I Will Never Be a PC Gamer, and Here’s Why

Playing games on a PC looks like a good time, but there are a few big things holding me back from joining the PC gaming community. As much as I try, I don’t know if I can ever get over them.

A Decent Gaming Rig Is Expensive

From the information I have gathered from PC gaming enthusiasts across the web, I can build an entry-level gaming PC starting from $300 (the price of an Xbox Series S). The caveat is that it’s best used for playing non-demanding or older games at 1080p. A rig that can run modern games at that same resolution or higher will set me back $700 or more.

We’re already in the PS5 Pro price range if I want to build a PC that can run modern games with minimal issues. And that’s just for the tower—I still need a decent monitor, keyboard, and mouse for a good gaming experience. That’s a couple of hundred dollars more, and my current budget won’t allow it.

I Don’t Want to Stress About System Requirements

Before I realized that PC gaming probably wasn’t for me, I often checked the system requirements of major releases. I would go to the developer’s website or the game’s Steam page to see the recommended requirements, and I would usually come out disappointed. Even the minimum requirements gave me a headache because they seemed to be getting higher every year.

On a console, all I need to do is buy the game and launch it. It’s as simple as that. There’s no need to stress since all the games automatically meet the recommended requirements.

The caveat here is that I won’t get the same sort of graphical fidelity or frame rate as a powerful gaming rig, and I’ve made my peace with that. The fact that games are often better optimized for consoles (something that is often a source of frustration for PC gamers) further cements my decision.

I Prefer the Simplicity of Consoles

I like the plug-and-play nature of consoles since it takes the pressure off me when it comes to hardware. I have been told that building a PC is not hard and is very satisfying when you pull it off. However, as someone who has had a lot of bad luck with DIY projects, I get anxious just thinking about it.

I can’t guarantee that when I turn the PC on, it won’t throw some sort of error because I forgot to connect something properly. I understand that for enthusiasts, troubleshooting is another (at times enjoyable) part of the hobby. Personally, I’m not sure I want to deal with that.

While these issues are fixable, I would rather just buy a console, connect it to a TV, and start playing the game. There’s no need to assemble anything or configure a myriad of settings to get optimal performance. Even the software update process is simpler.

My Keyboard and Mouse Skills Suck

I’ve tried using a mouse and keyboard several times but never got the hang of it. I can play strategy games that way, maybe even The Witcher, but I cannot excel at titles like Half-Life. I lack the dexterity it takes to handle a keyboard and mouse and end up making many frustrating mistakes when the action gets too intense.

At this point, I would rather not force it, and my pride won’t let me use a controller on a computer. I have watched too many videos of people doing cool things with a keyboard and mouse in games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon that would be difficult on a controller. So, if I am going to use a gamepad anyway, I would rather stick to a console.

The PC Is Plagued With Buggy Releases

No game launches without bugs, but PC games often seem to suffer more compared to their console counterparts. It’s not hard for me to understand why, since it’s difficult for developers to test the many hardware and software configurations that PC players use. At the same time, many PC gaming enthusiasts lament the lack of polish and optimization they see in many of the big releases.

I have seen PC players deal with the frustration of performance issues (like frame drops, quests that won’t load, and stuck loading screens) and crashes that I haven’t encountered in the same games on a console. Titles like Batman: Arkham Knight, Metal Gear Solid 5: Phantom Pain, and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor come to mind.

The console versions of those games, while not perfect, were playable at launch. I would rather stick to the platforms where I am less likely to wait (sometimes for months) while the developers patch and optimize the games.

I Don’t Have the Space for a Gaming PC

I simply don’t have the space in my house for a dedicated PC gaming setup. My place is relatively small, and I have a growing family. A gaming PC requires me to have the real estate for a desk, a chair, and all the needed peripherals. Consoles are better for me because they can sit neatly under or beside my TV.

I can hear you say, “But why not just get a gaming laptop instead if space is an issue?” While that is a good idea, there are several reasons why I’m not getting a gaming laptop. The biggest one for me is that a desk and chair are still necessary since I want to be comfortable enough to sit back and enjoy the games I play.

In addition, the cost of a decent gaming laptop is still outside my budget. I like immersing myself in single-player games, and a laptop screen just won’t do it (I realized this after using PS Remote Play on my laptop).

Laptops also offer less versatility, since components like the GPU and CPU are not upgradeable. Laptops also use the mobile versions of GPUs and CPUs, which are generally less powerful than those found in desktops.

I am not saying that console gaming is better than PC gaming. I am quite envious of PC players and wish I could play on both console and PC. However, I don’t think PC gaming is for me, especially when I consider the budget and the ease of sticking with a console.