Recently I’ve felt like playing the occasional video game, but I’ve run into a small problem: my computer can’t handle the newest PC titles. So now I’m faced with choosing between building a new computer or purchasing a console system like the Xbox 360. While I think that PC gaming is best suited for the types of games I enjoy (mainly first person shooters), even casual gaming on a PC is an expensive hobby. On the other hand, I haven’t owned a console since the Super Nintendo. Seriously.

Because I’m not a hardcore gamer, I’ve always found the best graphics card in the $200 or less price range and gone from there. In the past this worked well because I could usually get two generations of graphics cards per PC and not have to rebuild the whole machine, keeping costs reasonable. Then PCI Express came along, rendering my AGP motherboard useless with the newest generation of graphics cards. This means I will need to purchase most of the core components and start over. A new motherboard, processor, RAM, case, power supply, graphics card and operating system (I’m currently running an OEM copy of XP) would run me $800-$900 for a decent setup.

Here’s what I’m looking at:

Intel Core 2 Duo 8400 (Wolfdale) $180.00
ASUS P5K Pro motherboard $135.00
2GB Memory $80
Graphics Card (GeForce 9800 GTX or Radeon HD 4850) $200
Case w/ 500w PS $100
Operating System (XP Pro / Vista Business) $140

Total: $835 plus shipping

While that isn’t a bad price for a very capable system, outside of gaming, I don’t feel the need to upgrade the computer right now. So while it would be all sorts of geeky fun to build a machine like this, my current PC has at least another year of life left in it.

The other option is to skip upgrading the PC and purchase an Xbox 360. Why an Xbox? Well, I like FPS and the Xbox has plenty of good ones. Plus, I just don’t like Sony all that much and have never been very interested in the Playstation line of consoles.

So if I go the Xbox route I’d be looking at getting the console for about $425. I’m leaning towards the Elite system because of the larger hard drive (which will come in handy after the upcoming software update allows caching to the drive for better load times and less noise) and the supposedly quieter DVD drive. The system also comes with a few extras like a headset and HDMI cables, both of which I won’t be using anytime soon, but wouldn’t mind having for the future. So for $425 plus about $20 for a long network cable to connect it to the web I’m still almost $400 cheaper than the above PC setup. That leaves cash for an extra controller and a few games and still be under the PC price.

Speaking of games, one other thing that I find attractive about consoles in general is the ability to rent games. On the PC gaming side, the closest you get is a demo and usually only after the game has been out for awhile. I find it frustrating that a game I might want to play would set me back $50 or $60. I know why they don’t rent PC games anymore; it’s just that I’m a little jealous of console players’ ability to rent games Netflix style via GameFly.

So, given the fact that the console holds a rather overwhelming financial benefit, why haven’t I run out and purchased one? Well, it comes back to what kind of games I tend to play the most: first person shooters. I’ve become accustomed to playing with a keyboard and mouse, which allow for greater precision and flexibility than a controller in most cases. I know that it is possible to play FPS games well on a console (most console gamers would wipe the floor with me, just as PC gamers do), but it is going to take some time getting used to a controller. It wouldn’t feel like such a leap if I had experience playing FPS on a console, but outside of the Nintendo systems I’ve skipped the Xbox and PS lines completely. I’ve actually used a Dreamcast more than either of those two. Don’t laugh.

The Xbox’s infamous reliability and noise issues are certainly a concern, but the Elite systems are supposed to have a quieter optical drive, and the warranty covers issues like the Red Ring of Death. I’m hoping that most of these problems are on older systems and after almost three years on the market reliability has improved.

In the end, console gaming would allow me to play more games than I would on my PC and have a much longer time frame between hardware upgrades. So right now I’m leaning towards the Xbox. Now I just need to decide what game to get first. I’m thinking CoD4. Any suggestions?