Is PC gaming dying?

[UltraTaco]

What do you think? Nowadays, consoles give such impressive graphics at half the cost and size and noise of worthy pc build, it's hard to justify buying/building a pc for gaming anymore

Graphics card itself cost as much and more than a whole console! Why not have a tablet for internet and checking mail and game with a console, or can you do those things on that too?

I remember seeing console players being named 'peasants' on few occasions, but I disagree. Could they be considered more informed, or enlightened gamers?

 

[Johan45]

No, last I read PC gaming is still pretty strong and improving.
Why is it better?
Visuals and audio for one and a big seller I think is that you're not shoe-horned into games for one platform so a wider selection

 

[UltraTaco]

Ok. Here are a few links from Wal-Mart.com:

View attachment 201860

View attachment 201861

and then, there's this...

View attachment 201862

see the problem?

 

[Kenrou]

You can do a PC budget build and still have better graphics/speed then the best console in the market, just look at the specs - https://www.theverge.com/2017/10/30/16569422/sony-ps4-pro-vs-microsoft-xbox-one-x-spec-comparison

Xbox - https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/xbox-one-x-gpu.c2977

CPU - jaguar -> AMD FX-8100
GPU - Scorpio -> RX 580/ GTX 1060 3gb
MEM - 12gb - why ?

Playstation - https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/playstation-4-pro-gpu.c2876

CPU - jaguar -> AMD FX-8100
GPU - Scorpio -> Radeon HD 7970
MEM - 8gb

Up to the individual needs, i still prefer not having to pay through the roof for games and i love my keyboard and mouse (seriously, will NEVER trade them for a gamepad). Plus there's a ton of really good games you can't get in consoles like World of Warcraft.

 

[UltraTaco]

Yes, but for some reason, those specs work wonders in a console. I'd like to see someone play 4k using a gtx 1060. (Not minecraft)

 

[Kenrou]

Games for consoles are specifically programmed to run on a console with all the hardware restrictions. As to 1060 gaming :

 

[EarthDog]

You act like a computer is ONLY for gaming... Perhaps if you get that thought out of your head, the value of a PC becomes so much more. If it is just to game, the value proposition isn't there, you are correct. But they are, in most cases, 'better' at gaming with increased image quality and potentially better audio.

As far as 4K and a 1060... like Kenrou sort of got at.... games for consoles know EXACTLY what hardware is in there and the games programmed specifically for that hardware. Think Apple ecosystem... its all one hardware so app devs can program efficiencies since its coding for one set of hardware and not a nearly infinite amount of possibilities.

 

[UltraTaco]

Kenrou,
Well, you obviously have to tweak settings to get xbox experience. Looks like he forgot mini+case in the list. And he had to overclock the ryzen. Not including assembly time either. Xbox you just plug and play.

ED,
While that is correct, PC is not meant to be an economical gaming machine. It has to brute force itself through the game to get similar graphics and performance compared to console.

 

[Alaric]

Yeah, but now you can lease a 1080 Ti from Nvidia on their server, so you don't really need a "gaming" rig. I used to think we would all end up with a ported console instead of personal computers, but mobile computing leapfrogged hardware that's stuck to a location, along with cloud services, etc.. Home computing will consist of a smart TV and a game controller. Steam has your games, Nvidia has your GPU, storage is off site, and your wife will be complaining "When are you going to get that ugly box out of here? It doesn't do anything but take up space." And, God willing and the creek don't rise, I'll be dead by then. LOL

 

[EarthDog]

ED,
While that is correct, PC is not meant to be an economical gaming machine. It has to brute force itself through the game to get similar graphics and performance compared to console.

I know it isn't meant to be an economical gaming machine. I said as much.

PC graphics can look better than console and perform much better... that is the whole draw to a PC over a conosle (that and it can do soooooooooo much more which helps to justify the cost). Aren't consoles at 24 FPS or have they bumped it up to 60 FPS?

 

[UltraTaco]

30fps. And 60fps. And at times everything in between.
And of course games can look better in a $1000pc, and even better on$2000 pc!

 

[Kenrou]

Points being that PC gaming is not dead or dying by a mile. PC can do MUCH better not only in the graphics department but also with moding and nowadays everyone and their mother has a half decent setup. And as ED said, no one uses the PC just for games, that would be a waste of money.

You want a quick plug and play with friends without hassle and don't have issues with lower graphics quality you go console. You want to game with all the shinies bells and whistles and mods and you can see forever and ever in-game you sell a kidney for a good PC (like AMD to Intel if you want a comparison). It's been like that for pretty much since I remember - consoles were never supposed to be better, they are supposed to be "good enough".

 

[Alaric]

consoles were never supposed to be better, they are supposed to be "good enough".

Yup. You got consoles for your kids, and when the kids grow up they join the PC Master Race. LOL

 

[UltraTaco]

But performance to price can't be beat! We talk about this every day several times a day. Think amd vs. Intel 'discussions'. I wouldn't call console just good enough. Besides, did you see the console case vs computer case? Its like hunk o'junk covered in fans and leds vs a neat looking book sized box. It's wonderful!

 

[dfonda]

I prefer PC, if I can get the game on PC...

But to even the playing field the Steam sales alone do that. Consoles $60 a game 10 games $600...PC's on summer sale 10 $100. I rarely buy full price games on PC, do to the long backlog.

Do console games ever go on sale anymore?

and per my thread in console games, I am contemplating buying a PS4 pro just to play RD 2 and Uncharted 4...No practicality in gaming no matter how you play them...

and to add ,my PC with a 1080 Ti will still out perform the next gen PS, I'll bet on that. Bottom line as a gamer play them however you can, we are all after fun and we all pay the piper to satisfy the addiction

 

[JLK03F150]

With consoles (just like PCs need upgrading) you need to upgrade (replace) the console if you are a fan of a game series. How many Play Stations would you need to own to be able to play the entire GTA series? I don't know the answer, but I'm guessing you would need several of them.

My wife is a fan of Zelda. The last two we played were on the Wii. I think to play the next two in the series we need two different newer Nintendo platforms.

 

[Kenrou]

But performance to price can't be beat! We talk about this every day several times a day. Think amd vs. Intel 'discussions'. I wouldn't call console just good enough.

Good enough - to play all games available for it at X resolution and X fps at X graphic settings (usually medium/high when compared to PC version), and all console games are designed to run SPECIFICALLY at that resolution and fps and graphic settings. It doesn't have the flexibility of PC's if that makes sense, coders have to work harder to deal with the hundreds/thousands of hardware variations that might cause instability.

 

[Alaric]

It doesn't have the flexibility of PC's if that makes sense, coders have to work harder to deal with the hundreds/thousands of hardware variations that might cause instability.

And this is probably part of why console games are so plentiful. Another advantage (for game developers) is they all have the same hardware. AMD APUs are powering every console. Throw in the hard cap on frame rates and the final bonus from an unexpected direction, the PCMR constantly keeping the console kiddies expectations low, and you have a formula for success. LOL

 

[UltraTaco]

Well sure, and at the moment we're trying to help another PC gamer with microstutters. Whole 12 pages by now!(or however it shows up on other browsers), and nobody knows what's going on!

Its all smooth sailing if you have a PC!

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Well sure, and at the moment we're trying to help another PC gamer with microstutters. Whole 12 pages by now!(or however it shows up on other browsers), and nobody knows what's going on!

Its all smooth sailing if you have a PC!

 

[Kenrou]

Its all smooth sailing if you have a PC!

It is MOST of the time like consoles, I bet you that when we do figure it out it's going to be something simple we overlooked. But consoles have their fair share of problems as well, I remember the Xbox 360 having heat problems and simply dying, Xbox one drive making grinding sounds and not accepting any discs, Playstation/Xbox damaged hdmi ports/cables, turning off for seemingly no reason, freezing, running out of space if you got more then a few AAA games and the list goes on and on.

No system is perfect sadly, but usually you have a better shot at fixing it on the PC where you can actually open the case and change parts freely without needing to take it to the shop - and 95% of the time it just needs a reboot anyway