Article:
Falling Out of Love with Consoles

I get a strong feeling of deja-vu now that I am feeling less attached to my console, as this has happened before with the previous generation. A few years after a console has been out, I often find that it becomes a lot less exciting and less used than when it was first purchased, and this is due to a number of reasons.

New Experiences

For companies like Microsoft and Sony, the first year of a console release is a big loss maker. They are selling top of the line hardware, in a small box, at a very cheap price. For gamers, this is great as we can have an unparalleled gaming experience without breaking the bank.

Ageing

As consoles get older, the hardware and its capabilities stay the same, this can make games released later in the console's life span seem graphically dated compared to its PC counterparts. Another advantage of using a PC is the ability to alter video settings to either make a game look sharper and higher quality, or lower them to give you more performance. Consoles have strictly managed video settings which means if you experience lag due to a map rendering, there is nothing you can do about it.

Multi-tasking

The current generation of consoles still lack some serious multi-tasking capability. This can be quite a downside on your wallet, as well as on functionality. While initially a console is far cheaper than buying a high-spec computer, you are often encouraged to purchase a larger library of games as that is the console's sole purpose. Alternatively, on a PC you are offered a wide range of free games on the internet which include some A-grade MMORPGs.

Upgrading

As a hardware enthusiast, the ability to upgrade has always been important to me. With a PC you can extend its life span in so many different ways that are both cost efficient and easy to do. As for consoles, even opening it to get a sneak peak at that hardware will put you on a one way trip to an invalidated warranty. If you have an older Xbox 360 this can mean shelling out money to pay to fix a "red ring of death" failure.