Gaming PCs vs consoles – is one better than the other?
In our ultimate showdown we’ll be taking a look at these two gaming titans to determine if there really is a clear winner. With the latest consoles boasting plenty of cutting-edge hardware, are consoles the future of gaming? Or will PCs come out on top with their endless customisation options and high-end tech?
We’ll be showing you the pros and cons of both these platforms and help to decide which one is for you.
Gaming PCs vs Consoles
Time for the main event. What makes a gaming PC shine? What kind of performance can you achieve with a console? Let’s explore the two options.
Gaming PC
With a gaming PC, you can fine-tune its performance to perfectly suit your needs, gameplay style, and budget. Equipped with the latest hardware, a PC will deliver incredible high-speed gaming, complete with photo-realistic visuals and smooth frame rates for an immersive gaming experience. Plus, most hardware is powerful enough to facilitate both gaming and live streaming at the same time, enabling you to showcase your gameplay to a wider audience with ease.
What’s more, you aren’t just limited to gaming with a PC. A desktop is also suitable for work, creative endeavours, streaming TV shows, and even basic internet browsing. All of which you can do whilst simultaneously watching videos, listening to music, or chatting to friends, with no latency or input lag.
You can choose to either build your PC from scratch cherry-picking the exact brand and model of hardware that you want, opt for a configurable system with a pre-determined specification that you can customise, or select a pre-build which is already configured and ready to go, allowing us to dispatch almost immediately. Typically, a pre-built PC has been fine-tuned to meet a set of demands whether this is casual, AAA gaming, or even live streaming.
Don’t know whether a pre-built or configurable PC is right for you? Our dedicated guide goes through each type of PC, covering their pros and cons to help you make your decision.
However, regardless of which option you go for, a gaming PC boasts huge flexibility and upgradability. You can freely swap out the hardware with brand-new tech when it suits you. Want more realistic visuals and silky-smooth frame rates? Then it’s time to upgrade the GPU. Or are you perhaps quickly running out of storage for all those games you keep downloading? A high-speed SSD is what you want.
Whilst we’ve been going on about everything you can do with a PC, there are some drawbacks to a desktop. We’ve listed the pros and cons below.
Pros and Cons of a Gaming PC
Pros
- Hardware is consistently being updated by manufacturers to harness the latest-gen of tech to ensure you get the best possible performance.
- Can find configurable or pre built options that have been tailored to every type of gamer, performance, and budget.
- Can tailor your PC to suit the size of your set up. Options ranging from small form factor (SFF) Mini-ITX builds to hefty full towers.
- Endless customisation options, e.g., RGB LED strips or water cooling loops.
- Easy to upgrade to the latest hardware. All you need to do is swap out the component you want to upgrade. This means you don’t have to purchase a brand-new system for every new piece of hardware.
- No battery woes as you are permanently tethered to the mains.
- Aren’t limited to wireless internet connectivity. Can utilise an ethernet cable for stronger, faster wired connection.
Cons
- Can be expensive. Getting the latest gen of hardware will soon add up.
- Must additionally purchase a monitor, mouse, keyboard, and headset to make it game ready.
- Not portable. Your PC is tethered to your mains meaning you can’t take it anywhere to game on-the-go.
- Will have to download multiple game platforms to access your entire library. This includes Steam, Epic Games, Origin, and more.
Consoles
Now, we’re moving onto consoles.
With options from the two leading manufacturers, PlayStation and XBOX, the latest generation consoles have been designed to deliver performance that matches a desktop PC. This hardware is housed within an SSF outer shell, which is ideal for smaller office spaces or even TV stands. Plus, game consoles are cheaper in comparison to high-end gaming PCs that are capable of achieving the same level of performance in-game. This makes them perfect for those on a tight budget.
Typically, a console is plug and play. There isn’t any additional software, operating system, or drivers that need to be installed. You can jump straight into playing your favourite games.
What’s more, speaking of games, with a console you’ll get immediate access to popular console exclusive titles, without having to wait years for their PC release. The most popular example of this is PlayStation’s God of War Ragnarök and XBOX’s Sunset Overdrive.
Since the release of the PlayStation 5, we’ve had plenty of PS5-exclusive games that we’ve been super jealous of. Some of which have later been released to PC after several years, but there are even more that we’re hopefully will one day arrive to PC.
In addition to this, our console isn’t just limited to gaming. Since they are all compatible with HDMI cables, they can plug into your TV and be used as a media device or home theatre. Plus, they also feature integrated live streaming apps such as Netflix and YouTube.
Consoles come equipped with plenty of benefits for gamers, however there are also some drawbacks. We’ve listed the pros and cons below.
Pros and Cons of a Console
Pros
- The hardware can cope with most modern games at reasonable resolutions and FPS.
- Smaller form factor compared to a desktop PC, making them better for those with small office or living spaces, and even bedrooms.
- Immediate access to exclusive console-only games.
- Plug in and play. No software, operating system, or driver installs required on start up.
- Can be used as a media device and home theatre due to compatibility with integrated live streaming apps, such as Netflix or YouTube.
- Tethered to the mains ensuring you don’t have to worry about unexpectedly running out of battery.
- Wi-Fi connectivity.
- Don’t have to purchase separate peripherals as the game controller is included.
- Consoles are also compatible with live streaming.
- All your games are in one library and platform. Don’t need to download multiple game platforms.
Cons
- Limited upgradability. Whilst on some models you can upgrade the storage, you can’t change any other piece of hardware. You are limited to the base specification.
- Nowhere near as much customisation compared to a desktop PC. Unfortunately, you can’t add a shiny RGB strip to the inside of your console…
- May need to recharge your console controller. Unless you are using the game controller wired, it will eventually run out of battery.
- Lack of backwards compatibility. Not every game from older consoles is available to play on the latest generation.
- Small library of games in comparison to a PC. For example, indie games are typically released on PC over consoles.
Gaming PC vs Console: Which One is For You?
Now it’s time to compare the two and see which one is right for you.
Both a gaming PC and console come equipped with plenty of premium hardware for high-octane gaming, realistic visuals, and smooth performance. Everything a gamer wants and needs from their platform of choice. However, due to a console’s lack of upgradability, you are limited to the base specification. Whereas with a PC, you can freely swap and upgrade any component you want to give you that all-important performance boost. Your only limit is your imagination (and budget!).
Speaking of customisation, whilst the latest gen consoles are sleek, stylish, and sure to suit any aesthetic, you can add your own unique touch to your PC. Features such as RGB lighting, custom water-cooling loops, and even LCD displays allow you to tailor the look of your PC to suit your personality. If you want an all-out rainbow aesthetic, then you can go for it! Adding an RGB strip to your console, however… isn’t exactly easy.
Both platforms support an endless library of games, with most titles being released on both and even feature crossplay compatibility. But this is where a console shines. With a PC, you’ll need to install multiple game platforms from Steam to Epic, in order to access your full library. Whereas on a console, it’s all in one, there’s no flicking between different platforms. Simply scroll through your list of games and pick the title you’ve been itching to play the most!
What’s more, both PlayStation and XBOX feature their own console-exclusive games. These games can take a long while to arrive on PC. For example, Sony’s Spider-Man first dropped on PlayStation back in 2018, but PC players didn’t get their hands on it until 2022. Can you wait that long to finally play a popular console exclusive?
The Winner Is…
Whichever one suits your needs!
Gaming PCs and consoles are both gaming titans in their own right. Your chosen platform simply depends on your preferences. Do you want the freedom of being able to swap and upgrade the hardware as you please? Then a gaming PC is the better choice for you. However, if this isn’t high on your list, and instead you want a platform that is plug in and play with plenty of high-end games to choose from, then a console is the one for you.
Are none of these gaming titans speaking to you? Do you want a more portable gaming solution? If so, check out our portable gaming showdown where we compare gaming laptops to a Steam Deck.
Tempted to Upgrade to a Gaming PC?
Have you decided that a PC is the superior platform? Of course you have! At Overclockers UK, you can find plenty of pre-built and configurable gaming PCs that come packed with the latest hardware and tech to deliver outstanding performance in all your favourite games. Plus, regardless of your budget, there is a PC for you, with options that have been fine-tuned to suit every type of gamer, without breaking the bank.
We’ve included two of our favourites. One is pre-built, and the other is completely configurable. However, if these don’t suit your needs, you can shop all our available PC systems by clicking the button below.
Refract Gaming Jade Pre Built PC
- Pre built gaming PC
- AMD Ryzen 7 7700 CPU and NVIDIA RTX 4060 Ti
- 32GB DDR5 RAM
- Comes with a three-year warranty
OcUK Gaming Karambit Configurable PC
- Configurable
- Customisable base hardware specification
- As standard includes an Intel i5 14600KF CPU and NVIDIA RTX 4060 Ti
- Up to 16GB DDR4 RAM
- Flexible storage options
All Your Gaming Accessories
Whether you have a PC or a console, you need plenty of high-quality gaming accessories to ensure you can defeat your enemies. This includes a high-definition headset to ensure you can hear everything around you, storage for your expanding gaming library, and game controllers for all your ultra-precise movements.
Headsets
Both PC and console players need to be equipped with a gaming headset capable of picking up every sound as and when it happens around you. Features such as powerful audio drivers and 7.1 surround sound ensure your enemies can’t hide from you, giving you that distinctive edge. Plus, most gaming headsets include a detachable microphone which will pick up your voice crystal clear as you command the rest of your squad.
Extra Storage
Gaming PCs and consoles can equally run out of storage fast, especially with so many brand-new games releasing every month. To combat your expanding gaming library, you can invest in high-quality storage upgrades. For games that you don’t play as much, there is a hefty external hard drive that has all the capacity you’d ever need. Alternatively, to ensure you can enjoy high-speed loading times whilst in-game, there are Solid-State Drives (SSD) with SATA, PCIe, and M.2 variants available.
Don’t know your SSD from an HDD? Our dedicated guide to storage goes into detail about all the different types of storage solutions to help you pick out the right one for your set up.
Game Controllers
Game controllers provide plenty of benefits to both PC gamers and console players, especially with some games favouring console controls over a keyboard and mouse. Typically, a game controller will feature responsive action buttons and a D-pad that will register your inputs at lightning-fast speeds, and an ergonomic shape to ensure you stay comfortable for longer.
You can find game controllers that are compatible with PC, PlayStation, and XBOX.
Not every game controller is compatible with your chosen console. To ensure you’ve got the best one for your console, check out our blog post.
Invested in a controller for your PC but don’t know how to connect it? We’ve got a blog showing you how to do exactly that!
Which One Is Your Winner?
Are you pro gaming PC or pro console? Let us know which is your winner in the comments below.
*Prices correct at time of writing and PC specs are subject to change.
- 12 min read
Ruth Rowley
Author
Ruth has been with Overclockers UK for over a year and has gone on to write about everything ranging from in-depth hardware guides to monthly game releases.
Outside of writing blog posts, she can be found wrapped in a blanket with her black cat, engrossed in a book or playing life-simulation games such as The Sims, Stardew Valley, and Animal Crossing.
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