Squilliam said: I wonder what type of card and how much it costs to acheive console framerates at 720p and 1080p or there abouts. Call of duty IV - 1280/1024 @ 60fps, thanks techreport.com You need a $130 GPU to run at 4xAA and 16xAF @60fps average. At 1920/1200@60fps with the same you need an sli setup. Lowest costs of entry are 2x 9600gt for 130each(260 with MIR) or a 3870x2 for 360 (With MIR) Bioshock - Thanks techarp.com. One 9600gt is enough through all resolutions. thats $130 with MIR from Newegg. So pretty much simple conclusion. One $130 card will beat or match any consoles graphically. Two will obliterate them. Sorry, just quick and dirty. Didn't have the time to do more. This is interesting as we're due for the next cards, AMD's next architecture may come as early as may.

 Funny you should say that because even though those are good graphics cards, home consoles have been built especially for gaming and the ps3 proccessor has been built especially for gaming so even though the graphics card might be better you would still need a killer proccessor.

 Now that I don't belive. I think even a 8600GT could put Gears of War PC better than the Console version. Maybe you were playing at higher resolution, or with AA/AF, and GeoW PC has better textures I think.

 Crysis is better than Halo 3, Gears and Resistance. The Singleplayer is hundred times better than any of those games. And the multiplayer is surprisingly deep, but just like any other tactical FPS, people just spend trying to frag each other rather than just actually play how it's supposed to. 

 You can play GTA IV (100% will come), GeoW (not announced yet), Final Fantasy (FFVII, VIII, XI), RE5 (100% will come), Devil May Cry(already announced), from the ones you mentioned (by the way, how does it feel to gang up 3 systems' best titles against 1 platform)

I can also mention great PC exclusives coming soon that any console won't even touch. Starcraft 2, SPORE, Sims 3, Battlefield 3, WoW: Wrath of Lich King, Empire: Total War, Dragon Age, Guild Wars 2, Warhammer Online, Stalker: Clear Sky and hudreds of great PC exclusives.

When this year ends, I'll make a thread just to compare each systems' games to see which has better game scores overall.

No you wouldn't.

A typical Intel Core 2 Duo processor will suffice for modern games.

The cheap pentium dual cores will work(without even overclocking them). Maybe even pentium Ds. Cpus aren't that important in pc gaming. A pc with a pentium 4, and 8800gt would outperform a pc with a Core 2 Extreme, and a 6800gt. 

Trouble is; even with the top of the line GPU's, they'll be outdated in 18-24 months so this is an "investment" you'll have to do 2-3 times in one consoles lifetime to maintain the edge.
PC gaming is serious bussiness and it costs a lot no matter how you spin it, especially here in countries where hardware is NOT dirt cheap...
I remember how much I paid for my GPU in September 2006; 3800 NOK or roughly 700-750$ and there were those GPU's that cost over twice as much.
So, to me, PC gaming is never going to be cheaper than console gaming, rather the other way around.
I'll have to modify my rig for over 4000 NOK again this year to stay with it, newer PC games are really taxing my PC.

@shio

You don't have to believe me, but I own both versions of Gears and I'm telling the truth about what I see in comparison. I don't really understand PC specs so well, so maybe I paid too much for this.

How can you say that Resident Evil 5 will come to PC? They made Re4 fucked up port to PC, which nobody played. And GTA4 and Gears2, they haven't been confirmed. Though you could assume GTA coming, cause previous versions have been ported too. But Epic has said they will be focusing on consoles now, so I wouldn't be so sure that PC will ever see Gears2.

And even if they will come to PC, they will already be old stuff. ;) I wanna play those kind of masterpieces as soon as they arrive, and not buy expensive parts for my PC to play the game year later...

Only Console gamers use that as an excuse to bash PC gaming since consoles are outdated from the start, or Graphic whores who are jealous of the people who are playing the sames games with better looks.

No one upgrades their GPU 2-3 times in 5 years, because thing is, PC gamers in general aren't so hung up on graphics (aka. graphic whores) that they would be forced to keep the edge: we just want the graphics to be "good enough".

I never had first-hand experience Gears of War on PC so I can't value my opinion over yours, though I still believe your GPU is good enough for it. But again, I never tried the game.

RE5 will come eventually. Maybe 2 years after like the last one, we don't know. But Capcom seems to be taking a liking to PC recently: DMC4 is coming to PC just 4 months after the console versions (June 6th). Maybe they are satisfied with the recent Digital distribution ocurring on PC such as Steam.

GTA4 will surely come, around 6 months after the consoles, they have a decent fanbase on PC. Epic is saying the same thing they said a few years ago, their opinion hasn't changed.

And it's PC gaming we're talking about. Most PC gamers keep playing old games and aren't so hung up of getting the games Day One. Why do you think 10 year old games keep selling still? Starcraft is the best example: It sold "only" 1.5 millions in the first year, then it sold an extra 8 millions in the following years. And I mean, it's not like you don't have masterpieces to keep you entertained at all times on PC, right? Atleast until you're waiting for the game you desire to be released.

Uhm, I'm a PC gamer and I own no current gen consoles... My GPU is seriously struggling nowadays even though it was top of the line when I got it.
I need a new GPU, 2 GB's more RAM and maybe a new CPU (quad is looking tempting).

My apologies. What is your PC? Maybe it's not as bad as it is.