10 reasons to switch from console gaming to PC

Video games are penetrating more and more aspects of life. There are so many incredible consoles on the market and mobile gaming has improved to the point where phones can easily handle console games. But one of the original consoles is still popular today. It's PC.

PC is a "beast" in gaming. There are many reasons why this is the best place to experience your favorite games, and more and more console gamers are making the switch. Here's why.

1. PCs are more powerful than consoles

PCs are much more powerful than consoles. Game consoles are just miniature computers capable of doing many of the same things. But of course there will be a trade-off to get this compactness.

In most cases, there is no such thing as a 'mini' when it comes to a PC, and there are some seriously "monstrous" gaming PCs out there. After all, PCs are much more powerful than any console, which is why they can run games better.

2. PCs have better graphics than consoles

The power your PC represents allows you to experience games at peak performance in every way. This also applies to graphics. PCs have top-of-the-line graphics cards dedicated to visual fidelity. These technological marvels can produce graphics with up to 8K resolution.

PC also offers much higher FPS rates. The meaning of FPS in gaming can change depending on the context. But in this case, we are talking about frames per second. Frames are many images that make up a moving picture. The more frames per second you see, the smoother your image becomes.

Gaming PCs can produce over 100 FPS consistently. They can also display your images at up to 8K resolution while maintaining acceptable FPS. This is more than double the capabilities of some consoles.

3. You can upgrade your PC

One of the best things about PCs is that many of them are modular. Components are purchased separately and connect to the motherboard. This means you can replace parts without having to replace the entire machine.

If you feel like your console doesn't have good enough graphics, that's too bad. There's not much you can do to fix that problem other than upgrade to the next console.

If you feel your PC graphics card could do with an upgrade, you can buy a new card and replace that specific part while leaving the rest of the machine intact. This gives more freedom than what consoles can offer.

4. PCs are easier to repair than consoles

The PC's modular design not only makes upgrades easier, but also makes repairs much easier. If a part breaks, simply unplug it from your motherboard and replace it with another part.

Repairing consoles yourself can be complicated and should not be attempted unless you have experience in this area. If something goes wrong with your console, the best option is to send it in for repair or replacement by the manufacturing company rather than opening it up and trying to repair it yourself. Doing so will actually void any warranty you may have on your system.

Some components may be built into your PC. But components such as graphics cards, RAM and hard drives, can simply be plugged into the motherboard and are not complicated to replace.

5. You can use your PC to do more than play games

When you buy a gaming PC, it just means it has powerful enough components to run the most demanding games. But that doesn't mean it's only suitable for gaming. You can use your PC for almost anything in the digital realm.

Many people work from their PCs, surf the Internet, watch movies, make movies, create art and illustrations, and even create video games. If you're looking for a career change, you can even stream video games from your PC. Consoles are great for gaming and occasional streaming, but streaming to Twitch from a PS5 or Xbox is much more difficult.

6. PCs have more digital options

If you're someone who likes things organized, your PC might be the ideal place to store your game library. Many PCs today do not have drives. All their data and games are stored digitally.

Consoles typically don't provide a lot of storage right out of the box. If you have a lot of digital games, chances are you'll need an expensive memory upgrade to fit them all on your system. For this reason, many gamers choose physical purchases where the majority of the game's data is stored on the disc instead of the console.

If you want to keep space on your shelves for things other than video game cases, PC gaming can help you transition to a digital library.

7. PCs have more games than consoles

PCs also offer more games than consoles in general. Many games are created on PC and then ported to consoles later. In some cases, the game will release on PC first because the transition can take a lot of time and effort for developers to complete.

Video game consoles are in a civil war, and each company is vying for the top spot in the gaming market. Therefore, many games are exclusive to certain consoles. However, many of those games were eventually ported to PC, as it was a more neutral party.

This has been especially true in recent years with the arrival of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on PC. PlayStation has also begun releasing many of its console exclusives on PC.

8. Mouse and keyboard provide more control than a game controller

When it comes to gaming, mice and keyboards always beat game controllers. You have more control over your movements with a mouse and keyboard, and many gamers choose them for competitive play for this reason.

Have you ever lost to a player who seemed to have incredibly fast reaction times in an FPS game? They may be using a mouse and keyboard. And we're sure every console gamer knows the difficulties of trying your best to type answers in Among Us using a game controller.

Using a mouse and keyboard is so widely accepted that gamers are constantly looking for ways to connect keyboards and mice to Nintendo Switch and other consoles.

9. Most game controllers are compatible with PC

Gaming with a mouse and keyboard offers great advantages to many gamers, but not all. There are still many people who like classic game controllers. But because the controller can be changed in many ways, every gamer has a favorite option.

However, many controllers are only compatible with their own respective platforms. This means you can't use the DualSense to play games on the Switch, for example. However, that is not the case with PC. Most controllers can connect to your PC, so you can always play your favorite game.

10. Many games are cheaper on PC

PC games are almost always cheaper than console games. There are many reasons for this, one of which is that developers do not have to incur any additional production, shipping or licensing costs.

Brand new games can even be up to $10 cheaper on PC than on console. So even though the initial cost to buy or build your PC may be more than a console, you'll save money over time on video game costs.

Marvin Fry

Update 19 October 2023