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- Analysts say that it won’t be possible to build a brand new PC for $500 that matches the PS5 or Xbox Series X this generation.
- This is partly due to the limited VRAM available on mid-range and budget GPUs.
- Both the PS5 and Xbox Series X offer a lot of value for their $500 price.
The debate between console and PC gaming continues to rage on, but both markets have changed drastically over the years. Console exclusives are, more often than not, released on PC today, and more and more people are opting to buy a PC.
On the other hand, PC hardware, mainly graphics cards, has become increasingly expensive. Following this trend, analysts believe it will not be possible to make a PC that beats current-generation consoles at the same price.
Why it matters: In the past, rapid advancements in PC hardware meant that gamers on the platform could match or exceed consoles for the same price a few years down the line. Unfortunately, this is not the case anymore.
Digital Foundry was recently asked about the possibility of building a brand new PC for $500 with specifications equivalent to those of the PS5 or Xbox Series X. The question also brought up the current problem of cheaper graphics cards offering 8GB of memory.
The analysts were quick to respond that the memory on budget and mid-range GPUs is a major handicap for PC gaming compared to the larger memory pool on consoles. They also addressed the increasing costs of owning a console over time.
Because of subscriptions for multiplayer gameplay and expensive controllers that can break quite often, consoles typically end up costing a lot more than MSRP throughout their entire lifespan.
This is one advantage to owning a PC, but the major difference in entry price is undeniable for the time being.
It’s not going to be any point in the near future where you get a $499 PC rivalling the GPU you get on the console side.
-Digital Foundry
It goes without saying, but there is a lot of nuance to the console vs. PC debate missing in this discussion. However, for what they are worth, consoles offer the best bang-for-the-buck from a purely hardware perspective at the $500 price point.
With future titles like Death Stranding 2 and GTA 6 launching exclusively on consoles, the $500 price becomes all the more enticing.
Where do you stand on the PC vs. console debate? Let us know in the comments and on the Tech4Gamers Forums.
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[Senior News Reporter]
Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than 5 years, he has been working as a gaming journalist, utilizing his writing skills and love for gaming to report on the latest updates in the industry. Avinash loves to play action games like Devil May Cry and has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameRant, Dualshockers, CBR, and Gamespot.
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