They left out the OS, that will run you another $100 or so since pretty much every game needs windows of some flavor.

That's one of the reasons why it's been decades since I built a PC, unless you are using a pirated OS or Linux then it usually comes out to pretty much the same cost as buying a complete machine. Though if you build it yourself you do get to pick and choose exactly the config you want.

For $300 you can get a PS3 that is powerful than 90% of PCs. And you don't have to worry about your game crashing or driver updates or force closes.

"For $300 you can get a PS3 that is powerful than 90% of PCs. And you don't have to worry about your game crashing or driver updates or force closes"

90%?

So what you mean is that 90% of those PC are $500 PC Gaming?

GO BACK TO THE PLACE THAT YOU ONLY KNOW The PS3 la la land.

If you mean the pcs used in offices with integrated graphics then i agree.

However there are atleast 200million+ pcs that will stomp the PS3 lol.. or any console for that matter.

I bet those 200 million PCs are not in homes. how many people own PCs with bluray drives and a cell processor and all that tech? not many

So lets say there's a billion PCs in the world (there's actually more). If the PS3 is better than 90% of all the PCs in the world, that still leaves 100 million PCs that are better than a PS3, which is oh... more than twice the PS3's install base?

@ Arnon: As dumb as Ninshitka lfafla Boo's post was you handled it Flawlessly.

I get so aggravated when idiots say "why buy a PC for $600 when you can play on a PS3 or 360 for $300. Why buy Ferrari when you can drive a Pinto why fly when you can walk why eat Steak when I can break your jaw and u can suck food through a straw LOL. It's so stupid, good post Arnon peace

AMD Phenom II 550 X2 @ 3.9 ghz
Gigabyte 790gp-UD4H
2 XFX HD 4890 @ 1 ghz Crossfire
4gb OCZ DDR2 800 Ram @ 842mhz
2 WD 250 GB HDD
Raidmax Smilodon Case
Windows XP
Windows 7 32x
Windows 7 64x
OSX Snow Leopard

http://www.misco.co.uk/appl...

In the uk? quad core, 4GB memory, 4850, terabyte HDD, 64 bit OS, mouse and keyboard. The cherry on top? Bluray drive. 600 pounds? 500? 400? No sir. 380.

Awesome

Needs moar operating system.

I'm working on a build. I've been looking at GPUs all day online. Perhaps I will consider some of these parts.

i could build one for about $530 with mail in rebates, and it would have Windows 7 x64. now it wouldnt be a world beater, but it would be have a DX11 card. could get it down below $500 with the HD4850. either way it would be able to run most modern games on high at 720p or 1080p. not to mention do the million other things a PC can do that consoles cant.

Another reason not to buy a console

The PC - it only does everything

They forgot the OS. it will become at least $620

Where is the monitor? Where is the keyboard and mouse? Does it come with the operating system? Does it have bluetooth and Wifi? Does it play bluray movies and games?

And since the topic is "gaming" pc, can it play any of the Ps3, 360 or Wii true exclusives?

Seriously anyone with half a brain and decent experience with pc knows it will end up costing significantly more than this when all is said and done! The only thing that makes the pc more worth it is if you pirate then in the long run you will save money on games. But anyone who keeps comparing pc prices to console prices, especially the Ps3 hasn't a clue. Out of the box ps3 is the most bang for your buck, and it has the games to boot.

Edit: Oh a disagree but no rebuttal. I welcome your argument. Just try to explain your disagree instead of just clicking the button.

after paying for fans os and a HD Moniter and the acessories like usb slots etc youd be payin the regular price for a computer
And most new computer do have blu ray
i l ike to pllay games like sims or roller coaster tycoon type games on pc but not hands on games
if i could somehow bring my computer in the living room hook up to my tv and find a controller that actually feel comfortable i would consider being a more heavy pc gamer

but imma always stick with consoles either way because of the exclusives

@nycredude- if you're going to ask about monitor then you have add cost of tv to console price as well. kb/m everyone has, and if you dont then yes you will have to add in cost. same goes if you want another controller with your console. the build they show doesnt have an OS, but like i said above i could make a build with Windows 7 an stay at or below the $500 price. the last three things you list you would have to price out yourself.

well no poo it can't play any consoles exclusives. just like the consoles can't play the PCs exclusives. i guess im just missing your point.

consoles will also cost more than the initial price. add controls, with the 360 you have to add wifi, and if you want a bigger HDD it will cost you more. u don't needs thoses things to play though. just like you don't need the extra stuff for the PC if you don't want them.

you can also priate games on the 360, and if/when blu ray drives become more popular, and internet speeds become faster, you will be able to pirate on the PS3. i will agree that the PS3 is a great value. that is why i own a PS3.

i disagree with only because you have one poorly constructive side of the argument. i don't need to list every good reason to own a gaming PC, or why to a console for that matter. this artical just shows you can build a gaming Pc for under $2000. which a lot of console only guys think is impossible.

@Dmarc- you can play PC on your HDtv. i'm doing that right now. you can also use a 360 controller. http://www.newegg.com/Produ...

in the build i was talking about above, the case comes with atleast one fan, and the CPU and GPU have their own fans with them.

Stop pulling the cell card; it doesnt mean crap when you compare it to a high end general purpose CPU.

Give me a break; a 500 dollar unit that will blow away any console. Blu-ray is limited but I can always buy them digital and watch them; so it doesnt matter.

Storage is cheap; its cost effective to buy 2,000 GB's of space for under 200.

PC's are the king because theres no limitations, and has many uses.

Playstation 3 - $299.99
40" 1080p LCD HDTV (Since anything below a 40" ruins 1080p on consoles) - $600-$700

This gaming PC - $500
ASUS 23.6" 1080p LCD Monitor w/HDMI - $189.99

A console with a decent TV will always cost more than building a PC.

@DrRobotnik:

Pretty much anyone planning to build a computer already has a computer, and thus already has an operating system. So why would one need to include the cost of something they already have? The person probably already has a monitor also.

The only other components would be speakers, mouse and keyboard. Which most people would already have also.

And that's the beauty of PC gaming as apposed to consoles. You don't just buy a whole new computer when you want better performance. You merely upgrade whatever component is needed. Usually just a new GPU. You have so much choice in the level of performance you want, and how much money you'd like to spend for that performance.

What if you wanted to update your OS, it's likely if your looking for a new PC your OS will be dated. Also, what about those who own a preformed PC and have an OEM edition, which cannot be transferred.

I get what people are saying, but it's only fair to point out this $500 PC is in reality, not a finished PC.

Not many people will take the time to go and do the research to find powerful yet affordable components for there PC, let alone assemble it. You would have to really love computers and want the best out you rig. All I'm trying to say is, if they were selling alien ware rigs(strait out the box, already assembled)for $199-299, I'm all for it.

The difference between buying a hdtv for a console and a hd moniter for your computer is that you dont use a hdtv only for for playing games ...

How can you say "Wheres the OS/Monitor"

You can use Linux for free.
Windows 7 off ebay for cheap (<$50)

Saying you need a monitor is like saying you need a new TV when you buy a new console. You dont because you reuse what you have.

@Fishy Fingers:

Yeah but it's still a moot point you're making. If a person is reading this article, they most likely already have a computer and thus a keyboard, mouse, speakers, OS.

Not really, I have a spare Q6600, 8800GT, few gig of DDR2 and probably a mobo lying around, so I guess it would be fair to say, "build a powerful PC for $50", the price of a case. Because it might fit one of your readers situation (mine).

You cannot assume people reading have this, that or the other and if you do it should be pointed out in the write up.

Again like I said before, I see your point, but it isnt going to be the case for everyone.

That's a fair comment, can I have them btw... just wondering :P I'm kidding of course, but seriously spare computer parts? Build a protable PC which is basically the core of what you need to run, a motherboard, ram, batter and some other sutff. Attach it to glasses with a screen in a lens and done. Battery power it with voice recognition. Instead of a hard drive use a 8gig SSD.

On topic, but seriously ok so when buying a console one must factor in the cost of tv and internet?

Fishy Fingers is right, the article does show a decent spec for the price but in an effort to make it look comparable to going out and buying a console the writer has misled the reader by leaving out a number of pieces of hardware/software such as the OS, monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers/headset which add's significant value to the overall price. It is not fair to say most people building a PC from that article would have a PC already or any other pieces of hardware.

<<It is not fair to say most people building a PC from that article would have a PC already or any other pieces of hardware.>>

Right, obviously most people read that article on their cell phones because they don't own a PC.

@Fishy Fingers:

The average consumer wouldn't have those parts you mentioned obviously. But the average person does have at least a keyboard, mouse and OS. Of course not EVERYONE in the world has these parts. But only a rare individual in this day and age who's reading this article wouldn't have those few parts. Thus the article is targeted towards the people who read this type of article. Why include the cost's of something pretty much all your readers would already have?

I've got a brand spanking new 5770 sitting here on my desk. Don't have a use for it yet as I'm on a 5870 and my extra pc is fine on a 4890. Thought I might have needed it but I pulled the trigger on that too early.

Also have 4gb DDr3 (from when it was cheaper), 700 watt PSU, and a 500gb HDD sitting in my cabinet.

for computer enthusiasts building a new pc is insanely cheap seeing as how most have extra parts lying around.

@ 3.8 yes thats right they won't have a keyboard, mouse, OS and speakers from their smartphone or iPod and do you recommend sawing off the keyboard from their laptop perhaps? or stealing the parts from the university/school computer they are viewing from? internet cafe? or perhaps its an Apple user looking to build a gaming rig.

The problem with these articles is that they do not give a fair reflection of the associated costs, they go for the headline which is the price which they try to screw down to get one over on another site who ran a similar article or they are just PC zealot's who can't accept the simple fact that buying a gaming PC is more expensive than buying a console. Is that a problem? of course not! the associated benefits of owning a PC - one that can do your gaming, and your usual web browsing, word processing etc outweigh the benefits of owning just a console which is why arguments trying to make it sound otherwise are just plain silly.

I don't know why there has been a recent surge in the silly PC fanboy type behavior, as a PC gamer myself I thought we were a more mature bunch. I own a PS3 and 360 also and enjoy the benefits they bring but the PC specific (simulation) hardware on my desk as I type this cost more than my PS3 and 360 put together.

@karan8624:

Yes it supports 3-way SLI, but there's something the average PC builder doesn't know to look at when choosing a motherboard. What the bandwidth rating for all the PCI-E slots is when they are all being used. Most good motherboards do x16/x8/x8, while the best do x16/x16/x8, and I think there's one from EVGA that does full on x16/x16/x16.

PCI-E 2.0 is a type of slot. The x## is it's bandwidth multiplier. X16 is full bandwidth. x8 is half, x4 is quarter.

So that's why it's good to look at the bandwidth multiplier for a motherboards PCI-E slots. Yours only does full bandwidth on one slot, the other 2 only support half bandwidth. Unless only 2 of the slots are used, then it's full bandwidth. So if you're only doing dual crossfire, then that's fine.

Also, what RAM did you get? Cause they come in many different speeds and clocks.

And if you do go for a custom cooler in the future, choose Arctic Silver 5 thermal compound. It's very cheap, and comes out at the top in test's compared to all the other popular ones out there.

Bullcrap<

Theres no way your getting 4.2 on stock cooling; or its very unsafe.

Where do you live? In the States (In Canada it's more expensive)? I'm in the middle of building a new setup but I can't see how you got 2 HD5850s and a $400 motherboard and manage your setup for $1800.

I only have one of those cards and my mobo is a Giga. X58A-UD3R, my setup is around $1700 without the tax and shipping.

What's also included in the price is Windows 7 and a new Monitor.

Ok, thanks, I get what you mean now. I guess I'll look at that in the next board I get in the future. I still like this one though, its an overclock beast

@Mittwafen, well, yeah I did. My case is a full tower with excellent cooling, and the stock coolers are actually decent as well. My temps go up to 70 at 10 minutes under full load, so its not AMAZINGLY stable, but its well under the danger zone. Especially seeing as under normal curcumstances all 4 cores wont ever be under that much load for that long

Im in Canada, its actually more expensive here

Im still using my old monitor though, its a good one.

I bought all my parts from a shop here (Hamilton, On) and they gave me a discount because its a large purchase, Im a student, and I bought it all there

That explains it, thx man. I live in Canada too, I usually go to NCIX to order my stuff, very good site IMO.

DDR2 RAM more expensive because it's being phased out.