by Thomas Yoo

Created on: February 02, 2009

A debate that has been raging since the advent of the new millenium - PC or Consoles?

Now, the debate can swing in either direction, some saying that consoles leave multiplayer combatants on even ground with equally configured systems, or some saying that PCs are better because of a larger community. However, I feel that the Personal Computer does its job well enough.

The Main Debate - KeyMo versus Controllers

The world is divided into two configurations - Keyboard-Mouse (KeyMo) setups or the Controllers that come with consoles. You can use either setup for either, but the majority use KeyMo with PCs, and Controllers with their consoles. I prefer the KeyMo setup myself because I feel that the mouse offers room for more solid, smooth aiming and control, especially for First-Person Shooters. Advocates of the controller may like the rumble features, or they may feel that the controller is the more precise of the two. In the end, one factor that can make this decision is how one personally feels with either setup..

Of course, there are different uses for each. The KeyMo is very useful for FPSs and the like, offering smooth and precise control, and a controller may be nice for platformers or action brawlers, offering easy to use button-mashing capability. The overall decision can also be effected by the types of games one plays; obviously one cannot play a fighter on a keyboard easily.

Customizing - Good or Bad?

Another big debate in this issue is whether it is fair to gain an unfair advantage by upgrading your system. In the PC world, one gains a nice advantage by adding an extra graphics card or getting a high end keyboard or mouse. In the console world, everything is the same. Your Xbox 360 is the same as mine. The controllers are configured the same way, and they are very hard to mod. You can even get banned from the online service if you mod your system.

Some may feel that the PC world is overly customizable, sometimes even a keymap setup being the deciding factor in whether one can play well or not. The console base is rigid and barely customizable, controls mapped to precise buttons decided through hours of focus groups. This decision is made upon personal choice. My basic rule is that if your framerate is over 40, just shut up and play. It's playable enough.

Money is the root of... what exactly?

A big downside to the PC gaming world is that technology is always changing. Your $OVER 9000! system that was top of the line just five minutes ago may now be rendered obsolete by the next jump in tech. To truly buff your gaming rig, it may cost anywhere from $100 to $3000 dollars. Consoles don't have this problem. The biggest pricetag is the console itself. This decision is obvious, if you have the money, you can do what you want with it.

To Sum it Up...

In the end, it is mainly personal choice that decides whether you like PCs or Consoles in gaming. But to voice an opinion, I personally like the PCs. And I have a rig that shouts that out (I also have all the consoles).

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