5 Reasons Why Getting a PS5 Made Me Ditch My Gaming PC

I have been a PC gamer for as long as I can remember. Starting with an Intel Pentium III rig back in 2001, my entire childhood has been spent around mouse and keyboards. And while I did get a Sony PS2 back in the day, there was something special about staring down a CRT monitor while sitting taut on your chair, concentrating on Megaman. Sure, I did use a controller or two, but the allure of a computer was unmatchable.

That love only grew as I got a gaming rig with all the bells and whistles. However, in the last few years, something changed. Whether it was broken gaming ports, frequent Windows glitches, or simple boredom, I had enough. So I did what any gamer does: I went to Amazon and blew my savings on a PS5.

That was about a year ago. My PC? Well, it’s collecting dust in my kitchen, and it will stay that way. If you already have your pitchforks out, I request you to hold on a few minutes as I convince you of the five reasons why I love my PS5 so much that it made me ditch my ex, my gaming PC.

1. Plug and Play Just Works

For me, the primary use of a computer has always been gaming. There was a time when I absolutely loved clicking the power button and booting it up. Hearing those fans turn on and my monitor come to life was an amazing feeling. However, what always followed was a long process that had me open three different clients for just one game.

This was usually accompanied by these clients crashing, refusing to log in, and god knows what else. And if that wasn’t enough, the games themselves were a nightmare. There are only so many times I can patiently wait for the shader cache to boot up (looking at you, Far Cry 6)

A PlayStation, on the other hand, is a different experience altogether. As a chronically tired working professional, all I have to do now is press the PS button, and my console comes to life. After that, it’s just a matter of choosing what I want to play and jumping right in. It’s effortless. This entire process takes less than two minutes, and that’s exactly how I like it.

Call it getting old or simply preferring simplicity, but somehow, clicking a single button and being transported into a game speaks to me in a way a gaming PC doesn’t.

Call it getting old or simply preferring simplicity, but somehow, clicking a single button and being transported into a game speaks to me in a way a gaming PC doesn’t. That, to me, is a solid reason for sticking with my PS5. If there ever comes a time when it becomes that simple, I am happy to come back. Until then? Not so much.

2. Turns out You Don’t Need so Much Customization

It’s an age-old argument. A gaming PC gives you access to things console casuals will never relate to. If I had a game for how many times I have been told you can fine-tune your graphics, I would own Steam’s whole library. Here’s the thing though: I don’t care much for it.

Yeah, PS5 having its OS does mean I am locked into Sony’s ecosystem. And while some will call it a walled garden, I prefer to see it as a beautiful stroll in the park. There is a certain kind of satisfaction in booting up your console and navigating an experience that you know is familiar. The fluent UI, the consistent animations, and everything else the PS5 uses make for a ride that works.

However, it is not lost on me that there are, well, some things I cannot do on my PS5 that a PC can breeze through. This includes adjusting graphics, changing systems, or even browsing the Internet. However, as I told you already, I used a PC for gaming anyway, so it doesn’t bother me. After all, the PS5 is more of a console than an entire desktop, but that’s the price you pay for comfort. Just like when I bought my iPhone and didn’t go back to Android, I am staying with this console.

3. Optimization Is a Bliss

Of course, I hate the fact that console games are more expensive than PCs. This is exactly why when Alan Wake 2 (review) came out, I bought it for my PC and began playing. An hour into the game, I was regretting it. Later, I found that Alan Wake 2 was buggy on PC at launch, and I paid the price.

The constant stuttering, the frame skips, the ghosting, and the constant crashes made for a horrible experience. I spent an eternity trying to fix it, but when you are getting 37 FPS on an RTX 3070 at 720p, you know there’s something wrong.

So I refunded that copy (thanks, Epic) and immediately bought one on PS5, and the rest is history. My entire playthrough on the console was unhindered by any bugs or glitches. Not to mention, I got a stable 60 FPS experience. Sitting there and enjoying my time, something dawned on me. There is absolutely no point in paying less money only to give that away in time. I would rather pay a premium and avoid the headache.

Yes, it comes with its own tradeoffs. I can’t play 4K on 60FPS, and I can’t adjust more than two settings in a game. But at least I get a stable gaming experience. And guess what? That’ll do.

4. No, I Don’t Miss the Keyboard and Mouse

I have never been much of a competitive gamer. And yes, even though I do have over 3,000 hours clocked in R6 Siege, my heart has always been with narrative experiences. As such, I have always played the latter with an Xbox controller hooked up to my PC. This is why when I switched over to the PS5, the transition was seamless.

There is something special about going through the likes of Uncharted 4, Last of Us, and Spider-Man 2 (review) and enjoying them with a controller. Did I have trouble playing The Finals or COD on the PS5? You bet it did. Was the trouble enough to make me go running to my PC that’s collecting dust? No, not even close.

I don’t miss my keyboard and mouse. If you’re a player in love with competitive experiences, stay away from the PS5 and buy a PC instead. However, if all you want to do is melt down onto your couch and boot up a story adventure, then you will know what I’m talking about.

5. I Need the Exclusives

I don’t care how much like a broken record I sound right now. Console exclusives retain a charm that just can’t be replaced. Call it the forbidden fruit or simply wanting it all; I absolutely love the exclusives that PS5 has brought me. After all this time, God of War: Ragnarok remains the most memorable title I have played on this console.

However, I do acknowledge that Sony is bringing a lot of the exclusives to the PC market now. This includes some of my favorites, like Ghost of Tsushima (coming to PC), which I devoured.

In other cases, that would be a problem. But the satisfaction of knowing I’ll most likely play GTA 6 the first, along with an experience that won’t make me tear my hair out to get it going, I will stick to the exclusives found on this console.

That concludes my short rant on the biggest reasons why buying a PS5 made me ditch my gaming PC. However, as with everything else in life, your mileage may vary. If you are a heavy gamer who absolutely needs everything the PC provides, by all means, stick to it.

But to that, I’ll say wait until you get older and start preferring comfort. Still don’t think so? Drop your opinions in the comments below.