Is xbox 360 better than a PC?

clockworks · 18 Feb 2006 at 08:57

Posting in GD in the hope of an unbiased opinion - please don't move.

The last console I owned was a Sega Megadrive. Since then, I've had PCs. However, the cost of continually upgrading is prohibitive.
My current PC has a Radeon 9800 graphics card, and will probably need upgrading soon.
For the cost of a new high-end card, you can buy an xbox 360. The PC is plenty fast enough for all other uses, so games would be the only reason for upgrading. I only play FPS, and the occasional driving game. I've got a HD TV (Samsung LE40R51).

What are the pros and cons of PC games versus the 360 versions. Apart from games, what else can you do with a 360?

Nana · 18 Feb 2006 at 08:59

lol

PC>console

Zip · 18 Feb 2006 at 09:00

No its not imo.
Xbox came out with a lot of old tech and buy the time it was out PC had surpased it ino

If i do get a console im going to get the PS3 when its out

Chronos-X · 18 Feb 2006 at 09:02

You can keep a PC pretty reasonable by spending about 100 quid a year on it

Clearcut · 18 Feb 2006 at 09:11

Lovely thought, as long as you never need to upgrade your graphics card.

Chronos-X · 18 Feb 2006 at 09:15

Well if you insist on buying the newest nvidia £600 ones every time they come out..

Clearcut · 18 Feb 2006 at 09:16

I have a 9800pro and unfortunately that is the only thing that needs upgrading at the mo

£600!! that's more than my PC is worth

Nismo · 18 Feb 2006 at 09:25

If your just talking games then the 360 is better. The PC games industry is slowly dieing a death, and most of the better PC games will appear on the next-gen consoles anyway, and perform almost identically. For the price of the thing, its pretty amazing what it can achieve compared to a similar specced PC, which would cost MUCH more.

Obviously a 360 isnt as versatile though, and it does have crippled media capabilities, but as an overall package it's very good indeed.

fatiain · 18 Feb 2006 at 09:27

Clearcut said:
I have a 9800pro and unfortunately that is the only thing that needs upgrading at the mo
£600!! that's more than my PC is worth

What's wrong with that graphics card, it's not that out of date?

Simaster14 · 18 Feb 2006 at 09:36

Nismo said:
If your just talking games then the 360 is better. The PC games industry is slowly dieing a death, and most of the better PC games will appear on the next-gen consoles anyway, and perform almost identically.

Errrr what?

Since when has the PC games industry been dieing? I used to play consoles a lot, but since having my own PC I can say I'll probably never go back to playing on a console as much as I did. I admit driving games are better on consoles, but those are the only ones (and their not even that much better).

You mention you like FPS's, well to tell you the truth, they suck on console's. It is a lot harder to control your aim with a controller rather than a mouse/keyboard combo.

Nismo · 18 Feb 2006 at 09:45

Simaster14 said:
Errrr what?

Since when has the PC games industry been dieing? I used to play consoles a lot, but since having my own PC I can say I'll probably never go back to playing on a console as much as I did. I admit driving games are better on consoles, but those are the only ones (and their not even that much better).

You mention you like FPS's, well to tell you the truth, they suck on console's. It is a lot harder to control your aim with a controller rather than a mouse/keyboard combo.

Oooh dear

Firstly, it is dieing, albeit slowly. More and more developers are starting to focus on consoles at their main target platform.

Also, where did I say I like FPS's?

The point about being harder to control is purely subjective. Using a pad is no harder than when you first used a keyboard and mouse in a FPS - its all about getting used to what your using to play it.

You will actually find that in a game such as COD2 or Condemned, people find that the pad works extremely well, and almost adds to the atmosphere as in real life you wouldnt always be pin-point accurate like you would with a mouse.

You say you used to play consoles a lot, and would never go back after using your PC. Interestingly, I am the opposite. Only a year ago I had a mega-spec PC that would play any game with ease. Now I've sold it and have a 360. Would I go back to the PC? Not a chance.

On a final note, your sig illustrates perfectly the beauty of next-gen consoles. Currently, my £210 360 will almost certainly outperform your rig in games, which looking at it, cost a fair wack.

Kainz · 18 Feb 2006 at 09:47

I've been into pc gaming almost my entire life and I gave up on it. Whats the point? Sloppy coded games, sluggish engines it just gets worse and worse on the pc. The pc industry has been suffering hard, if anyone can't see that then they really are truly are blind, even John McCarmack stated the same thing. I've never seen the pc gaming side of things in such a poor state - that was one reason why I decided to switch last year.

I hate consoles, I really hate them completely but the 360 is a different kettle of fish. The situation where you need a new sodding gpu every couple of games is getting truly out of hand, and for once unlike online games on the pc I can play tons of people without the concern that they're actually cheating. I made the switch and bugger me I'm glad I did.

PC=Internet/Vid/Office usage
360=Mad gaming via xbox live

I spoke about why I moved Here anyway.

Cuchulain · 18 Feb 2006 at 09:48

Kainz said:
John McCarmack stated the same thing.

Is that John Carmacks little known glaswegian brother?

Simaster14 · 18 Feb 2006 at 09:49

Nismo, I was replying to the OP about FPS's, not you

And true, the consoles are almost certainly better spec than the large majority of computers, but with a computer you can do a lot more than consoles than just play games.

Edit: Well I did start a new paragraph, thought that might help

Nismo · 18 Feb 2006 at 09:50

Simaster14 said:
Nismo, I was replying to the OP about FPS's, not you

Make it clear then, you were using a quote from me afterall

Cuchulain · 18 Feb 2006 at 09:51

The trouble with PC gaming is that they normally end up (badly) porting either an Xbox or PS2 game which generally ends up looking no better than the original and requires unbelievably hefty system specs to actually run. At least with a console a developer can design to maximise the hardwares capabilities.

Kainz · 18 Feb 2006 at 09:54

Cuchulain said:
Is that John Carmacks little known glaswegian brother?

fatiain · 18 Feb 2006 at 09:55

Cuchulain said:
Is that John Carmacks little known glaswegian brother?

No it's John McCrirricks illegitemate son.

Chronos-X · 18 Feb 2006 at 09:56

Kainz said:
I hate consoles, I really hate them completely but the 360 is a different kettle of fish. The situation where you need a new sodding gpu every couple of games is getting truly out of hand, and for once unlike online games on the pc I can play tons of people without the concern that they're actually cheating. I made the switch and bugger me I'm glad I did.

PC=Internet/Vid/Office usage
360=Mad gaming via xbox live

I spoke about why I moved Here anyway.

Whilst my gaming days are over I think you raise a great point - my only issue is that games like Quake never did work on consoles - you really couldnt beat the mouse and keyboard combo and when I've tried to play similar games on consoles it feels like you're controlling a robot - there's no fluidity to the movement at all.

Nismo · 18 Feb 2006 at 09:57

Simaster14 said:
And true, the consoles are almost certainly better spec than the large majority of computers, but with a computer you can do a lot more than consoles than just play games.

Indeed, thats why I have a modest laptop for office work and the Internet, and the 360 for gaming.

I get the best of both worlds, and the combined cost would still be less than a ninja-PC.