You Guys Are Still Spending a Lot on Gaming PCs

[rooket]

[citation][nom]rhino13[/nom]Just don't look at PC software sales.Those are in the dumps because of piracy.[/citation]

Somewhat but generally if you want to play online you have to buy the game for an actual serial. Most people don't pirate games anyway. Sure you can go to your favorite torrent site and tell me otherwise but I'm finding that the easier a system is to pirate, the more profit it makes (re: Nintendo) And oddly enough PS3 is always the underdog although you can't pirate it (yes I know you can download the ISO but what I mean is you can not play it if you do that unless of course you buy the original and have the iso sitting somewhere, totally useless backup to have).

PC games are not the easiest to pirate either. They are fairly large in size. Nintendo has real small cartridge based games that are super easy to pirate yet their whole handhelds industry is strong and possibly is even still floating their television console like the GBA did in gamecube days.

Consoles are better than pc? it depends on in what way. They are cheaper, but modern PCs have a lot more technology built in than your standard 2005 based video game machine. Also the guy above posting about plugging in 3 computer monitors to a PC well I just do not see people doing that on consoles. But on the other hand I don't need to. YOu get more use out of things like that for productivity rather than gaming.

 

[aford10]

Have to have my toys

I'd much rather spend it on a PC, than a console. PCs have more uses.

 

[10tacle]

I have the best of both worlds: a 4.5GHz overclocked/GeForce 275 PC attached to a 26" Samsung LCD monitor and a PS3 attached to a 46" Samsung LCD TV. Both serve their purpose well, but I prefer gaming right in front of a smaller LCD for things like racing with a wheel/pedals, flying with a yoke/rudder pedals, and suing a keyboard & mouse shooters. I have about 12 modern games for the PC.

The PS3 is fun as well, but it will never replace my PC and games. I have 8 PS3 games and really only play a few of them. One thing the PS3 can do is easily go places, especially when away for a week or more on business. Fortunately most nicer hotels have wide screen LCD TVs. Anyone want to travel on a regular basis with a PC? Didn't think so. Also, sure, I can buy a gaming laptop, but guess what? I'd have to buy two copies of most games, let alone spend at least $1,500 on one to play anything remotely decent.

So, count me out as PC only this or consoler only that. I like them both, and both serve their purposes differently.

 

[harth13]

Yes.

We can't get enough of gaming

 

[kronos_cornelius]

[citation][nom]GreatSaltedOne[/nom]i have certainly found myself spending a great deal more as i have grown up and started making real money. as the gaming generation matures i would not be surprised to see the dollar amount attached to it balloon.[/citation]

Well, we have had games for decades now, I don't think an aging gaming audience will have as much of an effect as it did in decades past.

 

[verun]

[citation][nom]hixbot[/nom]People so easily forget about demographics. Specifically: age.Enthusiast gamers have started to reach the age where they can afford to buy things for themselves rather than begging their parents, or working 3 minimum wage jobs.When I was 16, I really wanted that 3dfx voodoo card, but my parents cetainly weren't going to buy it for me. Now I'm 31, and I can afford to buy that high end video card, and who's going to stop me?[/citation]

That's the point I just wanted to add. But you wrote it before me ;>
I'm building my first true gaming rig atm. Just need 2 watercooled GTX 480 cards then it's finished.
That just would not have been possible before.

 

[eyemaster]

There will always be console gaming as well as PC gaming. The world will never accept just one platform of anything as there is an infinite to tastes.

 

[insightdriver]

The point that is interesting is the percentage of sales to enthusiasts. I assume this means retail spending. If in fact, this is the case, then there is even more benefit to the economy as a whole. I did not realize that we enthusiasts were such a large part of the spending. Immaterial of how much I spend (and I have spent a lot on upgrading over the years). I am part of a larger group than I thought I was. That is my take on this article.

 

[illskematiks]

[citation][nom]cloakster[/nom]I do agree that PC gaming is for the true enthusiast. but console gaming will never die because of how cost effective it is for the consumer, assuming that they buy all their games legitly.[/citation]

The idea of the console is being cheaper is easier to argue than the reality of the console. Here's the breakdown:
X360 or PS3: $300- anything else you will need a larger hard drive
Wireless adapter $100
extra controller, if you have friends $50
Charging Cradle- $30
512 MB memory stick- $30!
headset w/ mic $60
xbox live $50
=roughly $600- heres the catch, no modding, no hot swapping components, games cost $60, if you want to download them from the marketplace- you pay double what you would from a local store and you must have the hard drive capacity to store it- which will cost you $90 for 120gb, a problem means your out of a console for multiple weeks on end- for me it was back to back problems with the same console

Now a PC, at $600 you can build yourself or purchase from any of the "Amazing" mail order companies, something decent and continue build and upgrade at roughly the cost your saving on games. Not to mention, access to Valve. Consoles are a means for companies to control what content is distributed to you, in the end their popularity is going to trump most anyone like myself shouting them down. I just can't believe I fooled myself into thinking for such a long time that consoles are great.

 

[kavcruse]

Well am not much of an enthusiasit..but i like pc gaming vry much especially race games...i have finished several games that i had laid my hands(in hard mode)...i still don own a graphic card....after my educ gets over lets see wat nvidia holds for....

 

[jowunger]

Its still not the right time to buy SSD's. I don't even think that there are 'so many gamers' out there who use SSD's. Most important is CPU/MEM and a good GFX card. SATA 3GB is enough to game. Instead getting a SSD I rather invest the cash in a second GFX card or another HDD.