Sarath
iDota
I am part of a new breed of Homo sapiens called "Gamers". This is an ever growing sub species and show marked variations in their interests, language and social behavior. We are also plagued with a feeling of awesomeness when playing certain games, which others fail to understand.
Gaming has shaped my life and had a huge impact on me. In other words all my failures are inadvertently attributed to gaming and the time it consumes. I was first introduced to gaming when my dad bought me a hand held brick game. From then onwards I have seen many generations of video games, more in line with the consoles.
My quench for better games, better gaming hardware and more gaming has led to my present condition. I had a PS3 but was not satisfied with it alone and before that when I had a PC I was never satisfied with it alone either. So like an Arab with two wives, I went ahead and got myself the best in both worlds. A PlayStation®3 and a Gaming PC.
This can be seen as a console vs pc war or a marriage between consoles and PCs.
.
.
PlayStation®3
*in.playstation.com/media/252644/Main_PS3_Image_345w.png
PRICE: Rs.18500 (160GB) and Rs.20500 (320 GB)
I will skip the technical specifications and move on to what is important; Gaming.
Before all that I had to convince my parents into buying a 40" HDTV and constantly spam about how redundant 32" ones are (was more difficult in my case since we already had one 32incher, but the God of Games was with me)Now this is a INR 60000 expense that I did not add to the overall console gaming cost since it was primaily intended to be a TV and then a gaming display. But for ones building it from scratch, it is the biggest expense one will make.
Setup:
Step 1: Beg/Cry/Spam that you want a PS3™ no matter what and get it. If you are old enough skip step one and buy it yourself.
Step 2: Connect powercable and HDMI (to TV)
Step 3: Pop in a game
Step 4: Play till the contoller dies or you do
I must say a console is the most comfortable way to play. It is the only one thing in the world that is manufactured for the sub species called gamers. It pampers you a lot and lets you concentrate on gaming.
Games and Gameplay:
The first 2 games I bought were God of War 3 and Heavy Rain. Both sold for Rs.2500 a piece back then. That ate away all the 5k I had saved up but no regrets. Both of these are amazing. Just amazing. The graphics, the sound the immersion was on a totally different level. I finished playing those in two weeks. After that my console gathered dust as my parents refused to buy me any games. But as fate had it, I have now more games to play than I have time to play them. Here is a list of the games I own:
◊ God of War 3
◊ Heavy Rain
◊ NFS Hot Pursuit
◊ Burnout Paradise City
◊ UFC 2010 (got it free; never played)
◊ Assassins Creed
◊ GTA 4
◊ Devil May Cry 4
◊ Bayonetta
◊ Blur
◊ Killzone 3
◊ Tekkan 6
All of this cost me: (Calculating...3...2..1...) Rs. 22600/-
Now thats a lot. Here comes my second point. The second biggest expense after a HDTV will be the games. My PS3 hasn't even touched its first anniversary yet.
More on the gameplay: The graphics are amazing, more fluid and realistic. The many games I played mesmerised me with their scenarios and music score (esp GoW). The controller feels like an extension of yourself and the improvements in its design over the years make it themost formidable gamign accesory. The joystick/joypad/controller is the best gaming device out there. There is nothing that can beat it. Also gaming on a 40" screen while sitting on a couch is both comfortable and immersive. The only area of weakness is shooters which are playable but a little tricky to aim and control.
Summary:
Pros:
• Cheaper initial investment
• Ease of use
• Controller gameplay is the most natural evolution of gaming
• Free online gameplay (through PSN)
• Longetivity (8-10year console life cycle)
• Lower power consumption (200W full load)
• Can play Blu Ray disks
Cons:
• Expensive games
• Poor porting of PC games
• FPS not one of its strongest point; lack of precision in comparison to PCs
• Absolutely no MMORPGs
• Older hardware (personally I dont care as long as it performs well; if a dead horse can win a race I would bet my money on it)
The console gaming experience is more fulfilling than any other. There is nothing like opening a can of pepsi, resting your butt on the couch, throwing your legs on the table, sit back and enjoy gaming on a large screen at the press of a button.
I usually play Racing games, Fighting games (like tekkan) and Adventures (like GoW, DMC etc) on the PS3. All my FPS and MMORPGs are limited to the PC.
◊ To sum it up consoles are easy to set up and a complete gaming experience, although expensive, prohibitively so for some people.
.
.
Monster in my room; A Gaming PC:
*i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc480/sarathmay3/DSC_0167.jpg
PRICE: INR 1,00,000/- (approx) courtesy TDF (including OS & speakers)
The core system cost only INR 62790. THE REST WERE MY SPLURGES WHICH ARE NOT RECOMMENDED
This is my configuration: Bought on 25.05.2011
NO DESCRIPTION MAKE & MODEL UNIT PRICE
1 PROCESSOR INTEL CORE i5 2500k 10395
2 MOTHERBOARD ASUS P8P67 PRO 12600
3 RAM G-SKILL RIPJAWS F3-12800CL9S-4GBRL 2625
4 GRAPHIC CARD SAPPHIRE HD6970 2GB 21000
5 HDD SEAGATE 1TB 7200.12 RPM 2625
6 DVD WRITTER SAMSUNG 22X SATA DVD 945
7 PSU COSAIR GS700 6300
8 CASE NZXT TEMPEST EVO 6300
9 MONITOR DELL ULTRASHARP U2311H 14323
10 MOUSE RAZER IMPERATOR 3150
11 KEYBOARD RAZER ARCTOSA 2158
12 MOUSE PAD STEELSERIES QCK 800
13 UPS APC 1.1KV 4500
14 OS MICROSOFT WINDOWS 7 7000
14 Speakers -- 5000
TOTAL 99722
For more pictures: No. of pics -6
I remember the excitement when this PC finally arrived. I fail to express them in words but it just awesome to finally have this.
But getting this config in place was not easy. I started in mid-March and the config was finalised mid-May, which is when the purchase took place too. Starting with the digit magazine and then arriving on this forum, I created a thread "gam1ng-pc-70k". After what spanned through 100+ posts I finally had all the ingredients in place. Each component was thoroughly researched and subjected to critical review.
Finally I bought the parts, the details of which are in the main thread.
I waited for 2+ hours at the shop while it was being assembled. Came home and now the ordeal started.
Setup:
Step 1: I unboxed everything and made all the connections; monitor, UPS, CPU, Mouse, KB and the Wifi Dongle which didnt take as much time as it took to arrange all of it on my table.
Step 2: OS installation. Since I couldn't buy a Win 7 copy I used a trial version meanwhile. It spanned an hour or so.
Step 3: Intalling all drivers and softwares. 5+ hours.
Step 4: Install updates and Install games.
Step 5: Open "Preferences" and set the optimal resolution and calibrate the monitor
Step 6: Run the game. Go to options and max out settings and set optimum resolution.
Step 7: Play (finally)
I must say it was quite an ordeal. But since all of this happens only on the birth of a PC, I am not going to dwell further into it, nor am I going to consider it in the comparison.
However the installation of the games and setting them up to run is either the same or mostly a little longer than consoles.
Games and Gameplay:
Every single gaming device has its share of exclusives and the PC has not one but many. In fact being the most popular gaming devices besides PCs its difficult to estimate which is more popular.
My reason to get this PC was to play FPS games such as Crysis 2, CoD MW2 and BlackOps etc. Now this is where it shines. The amazing control given by the mouse is just too precise and convenient to be beaten in this department. It quickly shows you the shortcomings of the console controller.
The gameplay is amazing and the visuals are mesmerising. Cranking up the settings has given me the most realistic visuals I have ever seen on a PC before.
My other muse is MMORPG games. Although not in the pure sense as I dont play WoW etc but only Dota which is an online RPG. It is an old game and does not benefit from any upgrades except the mouse.
I am playing on a smaller screen so the difference is obvious but FPS are very immersive and hence it doesnt matter.
Now I dont recommend every one to buy a console but if you do want to play Racing games and others such as Assassins creed, I recommend buying a controller/joystick preferably the microsoft xbox controller for PC
The HD 6970 is a beast not the most powerful one but is formidable enough to max out settings at 1080p.
This should give me a few years of peace and ability to play latest games at high-medium settings.
Cost of games: The games are priced much better at prices ranging from Rs.500-1500. Mostly falling at 1k.
Now a lot of people don't buy games, which in itself is why there is a huge support for PC gaming in many. It is a personal moral choice though.
Hence in such a scenario, the cost of the PC and games dont factor well for comparison. The same is evident in this forum too where no discussion (or little) is made regarding online game play which is usually limited to legit copies.
Having said all that I too have fallen prey to such habit but I plan on buying Crysis 2, CoD 3, and Metro 2033 next month, just so to appreciate the online game play and prevent what we are already witnessing. The death of PC gaming or the decay of it (Read= Crysis 2 and its priorities)
The PC is limited to FPS games and MMORPGs in my case. There are strictly no racing or other genre games here. But the PC is equally good when coupled with a controller to play all these. Infact I would say that a PC with a good KB, a gaming mouse and a gaming controller is the most complete gaming system, capable of playing every genre of games. However compatibility issues plague the PC controller for some games.
Summary:
Pros:
• Better FPS and MMORPG experience
• Can play all or most of the games available on the consoles (except exclusive titles)
• Upgradeability -hardware upgrades can be made during its life time
• More powerful than current console hardware
• PC can be used for movies, surfing, video/photo editing, chatting etc etc
• Cheaper games
• Better graphics (I dont know about this, since I wont do a side by side comparison ever, for that is the stupidest thing to do)
• Mouse allows for enhanced precision
• Online game play (better experience than consoles)
Cons:
• Huge initial investment [even a decent gaming rig costs 50k]
•Gaming on a smaller screen (Ok not that big a problem)
• The Keyboard is the worst gaming accessory; the least ergonomic of all. But many swear by the KB so I think it has won many hearts. So this point transforms into a personal opinion. Key mapping and macros make it more user friendly.
• Requires regular updates in hardware as games are not tailored to run on older hardware in most cases (2-3year cycle)
◊ The PC is far more versatile than a consoles for it is built that way but in itself is a formidable gaming machine. I does not win over consoles but definitely has many advantages over it.
◊ On a neutral note, if you had a choice between them I would say go for a gaming PC. I am biased towards the consoles; they do have their advantages which is why many people own both a console and a PC.
Highly recommended for FPS and MMORPGs. Also for other genre like racing, TPS etc.
Final Summary:
◊ Despite owning both it is difficult to say which is better. It is impossible for me to ditch one for another. Both have their strengths and weaknesses. I love them dearly and honestly I don't care which one is better.
However for consoles I would say: Buy used games and borrow a lot. Buying new ones doesn't make any sense and is also a huge expenditure. Used games sell for around 500-1000 which is a steal.
For PCs: Buy a controller like the xbox one I mentioned for racing games and experience enhanced precision. Also get a decent gaming mouse as they are more ergonomic apart from other benefits. Even without these it is a formidable gaming machine.
I think I wrote a small book out here.
Any suggestions are welcome.
Thank you for reading.
.
.
.
Gaming has shaped my life and had a huge impact on me. In other words all my failures are inadvertently attributed to gaming and the time it consumes. I was first introduced to gaming when my dad bought me a hand held brick game. From then onwards I have seen many generations of video games, more in line with the consoles.
My quench for better games, better gaming hardware and more gaming has led to my present condition. I had a PS3 but was not satisfied with it alone and before that when I had a PC I was never satisfied with it alone either. So like an Arab with two wives, I went ahead and got myself the best in both worlds. A PlayStation®3 and a Gaming PC.
This can be seen as a console vs pc war or a marriage between consoles and PCs.
.
.
PlayStation®3
*in.playstation.com/media/252644/Main_PS3_Image_345w.png
PRICE: Rs.18500 (160GB) and Rs.20500 (320 GB)
I will skip the technical specifications and move on to what is important; Gaming.
Before all that I had to convince my parents into buying a 40" HDTV and constantly spam about how redundant 32" ones are (was more difficult in my case since we already had one 32incher, but the God of Games was with me)Now this is a INR 60000 expense that I did not add to the overall console gaming cost since it was primaily intended to be a TV and then a gaming display. But for ones building it from scratch, it is the biggest expense one will make.
Setup:
Step 1: Beg/Cry/Spam that you want a PS3™ no matter what and get it. If you are old enough skip step one and buy it yourself.
Step 2: Connect powercable and HDMI (to TV)
Step 3: Pop in a game
Step 4: Play till the contoller dies or you do
I must say a console is the most comfortable way to play. It is the only one thing in the world that is manufactured for the sub species called gamers. It pampers you a lot and lets you concentrate on gaming.
Games and Gameplay:
The first 2 games I bought were God of War 3 and Heavy Rain. Both sold for Rs.2500 a piece back then. That ate away all the 5k I had saved up but no regrets. Both of these are amazing. Just amazing. The graphics, the sound the immersion was on a totally different level. I finished playing those in two weeks. After that my console gathered dust as my parents refused to buy me any games. But as fate had it, I have now more games to play than I have time to play them. Here is a list of the games I own:
◊ God of War 3
◊ Heavy Rain
◊ NFS Hot Pursuit
◊ Burnout Paradise City
◊ UFC 2010 (got it free; never played)
◊ Assassins Creed
◊ GTA 4
◊ Devil May Cry 4
◊ Bayonetta
◊ Blur
◊ Killzone 3
◊ Tekkan 6
AC and GoW missing; lent them to a friend*i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc480/sarathmay3/PS3/DSC_0220.jpg
All of this cost me: (Calculating...3...2..1...) Rs. 22600/-
Now thats a lot. Here comes my second point. The second biggest expense after a HDTV will be the games. My PS3 hasn't even touched its first anniversary yet. More on the gameplay: The graphics are amazing, more fluid and realistic. The many games I played mesmerised me with their scenarios and music score (esp GoW). The controller feels like an extension of yourself and the improvements in its design over the years make it themost formidable gamign accesory. The joystick/joypad/controller is the best gaming device out there. There is nothing that can beat it. Also gaming on a 40" screen while sitting on a couch is both comfortable and immersive. The only area of weakness is shooters which are playable but a little tricky to aim and control.
Summary:
Pros:
• Cheaper initial investment
• Ease of use
• Controller gameplay is the most natural evolution of gaming
• Free online gameplay (through PSN)
• Longetivity (8-10year console life cycle)
• Lower power consumption (200W full load)
• Can play Blu Ray disks
Cons:
• Expensive games
• Poor porting of PC games
• FPS not one of its strongest point; lack of precision in comparison to PCs
• Absolutely no MMORPGs
• Older hardware (personally I dont care as long as it performs well; if a dead horse can win a race I would bet my money on it)
The console gaming experience is more fulfilling than any other. There is nothing like opening a can of pepsi, resting your butt on the couch, throwing your legs on the table, sit back and enjoy gaming on a large screen at the press of a button.
I usually play Racing games, Fighting games (like tekkan) and Adventures (like GoW, DMC etc) on the PS3. All my FPS and MMORPGs are limited to the PC.
◊ To sum it up consoles are easy to set up and a complete gaming experience, although expensive, prohibitively so for some people.
.
.
Monster in my room; A Gaming PC:
*i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc480/sarathmay3/DSC_0167.jpg
PRICE: INR 1,00,000/- (approx) courtesy TDF (including OS & speakers)
The core system cost only INR 62790. THE REST WERE MY SPLURGES WHICH ARE NOT RECOMMENDED
This is my configuration: Bought on 25.05.2011
1 PROCESSOR INTEL CORE i5 2500k 10395
2 MOTHERBOARD ASUS P8P67 PRO 12600
3 RAM G-SKILL RIPJAWS F3-12800CL9S-4GBRL 2625
4 GRAPHIC CARD SAPPHIRE HD6970 2GB 21000
5 HDD SEAGATE 1TB 7200.12 RPM 2625
6 DVD WRITTER SAMSUNG 22X SATA DVD 945
7 PSU COSAIR GS700 6300
8 CASE NZXT TEMPEST EVO 6300
9 MONITOR DELL ULTRASHARP U2311H 14323
10 MOUSE RAZER IMPERATOR 3150
11 KEYBOARD RAZER ARCTOSA 2158
12 MOUSE PAD STEELSERIES QCK 800
13 UPS APC 1.1KV 4500
14 OS MICROSOFT WINDOWS 7 7000
14 Speakers -- 5000
TOTAL 99722
For more pictures: No. of pics -6
1.Completely cannibalised my Study Table (which is actually a big office table)
*i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc480/sarathmay3/DSC00078.jpg
2.In Dark
*i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc480/sarathmay3/DSC00080.jpg
3.18+
*i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc480/sarathmay3/DSC_0165.jpg
4
*i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc480/sarathmay3/DSC_0166.jpg
5.Twin rotor (doesnt fly)
*i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc480/sarathmay3/DSC_0170.jpg
6.Last Pic
*i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc480/sarathmay3/DSC00079a.jpg
*i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc480/sarathmay3/DSC00078.jpg
2.In Dark
*i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc480/sarathmay3/DSC00080.jpg
3.18+
*i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc480/sarathmay3/DSC_0165.jpg
4
*i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc480/sarathmay3/DSC_0166.jpg
5.Twin rotor (doesnt fly)
*i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc480/sarathmay3/DSC_0170.jpg
6.Last Pic
*i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc480/sarathmay3/DSC00079a.jpg
I remember the excitement when this PC finally arrived. I fail to express them in words but it just awesome to finally have this.
But getting this config in place was not easy. I started in mid-March and the config was finalised mid-May, which is when the purchase took place too. Starting with the digit magazine and then arriving on this forum, I created a thread "gam1ng-pc-70k". After what spanned through 100+ posts I finally had all the ingredients in place. Each component was thoroughly researched and subjected to critical review.
Finally I bought the parts, the details of which are in the main thread.
I waited for 2+ hours at the shop while it was being assembled. Came home and now the ordeal started.
Setup:
Step 1: I unboxed everything and made all the connections; monitor, UPS, CPU, Mouse, KB and the Wifi Dongle which didnt take as much time as it took to arrange all of it on my table.
Step 2: OS installation. Since I couldn't buy a Win 7 copy I used a trial version meanwhile. It spanned an hour or so.
Step 3: Intalling all drivers and softwares. 5+ hours.
Step 4: Install updates and Install games.
Step 5: Open "Preferences" and set the optimal resolution and calibrate the monitor
Step 6: Run the game. Go to options and max out settings and set optimum resolution.
Step 7: Play
(finally)I must say it was quite an ordeal. But since all of this happens only on the birth of a PC, I am not going to dwell further into it, nor am I going to consider it in the comparison.
However the installation of the games and setting them up to run is either the same or mostly a little longer than consoles.
Games and Gameplay:
Every single gaming device has its share of exclusives and the PC has not one but many. In fact being the most popular gaming devices besides PCs its difficult to estimate which is more popular.
My reason to get this PC was to play FPS games such as Crysis 2, CoD MW2 and BlackOps etc. Now this is where it shines. The amazing control given by the mouse is just too precise and convenient to be beaten in this department. It quickly shows you the shortcomings of the console controller.
The gameplay is amazing and the visuals are mesmerising. Cranking up the settings has given me the most realistic visuals I have ever seen on a PC before.
My other muse is MMORPG games. Although not in the pure sense as I dont play WoW etc but only Dota which is an online RPG. It is an old game and does not benefit from any upgrades except the mouse.
I am playing on a smaller screen so the difference is obvious but FPS are very immersive and hence it doesnt matter.
Now I dont recommend every one to buy a console but if you do want to play Racing games and others such as Assassins creed, I recommend buying a controller/joystick preferably the microsoft xbox controller for PC
The HD 6970 is a beast not the most powerful one but is formidable enough to max out settings at 1080p.
This should give me a few years of peace and ability to play latest games at high-medium settings.
Cost of games: The games are priced much better at prices ranging from Rs.500-1500. Mostly falling at 1k.
Now a lot of people don't buy games, which in itself is why there is a huge support for PC gaming in many. It is a personal moral choice though.
Hence in such a scenario, the cost of the PC and games dont factor well for comparison. The same is evident in this forum too where no discussion (or little) is made regarding online game play which is usually limited to legit copies.
Having said all that I too have fallen prey to such habit but I plan on buying Crysis 2, CoD 3, and Metro 2033 next month, just so to appreciate the online game play and prevent what we are already witnessing. The death of PC gaming or the decay of it (Read= Crysis 2 and its priorities)
The PC is limited to FPS games and MMORPGs in my case. There are strictly no racing or other genre games here. But the PC is equally good when coupled with a controller to play all these. Infact I would say that a PC with a good KB, a gaming mouse and a gaming controller is the most complete gaming system, capable of playing every genre of games. However compatibility issues plague the PC controller for some games.
Summary:
Pros:
• Better FPS and MMORPG experience
• Can play all or most of the games available on the consoles (except exclusive titles)
• Upgradeability -hardware upgrades can be made during its life time
• More powerful than current console hardware
• PC can be used for movies, surfing, video/photo editing, chatting etc etc
• Cheaper games
• Better graphics (I dont know about this, since I wont do a side by side comparison ever, for that is the stupidest thing to do)
• Mouse allows for enhanced precision
• Online game play (better experience than consoles)
Cons:
• Huge initial investment [even a decent gaming rig costs 50k]
•
• The Keyboard is the worst gaming accessory; the least ergonomic of all. But many swear by the KB so I think it has won many hearts. So this point transforms into a personal opinion. Key mapping and macros make it more user friendly.
• Requires regular updates in hardware as games are not tailored to run on older hardware in most cases (2-3year cycle)
◊ The PC is far more versatile than a consoles for it is built that way but in itself is a formidable gaming machine. I does not win over consoles but definitely has many advantages over it.
◊ On a neutral note, if you had a choice between them I would say go for a gaming PC. I am biased towards the consoles; they do have their advantages which is why many people own both a console and a PC.
Highly recommended for FPS and MMORPGs. Also for other genre like racing, TPS etc.
Final Summary:
◊ Despite owning both it is difficult to say which is better. It is impossible for me to ditch one for another. Both have their strengths and weaknesses. I love them dearly and honestly I don't care which one is better.
However for consoles I would say: Buy used games and borrow a lot. Buying new ones doesn't make any sense and is also a huge expenditure. Used games sell for around 500-1000 which is a steal.
For PCs: Buy a controller like the xbox one I mentioned for racing games and experience enhanced precision. Also get a decent gaming mouse as they are more ergonomic apart from other benefits. Even without these it is a formidable gaming machine.
I think I wrote a small book out here.
Any suggestions are welcome.
Thank you for reading.
.
.
.
Last edited:
