New PC or Keep Xbox 360

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playrh8r

Gawd
Joined
Aug 18, 2004
Messages
638
Hi all,

Up until about an hour ago I was planning on building myself a gaming pc:

athlon 64 3700+
evga sli motherboard
evga 7800 GT
2gb corsair memory

Until I stopped by a local retailer and saw an Xbox 360 premium on the shelf. I bought it.

Its still sealed in my living room and I am trying to decide on keeping it and just building a basic computer for surfing the web, downloading, some minor html development, or selling it and build the above PC.

I don't have an HDTV, but I do have a dell 19" crt that can do pretty high resolutions, so if I kept the xbox I would do 720p via vga.

What do you guys think the best gaming experience would be if I could only choose one?

thanks,

Jeff
 
I probably would pick up COD2 first for the xbox 360 if I kept it. I realize there are certain games that would be better for each platform (ie sports games for consoles, and fps for pc's) but in general would it be possible to choose one over the other?

Jeff
 
Also, would my experience with the 360 be limited because I don't have an HDTV?
 
I'd use the money you were gunna use to build a pc and get an HDTV. I own both the 360 and a gaming rig and love the 360 on my 51" screen...My pc i play on a dell 2405, and it doesnt even compare.. My pc specs amd 3800+, 7800gtx, 2gb ram....The games on the xbox are first generation and they look awsome. They are just gunna get better. After you build your rig in say six months your gunna need to upgrade if you wanna keep up. I'd keep the 360 and get an hdtv!!!!! Just my opinion :)
 
I personally battled with this same question.

Then I bought the Xbox360.

I went with the 360 because I thought to myself that I could wait for the computer build for two reasons:
1. I am waiting for newer hardware and the maturation of Windows Vista (new sockets are coming out, newer video cards are around the corner, and I want a comp that will fly with VISTA) Buying the 7800gt now is a mistake. The value of it is only going to drop in the next 4 months.

2. I play more sports games then I do FPS and RTS. And the computer I have now can run CS:S and AOE3....the two games I play the most.
 
playrh8r said:
Hi all,

Up until about an hour ago I was planning on building myself a gaming pc:

athlon 64 3700+
evga sli motherboard
evga 7800 GT
2gb corsair memory

Until I stopped by a local retailer and saw an Xbox 360 premium on the shelf. I bought it.

Its still sealed in my living room and I am trying to decide on keeping it and just building a basic computer for surfing the web, downloading, some minor html development, or selling it and build the above PC.

I don't have an HDTV, but I do have a dell 19" crt that can do pretty high resolutions, so if I kept the xbox I would do 720p via vga.

What do you guys think the best gaming experience would be if I could only choose one?

thanks,

Jeff
Click to expand...

Keep the 360!
 
PC can't be beat by some *obsolete-in-3-months-hardware-wise* console
 
Keep the 360, save the rest of your money. Once the 360 starts becoming dated compared to pc games then start your build.
 
PC, the xbox 360 is great but I find myself coming back to the PC. STALKER has reached beta status and should be going gold in a couple months, cant play that on a 360.
 
Bop said:
PC, the xbox 360 is great but I find myself coming back to the PC. STALKER has reached beta status and should be going gold in a couple months, cant play that on a 360.
Click to expand...

Thats true. Also MMO's arent available on the 360.. if I wanted to play WOW for instance.

jeff
 
also..

aren't many of the 360 games gonna be on PC anyway?

i don't know.. it's a tough call..

i would.. i don't know LOL!!

tough call.. flip a coin..

you can always go with 360 and build an awesome PC down the road (when vista gets settled in).. or.. go the other way around.. build that PC.. and then buy an Xbox when prices go down..
 
Get a 360, I love mine. :D
UT2k7 is coming out for the 360 as well.
 
I think i'm just going to put the 360 on craigs list for $600.. see what happens. I will buy a 360 when the prices go down.

I really want to play BF2, and UT2k4 with friends so a gaming pc works best for me now.

Jeff
 
An X360 premium is getting under $500 on ebay now, counting with fees, and those fees from paypal, you make nothing. On these forums, people are also not paying $500 for one.

I considered the above delima myself, and kept the x360. I just don't feel like spending $1,300 on a computer for the purpose of gaming when an X360 will beat it graphically, yep, just wait till games really start taking advantage of the hardware. PC games are not optimized well because not many use high end comps, and they will never be optimized as good as on a console, so, down the road, when the games really start to shine on the x360, your l33t high end PC's will not compete...sorry, but the truth hurts. They are nice for bragging rights, but who cares if you don't have the biggest e-penis anyway?
 
I'd keep the 360 and build a small PC. Even with some minimal parts, you can still do light gaming.

Of course, a HDTV will greatly enhance the 360. Big time. The VGA will work great, too, but on a 55" screen: Awesome.

On the other hand, once you've played the 10 games out for the 360, you have to wait a few months for another good one.

I'd sell the 360 for now, and pick one back up next summer or so... When more games are out. I'd be easier to make your decision.
 
Definitely sell it. You'll get more then you payed for it, and you have way more games on your PC. You can turn around and get a new one once they are widely available and it'll have more games on it and there will be fewer bugs.

Xeon22 said:
I considered the above delima myself, and kept the x360. I just don't feel like spending $1,300 on a computer for the purpose of gaming when an X360 will beat it graphically, yep, just wait till games really start taking advantage of the hardware. PC games are not optimized well because not many use high end comps, and they will never be optimized as good as on a console, so, down the road, when the games really start to shine on the x360, your l33t high end PC's will not compete...sorry, but the truth hurts. They are nice for bragging rights, but who cares if you don't have the biggest e-penis anyway?
Click to expand...


Yeah, but PC's hardware actually gets better. You have no clue what you're talking about. Optimizing isn't as good as getting better hardware.
 
Where do you find a Premium on the damn shelf? Not around here. Hell I haven't even seen one yet.
 
Me too... I'd keep the 360 (if I could friggin find one!) and start saving up for a pc again.. In a little while M2 will be out so pretend that's what you're waiting for.
 
Sell it on ebay. Mods, free games, and upgradability make the PC the better. Look at how many other uses a powerful PC has. Besides that an Xbox 360 isn't really that much better than the Xbox unless you have a HDTV.
 
I forgoed purchasing a 7800 in favor of keeping my 360.

If you think about it, the cost of the 360 is just about the cost you would spend on a top tier graphics cards. I figured the 360 would tide me over in graphics until the new unified shader cards come out in the fall.
 
playrh8r said:
I just put it in the FS forum.

Jeff
Click to expand...

Good choice, I tried playing my 360 but the games just aren't fun anymore after you beat them once. No replayability.(I have DOA4, Kameo, PDZ, PGR3, CoD2, and RR6) Xbox Live just sucks compared to playing any old PC game online, its either filled with a bunch of 12 y/o idiots or people who play a game 24/7. The "tru skill" matchmaking likes to put rookies in games with professionals, just look at PGR3. PC games have morons playing but to a much smaller degree seeing how you need half a brain to operate one.
 
BladeVenom said:
Sell it on ebay. Mods, free games, and upgradability make the PC the better. Look at how many other uses a powerful PC has. Besides that an Xbox 360 isn't really that much better than the Xbox unless you have a HDTV.
Click to expand...

I've been an avid pc gamer for years now. Mainly the graphics were always better and you could download mods and stuff but I have grown weary of the constant upgrades that are required every time the latest and greates game comes out. The problem with PC gaming in my opinion is developers keep building games designed for hard ware no one has rather than trying to squeeze every ounce out of current hardware. I don't blame them but it does get old.

I scored a 360 last week (Oregon) as well and this is the first console I've ever owned that impressed me. Not just the games but how the whole dashboard/live interface is laid out. It is so cool to be able to download working Demo's of a console game. I've never been able to do that before. I always had to download a video on the pc and hope it wasn't a bunch of CGI. I am so happy with the graphics ability even with the early releases that I am confidant that I'll be gaming more on my console in 06 than the PC. Do yourself a favor and take a look at this thread regarding EA's fight night. I'm not a fan of boxing but I downloaded the demo to the 360 and it's freaking awesome. I can't wait until it's released. Anyway I probably didn't help at all. Good luck.
 
BladeVenom said:
Besides that an Xbox 360 isn't really that much better than the Xbox unless you have a HDTV.
Click to expand...

Whom ever subscribes to that garbage either doesn't have a Xbox360, hasn't played one, is blind...or just looking for attention.

Cause even on a SDTV, it looks great.
 
flapbreaker said:
I've been an avid pc gamer for years now. Mainly the graphics were always better and you could download mods and stuff but I have grown weary of the constant upgrades that are required every time the latest and greates game comes out. The problem with PC gaming in my opinion is developers keep building games designed for hard ware no one has rather than trying to squeeze every ounce out of current hardware. I don't blame them but it does get old.

I scored a 360 last week (Oregon) as well and this is the first console I've ever owned that impressed me. Not just the games but how the whole dashboard/live interface is laid out. It is so cool to be able to download working Demo's of a console game. I've never been able to do that before. I always had to download a video on the pc and hope it wasn't a bunch of CGI. I am so happy with the graphics ability even with the early releases that I am confidant that I'll be gaming more on my console in 06 than the PC. Do yourself a favor and take a look at this thread regarding EA's fight night. I'm not a fan of boxing but I downloaded the demo to the 360 and it's freaking awesome. I can't wait until it's released. Anyway I probably didn't help at all. Good luck.
Click to expand...

That is one hell of a thought out reponse. I really appreciate your feedback. I too have been a hardcore pc gamer. I probably have owned over 10 graphics cards since 1997. It seems that every 6 months i'm selling one and getting another. Since ebay is so convenient, I am able to sell a used card for not that much of a loss, and enjoy frequent upgrades. For example I just sold my Leadtek 6800 GT for $250 + shipping.

I've also been a huge console fan up until the last generation. Ive had the NES, Super NES, Genesis, Sega CD, 32X, Gameboy, GameGear, N64, Playstation, Xbox, Gamecube, PS2, and Dreamcast.

There just something about tweaking PC's that I continue to love. Maybe it is because I get to put all the pieces together, or maybe its because I'm in the computer industry (QA Engineer), but I love to put computers together. Thats probably why I love coming to the [H]ard forums so much.

If I kept the Xbox 360 I would have to settle for a really cheap computer that wouldnt be able to game at all. I'd love to see what World of Warcraft has to offer, and keep up with friends playing BF2 and UT2k4. Those games seem to have a much higher replay value for my dollar with pretty little investment.

I appreciate everyones feedback, I think my final decision is to sell the xbox 360 for a litle profit since I was able to find one. PM me if you want to make a deal.

jeff
 
flapbreaker said:
I've been an avid pc gamer for years now. Mainly the graphics were always better and you could download mods and stuff but I have grown weary of the constant upgrades that are required every time the latest and greates game comes out. The problem with PC gaming in my opinion is developers keep building games designed for hard ware no one has rather than trying to squeeze every ounce out of current hardware. I don't blame them but it does get old.

I scored a 360 last week (Oregon) as well and this is the first console I've ever owned that impressed me. Not just the games but how the whole dashboard/live interface is laid out. It is so cool to be able to download working Demo's of a console game. I've never been able to do that before. I always had to download a video on the pc and hope it wasn't a bunch of CGI. I am so happy with the graphics ability even with the early releases that I am confidant that I'll be gaming more on my console in 06 than the PC. Do yourself a favor and take a look at this thread regarding EA's fight night. I'm not a fan of boxing but I downloaded the demo to the 360 and it's freaking awesome. I can't wait until it's released. Anyway I probably didn't help at all. Good luck.
Click to expand...
Yeah I agree with you, I think its a really good move to include a trial of EVERY arcade game so you aren't stuck with something you don't want after you pay. And also console demos! Its helped me decide what games I want to buy.
 
sitheris said:
PC can't be beat by some *obsolete-in-3-months-hardware-wise* console
Click to expand...

uh, dood, the 7800gt he plans on getting, is already way obsolete. eclipsed by the gtx, gtx 512mb, x1800xt, SLI with GS's or better. that 360 has a 5 year market life span. that PC, is great for about 1 year, and works ok for up to 2.5 years.

keep the 360. launches are never indicitive of anything. you'll see, the 360 will be a great console, whether or not it will be the best one, thats a large debate, and one that can't even start until all 3 systems have had a nice 2 years in retail. but, the 360 will be great.

and only buy an hdtv if you really have to have a large screen. otherwise, just use your computer moniter. personally, a 20 inch monitor is plenty big for me. and, I've played a 360 on both a highend 50 inch HD tv, and a 30 inch standard sony trinitron (non-Wega). It was just damn fine on that trinitron.and, no way an xbox even comes close to the graphics of even launch 360 games.

specifically to the OP--you like tweaking with stuff? water cool your 360. or, atleast put a fan directly on the main heatsink for the cpu and gpu.
 
Keep the 360. There are several good games already and the future will only bring more.

PC gaming has it's advantages. If you want to pay top-dollar, you're always going to have more sophisticated visuals. But for what? So you can play Doom IV? Face the facts; the PC still gets good games, but they are few and far between. The filler consists of a bunch of cookie-cutter no-name titles that aren't worth your time. Even after an eternity in development, you're still not guaranteed a good game (Remember Doom III?)

PC gaming has player-created mods. This is definately a plus, but Microsoft's development kits for the Xbox 360 are making it easier and easier to co-develop for consoles and PCs. Nintendo and Sony will likely mimic this. It's only a matter of time before Microsoft/Sony/Nintendo gets smart and realizes they can release mini development-kits for PC users, let them create content, and move that content over to the console itself for distribution online.

Online play? That's questionable. It's completely free for PC users, but you have to deal with the hassles that a lack of a unified gaming system presents. You have accounts spread across every game, you don't have unified stat-tracking (Some people couldn't care less either way), you sometimes have to go through Hell to get peripherals working (If they're compatible at all)...this isn't even taking into account the random problems that PC gamers face as a whole. To avoid all that, it's well-worth the $50 per-year for Xbox Live. Even better is that Nintendo is offering a service like XBL that is supposed to be free. If that performs as well with the Revolution as it has with the DS, things are going to be changing.

Tiny said:
Whom ever subscribes to that garbage either doesn't have a Xbox360, hasn't played one, is blind...or just looking for attention.

Cause even on a SDTV, it looks great.
Click to expand...

No kidding. Does it look as good as HDTV? Not even close, but nobody is saying otherwise. Insenuating that the difference between the Xbox/Gamecube/PS2 and the Xbox 360 is only visual is ridiculous, though.

You can tell a difference between the Xbox and Xbox 360, even on a low-resolution television. It isn't hard. The environments are larger, the framerate is consistant, the load-times are shorter, the poly counts are higher, the online play is smoother, the phsyics are more sophisticated, the AI is more intelligent...
 
Tiny said:
I personally battled with this same question.

Then I bought the Xbox360.

I went with the 360 because I thought to myself that I could wait for the computer build for two reasons:
1. I am waiting for newer hardware and the maturation of Windows Vista (new sockets are coming out, newer video cards are around the corner, and I want a comp that will fly with VISTA) Buying the 7800gt now is a mistake. The value of it is only going to drop in the next 4 months.

2. I play more sports games then I do FPS and RTS. And the computer I have now can run CS:S and AOE3....the two games I play the most.
Click to expand...

If you buy comptuer hardware based on it's value in 4 months...you need to rethink your computer buying habits. No computer hardware purchases are good investments...
 
I second the 'what types of games you like' argument.

I like my 360 and the sheer variety of gaming choices it will soon afford me. There are just a lot of different types of games better suited to a console. It sound to me like you've already made your decision, and better so until you decide to go HDTV.

If you have to be crouched in front of your computer to play your 360, you may as well be playing your PC. I'll take my recliner over that anyday,
 
If you like sports and action games- go with the 360. FPS, strategy, and MMO's are owned by the PC. I havent really liked a sports game since tecmo bowl so its a pretty easy choice for me.
If you really wanted to be fair in this PC vs Console debate, only factor in the cost of the "gaming" parts of the computer. Because in the end you can can add 300-500$ to a basic web surfing box and make it a mean gaming machine.
 
rayg said:
If you buy comptuer hardware based on it's value in 4 months...you need to rethink your computer buying habits. No computer hardware purchases are good investments...
Click to expand...

That statement was in relation to the newer cards that are coming out in just a few months, meaning that what he pays now for a 7800gt is going to be a lot more than he pays for it in 4 months or less.

I was stating that now is not the time to buy a 7800gt.
 
Also, would my experience with the 360 be limited because I don't have an HDTV?
Click to expand...

Not at all. My pal has a regular 27" widescreen TV, and the games look just as good on his tv as they do on my HDTV for the most part. The thing is, smaller TVs do not need the higher resolutions to hide jaggies because the image is not being stretched like it is on a larger screen. Don't get me wrong, the games do look a little better in HD, but running 720p on your 19" CRT or 480i/p on your TV will still look amazing.


As far as what to do... surely you can save up another 400.00 and keep the 360, right? The worst thing that could happen in the next month or so while you save up the 400.00 is that the PC parts you want get that much cheaper! Then you can have both my friend.

And I don't want to start a flame war, but EVERY system ever made has it's saving graces (except maybe the virtual boy, which was too far ahead of its time) and the 360 and a gaming rig compliment each other very nicely.

Here's to hoping you can end up with both!
 
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