For a long time, PC gaming has reigned as the champion of gamers all over the world. Most people prefer to own PCs because of the raw power they have over the consoles. For the most part, PCs can easily be built for gamers, serving more needs than consoles. There’s absolutely no doubt that PC gaming has dominated in the past, but as console technology improves, the focus of gaming has shifted. With the introduction of the PS5 and the Xbox Series X into the market, the debate on whether gaming consoles can provide a better gaming experience than PC gaming or vice versa is still present, and the answer is never so simple.
Is PC gaming better than PS5 and Xbox Series X?
PC gaming is better. This is because a decently powerful PC will have better graphics than Xbox Series X and PS5. Upgrading a gaming PC is also easier since the nature of PCs allows you to buy new components later down the line and use them to upgrade your system, while if you want to upgrade a console, you have to wait for a new version to be released. Gaming PCs also give you a huge selection of games, and it’s quite easy to get a huge variety of games on your PC because the library goes back almost 30 years; the same cannot be said for PS5 or Xbox Series X. Repairing gaming PCs is a lot simpler than PS5 or Xbox Series X since you can switch out damaged components for newer ones. When building a gaming PC, you have several components to choose from, which allows for easier customization.
I surveyed my gaming community group on Facebook and asked them why they everyone prefers a gaming PC, this is what they said:
The console wars have begun, and many reviews have been written about the PS5 and Xbox Series X, but there’s more to the console wars than that. In this article, we will pit these next-gen consoles against their well-known rival, PC gaming. The hardware and design on both of these consoles are becoming more and more PC-like than ever before. This begs the question: Is PC gaming better than PS5 and Xbox Series X? PC gaming has existed for decades, but with the introduction of these new generation consoles, PCs have suddenly begun competing with consoles in a manner that we haven’t seen before. Today, we will discuss where the contenders- Xbox Series X and PS5- stand and how PC gaming compares. So stay tuned for this and much more. This will certainly be an enlightening read for you.
PS5 Specs Compared to Gaming PC
CPU
The PS5’s CPU is a custom chip that features 8 Zen 2 cores that run at 3.5GHZ, and they are all equipped with hyperthreading that totals 16 cores.
By comparison, a good CPU choice for a gaming PC that would be competitive would be AMD’s Ryzen 7 3700X. This chip features 8 Zen2 cores, all of which can run at a maximum speed of 4.4GHz.
GPU
When it comes to graphics, the PS5 features a custom GPU based on Navi’s latest next-generation RDNA2 architecture. It features 36 Compute Units (CU), all of which run at 2.23GHz. It also serves up 10.28TFLOPs of graphics power.
When it comes to the GPU, the closest PC builders can come to mimic the PS5’s GPU is the AMD RX 6800 XT which is RDNA2 based. It features 72 Compute Units (CU), all of which run at a base frequency of 2.015GHz and can reach 2.25GHz. It also serves up 9.75TFLOPs of graphics power.
Memory
In the PS5, memory is shared between the CPU and the GPU from a central pool of 16GB of GDDR6. When it comes to storage, the PSF has a custom 825GB SSD capable of loading about 2GB of data in about 0.27 seconds.
By comparison, AMD’s RX 6800XT used in gaming PCs comes with 16GB of GDDR6 memory.
Frames Per Second (FPS)
One of the many exciting features of the PS5 is the ability to play games at 120 frames-per-second (FPS). The advanced specs of the PS5 and the rise in display mean that game developers have the option of targeting 120FPS games if they choose to do so.
When it comes to PCs, currently, standard screens can only display a maximum of 60 frames-per-second, which is the natural limit for typical computer users. For extreme gamers, some screens can display up to 144 frames per second.
Why are gaming PC’s more expensive?
Gaming PCs are complex in terms of construction and manufacturing as well as distribution. The thing is, there are several different manufacturers responsible for producing CPUs, GPUs, RAM, motherboards, SSDs and Hard drives, sound cards, and other accessories. There are middle-man companies from whom these parts have to be ordered to assemble them, resulting in added costs. Building a computer is also a manual process, and it requires human workers rather than robots and automated machines, which also adds costs.
Consoles are manufactured in millions of units, with robots automating most of the work that needs to be done. The CPU and GPU can be combined into a single component, and there’s only one set of shared RAM. This allows for a refined and efficient manufacturing process of gaming consoles. Gaming consoles are also built with significantly cheaper parts. Additionally, the finished product only has to transfer from the manufacturer to the retailer before you can buy it. This culminates in a lower price for gaming consoles.
At the end of the day, gaming PCs are more expensive than consoles because of the reasons discussed above.
Is it hard to build a gaming PC?
Due to easy-to-follow instructions and an abundance of helpful YouTube videos, it’s completely feasible to build a gaming PC even if you have zero experience. Building a gaming PC no longer requires extensive step-by-step instructions, as the hardware itself has been made more user friendly as well.
“As a first time-builder, I definitely surprised myself by how easy to was to snap all the parts in place. I only had to Youtube a few steps that involved installing the right drivers but that was about it” –Nikhil, first time gaming PC builer
I wrote a really useful article of all the Lessons Learned from My First PC Build that I think you would find extremely useful. Click the link to read it!
Why Choose Gaming PC Over Consoles?
Graphics
The Xbox Series X and the PS5 can display 4K resolutions with HDR color technology. This is quite impressive, but PC gamers have had these options for years now and with more granular control over things like textures and ambient lighting.
A decently powerful PC will display better graphics than its console counterparts. A powerful PC blows away a console when it comes to graphics.
Game Selection
PCs have an unparalleled selection of games. Whether you are buying the latest games or running DOSBox to relive some of your childhood classics, it’s quite easy to get a huge variety of games on your PC because the library goes back almost 30 years.
Console games, however, don’t go quite as far back. Generally, you are limited to what has come out within the last few years.
Upgradability
Say, for example, several months down the line you come across a deal on hard drives, graphics cards, or RAM. The nature of PCs allows you to buy new components later down the line and use them to upgrade your system.
Gaming PCs’ upgradeability makes them a preferable choice to consoles with limited options for upgrades. Newer systems do allow upgrades in the department of storage, but that’s about it. What you buy one day is what you get all the way through.
Customization
When building a gaming PC, you have several components to choose from. CPUs can be Intel-based or AMD-based, while GPUs can be ATI or NVidia. Storage can also be configured in multiple ways. RAM can be chosen in several configurations and sizes. Multiple variables can go into customizing a gaming PC that you can have an infinite number of possibilities.
With gaming PCs, you can adjust your build according to your requirements and budget and still come out with a unique system. This is one of the reasons gamers prefer having a PC to a console.
Reparability
Thanks to their customizable nature, repairing gaming PCs is a lot simpler. You can switch out damaged components for newer ones, and you still get the same great performance. You can also repair damaged parts individually without much hassle.
When it comes to repairing consoles, it’s hard because of their specialized parts and configuration. Repairing consoles most of the time results in the devaluation of the entire system. And while you can repair a gaming PC yourself, gaming consoles have to be repaired in a repair shop.