"Again console will remain the best entertainment for price, because consoles are ACTIVELY geared and marketed toward a wider audience. I still stick with the 5k overhead price if you think your going to try to use a $800 dollar computer to 2020 your not floating in the right ocean. The 5k comp won't even make it to 2020.'

Since when are we talking about buying a system that lasts until 2020? That's ridiculous. Is this some joke about how consoles don't need upgraded? Well, if my NES played PS3 games, I might agree with you.


:"Like I said you'd have to expect the average for sale computer to meet all 2020 specs at a reasonable price. AKA not build it yourself prices. Or else you are imagining that the general population IQ has jumped by 50 points.

Also current generation prices doesn't denote future trends, as time goes on prices tend to go up due to inflation and other trends. "

Again, what the heck are the 2020 specs about? I admit freely that we have a cost issue. However, inflation and prices going up hits different platforms different. For example, a decent computer 10 years ago wouldv'e been 1000-1500 dollars. A decent computer now is 400-600 dollars. A console 10 years ago was 300-400 dollars. A consle now is 400-500 dollars, minus the Wii. I don't think its ridiculous to think its possible that PC's will be priced appropriately at some point.

"How many 5 year old $500 PCs will play even a small subsect of the games on the market today?

I spend $500 on a console ONCE and I never have to worry about upgrading it in order to get a new game on it."

Yeah, except when the next generation of consoles comes out. If you replace your computer once every 4 years and you spend around 600-700 on it every time you replace it, you'll be fine with 99% of PC games. Especially if you upgrade other parts from time to time. The first time I had an issue with my now 5 year old computer was with Oblivion. What a surprise. I could still play most games, but I started saving to replace it. I did in November.

There are bonuses of the PC over consoles in this department too. PC's are, for the most part, far more backwards compatible than most consoles. Sure, some PS3's play PS2 games, 360's play a good chunk of Xbox games, and the Wii is basically an upgraded Gamecube, but my PC runs games from BACK IN THE DAY with no issues. Not to mention emulation....

Also, if you upgrade your PC with a little bit of money every 4 years, your computer use will be smoother and faster, you'll always have graphics as good as or better than consoles (when the PS3 first came out, maybe it had an edge, in the next couple of years though, PC games will begin to embarrass console games again.. its the cycle), and you'll still have ready access to your old entertainment.


"A high-end PC you build yourself for $1500 or so at current prices to tackle Crysis."

I built mine almost a year ago for 700-800, and it handles Crysis with no issues. My brother's computer from a couple of years ago that cost only 500 or so with a 100 dollar video card runs Crysis with moderate settings.