The PC vs. console debate is stale and pointless by now, but we can always agree on some things. In terms of superior graphics and performance, gaming PCs easily beat consoles, even modern ones. Despite upgraded specs and ray tracing now present on the latest generation of consoles, a good gaming PC is still the best way to experience games that prioritize next-gen visuals.

Additionally, a keyboard and mouse are arguably better suited to certain genres of games. Some games highlight these points better than others, so these are exactly the titles I want to discuss today. From single-player adventures to online multiplayer shooters, and next-gen RPGs to decade-old classics, let's shed some light on the games that make it clear that gaming PCs still outshine consoles.

10 Dragon Age: The Veilguard (2024)

It's the age of the PC

Fans of the Dragon Age series were waiting for Dragon Age: The Veilguard for a long time, and most of them were delighted with what they got. The latest installment in the series not only comes with state-of-the-art visuals, but also an interesting story, likable characters, and improved combat. Even if you are new to the series, but love to sink hundreds of hours into engaging RPGs, this one should definitely be on your list.

Between consoles and PCs, the experience is far better on the latter, and not just because of the superior visuals. This type of game lends itself better to a keyboard and mouse than a controller. Plus, the extensive catalog of mods ensures consoles can never come close to the PC in terms of keeping the game fresh and replayable, long after players have exhausted the original content.

9 Red Dead Redemption 2 (2019)

Experience the masterpiece on a PC

What more can we say about Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption 2 that hasn't already been shouted from the rooftops? It's a masterpiece, a must-play experience, and one of the handful of games which transcend the medium. Arthur Morgan's story is set in a world that is shockingly realistic, incredibly beautiful, and remarkably believable.

Launched originally on the PS4, its PC port is arguably the definitive way to play it. You get access to superior graphical settings, greater control over the experience, and higher frame rates to truly soak in Rockstar's magnum opus. Moreover, if you want even more, you can turn to the modding scene and augment your experience.

8 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015)

Enhanced with the PC in mind

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was already one of the most immersive games ever, long before the enhanced edition came out. The trilogy-capping installment delivered on all fronts — a satisfying conclusion to the story, improved combat versus the previous games, and next-gen visuals that hold up to this day. It wasn't for nothing that it received multiple Game of the Year awards.

With a decently powerful PC, you can experience the game in all its glory, thanks to superior textures, ray tracing, and frame rates. Many players will also appreciate the easier control with a keyboard and mouse and the endless replayability that comes with the top-tier mods available for the game. We also know that The Witcher 4 is coming and will surely take the genre to new heights.

7 Batman Arkham Knight (2015)

The PC is your knight in shining armor

The PC port of Batman Arkham Knight might have launched with numerous performance issues and bugs, but Rocksteady fixed those issues long ago through a series of patches. Even if you have played the game before on your console, revisiting it on a PC is something I would recommend any day. The Batmobile might be overused throughout the game, but don't let that take away from the overall experience.

Thanks to an unlocked frame rate, way better particle effects, and superior textures and lighting, the PC port of Arkham Knight does justice to the version of Gotham that we see in the concluding installment. Even in 2024, it is hard to believe this game came out in 2015. There have been other Batman games after Arkham Knight, but none have come close to the weight of the game's story and visual flair.

6 Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus (2017)

Better on a PC by a colossal margin

Machine Games' Wolfenstein titles came as a breath of fresh air, reinvigorating the series with modern visuals and gameplay mechanics. The New Order was a great start to the series, but The New Colossus took things to a whole new level. Fans probably only expected the sequel to feature a fascinating story and slightly improved visuals, but Machine Games had other things planned.

The game featured greatly improved visuals, an expansive and bolder narrative, and a satisfying conclusion to BJ Blazkovicz's story. Even the controls felt better on PC, especially during tense moments of combat. The game isn't bad on consoles, but if you want a more immersive experience, the PC is the place to play it.

5 Helldivers II (2024)

Gain a competitive edge on a PC

Helldivers 2 might be relatively new to the world of online multiplayer shooters, but it has quickly gained prominence as one of the most entertaining and visually impressive titles available. Packed with fairly engaging lore, fast-paced action, and a rewarding gameplay loop, Helldivers 2 offers endless online fun for you and your squad.

As one of the best-looking multiplayer games available, you'll find it much more impressive on a powerful gaming PC versus a console. The intense action in the game plays much better on the keyboard and mouse, and the superior graphical horsepower ensures you rarely have to deal with dropped frames when striving for victory.

4 Resident Evil 4 (2023)

A modern retelling of an old classic

The remakes of Resident Evil 1, 2, and 3 were so successful that we all knew that Resident Evil 4 would get the same treatment. What Capcom delivered was, once again, a faithful retelling of an old classic combined with next-gen visuals and largely improved controls.

Honestly, the game looks fantastic even on the PS4, but the real contest is between modern consoles and the PC. Consoles like the PS5 now have access to ray tracing, but the PC still reigns supreme in the implementation of ray traced visuals. Even the textures look better on the PC, and combined with more accurate shadows and lighting without compromising frame rates, this makes the console version fall behind, although not by a huge margin.

3 Control (2019)

Deep dive into this ray tracing showcase

Control was one of the first games to truly leverage ray tracing to the fullest, creating a next-gen gaming experience at the time. Remedy's brand of mind-bending narrative and unique gameplay, mixed with the game's superb graphics, ensured that Control took its place among some of the best titles of the last decade.

While modern consoles now allow players to appreciate the ray traced graphics of Control, they are no match for a high-end gaming PC, where you can dial every setting up to 11 and still enjoy high frame rates, thanks to the power of modern graphics cards. The game might be over five years old, but it's still too demanding for most PCs, especially at 4K.

2 Alan Wake 2 (2023)

Wake up to the glory of PCMR

Another Remedy title on the list, Alan Wake 2, saw the company repeat their earlier feat of taking gaming visuals into the next generation. The path-traced visuals of the game and the mesh shaders at the core of it all ensured that the game would not only look incredibly lifelike but also bring modern PCs to their knees.

The graphical demands of the Alan Wake sequel made it impossible to truly experience it on consoles. Without the might of Nvidia's RTX 40 series graphics cards, supported by DLSS and Frame Generation, you would be playing a totally different game. Even without ray tracing enabled, Alan Wake 2 belongs to a different class of games, thanks to its ground-up implementation of next-gen graphical techniques.

1 Cyberpunk 2077 (2020)

This Night City legend needs a legendary PC

Despite being older than Alan Wake 2, Cyberpunk 2077 is arguably the poster child for next-gen, path-traced graphics. When it came out in 2020, the game suffered from disastrous bugs and visual artifacts on both PCs and consoles, but it soon became the game that CD Projekt Red always wanted to put out.

Whether you wish to play the game on the highest ray tracing preset, test your PC's mettle with the path tracing mode, or take things to the next level with mods that bring the game closer to reality, it's all truly possible only on a handful of graphics cards. The next game in the series will undoubtedly push gaming visuals to new heights, and the PC will remain the definitive platform on which to experience it.

What's in a platform? Apparently, a lot

Gaming PCs allow players to unlock a higher frame rates, slicker visuals, and more convenient controls (in most cases) compared to consoles. Consoles have their strengths, but if you want the best possible visual experience, you must get a gaming PC. It costs much more than a console to get a PC that conclusively beats it, but you can derive much more performance from your PC than a console.

Even games originally released for consoles end up getting a better technical and visual treatment for PC gaming later. So, if you can wait for the exclusives to come out on PC, there's little reason to buy a console unless the advantages of consoles make more sense to you.