Like it or not, the "next" generation of consoles are now the "current" generation as the PS4 and Xbox One have become the new standard. Most, if not all, of the coverage from E3 will be focused on games for those two consoles -- as well as personal computers.

Console-like gaming PCs are become popular, and cheaper, ahead of Valve's official Steam machine. But are these machines, like the Alienware Alpha, a good fit for sports gamers? Here are a few pros and cons to ponder if you are considering purchasing this type of machine for your sports action.

Price

I recently bought the base model Alienware Alpha for just above $300, thanks to a nice rebate/sale combination I found online. This does not offer a significant savings over buying an Xbox One ($350) or PS4 ($400), at least on the surface. However, what's included in that price does increase the value a bit.

First, in addition to a decent performing game machine, I do have the added benefit of a full-featured Windows 8 machine. Now, I don't plan on doing my taxes or sending emails from my couch, but it is an option. It also provides a great alternative to web-browsing, at least compared to the built-in browsers found on most consoles.

Further savings can be factored in when you look at the games. My Steam library is pretty big, mostly filled with games I bought during sales or through programs like Humble Bundle. So, upon firing up the PC, I already had a library of over 100 titles, along with the knowledge of an ongoing Steam Summer Sale. Face it, even with the best PS Flash Sales or Xbox Gold prices, it's hard to beat a Steam sale for deep discounts.

Games

When the Xbox 360 was announced, I was very happy to read about backwards compatibility, an option that never fully materialized. I actually ended up re-buying an original Xbox, just to play gems like MVP 2005.

This is not really an issue with a PC unless you run across a title that simply is not compatible with anything post-Windows 95. And, thanks to sites like GOG.com, buying vintages titles is easier and cheaper than ever.

Plus, many of my favorite games, like the Civilization series, never seem to find their way onto consoles (Civ Revolution does not count). The wealth of PC games, outside the sports genre, is a huge benefit.

However, if we are exclusively looking at sports games, the picture is a little dimmer. Outside of text sims and racing games, the PC sports landscape is rather barren. 2K does solid work here porting its major sports games to PC, but FIFA is EA's only routine PC title. In other words, it's still not a given we will see things like Madden or NHL on PCs.

Performance

There's something to owning a console that's easy, in the literal sense of "plug and play." I know that when I put in a game it will (or at least should) work without any effort on my part. Games are optimized for the system. Online gameplay varies only in connection speed. Generally speaking, things are neat and uniform.

PCs, on the other hand, are a bit more messy. As great as Steam is in the grand scheme of things, I've still experienced more crashes in a month of using a gaming PC than in an entire year on a PS4. These are not debilitating or even that annoying; I just usually have to check a setting, adjust and I'm good.

These tweaks are part of the process of using a computer, and for me it's a part I enjoy. I like fiddling and trying to get the best performance out of games. However, I realize that many users want the simple experience, and for that I can't blame them.

That said, I know that many users swear by PCs for their AAA games because they often look better and are able to be modified, which extends their virtual shelf-life. Look at the aforementioned MVP series for an example of what can be done on a PC long after the console version is gone.

Final Thoughts

If you are considering an Alienware, Syber or even the long-awaited Steam Machine then consider the above issues. Do you already have a large Steam library? Do you primarily play Madden, The Show or other titles that aren't regularly available on PC? Will you be happy with a user experience that may require some tweaking?

For me, the console-like PC has been a great companion to, not a replacement for, my PS4 and/or Xbox One. It allows me to play the non-sports games I like on a TV from the comfort of my couch, and it has opened up a vast library of games I might ordinary overlook.

However, until the major titles are available on PC, a true console still needs to be in the sports gamer's living room.