games have native support for the Xbox controller and Steam also mentions whether a game has controller support. Want to play on the big screen? Sure thing! Just connect it via HDMI and its good to go.

At the end of the day it boils down to the fact that you can play a greater variety of games that are cheaper on the PC and is more convenient, so why wouldn’t you?