Tech Features: Let’s talk PC Gaming – The True Cost of Ascension

Published March 1, 2016

This entry is part 4 of 5 in the series Let’s talk PC Gaming Episode 3: The True Cost of Ascension

A question I get asked (usually via private messages) is: “How much would a ‘gaming’ PC cost which will have the same visual splendor, or ‘graphics’ equal to that of a PS4 or Xbox One?”

I usually reply with: “Less than you expect, but why aim for parity if you can go for more?”

And the answer to that is usually cost.

Before we really get going, this is not just another PC vs Console piece. This is meant for those folk that have consoles (or are considering them) and are considering dipping their toes into the realms of PC gaming.

It will also assume you want to play ‘recent AAA’ games and not only the CS:GOs and MOBAS, since you require very little hardware to play those games.

This is also not a piece that aims to highlight the benefits or downsides of gaming on a particular platform. I think we have enough of those around, as it is.

The BIG issue is of course our weak currency. When I made the move from consoles to PC in 2011 a decent gaming rig was around 12k. To build the ‘same’ now is almost double that.

Luckily the bar set by current gen consoles is not nearly as high as it was at the time the Xbox 360 was released. So you can get away with less if you are willing to go for parity or only slightly better than what the current gen consoles have to offer.

On the other hand a full 4k or ‘VR’ gaming experience is going to cost you plenty.

The other issue is the amount of ‘effort’ you would like to put in. With a complete overkill system you just set everything to max and play. With a more affordable system you will need to do a bit more thinking and tweaking. But there are software from Nvidia and AMD that will help you with that ( Look at my article from 24 February ).

So before we start with what you need and what it will cost let us first disperse the biggest myth in PC gaming: Constant Hardware Upgrades.

So you really need to buy a new graphics card or processor every six months?

No. Not at all. In fact if you look at my article from 17 February 2016 you will note that my wife games on a system from 2011. If it was not for Eskom and load shedding I would also still be on a 2011 CPU, Mobo, and Memory etc. The most recent addition to my rig was the GTX970 I bought in 2014.

Yes but a GTX970 is R9000 I hear you shout! Not in 2014 I reply. And not after selling whatever GPU’s I had at the time to help fund the upgrade. (My current CPU, Mobo and two SSD’s are second hand from the Carbonite forum, more on that later).

Indeed my 2011 build was 90% funded after selling off my consoles, all the plastic bits that one tends to accumulate with them and the massive library of games I had hoarded. All upgrades since then was at least partially funded by selling of the pieces I wanted to replace.

So before we price what you can get for your console goodies and what the parts will cost to build up a gaming PC, lets establish a base line first.

What hardware do you need to answer that frequent question: what does a ‘gaming’ PC cost that will have the same ‘graphics’ as a PS4 or Xbox One?

Luckily the fine folks at Eurogamer have done several head to head articles on this so for a ‘parity’ experience you need at least an i3, a GTX750ti and 8 gigs of RAM for most games. (1080/30/Medium/High). However, I will always recommend an i5 (or FX6300) and at least a 950 (960 if you can) for a build to hit that sweet 60fps.

So what will this basic build set you back if you buy new? Roughly 12k.

The R12 000 will exclude all extras like the OS, the monitor and kb/m etc.

That’s nearly double a PS4! Yes, yes it is. Here in South Africa. But it is also the state of our currency as you can build that same spec for $420 in the States. Pretty close to what a PS4/Xbox One will cost you there once you factor in the subscription you need to actually use the things online.

So how do you get the cost down in SA, legally?

Hit the local forums (Carbonite, SAGamer, etc) and watch the ‘for sale’ spaces. You can pick up killer deals that far exceed the above mentioned specifications at the ‘magic’ 12k price point.You can also wait for Amazon or black Friday sales and ship it here (if the Rand does not further crash).

So now that we have a number to work with, what will it actually cost you to get it after you have flogged your console goodies?Well depends on the console and goodies, but let’s go with these figures:

Going rate for 2 nd hand Xbox One/PS4 with the ‘in the box’ plastics: R4500.

Games R300 – R550 each, depending on game and age.

So if the avg local gamer has 10 games and a console he is sitting on R6500 – R9000 worth of ‘upgrade’ cash.

Yup. For the price of a 2 nd hand console and a few games (or a new console and very few games) you can be the owner of a shiny new gaming PC (or if you were smart, a beast of a 2 nd hand one).

So is the cost worth it? To me? Absolutely. There is something incredibly sexy about a new piece of hardware being released. Something primal in building your own rig and once you have experienced the insane sales of PC games, the incredibly long ‘tail’ of some games (Age of Empires 2 just got a new expansion…) and to mod something new into a old favorite… it resonates with the inner gamer/geek in me. Try it, you might just never look back!

And there you have it. Are you considering moving over to PC? Have I gotten anything horribly wrong? Hit the comments section and let me know.

If you really want to learn hit the PCMR Wiki

This entry is part of 5 in the series Let’s talk PC Gaming << Tech Features: Let’s talk PC Gaming – Essential Software For Your Gaming Rig Tech Features: Let’s talk PC Gaming – Mods >>

The following two tabs change content below. - Bio

Latest Posts

Uberutang

Gaming / Tech Author at Geek Node

When I asked my mom where I was from she said they caught a wild ape and shaved it… she weren’t joking.

This primate has an unhealthy obsession with all things tech and pc gaming and when not in front of his Battlestation he can be found roaming the Cape wildlands with his motorcycle.