Math Time: Why PC is CHEAPER Than Consoles

What time is it?! MAATHH TIIIMEEE! Today, kiddos, we're going to be learning how gaming on a PC is in fact CHEAPER than gaming on the next generation of consoles.

Now, this isn't going to be the math on that clock. No, it'll just be grade 4 stuff, so addition, division, multiplication. Let's just take some time to crunch some numbers and look at how much each system costs over the lifespan of 8 years (the expected lifespan of the Next Gen).

The criteria is this: One gamer with one console for himself. No added accessories, no fancy stuff. The PC comes with a pirated version of Windows 7 and a monitor found on Craigslist someone was giving away for free. This is the cost of the SYSTEM ITSELF. If you want to complain about how I'm not adding monitor prices, why aren't you complaining that I'm not adding TV prices?

PC: Gaming Rig = $700. Forty brand new games = $40*40 (average price on Steam)
$700 + 1600 = $2300
$1600/8 = $200 per year for games

Xbox One: Console = $500. Forty brand new games = $60*40 (average price of EVERY game when released). Xbox Live = $60*8
$500 + $2400 + $480 = $3380
$2400/8 = $300 per year for games

PS4: Console = $400. Forty brand new games = $60*40. PSN+ = $50*8 (Sony announced at E3 that PSN+ would be required to play games online that weren't F2P)
$400 + $2400 + $400 = $3200
$300 per year for games

In conclusion: PC = $2300 in 8 years. Xbox One = $3380 in 8 years. PS4 = $3200 in 8 years.
PC saves you a total of $1180 or $1000 before taxes. After taxes, the PC option saves you $1220 or $1017.

The money that you save can also be used to upgrade your system's CPU or GPU in 4 years, which would significantly boost your performance even further ahead of the consoles. So how about we take that into account as well?

$2300 + $300 GPU after 4 years + $200 CPU after 4 years = $2800 before taxes. $3164 after taxes.
Even after two significant upgrades to your efficiency, you will still be cheaper after taxes than the two consoles are before taxes and be ready for 4K resolutions, which will most likely be the norm in 8 years.

The math here doesn't take into account day-one deals that many PC games have.

I don't hate consoles. I hate seeing people spend money they don't have to spend. It's sad, especially in these hard times.

I'll let you decide what you want to choose, but for the average gamer, the person who spends a good deal of down time playing different video games, I personally and mathematically think the PC is the better gaming option.

Happy Gaming.

Brought to us by TNG Systems