Why the Best Computer Shops in Dubai are Not Worried About the Increasing Popularity of Gaming Consoles

Every year, a new gaming console or an updated version of a gaming console is introduced to the market. Similarly, new generations of GPUs (graphics processing units or graphics cards) are introduced every few years for PC gamers. The battle between console and PC gaming has been running for over two decades. But, why aren’t PC sellers concerned about the rise of gaming consoles? Here’s why –

Assessing the Sales

‘Follow the money’ is advice that rings true in all forms of investigations. In the battle between console and PC gaming, the stats reveal a lot.

• The PlayStation 4, by far the best-selling gaming console of all time, sold 18.3 million units in 2019 globally (three times more than Microsoft’s Xbox One).

• In 2020, 22.3 million units of gaming PCs and notebooks are expected to be sold.  

So, the difference between gaming PC sales and the sales of the most highly-rated gaming console is minimal.

Plus, most gaming PC lovers already own these devices. Yes, highly-priced graphics cards do discourage gamers from investing in gaming PCs. Still, it’s cheaper to upgrade an existing PC’s GPU than buying a PS5.

People who already own gaming PCs can acquire new GPUs and have similar gaming experiences (if not better) than highly-priced gaming consoles. The same applies to portable gaming laptops.

Why Investing in Gaming PCs Helps Gamers Cut Costs?

Gaming PCs are more cost-effective than PCs because –

• Most PC owners don’t have to spend on the initial hardware. As long as their gaming PC is functional, minor upgrades like a brand-new GPU or a power-supply do the trick.

• On average, PC games are cheaper than their console counterparts.

• Gaming platforms dedicated to PC-gaming like Epic and Humble offer regular giveaways and bundles. PC gamers who are low on cash never have a scarcity of accessible games.

• Console gamers pay monthly subscription fees. Becoming a member of PS Plus or Xbox Live Gold is not easy. But to play online, they have to pay a monthly fee. For PC gamers, playing multiplayer games involves zero additional fees. These gamers save the subscription fees and upgrade their PCs!

Contrary to belief, PC gaming is not for super-rich kids who can afford highly-priced graphics cards. It’s for tech-savvy gamers who can see through the marketing efforts of major gaming console companies.

The Flawed ‘Obsolete’ Argument

Many console gamers love to tout the concept of PC games going ‘obsolete.’ The harsh truth is PC gaming will never go out of fashion. Gaming consoles are more likely to go obsolete.

For instance, the launch of the PS5 will certainly render all PS4s obsolete in a couple of years. Console parts and games become “obsolete” faster than PCs because PC parts can be easily upgraded.

Gaming PCs offer the best upgradability, be it a pre-built computer or a home-assembled one. Tech experts can remove and replace every part of a gaming PC. Gaming consoles don’t offer that luxury.

Overall Gaming Experience

Many people assume that better graphics lead to better gaming experiences. But, that’s completely untrue. PC gamers have better gaming experiences because of a lot of reasons. Some of them include –

• Decorations – Building or assembling a gaming PC rig is super-easy. PC gamers have the luxury to add neon lights, cooling fans, built-in lighting arrangements, etc. to give their gaming ‘dens’ a customized look.

• Exactly What They Want – Not only does building their gaming rigs give gamers immense satisfaction, the process also allows them to carefully chose precisely what parts they’d like. They can individually pick out the type of motherboards they need, the quality of graphics cards they need to play certain games, preferable CPUs, ideal storage devices, etc. As long as these parts are compatible, PC gamers have unlimited customization choices.

• Cooling – PC gamers can add cooling systems to their devices to optimize the performances of their devices. Additional PC cooling devices allow PCs to function at higher speeds over longer periods.

• Personal Space – Console gaming usually involves the use of household TVs. Since most gamers cannot afford separate gaming TVs, they often disrupt the day to day TV-watching sessions of their family members just to play games. With gaming PCs, gamers get personal space and privacy. They don’t hamper anyone else’s’ privacy, nor do they invite anyone else to disrupt their gaming experiences.

• Additional Features – Many console gamers refute the earlier point by saying that console games can work with separate monitors. But, the latest gaming consoles only support the finest and the most high-priced monitors. Unless people use these monitors to watch TV shows or movies, they fail to make full use of them. For instance, only ultrawide monitors will support specific console games. But, investing in a high-priced ultrawide monitor just for gaming purposes doesn’t make sense.  

Gamers who adopt a holistic approach to make purchase decisions realize that gaming PCs are more cost-effective than consoles. That’s why the best computer shops in Dubai are not worried about the rising popularity of consoles.