360 vs. PC savings

[Slorg]

I'm not sure anyone has done this analysis but I switched from PC to 360 about a year ago when my pc died. Prices in Canadian Dollars:

PC:
Mother Board $180
2 Gig Ram $250
Case/PSU/Fans$200
Sound Card $250
Video Card $400
CPU $350
NIC/KBD/Mouse$120


Total: $1750
Expected yearly upgrade cost (because you can never play that new game etc. without buying stuff): $500-800

Games: $60

Major downfall: Nothing works with anything else. Antivirus, Drivers, etc.
Major plus: easy to break the law and copyright + not support game developers, musicians and movie studios
Expected useful lifespan: 2 years max.


XBOX 360

Xbox $500
Controller2 $50
Charge Kit $30
Xblive $100

Total $680
Expected yearly upgrade cost: 0

Games: $50-60
Trade in on game: $20-30
Actual game cost: ~$30

Major downfall: hard to break the law and copyright + not support game developers, musicians and movie studios
Major plus: I put in a disc and it works. I don't have to worry about game running properly or looking good. It just does.
Expected useful lifespan: 3 years+


XBOX 360 + Laptop (Runs xp, internet, office etc. 1 gig ram)

XB360 $680
Laptop $1100
Total $1780

Expected yearly upgrade cost: 0
Expected useful lifespan: 3 years+

Major plus: easy to break the law and copyright + not support game developers, musicians and movie studios
Major plus: I put in a disc and it works. I don't hasve to worry about game running properly or looking good. It just does.
Major Plus: Save lots of money for new games and gadgets.
Major downfall: no longer l33t


Slorg

[SephYuyX]

You got ripped off with your computer.

[Mikesnav]

On 2006-10-26 08:52, Slorg wrote:
PC:
Mother Board $180
2 Gig Ram $250
Case/PSU/Fans$200
Sound Card $250
Video Card $400
CPU $350
NIC/KBD/Mouse$120


Total: $1750
Expected yearly upgrade cost (because you can never play that new game etc. without buying stuff): $500-800

um, LOL.

How about this:
X2 3800+ $150
Value motherboard (NIC built in, onboard audio more than ok, honestly what MB these days doesn't have that?) $100
2GB of RAM $180
Antec Sonata Case w/ PSU (all fans needed) $100
HDD 250GB $80
7600GT $140

$750 * 1.35 = $1012.5 (prices are a bit higher, CAD worth a little less)

And absolutetly NO thing is required to buy every year for some new game. Even if you want everything maxed that's just an upgrade every 18 months or so. Even recent games will work with 4 year old PCs.

[KirinDave]

Wow. When the PC you list costs more than a superiorly geared Apple, you got ripped off. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_smile.gif

Seriously though, who buys windows PCs anymore? With macs as cheap as they are (laptops and desktops (w/ monitor and upgradability) both around $1200 with tax, and given that they can run both windows and mac os x natively, who one earth would sink money into a PC that cost more than $700?

That said, the XBox 360 is more computer for the money than any other deal out there. MS sells them at an absurd loss. It also has a unique architecture that most PCs cannot equal. So even if you think your system exceeds the 360 hardware spec, it probably doesn't in some subtle way. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_smile.gif

[Valkayree]

Well he did say canadian dollars...

[jarek99]

I noticed neither of you included a monitor in your so-called PC setups. Good luck play PSU without one.

[tycl]

also live is not 100, i paid 49 for 13 months. a little info, you dont have to pay anything for live, psu can be played over silver, which cost 0 dollars.

[Mikesnav]

You're completely right. Nobody has a monitor, or a tv for that matter.

Add a HDTV to that 360 price tag.

[Rhoak]

lol, there's always a 360 vs. PC comparison.

360 games are $10-20 USD more expensive than PC games here in the US. If you're selling your used games back to gamestores, you're getting ripped off. You can get a better price on ebay. And guess what - you can sell your PC games on ebay as well.

You're using a computer right now to post on these forums - you're telling me you're doing it without a monitor?

Many people are using PC monitors with the VGA adaptor to play their 360. And, despite what you think, it IS possible to play your PC games from a couch on a bigscreen HDTV. The HDTV/couch/monitor/uncomfortable computer chair is a moot point.

Don't tell me you're posting on these forums from your 360. Everyone here has a computer. Many of them are gaming rigs. I myself have a gaming rig and no 360. So a 360 solution would actually be more expensive than a PC one - $400 for a 360, and an extra $10 for the game since it's more expensive than the PC version.

On an individual basis, yes, a console can be cheaper than a PC - but to claim it will be cheaper for everyone is rather ignorant.

[klunka]

On 2006-10-26 08:52, Slorg wrote:
PC:
Mother Board $180
2 Gig Ram $250
Case/PSU/Fans$200
Sound Card $250
Video Card $400
CPU $350
NIC/KBD/Mouse$120


Total: $1750
Expected yearly upgrade cost (because you can never play that new game etc. without buying stuff): $500-800

XBOX 360

Xbox $500
Controller2 $50
Charge Kit $30
Xblive $100

Total $680
Expected yearly upgrade cost: 0

Games: $50-60
Trade in on game: $20-30
Actual game cost: ~$30


So many things wrong here.

Anyone without a surround setup on their PC is using on board sound now a days. So, by this standard, I could put an extra $400 onto your 360 costs for a top end reciever. Speakers are a push as both would need them

Same thing with a NIC. Hard to get a board now a days that doesn't have it built in. So let's see that keyboard/mouse section come down a bit. Come to think of it, who here has ever bought a tower and not had a keyboard and mouse thrown in?

$400 is a complete over-estimate on a video card. I got my GeForce 6800xt for $120 american ($150 MAX Canadian) and it plays PSU and every other game I have perfectly fine.

This is no better than Sony's recent price comparison lists.



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: klunka on 2006-10-26 13:09 ]</font>


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: klunka on 2006-10-26 13:10 ]</font>

[ProfessorZ]

LOL you don't buy brand new parts

[KiteWolfwood]

I got my computer in 2002. Spent around $1000 then I spent some money on more ram and a graphics card. It cost nowhere near what you listed. PSU plays fine for me too. Plus I can use my pc for my work and school and whatever else. Seriously some people don't buy a computer just to play games 24/7. Oh well whatever floats your boat.

[Bobkitty]

I'm just gonna say obviously the topic starter has issues.. "Easy to break to law +not support game devs, musicians, movies studios" are you a fucking moron?? get a fucking life... yeah because not supporting game developers, is sooo fucking cool and we should all do it like that.. You my friend are a complete LOSER. Go get a girlfriend or something.

[Jasam]

Price comparison...

360 + controller + live e.t.c = £250+
New contoller for my PC = £30-40

I have an obvious winner ^-^'

[KirinDave]

On 2006-10-26 10:29, Mikesnav wrote:
You're completely right. Nobody has a monitor, or a tv for that matter.

Add a HDTV to that 360 price tag.



Far more people have a TV on hand than have a monitor on hand. Not including the cost of a TV is entirely reasonable, people would have a TV regardless of their XBOX 360 status.

Now, monitors are specifically for computers, so it's harder to justify leaving that cost out. But you're right, some people can ignore the monitor cost. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_smile.gif

I still stand by my conviction that is shows poor critical thinking skills to not buy an Apple in the current computer market. If you factor in the cost-to-benefit ratio, these machines score outstandingly and are very balanced gaming/work machines.

[Psionide]

hello

[Rion772]

On 2006-10-26 08:52, Slorg wrote:


PC:

Expected useful lifespan: 2 years max.



... Haha! Yeah, that's an awful lie. My friend has had his computer for over 6 years, he replaces parts but never gets a new setup all together. My previous computer that is now in my basement and it still runs just fine. The only reason I even replaced it as my main computer (meaning the one I use the most... By far) was because my parents gave me money specifically for a new computer. I asked if I could use it for a new bike and this snowboard I wanted and they said no, so I got a new pc.

If you take care of your pc, it'll last more than 2 years. Since PS2 came out I've had like 4 PS2's because they kept breaking. Three out of those four systems that broke were internal problems and couldn't be helped and the last one is running PSU right now, slowly. You honestly can't expect a game console to last 3+ years, seriously, unless you keep it safe and don't play games much, which would be a waste of money. My friend has had his PS2 since it came out, he plays on it for about 30 minutes everyother week, and even then it's starting to slow down now.