The main benefits of PC gaming that will have you winning at life
When you want to unwind after a long day, what do you do? If you’re like many Americans, you might boot up your computer and play video games. Over 214 million people play video games, with 75% of households having at least one gamer in their midst. While people can play video games on many different platforms, we think that the benefits of PC gaming set it above the rest. These benefits allow people to have a more enjoyable gaming experience, as well as benefit more overall. So what makes PC games so great? Keep reading to learn about some of the biggest PC gaming benefits that you get to enjoy as a gamer.
PC Gaming vs. Console Gaming
All video game platforms are great and can benefit your life in different ways (more on that later), but we think PC games are in a league of their own. If you’re debating between console gaming vs. PC gaming, here are a few reasons why you might want to choose the latter.
1. Better Graphics
Lovers of consoles will debate this first point to the death, but it’s a fact that high-level PCs offer better graphics than consoles. Of course, the newest consoles still provide amazing graphical experiences, and for most games, you’d have a hard time identifying any major differences. However, they are there. Games on the PC will have higher FPS, higher resolution, and perform better overall than the same game on a console. If you plan on playing the latest games and want the most beautiful experience possible, get a PC.
2. More Games
If you’re asking yourself, “Should I try PC gaming?” you should also know that PCs provide you with a greater selection of games than their console counterparts. Some games are exclusive to consoles, but this number pales to the number of PC exclusive games. In many cases, you can even download an emulator on your computer to play some of these otherwise unplayable games. PC games are also easier than ever to download and enjoy. With video game distribution platforms like Steam and Origin, users can install thousands of different games on their PCs in a matter of minutes.
3. Customization Options
As anyone who’s built a PC can tell you, there’s something incredibly satisfying about gathering the pieces, assembling the machine, then turning it on for the first time. One of the biggest PC gaming benefits is that after you build your system, you can continue to upgrade it. From adding more RAM to swapping video cards, you can customize your computer any way you want (provided your system can handle it). This separates PCs from consoles. While you can install software updates that resolve bugs and come with patches, you’ll use the same hardware three years down the road that you do when you first buy a console.
4. A Smarter Investment
This sort of customizable setup means that PCs end up being better investments than consoles. If you’re still using a Playstation 3, your old games might work without a problem. However, you’re not able to play any of the modern games that developers are releasing today. You’ll have to buy an all-new Playstation 4 or 5. On the other hand, if a piece of your computer breaks down or needs an upgrade, you can replace or upgrade that specific piece. You don’t have to spend money buying an entirely new system. It’s not surprising to hear that people have played on the same upgraded gaming computer for ten years. You’d have a difficult time finding someone who does that on a console.
5. Backward Compatability
In recent years, consoles like Playstation and Xbox have taken steps to improve their backward compatibility. Today, you can now play older, classic games from previous generations. However, consoles still lack the backward compatibility that PCs offer.Regardless of how old a game is, you can play it on a PC. If you have the physical disk, you can pop that in and boot it up. Otherwise, you can almost always find older games on platforms like Steam. Newer hardware components and older software often clash with one another, but luckily, skilled individuals create modified versions of games that work well with newer systems. From Roller Coaster Tycoon to Rome Total War, modern updates make old games easy to enjoy today.
The Many Benefits of Gaming
So we’ve discussed why a building or buying a PC is a better choice than getting a console. But how exactly can gaming improve your life in general?
Let’s take a look at some of the many benefits.
1. Video Games Help You Learn
Despite the plethora of options on the market, many people still believe that video games are mindless and brain-draining. The truth is that there are tons of different games that can help you learn more about different topics. If you want to learn about history, boot up a Total War game or Europa Universalis IV. If you want to play around with urban planning, launch a game like SimCity or Cities: Skylines. These sorts of games allow you to delve into otherwise unfamiliar topics. Playing them lets you discover new passions, and in some cases, perhaps even a new career path.
2. They Have Stories
Take a moment to think of your favorite fictional movie, book, or TV show. Now imagine how amazing it would be to be inside of that world. That’s what video games allow you to do! From wandering around the post-apocalyptic United States in Fallout to hiding in lockers from an alien on a spaceship in Alien: Isolation, video games let you be a part of rich and engaging stories. Some games like Mass Effect even allow you to make your own character and choices in the game. This gives you a personalized experience that will differ from that of your friends.
3. You Can Sharpen Different Skills
More and more people are starting to realize that aside from being fun and enjoyable, video games can also help you sharpen and hone different skills. From problem-solving to becoming more detail-oriented, different video games can help you use and develop skills that you might otherwise not get a chance to improve. Institutions like the United States Navy actually recommend that people who want to fly airplanes first practice with Microsoft Flight Simulator. The game (or simulation) is realistic enough that people can learn how to pilot just by playing it.
4. They Can Help You Handle Stress
While video games can help people hone skills, enjoy rich stories, and learn more about topics like history, they also help people unwind. Mental health problems across the country (and the world) have skyrocketed in the past year, withfour out of ten Americansexpressing that they experienced symptoms of anxiety or depression. For many of these people, video games have helped them relax, unwind, and clear their heads. Whether your relaxing video game of choice is something soothing and slow or face-paced and hectic, if it helps you handle stress, then that’s a good thing. Don’t be afraid or ashamed to tell people that you enjoy playing it!
5. You Can Meet New People
As so many people in the United States and the globe play them, video games also serve as a great way to meet new people. Many games have huge numbers of people that work to make their gaming community as positive of a place as possible. In many cases, these sorts of relationships can turn into real-world ones. Other video games are multiplayer by nature. These sorts of games encourage players to become friends with the teammates they storm a castle or fight on a battlefield with. Most video gamers are far from the lonely and isolated people that traditional rhetoric paints them as!
Break the Stigma and Enjoy the Benefits of PC Gaming
For far too long, much of society has had a misconception about the kinds of people who play video games. Many of these people also believe that video games are inherently harmful. As this guide explains, there are many benefits of PC gaming and video games in general. By playing video games and voicing their benefits, you can help break the misconceptions people still hold. Are you looking for more articles that touch on topics like tech and video games? If so, make sure to check out the other great content on our site.