They aren't beat by price though or time, the caveat you are forgetting is in order to get that price you have to research, build, hope to dear lord nothing is wrong with the parts you bought, then hope that the games you are buying work well with what you have, then if they do, hope some driver doesn't fuck everything up, etc. I have a PC and still do not exactly evangelize the platform because of its problems. It is not what the majority will put up with, and these guys are not bringing those points to light. Neither are you btw. Also it is easy to find console games on sale, sales are not specific to steam or the PC.
A console you plug in, buy subscription, patch, play. its that easy and nothing else needs to be done.
Come on man, you think the public is stupid, they're not that stupid.
If they can set up a PS4, they can set up a PC.