EDIT: Please do not talk about sales or platforms in this thread, neither are relevant to the argument that a PC is not a console. If you wish to talk sales, there is an entire board dedicated to that. If you wish to talk about platforms, this is the thread to do it in. 

Let's start by giving you the definition of the term Gaming Console

Here is the definition of a PC

–noun

And lastly, here is the definition to the word "console"

–noun

So you see, a PC is a device that does many things, A gaming console is a device that does gaming. And the definition for the term console, is basically something that is designed to do one main task.

A PC, it is not a gaming console, the reason being, they are a processing unit, they do more than just play games, they run a completely different set of parameters. Even IF you have a PC whose main purpose is to play games, do you surf the web on it? Do you photo shop on it? Do you write documents on it? Do you download things on it? Can you use if for recording studio quality music, Do you use it to edit videos, can you use it to run CAD programs like Solid Works and Catea?

A gaming console has ONE main purpose, A PC has MANY...even IF you claim yours has one main purpose, it does not, OEM computers are designed to do MANY things that involve computing, You can build your own computer with parts mainly designed for gaming, but the processor, and motherboard are not optimised for gaming alone. (The motherboard may be tuned for gaming, but it is still able, ready, and easily made to do some pretty heavy processing on other fronts.)

If I had YOUR gaming rig, chances are, I would NOT use it for gaming, in fact, I would use it for Drafting...I could then say that "my (your)" PC is now for drafting, meaning it is "an electronic system that connects to a display (as a television set) and is used primarily to play video games Draft solid 3D Models." See what I did there, I took your gaming rig, and turned it into my Drafting rig. You can't do that with a gaming console, a gaming console has ONE specific purpose for EVERYBODY, a PC has many purposes.

EDIT:

People who believe a PC is not a console.                                     

bmmb1                                                                       

Onyxmeth                                                                                      

okr                                                                            

AdventWolf                                                                

KungKras                                                                  

SeriousWB                                                                                    

Chairman-Mao                                                           

.jayderyu                                                                   

Serious_frusting                                                        

Jaycee_Bam                                                               

Scoobes                                                                     

lestatdark                                                                  

GameOver22                                                              

averyblund                                                                

ssj12                                                                                                                                                                                  

Blacksaber                                                                                  

okr                                                                                               

AlkamistStar                                                                             

Zlejedi 

puffy

NNN2004

heruamon

SciFiBoy

Carl2291

zarx

Aion

Garnett

makingmusic476

People who believe the PC is a console/have not rebuttled/given a clear answer.                                                                                     

MAFFKA

silicon

gamesadict

flagship

A Bad Clown

1337 Gamer

Xoj

elgefe02

AlJense

Ronster316

FinalEvangelion

greenmedic88

Zlejedi

WereKitten 

haxxiy

SecondWar 

JerCotter7 

CaptainDJ

Mr Khan

dobby985

Seraphic_Sixaxis

patapon

WheelStriker

Vashyo

SeriousWB

tedsteriscool

hsrob

bmmb1

Chairman-Mao

phinch1

WiiBox3

JamesCizuz

Dinomax

"A PC is NOT a Console!!!!" - you're right, it's better.

Someone is going to come in here and tell you that you're wasting your time typing all of that because a PC is obviously not a gaming console, it's a gaming platform though.

"So you see, a PC is a device that does many things, A gaming console is a device that does gaming. And the definition for the term console, is basically something that is designed to do one task"

But but but the PS3 does everything, so it isn't a console too? :P

In what way, if you mean better at playing games it isnt, which is why PC game versions hardly sell compared to their console counterparts (Not counting games like The Sims and Age of Empires). For everything else it is

PS3 not a console. So Sony is in first place. Confirmed.

Most people who have a PC or a Mac, play games on them. Therefore, if there PC or Mac is good enough to play certain games, they will use there PC or Mac to play them, and then say there PC or Mac is what they use as there Gaming Consoles or Gaming tool of mass destruction.

Just because it doesn't sell as much doesn't mean it's not better.

Maybe, i suppose didnt really think my post through. Its more Ive heard of games like Halo and GTA 4 being ported onto the PC and I think they must be extremely awkward to play with a keyboard instead of and 360/PS3 controller.

Yes, but by your logic, the consoles might not be consoles, depending on the why of how people use them.