I just saw the xbox 360 in action at the mall and i really wanted it
exept im not trying to spend money on a game console

so i was wondering since im gonna build a computer anyways

is a mid range gaming pc as good as an xbox 360 or is xbox way better

12/8/2005 9:38:47 PM

i dont think you'll touch its performance for the price (lest you get a broken 360), but at least you could do other stuff with it.

12/8/2005 9:40:36 PM

I fear for the future of the gaming PC, but then people said that when the PS2 came out and the gaming PC is still alive, though not well. I mean, just go to your local Best Buy, the section for PC games has been reduced drastically in the past year.

12/8/2005 9:41:15 PM

aha, and youre talking about a $300 price tag?

you've got a point, it also might be better than dealing with computer glitches

12/8/2005 9:41:52 PM

Yeah. The 360 games and hardware don't have any glitches.



HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHA.

12/8/2005 9:44:01 PM

i really have only bought mmo's since highschool. theres other good ones, but many are ported to consoles and i dont think it is worth upgrading for the very few games i would play. i mean the difference between a decent comp for just dicking around and for serious gaming is a pretty big margin. i guess if you steal the games it isnt so bad, but i dont think its worth the cash personally.

12/8/2005 9:44:58 PM

so 360 or pc?

12/8/2005 9:47:20 PM

if you already have a comp, id get a 360 personally (if you can afford some games and can handle just playing fps and doa till new ones come out). if you dont have one id get a computer since it is always nice to have your own box even if just to play crappy emulators and talk on teh webz.

12/8/2005 9:49:12 PM

hmmm... well i have about a month to think about it before more xboxs come in

thanks

12/8/2005 9:53:17 PM

Wait a year for prices to drop on console systems. The fact you can buy a N64 with games/accessories/etc. for $100 is nice. The gaming PC I don't see happening for that low of a price unless you swap hardware.

(Out of curiosity ... is it even possible to get a 360? Thought they were still sold out?)

12/8/2005 10:07:15 PM

360 has more graphical power than most high end computers unless youre crazy and are running two vid cards. plus you can play on a big screen (bigger than a computer screen), wireless controllers, etc. just wait til the 2nd round of games come out and youll truly see how much the 360 can put out. but of course theres people who only live and die by the keyboard and mouse so...

12/8/2005 10:28:52 PM

^wireless gamepads for PC's have been out for years, not to mention media PC's and projector's...

xbox 360 is better than "most" average computers out there, but in no way is it better than the high end PC's...

take the xbox 360 for what it is, custom made pc for gaming with a proprietary video card and cpu made specifically for gaming (but with media pc features as well)...

i would say a $500 pc wouldn't match the gaming power of an xbox, but it would be more versitile.

12/8/2005 10:58:50 PM

Quote :

"i would say a $500 pc wouldn't match the gaming power of an xbox, but it would be more versitile."

give the hackers another month or two and they'll make the xbox360 versitile enough to meet their needs...

12/8/2005 11:33:18 PM

Quote :

"Wait a year for prices to drop on console systems. The fact you can buy a N64 with games/accessories/etc. for $100 is nice. The gaming PC I don't see happening for that low of a price unless you swap hardware."

i mean i know what you mean, but 64 has been out for almost 10 years now. it isnt exactly a great comparison point.

12/9/2005 3:07:21 AM

aint that some shit

when the n64 came out most people hadnt had an nes but maybe 10 years

and now the n64 is like 10 years old almost

i fucking swear, life is short

12/9/2005 3:14:57 AM

hey i made my decision...i had a bfg 6800gt oc.

360 > 6800gt oc. sold it and thats how i paid for mine and i dont regret it at all.

12/9/2005 7:00:59 AM

I'd go with a PC rig anyday here's your pro's and con's list. You make the decision

Gaming PC Pro's
Easy to upgrade and fix
Cheaper to maintain than a console
Can generally do more than a Console
Better flexibility of controls
Can watch movies, download files
Do Schoolwork, work,
Chat online
Email
Output signal to TV in multiple formats, anything you want
listen to streaming music or your own mp3's though xbox lets you store mp3's if you burn them to CD
Download your pictures from your Camera
Use Photoshop etc
Chat on message boards
etc. etc. etc.



PC Con's
Ease of playing games. Stick in a disk and it works.
Cannot connect to Xbox live
Subject to virus's

So basically if you're only use for a computer is games, PC's still may come out on top. It's more of a preference.

Lets look at a cost breakdown

For a Gaming PC comparable to the Xbox 360 just bought at a store

PC: $1600ish

Xbox 360 = $499

However if you build it yourself, like i did... and I got a better video card (ATI X800XT all in wonder, and by far faster processor (Athlon 64 3700). My total cost of my upgrades was $600, if I had to build my current computer NEW... the total cost would be about $800. Here's the breakdown

$30 - 20" flatscreen (not flatpanel) from state auctions
$35 - Case with Handle on top, blue led's on side and front came w/ 400w powersupply (TigerDirect.com)
$30 - Panasonic DVD Burner on (Slickdeals.net)
$20 - Ergo Keyboard (TigerDirect.com)
$10 - Microsoft laser mouse (TigerDirect.com)
$20 - Normal CD-Rom (TigerDirect.com)
$15 - 2 additional Fans to keep things cool
$90 - MSI nforce3 64 bit motherboard (built in sound and network)(NewEgg.com)
$299 - ATI X800XT All-in-wonder card (SlickDeals.net)
$224 - AMD Athlon 64 3700 San Diego (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16819103539) (newegg.com on sale)
$40 - (2) 160gig HD's 7200rpm(tigerdirect.com) on sale with mail in rebates
$60 - 1 gig DDR 3700mhz (i think) corsair Ram (tigerdirect.com) on sale with MIR.
____________________________________________________________________________
$873

So for $400 more instead of a strictly gaming console... I got a bad ass gaming machine

Lets assume that we need to install XP Pro on it. Students can go to the bookstore and get it for $75. That makes the total $947

So it's basically a decision you get to make. I will choose a PC everyday of the week over the Xbox.

12/9/2005 8:10:03 AM

PC over any console,

FPS just doesnt work on consoles... the controls are too awkward.

12/9/2005 8:23:44 AM

^^ again though, if he already has a regular computer, half your pro's go out the window.

ive just become frustrated with pc gaming since more and more games have been crashing for more reasons or require me to fiddle with configurations/drivers. console games have their issues too, but in general seem more stable (for obvious reasons).

thus again i say, if you dont have a pc, you'd be dumb not to pick up your own. search for good deals and make it as good as you can. if you've got a decent enough computer to do school work, go ahead and grab a console. they make life simple and are less upkeep (b/c they have no upkeep, i've had a lot more computer parts die on me than consoles, though you'd think it wouldnt matter since its the same crap).

12/9/2005 10:38:50 AM

I'm always going to prefer console gaming, but I will never want to play Unreal Tournament on anything other than a PC.

12/9/2005 10:49:30 AM

Here is my 2 cents:

You can mod PC games. Sure, there may be provisions for this for consoles in the future.

You can patch PC games. You can patch console games now also, but that requires broadband plus a subscription to xbox live. I don't have broadband, and until they invent a way to download an update from a site and burn it to a disk that can be placed in a console (like you already can for a PC) I'm not interested.

I can't afford a HDTV. I can, however, affort a monitor. A monitor has much better resolution than a regular TV (640x480 vs. 1024x768 or higher).

A large screen for a console vs a 19" screen for a PC ins't that much of a comparison factor for me either. When I play games on a console I am typically 6'-8' away from the screen. When I play on the PC I'm right there. 19" or 21" is good enough.

You pretty much aren't going to find a PC that will perform on the same level as a console for the same price. Then again, you use your PC for much more than just gaming. The $400 console is close to comparable if you consider buying a PC that is $400 better than the one you would have bought anyway.

If you didn't plan on upgrading your PC for non gaming activities then get a console. The best thing to do is just play on the PC until the 360 prices drop (a year or so).

Another thing I might mention. 360 games will hit the shelf at $60. The price will come down slooowly also. New games for the PC come out at $50 (expect that to change) but come down quickly. You can pick up several new games that came out a month ago fo $40.

12/9/2005 12:01:13 PM

Quote :

"ive just become frustrated with pc gaming since more and more games have been crashing for more reasons or require me to fiddle with configurations/drivers. console games have their issues too, but in general seem more stable (for obvious reasons)."

This is one of the major things that has bugged me for years. It seems like new PC games have steadily become more and more unstable, like the developers just don't care--as long as it gets on the shelf, they can fix it later (if they even bother). I think it's ridiculous that some companies consistently put out products that don't work right out of the box, and sometimes never work right at all.

On the other hand, the drive to meet deadlines has started to affect console games as well. I don't remember ever running into a game crash on the NES/SNES/Genesis, but they happen on the PS2. Of course console developers are less tolerant of bugs like that in the finished product since a patch isn't an option, but it seems like more mistakes are finding their way past testing these days.

I'd have to say it's the games that decide whether or not I use a console or PC, though. I got my Playstation for FF7/8, a PS2 for FFX, a Gamecube for Metroid Prime and Zelda, and the impetus for my new PC was Halflife 2...all it takes is one or two killer unique titles, and you can justify a system.

12/9/2005 12:13:11 PM

and remember whatever you do, make sure you decide to follow the instructions of the person who's post seems the most outraged at whoever it is that thinks otherwise

12/9/2005 1:25:07 PM

I'd take a console because buying new video cards every 3-6 months is a huge money pit.

And trust me, you'll want to. Badly.

12/9/2005 1:37:52 PM

I remember my NES freezing up constantly.

I remember to fix it, you popped out the cartridge, blew the dust out of it then stuck it back in a funny way.

12/9/2005 1:46:08 PM

patches could be offered over Xboxlive - the update Bungie distributed via Xboxlive to rebalance weapons for Halo 2.

12/9/2005 1:49:22 PM

Quote :

"'d take a console because buying new video cards every 3-6 months is a huge money pit."

Who buys a video card every 3 to 6 months? If you get the best gfx card available you would probably only need to buy a new one about as often as a new console comes out (3 years). I'm still running games that just came out with a 2.5 year old (top of the line then) video card.

[Edited on December 9, 2005 at 2:09 PM. Reason : -]

12/9/2005 2:09:02 PM

http://www.ggl.com/news.php?NewsId=1692

Quote :

"At this point it’s clear to say that the 360 is capable of delivering graphics at least as impressive as a far more expensive gaming PC. And, while PC hardware will always be progressing, so too will 360 developers be optimizing, and so it can be expected that Microsoft’s new console will keep up at least for the next few years. "

12/9/2005 2:39:40 PM

i have a 1280x1024 projecter and would trade my PC for an xbox 360 any day of the week

12/9/2005 3:15:24 PM

depends on what you play. I play the shit out of FPS and RPG games, in which case
a keyboard and mouse/trackball is far superior to a gamepad

the only games I play on the PS2 are sports, driving, and GTA series (b/c I don't want to wait for the computer release)

12/9/2005 3:17:29 PM

i will bet my left leg they will have a keyboard and mouse for the xbox 360, jesus christ

12/9/2005 3:18:28 PM

Jhesh, game p.c, how is this even a question?

Xbox is just a knockoff of the other.

12/9/2005 3:39:06 PM

dreamcast had one, and thats how i won the fuck out of some fps

why the fuck not 360

12/9/2005 3:40:13 PM

Quote :

"depends on what you play "

12/9/2005 4:16:54 PM

Well, if you already have a computer and are looking for the best PRICE TO GAMING ratio, then the 360 is by far the better deal. Why?

Consoles have an automatic advantage when it comes to hardware use efficiency. There are ZERO background processes that are not associated with the game itself. Even the Xbox with a 733 Mhz processor and initial $300 price tag has decent graphics due to this fact.

Secondly, the 360 has SIX processor cores, amongst many other hardware extremeties. Microsoft loses money on the console itself and expects to make the money from selling games. Now, let's say that you do not, ahem, BUY games for PC but rather make it your own through other means. There are modchips for Xbox, there are Modchips for PS2, and there WILL be modchips for the 360. It is unavoidable. If piracy is your game, then somebody's going to have a gameplan for you soon.

***********************************************************************
But if you really want my opinion, wait for the PS3. Microsoft has said that they plan only on using DVDs for games and that the consoles will never have HD-DVD or Blu-Ray capacity. Therefore, your 360 will only play DVD movies, and never anything else (unless you change the drives yourself at some point, of course).

HOWEVER, the PS3 still appears to be sticking with the Blu-Ray disks and drives, and a two layer Blu-Ray has about a 45 gig capacity compared to a two layer DVDs mere 8.5 gigs. This means that the PS3 games, if taken long enough to develop, can have insane levels of media on one disk. Furthermore, when Blu-Ray movies start getting sold, you won't have to fork out a fortune paying for a player. Blu-Ray movies will be High-def and have all the special features on the same disk, and it would be to your advantage to be able to play those disks as soon as they become available.

We're talking about you waiting something like 9 months, but by that time, you could at least make an informed decision between the two consoles instead of buying the 360 now and then regretting it. I cannot afford either right now, but if I had the 500 dollars or so to get set up with a system and a couple games, I'd wait for the PS3.

For reviews on all the latest-gen systems: http://www.ign.com

12/9/2005 5:40:28 PM

Quote :

"i will bet my left leg they will have a keyboard and mouse for the xbox 360, jesus christ"

And, you'd be right, Quinn. They'll have some form of adapter available to hook up a keyboard and mouse, although whether or not it will be usable in GAMEPLAY is debatable. I think we're talking about a possible modchip situation to make a mouse/keyboard combo usable in gameplay.

But I like games made for gamepad anyways. I like sitting back on the couch with a controller. As long as everybody's at the same disadvantage in multiplayer games, I don't think it matters too much.

12/9/2005 5:49:10 PM

WAY TO TURN THIS INTO ANOTHER FUCKING 360 VS PS3 DEBATE

ASS

12/9/2005 6:16:36 PM

^^^ great advise, it certainly makes the decision tougher and easier.

Im now leaning toward waiting for the ps3 and just using my current pc.
The high definition dvd is probably the best reason for me to buy it.

12/9/2005 6:32:57 PM

Quote :

"WAY TO TURN THIS INTO ANOTHER FUCKING 360 VS PS3 DEBATE ASS"

High five for me.

Actually, it's a 360 vs. PS3 vs. PC debate, but let's be serious, it hasn't become a debate yet. You have to take the PS3 into account, end of story. So how about waiting until it actually turns into a heated debate before you start throwing around the crap.

3/16th of an inch. That's all you have to move your left pinky over to hit the caps-lock key. Give it a shot, Tad.

Lafta, glad I could be of help. Just keep an eye on IGN for updates.

[Edited on December 9, 2005 at 7:53 PM. Reason : Edification clarification]

12/9/2005 7:52:33 PM

Quote :

"Microsoft has said that they plan only on using DVDs for games and that the consoles will never have HD-DVD or Blu-Ray capacity. Therefore, your 360 will only play DVD movies, and never anything else (unless you change the drives yourself at some point, of course)."

When exactly did Microsoft say they were never coming out with HD-DVd...in fact I'm pretty sure they were talking about coming out with an HD-DVd drive to attach to the 360, in fact that was the whole Blu-ray-PS3 and HD-DVd-360 debate. Regardless, who watches DVD's on their gaming consoles? My Ps2 plays DVD's sure.....but its very crappy compared to a normal DVD player. The only reason people use them is if they don't have a dedicated player for that media.

That said, if your on a limited budget, I do suggest waiting till they at least release info on the PS3 to see which one you like better. Also it really depends on the games. I want an Xbox 360 because of Live and certain games. (Though PC does normally have most of the games from the systems.)

[Edited on December 9, 2005 at 9:59 PM. Reason : ...]

12/9/2005 9:58:20 PM

Quote :

"who watches DVD's on their gaming consoles?"

I do.

Because I:

Quote :

"don't have a dedicated player for that media. "

12/10/2005 2:30:06 AM

Quote :

"3/16th of an inch. That's all you have to move your left pinky over to hit the caps-lock key. Give it a shot, Tad."

Actually, I'm so 1337, I used the SHIFT key.

12/10/2005 8:13:22 AM

1) Depends on what you are doing. If you only game then Xbox 360 might be better for you! Also your friends can come over and play without bringing anything

2) If you use your computer for ANYTHING more than games, PC beats the xbox 360 in every fashion. Costwise, options, etc. The PC I listed above is a TOP end gaming system meaning i won't have to replace shit for 2-3 years. Also if a part of it goes bad it's easy to replace. Xbox 360 goes bad... well time to buy a new xbox 360.

3) Even if you have a PC if you like the fact that you can invite friends over and all be beside each opther without hectic setups then the Xbox 360 is awesome. But this is only if you can afford both.

Me, I'm going to wait until the console comes down to $299. Sure it might be a year+ but I cannot justify paying $400 fucking dollars + more to get the same shit I have already and it be just for games. It's not worth it to me.

But that's the dealio. What is the xbox 360 experience worth to you? Will you get your money's worth? I wouldn't.

The XBOX when it was $199 was worth it to me. I had friends over all the time and $200 is tolerable. Plus i was working for Ubisoft so I got free games lol.

But paying $400 for a gaming system... a system that can only play video games. Just isn't worth it to me. What's it worth to you?

12/10/2005 8:36:20 AM

Fuck all that Xbox 360 vs PC vs PS3 noise, I want a Cell-based workstation

12/10/2005 9:23:56 AM

i don't play games on the PC. I catually have a gamecube hooked up to my pc. never cared much for PC games because PC hardware changes so much over time. I'd rather have a cheap computer for messaging/email/school and a nice console.

PC is:
Nvidia GeForce FX 5500 (128 MB) dual VGA outputs.
(2) 21" dell trinitron mointors @ 2048 x 1536 (each with dual VGA inputs)
P4 2.4 GHz proessor
256 MB RDRAM (2 128 MB modules -- RDRAM sucks by the way)
DVD Burner
DVD ROM (for copying DVDs)
5.1 Surround sound hooked up to my AIWA stereo
(3) HD's: 250GB, 200GB, 160GB
Hauppauge WinTV PVR 500-MCE (or whatever the top-of-the-line they sell is)
Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005

monitors were $40 and some manual labor. graphics card was like $50 at tigerdirect. PC was a cheap Dell deal (less than $200 shipped: incl DVD Rom, Proc, RAM). The most expensive hard drive was the 200GB one ($70 a long time ago). The other 2 HD's (160 $ 250 GB) were less than $40 each. TV Tuner was $85-ish on ebay. Less than $100 shipped. XP MCE was heap as hell when eBay was inundated with copies (like $75). DVD burner was ~free.

The computer kicks ass as a media PC (MPEG-2 enoding/decoding is handled by the TV tuner card so it works well). Hell, I an play a DVD on each monitor change the audio balance for each and have two people watching two different movies with headphones.

It could use some more memory but it costs too much to buy PC1066 RDRAM.

Total cost of the computer was less than $500 (excluding excess HD space). Add the $400 for a 360 and you've got:

A pretty good (could be better but does everything I want it to) media center PC, and a damn good console (with features that allow it to play your media enter content on your TV)... and the cost is about the same as a do-it-yourself gaming PC.




IMHO, an OK PC and a nice console > kickass PC.


Plus, a console has a hug advantage of protability. Much easier to take a console to a friend's house than a PC.

[Edited on December 11, 2005 at 4:54 PM. Reason : ]

12/11/2005 4:52:39 PM

you do realize that you could put together a cheap ITX based system that would blow the socks off of a 360 and you could carry it in a briefcase?

12/11/2005 5:02:27 PM

^right. Show me an ITX system with the 360's graphic capabilities.

12/11/2005 8:20:33 PM

all this is great advice, everyone has their opinions

im leaning towards just keeping a regular pc for my duties
and wait for a good console at the right price

and that would be another thread of XBox360 vs. PS3

12/11/2005 9:10:00 PM

i pick the things that are gonna have the most marketshare in 5 years so i'm going with ps3

12/11/2005 9:38:52 PM

Quote :

"^right. Show me an ITX system with the 360's graphic capabilities."

eh, after poking around a bit, I couldn't find one that had an AGP slot after I swear I remember at least one board having one.

Probably the shuttle boards I'm thinking about. Slightly larger but still "console sized".

12/12/2005 1:30:18 AM