When a Console is better than your PC...

kylew_is_back · 21 Jun 2017 at 12:14

wesley said:
other thing about the PC build, you need a monitor with it so it'll cost more.

a game console where you already have a TV in the living room.

for me(and many others) it is the other way around, because I don't have TV in my home.

james.miller · 21 Jun 2017 at 13:12

Griffildur said:
It's interesting that people look at things from a gaming perspective only. Let's be clear, if all you do is game and with recent titles only then I'd give consoles a slight advantage. If you do other thnigs not just gaming and have a vast library of games going back decades then a console is useless. I buy loads of games on steam and gog, mostly when they are down to a few quid while console games cost an arm and a leg. Yeah you might be buying one and it might be cheaper but once you add annual membership fees and cost of games and devices then the deal is not so sweet anymore.

Finally, you can upgrade a PC and most of the time it will be a discrete component, good luck doing that with a console.

All I am saying is that there are many things to consider not just out right price. Take my computer for example, it's been running happily since 2011 and all I changed was the GPU. I wonder who's been using the same console, day in day out, for the past 7 years ...

I dont think many people do, however that's what you primarily buy a console for so that's the benchmark for comparison.

other thing about the PC build, you need a monitor with it so it'll cost more.

a game console where you already have a TV in the living room.

What if you already have a monitor? at some point, a screen will cost you regardless. whether you choose to include that with the cost of a console (ie, bought a one x, now need a 4k screen to go with it) is up to you, but that's not a pro or con of either platform. It's just a cost.

wesley · 21 Jun 2017 at 13:35

let say if i have a TV in the living room and dont have a PC.

if i want to spend £500 to play some games. so game console or PC?

you'll need a monitor on top of the PCbuild. unless you use the PC box on living room TV which is can be very impractical

tyler_jrb · 21 Jun 2017 at 16:50

wesley said:
let say if i have a TV in the living room and dont have a PC.

if i want to spend £500 to play some games. so game console or PC?

you'll need a monitor on top of the PCbuild. unless you use the PC box on living room TV which is can be very impractical

If you just wanted it for games then steam has a big picture mode similar to the xbox dashboard, open games library, purchase games or dlc, chat with friends. It also works with xbox controller.
You can configure non steam games to open with steam so it can be just as easy.

ljt · 21 Jun 2017 at 17:15

A steam link is no substitute for a console. I have one and the amount of issues trying to get some games to even display correctly put me right off.

GTA V - Showed a black screen 50% of the time

Mad Max - Showed a black screen unless you set the game to borderless

Mass Effect Andromeda - added from origin to steam. Game doesn't display correctly and doesn't accept the Xbox 360 controller inputs via the steam link

Only way to play these games on my tv is lug the pc tower downstairs.

Safe to say I prefer consoles most of the time for ease of use and pick up and play without much hassle.

I use my pc now mainly for games that simply aren't available on consoles like total war, endless space 2, hearts of iron etc

tyler_jrb · 21 Jun 2017 at 18:38

ljt said:
A steam link is no substitute for a console. I have one and the amount of issues trying to get some games to even display correctly put me right off.

GTA V - Showed a black screen 50% of the time

Mad Max - Showed a black screen unless you set the game to borderless

Mass Effect Andromeda - added from origin to steam. Game doesn't display correctly and doesn't accept the Xbox 360 controller inputs via the steam link

Only way to play these games on my tv is lug the pc tower downstairs.

Safe to say I prefer consoles most of the time for ease of use and pick up and play without much hassle.

I use my pc now mainly for games that simply aren't available on consoles like total war, endless space 2, hearts of iron etc

I never said a steam link.

I meant hooking your pc up to the TV itself. Tiny matx case next to TV would suit well with a similar form factor.

Just saying you can have it sign in automatically on windows and load straight into steam big picture mode to be just like a console if its just going to be used soley for gaming.

hobib_ali · 21 Jun 2017 at 22:10

V F said:
1060 Ti?

its got a 580 or 1060 equivalent gpu

Spud21 · 22 Jun 2017 at 12:09

Why is there always this argument when a new console is announced? Consoles always have a value edge when they are brand new as they are sold at a huge loss, but as per usual give it a 6 months to a year and you will be able to build a PC for a cost similar to the console now that will wipe the floor with it in terms of performance.

It has always been the way of things, people with high end pc's will always murder the consoles in performance, but the budget range will lag behind a long way at release and then catch up and surpass the console, then a new one will be released and people will get all butt hurt again as MS and sony have bought a ton of stuff from AMD and are selling it at 50% cost or there about.

Personally don't understand the fuss with 4k anyway at the moment, I would rather have an xbox 1 x that can run 1080p 144fps or 1440p 144fps over this OMG 4k when it's not rendering "proper" 4k anyway, frankly you need an absolute monster machine to do 4k properly. Tbh until 4k at 144hz is common then I'm not interested as I can't abide gaming on a 60hz monitor since switching to 144hz.

The xbox 1 x is a fantastic piece of kit, and although like my xbone it will never get used for gaming I will pick one up as a 4k blu-ray player when I upgrade my AV set up.

imginy · 22 Jun 2017 at 12:18

wesley said:
let say if i have a TV in the living room and dont have a PC.

if i want to spend £500 to play some games. so game console or PC?

you'll need a monitor on top of the PCbuild. unless you use the PC box on living room TV which is can be very impractical

I would love to know what's impractical about having your pc conected to living room tv? How is it any different to a console?

I have had mine plugged into my living toom tv for last 7 years can't understand what's impractical about it you just sit back on sofa with wireless mouse and away you go.

Gerinako · 22 Jun 2017 at 12:23

imginy said:
I would love to know what's impractical about having your pc conected to living room tv? How is it any different to a console?

I have had mine plugged into my living toom tv for last 7 years can't understand what's impractical about it you just sit back on sofa with wireless mouse and away you go.

Ditto

Although I've just switched back to a desk set up due to a bunch of RTS/RPG games that's been in my Steam Library for a few years that I now want to play and feel a desk set up would be better.

ljt · 22 Jun 2017 at 12:28

imginy said:
I would love to know what's impractical about having your pc conected to living room tv? How is it any different to a console?

I have had mine plugged into my living toom tv for last 7 years can't understand what's impractical about it you just sit back on sofa with wireless mouse and away you go.

It's not very practical when 50% of your PC game library are RTS/4X/Grand strat games etc. I've tried playing those via pc hooked up to TV on couch and it just isn't fun

ArmitageShanks · 22 Jun 2017 at 12:36

Spud21 said:
Why is there always this argument when a new console is announced? Consoles always have a value edge when they are brand new as they are sold at a huge loss, but as per usual give it a 6 months to a year and you will be able to build a PC for a cost similar to the console now that will wipe the floor with it in terms of performance.

I'm not sure either. The XBox One X is a fantastic bargain in terms of hardware - there is simply no way you could build an equivalent PC (or anything remotely comparable) for that price...at the moment. Microsoft and Sony sell these things at cost or a loss and recoup the profit on the games and subscriptions. That's the way it's been for a very long time. The console itself should really just seen as a platform enabler.

As for "native 4K" rendering, I'm sure it's perfectly capable, but it'll either come at a cost of capped framerates and/or environment detail. At the end of the day your average console gamer isn't going to care whether it's native 4K or checkerboard or that you can't see to the horizon in pin-sharp detail or that a particular lighting effect is missing in a particular scene. It's only PC enthusiasts who get hung up on such nonsense.

wesley · 22 Jun 2017 at 12:43

ljt said:
It's not very practical when 50% of your PC game library are RTS/4X/Grand strat games etc. I've tried playing those via pc hooked up to TV on couch and it just isn't fun

Exactly

I've tried play some PC games from the sofa and it was rubbish.

Nexus18 · 22 Jun 2017 at 12:57

Spud21 said:
Why is there always this argument when a new console is announced? Consoles always have a value edge when they are brand new as they are sold at a huge loss, but as per usual give it a 6 months to a year and you will be able to build a PC for a cost similar to the console now that will wipe the floor with it in terms of performance.

It has always been the way of things, people with high end pc's will always murder the consoles in performance, but the budget range will lag behind a long way at release and then catch up and surpass the console, then a new one will be released and people will get all butt hurt again as MS and sony have bought a ton of stuff from AMD and are selling it at 50% cost or there about.

I agree about these gen consoles i.e. xbox1x and ps 4 pro compared to PCs now but previous gen consoles were trash imo (I had the first 2 xbox's), not forgetting that PC hardware was also a fair bit cheaper back then too and PC versions of games were pretty damn good (+ there weren't nearly as many good ps/sony/xbox exclusives as what there is these days) especially when crossfire/SLI worked a lot better.

imginy · 22 Jun 2017 at 12:58

For me I would never go back to console, I haven't had chance to upgrade my gpu in a few years so I was a bit jelly ps4 pro was better than my pc, that was until I actually looked at some videos of them in action and was shocked how long the loading times were.

Also not having control of settings is the biggest thing for me if a game is running bad I can change a setting or if a game has a dodgy grain filter I can remove it etc... .

As for cost of console vs pc don't forget any second hand i5 from last few years would do if your on a budget and also you don't have subscription fees and games are cheaper.

I should be upgrading my gpu this year to 1070 or whatevers next I wouldn't dream of buying console

Spud21 · 22 Jun 2017 at 13:10

ArmitageShanks said:
I'm not sure either. The XBox One X is a fantastic bargain in terms of hardware - there is simply no way you could build an equivalent PC (or anything remotely comparable) for that price...at the moment. Microsoft and Sony sell these things at cost or a loss and recoup the profit on the games and subscriptions. That's the way it's been for a very long time. The console itself should really just seen as a platform enabler.

As for "native 4K" rendering, I'm sure it's perfectly capable, but it'll either come at a cost of capped framerates and/or environment detail. At the end of the day your average console gamer isn't going to care whether it's native 4K or checkerboard or that you can't see to the horizon in pin-sharp detail or that a particular lighting effect is missing in a particular scene. It's only PC enthusiasts who get hung up on such nonsense.

I don't care if the horizon is in pin point detail (although it is nice

) what i do care about is god awful fps, which with the power they have available is not going to be pretty, forza may well run at 4k/60 but will it be a solid 60?, even so, id rather play on my 1440p monitor at 144 fps, and anything that is mildly graphically taxing (racing games are not) is going to run at 4k/30 which is even worse, but like you say console gamers don't care about that sort of thing (ignorance is bliss

) When the power brick gave up on my ROG swift monitor, i had to go back to my old monitor and playing at 60hz was just not nice, even playing my xbone on my tv, something just doesnt feel right anymore.

imginy · 22 Jun 2017 at 13:18

ljt said:
It's not very practical when 50% of your PC game library are RTS/4X/Grand strat games etc. I've tried playing those via pc hooked up to TV on couch and it just isn't fun

Lol if 50% of your library is rts games and you play with keyboard and mouse then what use is the console.
(instead of pc)

TheRealDeal · 22 Jun 2017 at 13:18

Spud21 said:
I don't care if the horizon is in pin point detail (although it is nice ) what i do care about is god awful fps, which with the power they have available is not going to be pretty, forza may well run at 4k/60 but will it be a solid 60?, even so, id rather play on my 1440p monitor at 144 fps, and anything that is mildly graphically taxing (racing games are not) is going to run at 4k/30 which is even worse, but like you say console gamers don't care about that sort of thing (ignorance is bliss ) When the power brick gave up on my ROG swift monitor, i had to go back to my old monitor and playing at 60hz was just not nice, even playing my xbone on my tv, something just doesnt feel right anymore.

Yea what doesn't feel right is it's an Xbone

I mainly play PC but i do have a lot of friends that play on PS4. The simple fix for me was to buy an XIM4 and use Keyboard and Mouse when playing with them. My Ps4 is hooked up to my monitor. If i want to play on TV i just break out the 10m HDMI cable and plug it in and use the pad. I like gaming on all systems. Zelda breatyh of the wild is a great game and my daughter happened to be 16 this year and wanted a switch so that solved that problem. Great console experience and no need for 100's of fps.

Spud21 · 22 Jun 2017 at 13:23

TheRealDeal said:
Yea what doesn't feel right is it's an Xbone

Well there is that

Tbh the only reason I bought it was because of the NFL game pass app, was between a PS4 a Nvidia Shield and the xbone and the xbone has proper integration of the NFL app

TheRealDeal · 22 Jun 2017 at 13:29

Spud21 said:
Well there is that Tbh the only reason I bought it was because of the NFL game pass app, was between a PS4 a Nvidia Shield and the xbone and the xbone has proper integration of the NFL app

I used to have PC and all the consoles but this time round i thought the Xbone was to week in comparison to the Ps4 spec wise. Now it seems the PC is getting all the Xbox exclusives pretty much so no need for me to buy it as in a sense i already have a superior one that will play the games. Sony and Nintendo have there own exclusives that i love to play so bought there consoles. PC is still king especially for online. Sony imo make the best exclusives that i don't want to miss out on. Me and my mates usually get a crate or 2 in and swap the pad about on games like Uncharted 4. Still hoping to get my PC upgraded some time this year along with a new Monitor. Probably be going Freesync Vega if it's any good. There always seems to be other things taking priority over my money unlike back in my 20's where gaming and having the top hardware was first in line.