PS5 and Xbox Series X hardware refreshes are only a matter of "when," and not "if." And true enough, various rumors are already sprouting about Sony's plans to release a truly reworked version of the PS5 console (not that one with the cheaper heatsink), but rather, an actual hardware revision.
The same thing goes for Xbox and Microsoft.
Living room with Microsoft Xbox Series X (L) and Sony PlayStation 5 home video game consoles alongside a television and soundbar, taken on November 3, 2020.
WCCFTech just reported that Sony might be a few years away from releasing a PS5 Pro, but rumors of Xbox Series hardware revisions indicate they're coming a bit early.
However, this does present something that hasn't been true in the gaming hardware space for years: consoles being technically the better choices over gaming PCs.
Before the PS5 And Xbox Series X
Barring the current-generation PS5 and Xbox Series X, both of which are more powerful than most mid-range to even high-end gaming PCs these days, gaming consoles have had a reputation for being inferior to PCs hardware-wise.
And one of the knocks that people had against them was that they lacked customization and a good upgrade path.
People back in the day argued that with a gaming PC, you can just swap out any outdated parts over the years and not have to buy a full-fledged gaming system every time there's a new generation.
Consoles obviously couldn't be upgraded, and thus had to rely on hardware refreshes for updates.
A Microsoft Xbox Series S home video game console, taken on October 26, 2020.
But with the way that the PC hardware market has been over the past couple of years (global CPU and GPU shortages), maybe buying into gaming console refreshes are proving to be better financial decisions over time.
If you want to be able to play for the entire duration of a gaming generation, a console refresh will prove to be just a bit cheaper than upgrading a gaming PC.
Read also: PS5 Upgrades for 'God of War' Sequel, 'Gran Turismo 7' Will Cost $10 Moving Forward
Price Points Seem to be Far Better
Take a look at the rumors about the PS5 Pro.
Various leakers suggest that it would be powerful enough to play games in sky-high resolutions from 4K to even 8K. And the best part of it is, they're alleging that the console will be priced at $700 MSRP at most.
Barring any scalper nonsense, that is an absolutely insane deal. People can just sell their base PS5, for instance, there's reason to believe that demand for the base PS5 will still be high, add up to the money they get, and buy a far more powerful PS5 Pro.
In comparison, gaming PC components seem to be getting even more expensive as time goes on (again, barring scalper nonsense).
Assuming that the reworked PlayStation 5 console's price remains at $700 MSRP, try to build a gaming PC that has the same theoretical 4K or even 8K-capable performance at that price. You'll surely fail.
Just look at the RX 6600 XT from AMD, which is supposed to be an entry-level card and yet has a starting MSRP of $379. At that price, you could've bought a mid-range to high-end graphics card three, four years ago. And if the rumored PS5 Pro or Xbox Series X refresh is true, then their new GPUs are going to far outclass anything below mid-range in terms of gaming PC hardware.
How Long Will This Last, Though?
Until the time when gaming PC component prices crash back down to Earth, gaming consoles (and their refreshed versions) will offer the better bang-for-the-buck experience when it comes to gaming.
Sorry, PC elitists, but you'll have to accept the fact that consoles will be dominant for the time being.
Related: Xbox Series S, Series X 'Refresh' Rumored for 2022, 2023
This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by RJ Pierce
