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How to Choose a Console or PC Setup for a Large Open-World Game

Choose your setup around the games you want, the screen you own, and the performance you expect. Here’s how to compare console and PC requirements without assuming one platform is best for everyone.
Length5 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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Start with the specific games you want to play, then choose a platform that supports them and can deliver the resolution and frame rate you want on your screen. For a PC, compare its exact components with the game’s current official requirements. There is no universal console-versus-PC winner: game support, existing equipment, storage needs, preferred controls, and local prices all affect the decision.

Check that your games are available on the platform

Make a short list of the games you actually plan to play and verify each one on an official publisher or store page before buying hardware. Platform support varies by title. For example, Amazon Games lists New World: Aeternum for PC (Steam), Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5. PlayStation documents a PC edition of Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition. Those examples do not establish that other open-world games support the same platforms.

Check the specific edition as well as the platform: a listing for one edition or release does not guarantee that every version has identical features or requirements.

Decide what performance and display you want

Choose a target resolution, frame rate, and graphics quality before comparing a PC’s price or parts. Resolution describes image detail; frame rate describes how many frames are displayed each second. A higher target can require more capable hardware, and the monitor or television must support the experience you intend to use.

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Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition provides a concrete, game-specific example. Its publisher’s March 2024 PC targets pair different hardware classes with these average-performance goals:

Published tier Average target and preset Example GPU Example CPU
Minimum 720p at 30 fps, very low GTX 1650 4 GB or RX 5500 XT 4 GB Core i3-8100 or Ryzen 3 1300X
Recommended 1080p at 60 fps, medium RTX 3060 or RX 5700 Core i5-8600 or Ryzen 5 3600
High 1440p at 60 fps or 4K at 30 fps, high RTX 3070 or RX 6800 Core i7-9700 or Ryzen 7 3700X
Very high 4K at 60 fps, very high RTX 4080 or RX 7900 XT Core i7-11700 or Ryzen 7 5700X

All four Horizon Forbidden West PC tiers specify 16 GB RAM, Windows 10 64-bit version 1909 or higher, and a 150 GB SSD. The listed frame rates are publisher targets for that game, not guarantees for every scene or PC configuration. The publisher also describes graphics presets spanning a range of PC hardware; that does not mean any particular machine can meet every target.

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A 4K display alone does not make a PC capable of rendering a game at 4K at a chosen frame rate. Match the screen to the performance target and check the game’s requirements against the PC as well. PlayStation’s product page lists 1080p, 1440p, and 4K targets and notes that 4K requires a compatible PC and 4K display. It also documents ultrawide and triple-monitor support, graphics settings that can allow unlocked frame rates, and features such as DLSS 3, FSR, XeSS, DLAA, and Reflex; availability depends on compatible hardware.

Requirements differ between games, so do not use one game’s table as a universal PC-buying guide. For comparison, Santa Monica Studio’s God of War Ragnarök PC requirements, updated August 13, 2024, list five targets from average 1080p at 30 fps on low through 4K at 60 fps on ultra, with different GPU and memory requirements by tier. The studio describes those listed resolutions as native and says no upscaling technology is used for those targets. Because the titles’ published targets use different specifications and methodologies, they should not be treated as a direct performance comparison.

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Compare a PC against the exact requirements

Open the current official PC requirements for each game you care about. Compare the model of the processor and graphics card—not just a broad label like “gaming PC”—along with memory, operating system, and storage. If you are buying a new PC, use the requirement tier that matches your intended resolution and performance rather than assuming that minimum requirements will deliver a higher preset or frame rate.

  • CPU and GPU: Check the named models in the game’s chosen tier and avoid assuming that a component recommended for one game is suitable for all open-world games.
  • Memory and operating system: Confirm the listed RAM capacity and OS version.
  • Storage: Check both the required free capacity and any stated drive type or read-speed requirement.
  • Features: Treat upscaling, frame-generation, and other graphics features as conditional on game support and compatible hardware.

New World: Aeternum illustrates why checking the exact page matters: its PC requirements specify Windows 10/11 64-bit, broadband internet, 100 GB available space, and disk-read-speed figures that vary between minimum and recommended configurations. Amazon Games says PC specifications may continue to evolve, so recheck the current requirements before purchase.

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Account for storage and platform-specific expansion

Install sizes can be substantial and vary by game. The cited PC requirements list 150 GB of SSD space for every Horizon Forbidden West tier. Amazon Games lists 100 GB available space for New World: Aeternum on PC and consoles; its PC listing also includes disk-read-speed requirements. These are title-specific figures, not a general storage allowance for open-world games.

Compare each game’s current requirement with free capacity on the system you plan to use. Before buying a console drive or expansion card, confirm that it is compatible with your exact console model and meets the platform’s current storage rules.

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Choose the setup that fits how you play

PC versions can offer choices in graphics settings, supported displays, and input devices, but the options depend on the game and hardware. Consoles and PCs should be compared against the games and features you value rather than assumed to have identical versions.

If you prefer playing from the couch, a controller can also be part of a PC setup. PlayStation lists DualSense support for Horizon Forbidden West on PC; it says a wired connection is required for the full range of controller features, and some features depend on game support. Check the feature notes for the particular PC game before choosing a controller on that basis.

Compare the whole setup, not just the console or PC

Write down the cost of the platform hardware, any display you need, the games, relevant subscriptions, storage expansion, and likely upgrades. Use current prices in your country and account for equipment you already own. A PC that meets a chosen target may also require a suitable monitor; a console purchase may involve its own display or storage decisions. No universal price comparison establishes that one platform is always cheaper.

  1. List your must-play games. Verify their supported platforms and editions on official pages.
  2. Set a performance goal. Decide on resolution, frame rate, and graphics quality, then check that your screen supports the desired output.
  3. Check the PC requirements where relevant. Match CPU, GPU, memory, OS, and storage against the tier for that goal.
  4. Check capacity and compatibility. Allow for game installation space and verify any planned storage expansion for your exact platform.
  5. Price the complete setup. Include games, display, storage, subscriptions where relevant, and any upgrades using local prices.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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