What fast computer for playing games?

Wberesford said:

For playing games, as you describe in your thread header, I would defo use a games console!
For sheer ease of use, lack of tossing about with "other" PC dependant bits ( AV etc) you cannot go wrong
Oh btw for you £600 budget you could do far worse than pop along to your local game store and see what 'deals' they will do for you................ You may find that you have lots of ££££ left from the budget!

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So being serious, how are games consoles better?

Being serious..........because they are designed for just that.....playing games. You may get secondary uses, blu-ray in the PS3 for example but the primary focus behind the design, specification, costing and marketing is just that.......gaming. Not to mention that the gaming market now actually codes for "consoles" as a primary platform and PCs as an additional aftermarket.

Now I have a PS3 and a feckin fast personally specked and built (and tweaked) PC and the use of a MacBook Pro, I turn to the PS3 every time for gaming, and the PC for most other things.........not allowed on MCPro too much 'her indoors is a complete iSeep'

So, seriously, and not wanting to sound like a twat I personally would spend £200 on a PS3 from Game before they go under completely, and the rest of the £400 on some HIDs or other bling

Either way, whatever the platform games like COD are bloody good.......but massive "time vampires"

Yes they were designed for it, but in nearly everyway I can think of, they are inferior to a PC.

poor multiplayer gaming (and expensive)
poor processing power
poor resolution (even on a HD TV, they run at 2/3 the resolution of a decent monitor)
Expensive games (balances up the lower initial cost maybe)
Unreliable (compared to a well set up PC)

Skyrim and fallout may have been designed for the consoles, but in being so, they have been dumbed down, and still look a lot better on a decent PC.

You make some good points, however for the extra money you will spend on a decent self build.........for game playing I would buy the console. As the original post said game playing I have orientated my suggestion towards just that.

If you are still intent on purchasing a PC send me a PM and I will help you spec it, be aware in advance however that starting from scratch (I mean case, psu, everything) you are (fact) going to spend considerably more than you would should you choose a console.

Nope, I don't work for Game, I don't programme (anymore), and to be honest, I don't spend that much time playing games..........I don't have any spare time

Good luck with your decision.

Fanum, to answer your points specifically,

Can't comment on the multiplayer element as I only ever play(ed) the game(s) in single player mode.........like I said, don't have a great deal of time.
Poor processing power : Errrm not for gaming they don't.
Poor resolution : for periodic game play my 42" LCD screen via hdmi is just fine.
Expensive games : you could be on to something, however I get so little gameplay time I get all my games way way way after they are chart titles so considerably cheaper than full price.
Unreliable : my PS3 hasn't missed a single beat (cursed it now though )

Wberesford said:

For playing games, as you describe in your thread header, I would defo use a games console!
For sheer ease of use, lack of tossing about with "other" PC dependant bits ( AV etc) you cannot go wrong
Oh btw for you £600 budget you could do far worse than pop along to your local game store and see what 'deals' they will do for you................ You may find that you have lots of ££££ left from the budget!

Click to expand...

Thanks for ploughing a lonely furrow alongside mine. I'd tried to point out to the op the advantages of a games console.
I would however still suggest that the OP considers which games he would like to play, and then if possible buy the platform thy the game was originally written for. In my experience Xbox games don't port that well to a PC implementation. A bit like running windows on a mac. You can do it, but why?

Some useful help guys - thanks
Talking to my local IT expert (14 year old son) leads me to, possibly, investing in a new xbox and using that for games and my old desktop for internet thingys.
Just need to learn how to master an xbox controller