Console vs. PC Gaming - Pros / Cons?

[Forsale]

Originally posted by Crazyjoker77
to myself how I spent so much money on this...


» Click image for larger version [/B]

Wow nice! what monitor mount is that?

[schocker]

Originally posted by Swank
Seems like a constant struggle to make sure all the PC parts are compatible with new games. Graphics card too slow, new graphics card needs more power so need a new PSU. Processor too low end, upgrade that but won't fit in mobo, need to replace mobo, oh now old RAM won't work with it, need new RAM

With consoles the first and last game made for it over 5+ years just works, no playing around with graphics settings either.

The scalability of computer games allows them to run on more computers than ever. With the minimal CPU gains seen of late, a midrange PC also lasts for a pretty long time. My 5+ yr old computer could still run games very well and that was just a midrange i5. I just felt like building something new. Games also do a pretty good job of auto-choosing graphical settings though and additional software like the Nvidia control panel can set this also based on your specs. Computers are more efficient as time goes on also so my current computer has less power requirements than my last build. The GTX 970 I have had a TDP of 145W and the new 1070 which is way more powerful is only 150W. My i5 2500k had a TDP of 95w while my i7 6700k has 91W. Everything is pretty ezpz now compared to back in the day.

[Crazyjoker77]

Originally posted by Forsale


Wow nice! what monitor mount is that?

The bottom is just the stock stand for a acer predator.

The two upper are wall mounted with

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Its full motion articulation and makes moving them around. Its also modular and can be configured to almost any screen config. Has desk mounts as well.


PC MASTER RACE


Comparing PCs to consoles is about the equivalent of comparing a amish horse and buggy to a mac truck...

[Swank]

I want to like PC gaming more, I really do. Why have 2 devices when one should be able to do it all? I have a mid range PC that I built about 3 years ago (i5-3570k CPU, R7 260X 2GB GPU, 16GB RAM, 500w PSU, intel SSD) and I can't even run games like Dead Rising 2, Watch Dogs, or Just Cause 2 without it crashing every hour or so. Tomb Raider and Rise of the Tomb Raider work remarkably well. The crash reports usually take me to forums where 20 other guys are having the same problem but never get a resolution. My drivers are very up to date. So I deal with the crashing rather than start gambling on replacing components one at a time, not knowing which one is causing the problem. I can't even dream of running anything like Forza Horizon 3 or Watch Dogs 2, and where is Red Dead Redemption for PC dammit, haha.

I know, you can get a dud console just as easily (RROD anyone?), maybe my real problem is I'm so jelly of Crazyjoker77's set up

[schocker]

^^^ You should post what the error is and someone here can probably figure it out. Sounds like it could be something with temps. since it is after a while of gaming though not all games. Your computer should definitely be able to play those games.

[Recca168]

It kinda depends on the game. Sports games and RPGs I generally play on console cause I rather sit on the couch for those. FPSs and RTS games I find you have to play on a PC. Can't stand those games on a console.

I was hoping the whole Steam Machine thing would take off. The new consoles are pretty much low end PCs anyway now. Then I could just buy games off steam and they'd just work on a PC or "console". I did build one though. The Linux game selection is terrible so it pretty much only use it to run Kodi

[schocker]

^^^Have you tried the steam controller at all? I heard it can work ok with slower RTS probably something like CIV with the track pad. Haven't tried it myself though.

For those that also want to play on their tv, devices like a steam link or nvidia shield allow you to stream from your gaming pc to your TV. That way you can play on either setup.

[civic_stylez]

Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt
I like a bit of both.

Racing games --> Console. Easier to get out the racing seat, wheel, etc. in front of a big projector screen.

FPS games --> PC (I absolutely cannot understand how people can enjoy this on a console with the joysticks)

Most other games I prefer on PC as well, way more power, way better graphics, and I think just the types of games I like are more traditionally PC games. Nothing beats the keyboard/mouse combo for a lot of things (IMO).

You can build a 1080P PC gaming rig easily for under $1000 which is dirt cheap. If you're into 4K gaming that's a different story.

THIS X 10000

I have tried so many times to play FPS on consoles and i just cant get the hang of it. I need the mouse!!! LOL. But i couldnt imagine playing madden or NHL on a PC. Agreed on all points.

[n1zm0]

Originally posted by Swank
I want to like PC gaming more, I really do. Why have 2 devices when one should be able to do it all? I have a mid range PC that I built about 3 years ago (i5-3570k CPU, R7 260X 2GB GPU, 16GB RAM, 500w PSU, intel SSD) and I can't even run games like Dead Rising 2, Watch Dogs, or Just Cause 2 without it crashing every hour or so. Tomb Raider and Rise of the Tomb Raider work remarkably well. The crash reports usually take me to forums where 20 other guys are having the same problem but never get a resolution. My drivers are very up to date. So I deal with the crashing rather than start gambling on replacing components one at a time, not knowing which one is causing the problem.

You should post the particular errors or things you noticed when a crash occurs as Schocker said, before my recent midlife upgrade (16GB RAM and a 1070 GTX) I could run all those games and more like BF1 and my specs were worse and older than yours to a certain degree. I'm going to take a stab and guess it's a cooling issue, either more efficient CPU cooling or additional cooling hardware or both because the rest of the specs would run a game like JC2 no problem albeit not full graphics but it would run, my computer even ran JC3 with lesser specs that your rig with a 2gb 7850. Or get a temp monitor program like HWMonitor and see what happens under heavy load.

Originally posted by civic_stylez
I have tried so many times to play FPS on consoles and i just cant get the hang of it. I need the mouse!!!

+1 on this, I can't do shooters on consoles unless I have a mouse based controller like a Fragfx or a xim3 adapter (which to some people is considered cheating but idgaf), the exception being if the shooter is purely a console issue game like RDR and Uncharted.

I still always prefer PC over console and will stick with the former primarily usually until a new gen console reaches its mid to end service life (3.5-4 years old around there), since that's when most of the devs are getting familiar with the console's particulars and quirks and good games start getting more traction, imo at least.

[Sasuke_Kensai]

I'm in the PC camp for the most part, mainly due to the type of games I like. Just talking about graphics in this post - technically the graphics on PC are better but I find they can be 'colder' or more artificial seeming, possibly because the screen is so close.

In terms of overall visuals, I sometimes perceive graphics on a console to be more natural or immersive (based only on a few anecdotes). I think it's because everything is more muddied on the console, and when the artists for games get a lot of bells and whistles to play with they don't necessarily know how to put it all together to make a seamless scene. For example I find that sometimes there are really weird contrasts with shadows and light in a PC game.

Perhaps another contributor is that the designers for PC games need to make all the graphics to be tweakable, so there are going to be a lot of settings that don't work well together since perhaps they didn't test every combination. Whereas for a console they can tweak everything from the start for just one setup. I usually just pump up everything as much as I'm able to and leave it at that. That said, I enjoyed the same game (Assassin's Creed series) much more on the computer screen.

[Swank]

Originally posted by n1zm0
You should post the particular errors or things you noticed when a crash occurs as Schocker said...

Will do, hopefully test it out this weekend to get the error messages again. My graphics card fan spins at max as well as the Catalyst Control Centre reports 100% GPU usage while gaming which doesn't seem right to me. Those games shouldn't be making it work at full capacity, right?

[A790]

Originally posted by Swank
Will do, hopefully test it out this weekend to get the error messages again. My graphics card fan spins at max as well as the Catalyst Control Centre reports 100% GPU usage while gaming which doesn't seem right to me. Those games shouldn't be making it work at full capacity, right?

You have MSI afterburner installed?

What are graphic temps?

[beecue]

I like the console environment more. Most of my friends play on consoles and I just like sitting on the couch to play games. I sit in a chair all day so I don't want to continue with that at home.

I built a gaming PC a couple of years ago but never really play anything on it. I didn't grow up playing PC so I suck with m/kb.

[A790]

People need to get over the "play on couch with a controller" thing.

Connect to the PC to your TV via HDMI cable.

Connect your Xbox or PS4 controller to your PC.

Play on couch... with better graphics, online, mods, etc.

[Gman.45]

Agree with Mits3000gt.

I started playing PC games with Quake2, played with some of the best clans/teams out there, then moved into Counterstrike when it game out and played that and Rainbow6. Then I got away from gaming for a bit, then back into it with simulations, flight/racing/etc. I play DCS and a couple world war 2 aviation online games, and have 2 very new and fast PCs, I build a new one every year, latest is a i7 6850 with 2 1080s sli, 950 m.2 drives, etc. ROG Gsync 27 and 34" monitors, and I collect HOTAS joysticks and throttles and have a dozen of these, 1000$s in just the controllers invested for the games.

VR - I have 2 Rifts and 1 Vive, they can be great with some games, not so much with others. All the flight sims I use the VR sets.

Consoles. I tried to like them. I truly did. I bought both the Sony PS4 and the Xbox One, and played through a few of the big games for each. Then I sold them both. Nothing wrong with them, it's just the gaming is more competitive on PC to me. FPS, I'll put any CS Go pro up against any console FPS pro, and the PC Mouse/KB guy is going to destroy the console guy just due to the nature and precision of the controllers. This doesn't mean that consoles are bad, they just aren't up to the level and competition of PC yet IMO. You just can't be as accurate or precise at higher speed with a console controller as you can at a desk with a KB and Mouse.

[Swank]

Originally posted by A790

You have MSI afterburner installed?

What are graphic temps?

I don't have afterburner installed, maybe I'll give that a go. Ran a quick test last night:

Normal GPU temp 30C, fan speed 0%
During game play, GPU temp 68C, fan speed 41%, so I was def mistaken about it going full speed. Those seem to be fine numbers.

Of course it wouldn't crash when I need it to, but going through event viewer just about every time any game crashes it's a dll error related to the game, or it's executable. I'll have to have BlueScreenView on hand next time it BSODs while gaming, that's much less often.

[msommers]

Originally posted by A790
People need to get over the "play on couch with a controller" thing.

Connect to the PC to your TV via HDMI cable.

Connect your Xbox or PS4 controller to your PC.

Play on couch... with better graphics, online, mods, etc.

I REALLY want to....The thing is I don't want the living room looking like this...



I'm honestly open to suggestions on what could be done.

After some looking, Silverstone makes some really nice cases. This is really impressive actually, I could build something pretty darn nice...

Fuck

[Crazyjoker77]

Originally posted by msommers


I REALLY want to....The thing is I don't want the living room looking like this...



I'm honestly open to suggestions on what could be done.

After some looking, Silverstone makes some really nice cases. This is really impressive actually, I could build something pretty darn nice...

Fuck

That is a full tower case and its defiantly not needed to create a console killer.

there are lots of micro ITX cases that are actually smaller than an xbox, such as the fractal design Node 202

There is always the option of getting a gaming laptop and hooking it up to the tv. This years laptops are more impressive than ever and using desktop components instead of mobile versions.

TVs are still way behind in technology compared to proper pc monitors though. Even playing a console on a gaming monitor is a pretty big difference.
-higher refresh rates
-higher resolution
-better response time
-lower input lag
-better aspect ratios

[msommers]

I'm not a serious gamer by any means and my plasma I believe tops out at 1080p resolution. But being able to have a gaming computer and serious media/audio center on the shelf would be nice.

Looking at building a PC and I get up to $1,500 pretty quick (with games is my biggest concern the GPU?). Might as well keep my XB1 and Squeezebox for now...

Maybe when the next gen stuff comes out I can get a bunch of stuff on clearance.

[A790]

Originally posted by msommers


I REALLY want to....The thing is I don't want the living room looking like this...



I'm honestly open to suggestions on what could be done.

After some looking, Silverstone makes some really nice cases. This is really impressive actually, I could build something pretty darn nice...

Fuck

Cosmos II case?

Me likey!