Computer Science – Video Game Buyer’s Guide
It goes without saying that computing and gaming can be quite an expensive hobby, which is why many will turn to the second-hand market to get started or seek to progress further with whatever system they prefer to use. It’s an area fraught with buyer pitfalls and opportunities alike, but how do you know exactly what to look for? For those of you looking for console games on a budget, older systems are definitely worth considering. PlayStation 2s are becoming more common on the second-hand market as more and more are updated to the PlayStation 3, which is far superior, just like the original XBox and owners are updating again. Don’t always expect a lot of games, as many sellers will keep many of their games for use on their newer consoles, but you should still be able to grab a bargain or two. Games for both are still easy to pick up on High Street at discounted prices, so they’re still worth thinking about. In today’s wave of consoles, this is where you’ll have to consider the most which system you want to buy, as each has its advantages and disadvantages.
Nintendo’s Wii is aimed more at a family audience, as most of its games demonstrate, and takes a fairly novel approach to playing with its innovative motion-sensitive controller. It’s certainly not the most technologically advanced of all the consoles, hence its lower price tag, but it has proven to be incredibly popular. Due to the lower retail price, this is the cheapest way to enter “next-gen” games, but more serious gamers may be put off by the familiar bias in the catalog of available games.
Since its launch, the XBox 360 has proven to be a huge success despite the confusion over the different models available. It is a very powerful system with the most extensive range of games available of all the latest machines today. There have been some hardware glitches and reliability issues experienced by some users and there seems to be an over-reliance on PC-style games, but for the hardcore gamer this shouldn’t be a problem. If you’re looking for a second-hand model, your best bet here if you’re looking for the cheapest machine possible is the “Arcade” version of the XBox 360 that comes without a hard drive (which you could add yourself). later), but if you’re serious about gaming, you’d better spend the extra money to buy one of the other models.
The PlayStation 3 remains an enigma for many. It got off to a rocky start due to an incredibly high retail price and a poor selection of games, further hampered by high game prices. This is changing now after the price drop and game releases seem to be on par with the XBox 360. The only concern owners had was that many of the early games were almost identical to the XBox 360, a Despite the superiority of the PS3. capabilities. This is beginning to be addressed now so gamers start to see the real difference between the machines … not to mention the fact that the PS3 is a pretty nifty Blu-Ray player too!
As these hardware differences really start to show, you may start to see some XBox 360 owners switch to the PS3 (as seen on Main Street following the PS3 price drop in late 2007) , so this could start to see more seconds. The handy XBox 360 appears on the market, so it could turn out to be a bargain entry-level machine if you want to join the latest wave of next-gen gamers.
However, some second-hand PS3s appear, but buying them is difficult since there are two models available. The current machine comes complete with a 40Gb hard drive, but the original model was released with a 60Gb hard drive. On top of that, there are other subtle changes to the new model. The new version no longer has memory card slots for digital cameras (although this is not a big loss), there are now only two USB ports instead of four, and it is no longer compatible with PlayStation 2 games. He argued that many users didn’t need this feature, if it’s essential you’ll want to track down the 60Gb model (which is sold at a higher price) or settle for having a 40Gb PlayStation 3. And buy a PlayStation 2 as well.
One thing I would say is that regardless of which console you buy is to make sure you try to stick to the European models of the machines and not be tempted by a Japanese or American import. While some of these may be cheaper, you’ll have trouble getting them fixed when things go wrong and most consoles are restricted to playing games (and DVDs) in a specific part of the world, so buying imported consoles could make it difficult for you. life in the long run. For older gamers looking to reminisce about their youth, there is an ongoing interest in retro gaming, and while older gaming computers and consoles don’t tend to show up in classified ads too often, they can be great value for money. The obvious big deals are the seminal classics Commodore 64 and Sinclair Spectrum alongside the Sega Megadrive and Nintendo SNES. The great thing about retro games is that old consoles and computers generally have very little value to anyone other than those looking to buy them, so you can often get some great deals, but don’t always expect all games and accessories to be there. In full operation! Looking into the PC arena, prices for new PCs are dropping daily and hardware is getting more reliable. While this is great if you’re shopping for new, it makes buying second-hand systems more difficult when looking for a PC that can run more contemporary software, and almost impossible if you’re on a tight budget.
The first thing to always keep in mind when buying a second-hand PC is what you will need it for. I know that sounds like an obvious question, but it’s something that many people don’t always think about and just decide that they want a PC and nothing else. If all you’re looking for is a PC for simple home use (word processor, etc.), basic games, and internet use, then you won’t need a state-of-the-art computer and as such your budget will be stretched a lot. plus.
While most retailers will pressure you to buy the latest Windows Vista sing-and-dance PC, you won’t need this if your needs are simple enough. You should be able to manage with an older Windows XP PC, a 64Mb or 128Mb graphics card, and an 80Gb hard drive. In terms of memory, 512Mb would be more than enough to fit virtually any user from most of the world. casual games to keep the average family happy.
While a flat panel monitor would be a great addition to this kind of setup, most of the more affordable deals will likely come with older style CRT displays, but all of this shouldn’t cost you more than £ 200, possibly even! with a printer released by the right vendor! If you find a PC with lower specs than those mentioned, it is not too difficult to upgrade cheaply.
For the serious gaming gamer who is looking for something capable of running more contemporary games, then you are really looking to spend a lot more and despite its flaws, you will have no choice but to search for a Windows Vista PC. Whichever PC you choose here, you’ll need something with at least 1Gb of RAM, a 256Mb graphics card, and a 120Gb or higher hard drive. Anything less than this, and to be perfectly frank, it’s just not worth trying to run Vista properly. Laptops are an entirely different matter. They DO seem to hold their value better, but you have to remember that if you want to run games you’d better buy a desktop that you can expand as most laptops aren’t really suitable for games other than casual or older games . The obvious drawback with laptops is that once you’ve bought them, you can’t upgrade them, so you need to be sure that the specs of the machine you buy are exactly what you need right out of the box. Likewise, early on, laptops generally lag behind desktops in terms of their capabilities relative to the price you can expect to pay, so you’re already at an immediate disadvantage, so if you think You may want to do more with your PC in the long run, a desktop computer will always be your best option. However, price-wise, I’d say you’ll be looking for 25-50% more than the cost of the equivalent desktop, including the monitor.
Another point to consider with laptops is how you intend to use them. If it is meant to be your main day-to-day PC, you should be aware that laptops can overheat very easily, so they need a lot of ventilation, should be used on flat surfaces, and should not be used for more than a few hours at a time. time without rest. This is even more true with older models that have seen a lot of use, as components can wear out too quickly. Some brands are more prone to this than others, but I’ve only found a few that seem to be able to withstand being left on for hours and double as a desktop replacement. To be completely honest, if this is something you might be concerned about, you may want to reconsider laptops, as laptop repairs can be insanely expensive, especially if it’s a failure caused by overheating, and it is it will almost certainly cost more than the price. of a second-hand laptop! I’ve barely scratched the surface with gaming consoles and PCs, and haven’t even looked at PC software and accessories; Those two would cover another article of their own, but I hope this gives you some advice and guides you in the right direction. when making some of your second-hand computer / game purchases. One thing I can’t stress enough is that when shopping for a second hand PC or game console, try to see them work before you hand over your money, but as long as you can and just be aware of what you are buying. and how much you are paying, you should be able to further develop your hobby without breaking the bank.
Have fun!