New Xbox

[exploited]

[Kane]

Change is coming son, Microsoft is just continuing the trajectory. Everybody else is going to follow in some fashion.

[Spider]

The fundamental problem is that consoles have now, after getting closer each generation, basically become PCs. Except with inferior hardware, resolutions, and no mouse/keyboard support.

What I use consoles for basically amounts to the sorts of games that can't be done better on the PC...and even then, I rent. In 6 years of PS3 ownership I've bought two games...both used. I have rented everything else. Well, except for a few cheap PSN games. That's what a console is for to me...rentals and casual exclusives and such.

Now that it looks like rentals are over with...what is the point? Without rentals and the used game market, the consoles don't have a single advantage left over the PC that means anything to me. There are a some exclusives I'd miss out on...but I'll live. And I'll feel better supporting anti-consumer business practices that little bit less.

Plus, we're transitioning to a projector based setup, and I'd really rather avoid putting hours on the projector for games anyways.

For my needs, consoles have made themselves obsolete.

Or maybe Sony will come up with a model I can tolerate. No rentals is an absolute, 100% deal breaker. I suppose if I could slap the games up on ebay after buying, I could get past the no rentals...but they've closed that loop as well. So f*ck 'em.

[Kane]

This will come as a shock to some...but PCs are too expensive for people just for games. Yes, you can build a budget rig but if you're expecting to build a rig with an APU in it that's matches these consoles...good luck. Also, the cloud computing aspect on Microsoft's end can change things.

[Spider]

Thing is though...a PC is not just for games. Its a PC. Which is not true of consoles. Its games. And apparently it works as a cable box now, too. As for these consoles...all indications so far are that the silicon is more or less equivalent to a couple generations of video cards back. Like when the PS3/360 came out...they were about equivalent to a 7800-7900 GTX. Which was already becoming rear view mirror stuff at the time.

All we've got is a tflops number from Sony...a number which is really kinda unimpressive compared to even midrange PC hardware. True, its not the best measure of rendering performance, but its all they've given us. The MS tflops measure is 30% less than even that. Really the advantage there is optimization and gamers that sit far enough away from the screen as to not demand AA so loudly.

So no, even building a midrange system would be an easy win. A high end system is as much an example of wild overkill today as it ever was. (Scope out the GTX Titan at 2.5 times the power of a PS4 Yes. I know its expensive. Which is why I call it overkill.)

Running a PC game at console resolutions and framerates isn't at all hard. Doesn't take much. I never run lower than 1920X1200 and I've been using the same 5000-Series graphics card for years. These days...why upgrade? The consoles freeze graphics development in the past for years at a time. Which ends up meaning I can run at far higher resolutions and framerates even on years old hardware.

This is just me. Obviously its not the best fit for everyone. There is now an entire generation of gamers who simply don't know how to use a mouse. Its like they never learned to ride a bike without training wheels. Anyways...its just the reason I personally don't have any great need for consoles anymore, if the rental thing is done. Its subjective. I can think of a more interesting way to blow 500 bucks:

[Kane]

I think you're understating the importance of both the APU and the Cloud Computing.

[uebermann]

[Kane]

It can be done on PCs too but it won't have the backing that is the 300,000+ server farm Microsoft has unveiled for the Xbox One.

[uebermann]

[Kane]

PC Market =/= Console Market