I might have agreed with the points raised by the article a couple of gens ago, but not any more.

Firstly, consoles have become far more complex whilst PC has become far simpler. The PS4 and X1 are now at a point where the patches, updates, DLC, apps and multimedia features are as complex as they are on the PC. On the flip side, PC has been simplifying in terms of ease of setup (patching is just as easy and automatic as it is on consoles with programs like Steam) and interface.

On the price issue, they're actually a lot closer than you might think. The initial cost of a PC is higher than a console, but a PC is also a far more capable machine in terms of productivity and alternative functions which has to be taken into account. If you're buying a PC for work anyway, it's only an extra $250 to upgrade the graphics card and you're ready for "next gen" gaming. If you then look long-term, you make some pretty significant savings; new games are $10-20 cheaper than their console counterparts; massive sales (Steam sales) and discounts occur far more frequently; and you don't have to pay for online play.

As for stability, if you pay for a decent gaming PC now, it'll last until the end of the gen. The PS4 and X1 are effectively weak PCs, so a half-decent PC will last until the end of a gen. You may not be able to play everything on the highest graphics settings, but neither will the consoles. For instance, I built my upper-mid range PC in 2011, before the start of the gen yet it's still playing all games on the highest graphics settings, either matching or beating the console graphics in equivalent games.

And controls? Most games come with controller support so that should be a moot point at this stage.

The main problem with PC now is one of perception. In the last 10 years, PC has become cheaper, easier and more user friendly than ever before, yet people still see it as the complex mess because it still presents you with multiple options in virtually everything (graphics settings, hotkeys, game platform etc.). This freedom to choose everything makes it appear more complex than it actually has to be.

Bottom line: If you want to play games on PC, it can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be.

I agree with the article, but only because it says consoles have their advantages. One of those advantages is not because it's simpler. Consoles and Computers having gotten to the point where they're both just as easy to use. Computers have their own advantages too. I just needed to point that out, because reasons.

Oh yeah. This is my first ever post after a couple years of lurking. So, what up.

It seems simpler to me.

I buy a console, plug it in, some version updates, then put a game in and play it. I've never had any weird complex journeys to get my system update or to get it to work. All the updates for my consoles start by themselves as well. Never worried about drivers or system requirements either.

It also helps that I'm considering buying a console vs building a pc.

1st point; Price,

Building a PC that is capable of doing what a PS4 can do will cost you more. But with games much cheaper on PC that difference pays itself back. Depending on how many games you buy a year you can even be better of with a PC.

2nd point; Technological difficulty.

Assembling a PC can be done for you. Most retailers that sell PC parts also assemble PC's. It will cost you but not a great deal.
Aside from that, assembling your own PC is a great deal of fun and feels very rewarding. It costs time but it's not as difficult as some might think. When I built my first rig I was anxious I would damage parts. Afterwards, when I realised how easy it really is, I started doing more and more. Now I've got a fully customized and water cooled setup.

3rd point; Longevity

If you assemble a rig that can play all multiplatform games now, there's very little chance you won't be able to play multiplatform games in 5 years time. Most multiplatform games released right now have minimum system requirements featuring hardware released years ago. You might not be able to enjoy 1080p at 60fps anymore but none of the consoles manages to do that now to begin with.

Besides all that PC offers modding, free online (which helps lower the costs as well), a massive games library and, to most, a better online community.

The only advantage consoles still have, and why I still buy them, is (console) exclusives.

My problem with PC gaming is the keyboard and mouse. I do most of my gaming lying down on my bed before going to sleep typically. It just isn't feasible to use a keyboard and mouse in such a situation. Now I know some games support controllers but most don't and the fact remains that they were built to be played with a keyboard and mouse so you may not get the right kind of control when using a controller compared to an actual console game.

If you're not a hardware enthusiast, a console is the best option. For me there's just something so immensely satisfying about building your own rig. To the point where sometimes the feeling is even better than playing a great game.

Console gaming is more appealing to girls, so it helps with the dating to.

Very well said.  There are a lot of misconceptions about pc gaming. 

The driver side of PC hardware is alot easier than it was 15 years ago when there was still many on dial up.Nowdays it's all automatic updates with a dedicated exe launcher instead of having to trawl the web looking for 100kb non executable driver files that you had to install manually with the add/remove hardware tool in control panel.

Plus nowdays if you have any pc related problem theres a youtube video telling you how to fix it.Most of these anti-PC arguments are very outdated.

;)