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Torn between building a new gaming PC or a PS4.

Kalnos

Banned
If you want to play genres that you won't be able to fully enjoy on consoles (e.g. MMOs, RTS, MOBA, etc) then get a PC. If you don't care about those genres and the PC seems like a hassle then just get a console, though there won't be a great library at first on any new console.
 

LiquidMetal14

hide your water-based mammals
Is there a PS4 launch title that you absolutely positively must have now? I can't possibly fathom what it could be?

Build a PC, get a PS4 later once it has an actual library worth owning.

I really think the advice of waiting for the PC (with all the moving parts and upgrades) would be the best path. Get the PS4 now because it's going to be 400 for a while and deliver stellar performance out the gate and years to come.

I've already invested in one of the best CPU's in the world and have an easy upgrade path on the GPU front so as long as I keep up on that front I will have a killer rig. I purposefully went this route so I wouldn't be compromised for a long time to come.
 

AngryMoth

Member
It t were me I'd probably get a ps4 now as it's much cheaper and won't get outperformed too much by high end pcs for a while. Then in 2-3 years build a decent pc once the consoles start showing their age, and you still have a ps4 lying around for the exclusives.
 

Kick

Neo Member
Doing both. I'm in the same situation. I'll buy the tower and everything,but the mobo, graphic card, and cpu and see if there is a sale later.

PS4 I don't have to worry about that so I'll get that while I'm building a computer piece by piece.

It's usually a good idea to buy everything at once so you can see if you receive any DOA parts. If you buy some parts early and wait until after your return window expires to buy the rest, you're out of luck if you get bad parts.
 
Do you care about PC gaming or any of it's aspects (exclusive games/genres, mods etc) at all op?

If yes but the cost is holding you back just get a PS4 now and invest in a gaming PC some years from now when it's cheaper.

If no just get a PS4.
 
The PC has a library of tens of thousands of games, all backwards compatible, on top of emulators, etc.

Digital Sales will cost you a fraction for the same games as buying them all on the PS4, and they will look better, their MP won't be behind a paywall, you'll have numerous options for chatting, recording, screenshots, whatever. You'll also have access to mods, private servers, more input options including the use of just about any style of controller you want, etc.

If the PS4 has exclusives you care about, when are they coming out? At launch? Later? Is one exclusive you want to play worth getting the console now? You only have so many hours in the day, and you can't reasonably play more than one game at a time under most circumstances.

Not to mention that a current $1200 PC is going to shit all over the PS4/XBO anyway in terms of performance.

I will say that PS+ could be a worthwhile investment to offset the pricing differences between console/PC games, but that's math you need to do, and you'll be reliant on Sony's decisions on which games you get for free.
 

cyberheater

PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 Xbone PS4 PS4
If you use your TV as your monitor. Can you build a PC with a similar spec to a PS4 for around the same money?

Also. Once you've experience the amazing deals in a summer or winter Steam sale. It's very hard to recommend a console to anyone.
 
I would say get an pc because im assuming you do other stuff on your laptop then gaming only.

Wondering what exclusive you want OP?
 

Linkyn

Member
If your laptop need replacement, get a new PC. Consoles are good for gaming, but if you need any more specialized software, you can't get around a PC or Mac, and Macs are pretty much useless for gaming. Also, for 1200, you can easily get really good hardware that should last you for at least 3-5 years.

There aren't many exclusives coming to the PS4 or XBox One so far, and all the multiplatform games have a higher technical performance on PC, so you might want to hold off on getting a next gen console until next year or so (which should be plenty of time to make up for the money spent now).
 
Do the PS4 exclusives interest you enough that you could play only them and still be satisfied? If so, grab a PS4.

If not, grab a PC and enjoy superior versions of the games that you are already planning on playing.
 

hey_it's_that_dog

benevolent sexism
I've been doing the majority of my gaming on PC for the last couple of years, and I am facing the choice of getting a PS4 vs. a new GPU in a few months.

If I didn't have a PC already and I had to make the choice between PC and PS4, I'd buy a PS4 first because it would be a much cheaper way to satisfy most of my needs, especially with how many indie games will be coming to the platform.

Obviously software pricing on PC is very attractive, but it would take quite a while to make up the difference between $1200 and $400.

I agree with the guy who said wait to get a PC until you can get one that is clearly more powerful than PS4 without spending 3x as much. That may also have a greater impact on your happiness, because you'll be impressed with PS4 and then in a few years you'll be even more impressed with PC. If you get a PC immediately, you'll habituate to that standard and to get more of that thrill you'll have to upgrade GPUs every couple years. Then you'll start shooting heroin. Then you'll die. Don't make the wrong decision.
 
Stick with the PS4. Please.

PC gaming is a rabbit hole. Venture down if you want to fuss around with parts and which mods to get and when to upgrade your hardware... all while amassing an enormous Steam library filled with games you'll never have time to play.

And then you'll spend the majority of your time anyway here on Neogaf trying to convince others how sweet your rig is and how you only paid $700 for it and how anything less than 1080p 60fps makes your eyes bleed.

Life is way, way too short for that.
 

LtOrange

Member
I would save the money and get a PS4. Going to have some awesome exclusives and games shoud share all the same features as the PC versions. I am completely biased though because I don't care about having the best graphics and prefer controller play.

Also Destiny.....Waiting for the PC version to come out would be impossible for me.
 
I have all the parts for a new PC lined up, which would cost me around $1200. On the other hand, PS4 is a much cheaper alternative and has console exclusives that really interest me, plus all the PC games I would end up getting ayway. I will end up getting PS4 at some point - the only thing that made me seriously consider PC is the impending death of my current laptop. I've never been a big PC gamer, but maybe now is the time to switch?

So, GAF, can you sell me on one or the other?

Also, nobody say XBO - I don't plan to get one anytime soon.

Go PC. PC will last you a long time, and Steam sales/Humble Bundle/etc. balance out the overall cost of gaming. Plus there don't seem to be any must have PS4 exclusives IMO. I will probably get one eventually though if FFXV and KH3 end up good.
 
As long as you're cool with playing games that are a few years old then the PC has an amazing library. One steam sale would set you up for years.

Another option would be to build a more modest $800 PC and just get both. Which is what I did.
 

hey_it's_that_dog

benevolent sexism
Go PC. PC will last you a long time, and Steam sales/Humble Bundle/etc. balance out the overall cost of gaming. Plus there don't seem to be any must have PS4 exclusives IMO. I will probably get one eventually though if FFXV and KH3 end up good.

But he already said he was interested in PS4 exclusives so this makes no sense as advice.
 

Lexxon

Member
I love my gaming PC. Love love love it. Saying that though, now is not a great time to buy from a GPU perspective. The NVidia 800 series should hopefully be a big bump in specs, to match games being more souped up for next gen, even though the ports of next gen will probably run fine on a PC built today, too.

I don't think you can go wrong with either. If you like mods, like to tinker, and/or like indie games, I'd lean PC, although PS4 appears to be getting a great chunk of indie games itself, too.
 
Stick with the PS4. Please.

PC gaming is a rabbit hole. Venture down if you want to fuss around with parts and which mods to get and when to upgrade your hardware... all while amassing an enormous Steam library filled with games you'll never have time to play.

And then you'll spend the majority of your time anyway here on Neogaf trying to convince others how sweet your rig is and how you only paid $700 for it and how anything less than 1080p 60fps makes your eyes bleed.

Life is way, way too short for that.

You're missing comfy couch
 
When you consider how many amazing things you can do with a PC, I consider it to be a good investment.

I'm buying new parts this year and buying a PS4 cheap next year for the exclusives.
 

Kick

Neo Member
I am completely biased though because I don't care about having the best graphics and prefer controller play.

You can use the 360 controller with more-or-less all of the newer, popular games on PC that you would want to use a controller with. The Mass Effect series are the only games I've played that are conspicuously missing controller support.
 

luffeN

Member
Save some more and buy this! http://www.redharbinger.com/blog/portfolio/cross-desk-complete/

A-look-inside-2.jpg
 

DC1

Member
PS4 now.

PC in a year or two.

Games will not be getting any more advanced than what the PS4/Xbone generation can achieve. So no point buying hardware 10x as powerful for 10x the cost.

Wait a year or two where you can buy a PC with 10x the power for only 2x the cost. Or a PC with 100x the power for 10x the cost.

The dawn of a new console generation is the worst time to buy a PC.

This is worth repeating.
 

FACE

Banned
Unless there are launch games that you absolutely want to play then you should wait until 2014 and build a PC :)
 
PS4's near-term library is trash compared to the PC. How is this even a question unless your gaming diet is nothing but AAA gaming, i.e. guided tours through dangerous tropical/island/decayed urban places.

You have to really not care about any of the core PC exclusive genres and titles for this to even be a close comparison.
 
If you get a PC first, when you eventually get a PS4 it will likely perform close to your current PC, therefore not exciting new hardware.

Get a PS4 now and in 2-3 years get a beefy PC so you experienced two great hardware jumps nicely spaced apart.
 

sono

Member
Get a replacement laptop for the one that is about to/has die(d). You can pickup used laptops very cost effectively and upgrade their ram and put a SSD etc

Get a PS4 for gaming

do both of these and you will have change (a lot) out of you $1200
 

mrklaw

MrArseFace
If you currently have a laptop, will you be happy enough with a less portable desktop? You could get a PS4 and a nice mid-range laptop that has decent enough graphics to play current gen games well
 
look deep inside your heart... through the darkness you will find light... only then will you know what device to choose for yourself
looks like you are going to get those games anyway on the ps4... since its the beginning of a console cycle get the ps4 but later get a pc especially since certain pc parts will reduce significantly after the ps4's launch... oh and for a bonus you'll get those SCE WWS exclusives
 
I'm in the same boat as you, OP. Some things that make me lean towards the PC:

*Backwards compatibility
*I already have a sizeable PC game library due to Humble Bundles
*Going all-digital is actually financially viable
*I'll need a new computer in the foreseeable future anyway, so I may as well spend a little extra to make it deliver a comparable next-gen gaming experience
*Oculus Rift
*Emulation
*1080p 60fps
*Cheap(er) games

On the other hand,
*The PS4 will have far more exclusives that I'm interested in (and that's assuming that MGSV, Destiny, FFXV etc. will eventually be ported to PC; I'll really miss Naughty Dog's next-gen games.)
*PS+
*Vita remote play
*Convenience and ease of use (until the hardware dies)

Personally, I think I'll pick up a cheap PS4 towards the end of the generation along with all the exclusives I missed at cheap/preowned prices. Still not decided though.
 

Anteater

Member
May as well build one now if you need a computer, you could also customize it to your liking and you could also do a lot more on it than just gaming.

If you've missed out on a lot of multiplatform games, then it's also a plus because it's backward compatible and will be able to run games with better performance, also you could probably pick those games up for cheap on a steam sales.

I built one because I wanted a backup incase my old imac dies, and I couldn't be happier playing ffxiv at 60fps 1080p, the game ran like poop on ps3 (the beta) >_>
 

Logash

Member
Was actually struggling with this but after hearing everyone I am leaning towards keeping my preorder. The only thing I hate is the wait. I can buy parts right now and I have to wait to wait 3 months for the PS4. I get anxious :(
 
If you've got the money, definitely go PC. Chances are you have a decent monitor and other recyclable components. It will cost money, but for $1000 you can be set for the duration of this coming "generation". When you're system starts to chug on the latest games in a few years, it's easy enough to drop $500 into a new card, then sell your old card to bring the cost down.

Get the PS4 in a year or two when the exclusives are there.

Don't put yourself in debt you can't pay off within the interest free promotional period to pull it off though.
 
I'm leaning building a PC, the only game I wanted a new console for was BF4 and it isn't going to be 1080p on PS4. I already dealt with the substandard version of BF3 on console and do not want that again. If I'm going to spend four or five hundred on a console, to me what is another three hundred and build a PC that will play BF4 @ 1080p like I want?
 

SiRatul

Member
I couldn't afford a console and a good gaming PC at once. So I went with the PS3 first and after a while I built my PC. Worked out very well cause I have been enjoying PC gaming and console gaming for some years now.

So if I was again at that situation I would buy the PS4 and then work on the PC a bit down the road. But since you are expecting your laptop to crap out on you and are interested in PS4 games I would suggest building a PC with only the necessary parts to get your work done and get a PS4. Later you can equip your PC with a good graphics card, more RAM etc.
 

Raxus

Member
I'd vote PC based on how fast your laptop is dying but if you think it can last the year then PS4. By then you can probably build high end specs in the budget you have set aside.
 
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