If you’re anything like me, May’s PlayStation State of Play ended and you were left asking “Is that seriously it?”
It’s not the first time a State of Play has left me underwhelmed, asking what on earth happened to the PlayStation brand that had me completely hooked during the PS4 days. I’ve been a lifelong PlayStation gamer, and even if this generation is proving to be the most profitable one ever for Sony, it’s left me disenfranchised, asking where all the great games are.
In truth, I’ve been playing more and more on the best gaming PCs this past year. I always split my time between platforms until now, but until recently PCs weren’t where I spent the majority of my time. Nowadays, outside of playing with my close friends on the PlayStation platforms we’ve always treated like our favorite hangout spot, I’ve been doing more of my personal gaming on a computer, and I’m beginning to feel a wind of change come over me.
We’ve heard some interesting headlines coming out of the console space this year; we’re halfway through the generation already, the PS5 Pro might use upscaling tech on par with best graphics cards, and exclusive games are a thing of the past. It all makes me a bit tired, and there are barely any games coming solely to PS5 that I’m especially excited over. As I look at the current PC scene, I see an easy solution to a lot of my problems.
So, my dear reader, I’d like to tell you the main benefits I’ve felt from adopting more of a PC setup this year. If you’re as jaded as me about the modern era of console gaming, if you’ve been at all considering the purchase of a gaming PC over the unconfirmed PS5 Pro, strap yourself in and prepare for some optimism.
A word of warning though - This article is not to be used as an invitation to judge other people for the hardware they use, please and thank you. We are all video game fans, our platforms should not make us feel more divided.
Exclusivity is dying out and cross-play is in
A gaming platform is only as good as the experiences available on it. That’s always been true, but what happens when you remove the exclusive group of games for each platform? Suddenly, the field opens up, and if there’s a machine where you can play all the games you like, it becomes a lot more alluring.
PlayStation has been opening up the door to PC players of late, and the recent announcement that God of War Ragnarok is coming to PC shows that won’t stop anytime soon. Meanwhile, Xbox continues to lay off some of its most talented developers while entertaining the idea of putting more first-party offerings on PlayStation 5. Game Pass is already on PC, and truth be told, I much prefer playing its library on a desktop than booting up its dedicated console.
If both platforms are meeting in the middle, PC seems like the best of both worlds. You can swap from The Last of Us to Senua’s Saga Hellblade 2 in seconds on a PC, and that’s just the tip of the non-exclusive iceberg.
Of course, the Nintendo Switch crowd is a bit stuck. It’s highly unlikely that Ninty will open up its offerings to PC players when the Switch 2 drops. At the same time, most of the Switch’s best indie games are available on Steam anyway, and the best gaming handhelds offer you that same nostalgic, portable experience.
Fewer accessory limitations
I know a few console players who would never dream of migrating to PC because they hate using a mouse and keyboard. To be honest, I can understand where they’re coming from. Until recently, I never really enjoyed using a mouse to aim in first-person shooters, and I still don’t like using a keyboard to play games. Luckily, the best PC controllers are here to help, and they are remarkably easy to use.
As soon as you plug a PS5 controller or Xbox Series X controller into your PC, you’ll seamlessly be able to play games with it. There’s no annoying setup process, there’s no firmware download that’ll seem like a hurdle, it really is as easy as plugging a controller into your machine of choice, and continuing to play as you would on a console.
What’s more, you can gain access to a host of other gaming accessories that won’t work with a PS5 or Xbox. I never use a keyboard to play games on PC, but I do use an Azeron Cyborg Keypad. This funny-looking ergonomic cradle sits underneath your hand as you twitch your fingers to its various keys. All the while, you have a thumbstick to move around as you would with a gamepad. It’s the best of both worlds for me, and you simply don’t see that sort of innovation available for PlayStation or Xbox.
Similarly, I saw loads of Helldivers use funky accessories on PC to enter stratagem codes. Stream controllers, foot peddles, clever mouse alternatives, all’s fair on PC to help you control games in the way you want to - although don’t think that means you can get away with cheating more easily.
Steam Sales put console storefronts to shame
Buying games digitally has been a dicey topic in 2024, but on PS5, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch, you seldom see big price drops in each platform’s digital store. Often, we buy games digitally because it’s more convenient, or we don’t have a console with physical media capabilities. Because of the lack of printing and shipping costs, digital games should be a lot cheaper than buying physically, but Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo clearly don’t agree, and they want a piece of the profit pool from their stores. That causes higher prices and much smaller discounts.
On a gaming PC, storefronts like Steam don’t suffer quite the same issue, and it’s much easier to find games from your backlog on sale for under $5/£5. In the last month alone I’ve managed to bag Dying Light, BioShock Remastered, The Red Strings Club, and Not for Broadcast all for under £10 each on Steam. The latter two have been sitting on my wishlist on PS5 and Switch for over a year now, with either refusing to drop more than a few pounds.
A much higher technical ceiling
I saw a meme recently that joked about how some people can’t see higher frame rates - as though they were just “born with fewer frames”. I’m aware some folks out there find it harder to notice frame rate differences and other people simply don’t care. I’m of the opinion that once you see your favorite games running at more than 70fps, you’ll find it hard to go back.
Higher frame rates on the best gaming monitors are no joke. While modern consoles can comfortably kick 60fps at your screen as standard, a gaming PC will uncap that, and let you prioritize settings that mean more to you and your setup. Even if you want to stay sat on a couch, some of the best gaming TVs can make use of 120Hz framerates that will let you harness more power from a computer. When it comes to competitive games, that can make a massive difference - if you’ve never played a first-person shooter at 100fps or more, it’s a total game changer.
Then, there’s upgrading.
The learning curve really isn’t as steep as it seems
One of the big hurdles for me when getting into the PC world was the technical knowledge I thought I’d have to gain in order to wield one.
Yes, there is a bit of learning that can help you understand what your PC is doing, but you really don’t need to learn how to code, invest in thermal paste, or even build a PC of your own today. Some of the best value in the gaming PC world right now is in the prebuilt machines I review. They are essentially plug-and-play devices that you can upgrade incrementally if you so wish but don’t ask you to dive in and start jamming cables into a motherboard.
You can get by in PC gaming by learning the things you want to learn at your own pace. Plus, PC building has never been easier. Some would argue it’s basically like Lego now.
Finally, a gaming PC won’t require a new purchase every five or so years. You can upgrade smaller parts as you wish, but you don’t need to buy a new system until you’re ready to. For example, anyone who bought an AMD Ryzen 5000 Series processor back in 2016 can still get new alternative CPUs for their motherboards, and their rigs will still churn out great gaming performance. There’s value and futureproofing to be had in PC components if you play your cards right, so don’t fret.
If you fancy a gander at some of the best gaming PC deals in your area currently, take a look at our price comparison software below.
Get your furniture for a PC loadout sorted with the best gaming chairs, the best gaming desks, and the best standing desks.
