Discussion Ambitious build to rival game consoles

[Battousai01]

Hi guys, I am planning on doing custom-built PCs that will rival gaming consoles. Although I know this is relatively easy if budget and pricing are not factors to consider.

The reason why I had this idea is to bring awareness to those who are into getting a PlayStation 5 or an Xbox Series X due to the hype. Based on the statistics here in our country, a lot of people are looking for PlayStation 5s without even knowing what they really want. We run an online shop that sells consumer electronics and everyday we get a lot of inquiries from people looking for the next-gen gaming consoles. The unfortunate thing is, most of these people are just in for the hype. They do not know that they can play games in a similar capacity with a PC.

In order for this plan to at least see the light of day, these are the requisites:

1. The total cost of setting this build should be affordable, probably in the vicinity of the PS5 and Xbox pricing.
2. The parts of this build should be standardized, same brand, same suppliers.
3. The controllers will be an Xbox Series X controller.
4. The software side - will need a game launcher

What I would like to ask for a suggestion is for item number 4.

Is there a game launcher that will exactly mimic the interface of the game consoles, this is something like a skin on-top of windows that will auto-start and display the list of games available. In other words, having a software that will make you feel that you are running a game console rather than a PC. Ideally, when a person switches this PC build on then it will automatically launch a game launcher and not the standard Windows interface.


Moved from computer building.

AT Mod Usandthem

 

[VirtualLarry]

Is there a game launcher that will exactly mimic the interface of the game consoles, this is something like a skin on-top of windows that will auto-start and display the list of games available. In other words, having a software that will make you feel that you are running a game console rather than a PC. Ideally, when a person switches this PC build on then it will automatically launch a game launcher and not the standard Windows interface.

Steam has a "Big Picture" interface, that can be controlled by an XBox controller.

 

[quikah]

I would be a lot more concerned about getting something close in price than the UI. I would expect a minimum of $800 to get something close.

 

[fralexandr]

4. Steam OS would be the cheapest way to implement this. As it's free. This might be an issue for Direct Storage support though.
another option is Xbox App for Windows, but that requires Windows licenses which can be obtained gray market for cheap, but retail copies run ~$80+ through official retail channels.
Xbox App can automatically open after loading Windows, but might not be what you're looking for.


1 and 2 aren't possible yet. Even before the gpu shortage 1 wasn't possible. You're basically looking at a 5700/rtx 2070 as your equivalent GPU. At the best of times those were priced around $300 ON SALE. Then you have to include a ryzen 5600, 3700, or 2700 or intel 9900k, 10700, or 11700, or maybe a 6 core variant if you have nothing else open in the background. Going with the 2700 they were available at ~$150 at their low point.Then a series X controller basically goes on sale for ~$40. That puts a build at ~$510 for CPU + GPU + controller alone, using past sale prices. If you drop to the 2600 you could shave that to $460 using historical pricing.

If covid hadn't hit, and everyone hadn't moved to remote work you hypothetically may have been able to pick up cheap <$200 modern 6-8 core computer from goodwill/salvation army/craigslist/facebook, but good luck finding a standardized source for that.

For standardized 6 core/12thread computers, core i5 10400 desktops tend to go on sale for ~$400 sans gpu, but you'd have to vette the parts to make sure they work, and typically throw in another 8GB RAM and the gpu and another nvme drive and power supply. In the current market i5 10400 + ~1660 Supers have gone on sale for ~$700 and are the best easy to obtain option for budget gaming. Lower performance than a series X/PS5, and runs $200 more, but good luck getting a Series X or PS5. If you're lucky you could get in on a clearance ~10400 + ~1660 from walmart for $400 but then #2 applies, it's not a sustainable source and was almost impossible to find anyway. These could all require additions of mid performance nVME drives, since they tend to ship with 500GB budget ones.

In order to match the PS5 and Xbox Series X you'd have to wait a few years for budget midrange to exceed console performance, and hope nothing else upsets the desktop market. And as per Larry's Law hope proof of stake becomes wide spread.

 

[balloonshark]

For a UI you might look into GOG Galaxy. It's a launcher that allows you to integrate games from other sources/stores/launchers. Uplay, Epic and Xbox Live are officially supported. Unofficially supported accounts are Steam, Origin and Uplay. For example I have my gog and steam games show in the Galaxy launcher. Pleases note that the other launchers need to be installed.

GOG GALAXY 2.0 - All your games and friends in one place.

Connect GOG GALAXY 2.0 with other gaming platforms and bring together games you play and the friends you play them with in one powerful app. With GOG GALAXY 2.0 you won't have to juggle between multiple clients to access your games and see what your friends are playing. Join the Open Beta and...

www.gog.com

 

[funboy6942]

you could just use ur phone, old ass laptop, tablet, get xbox ultimate, and the app and as long as ur internet is fast enough, then can just play xbox one/360/OG games right in the browser without having a console. And just give it time, I am sure at some point, you could then buy, use your games you bought in the browser at some point. If you have a decent PC/laptop you can play playstation games right off that for $20 a month, but its speed will rely on ur rig. If you have a good rig, hook ur laptop/cheap pc to the same network and just use it to stream ur pc games off it anywhere in the house to a crap unit.

You can say the heck with it all and get a Nvidia Shield TV Pro, non stick unit. Mod it (easilyish) to emulate other pcs and consoles. Hack a browser to it and run the xbox Game pass in its browser as well. U can then buy, or have steam for free 1 hour sessions play them in 1080P. Pay $5 and play most steam games you own and most off steam that are "newer" and play in 4K 60 if you gots the good nets to do so. This is off their servers NOT needing ur pc, so it is as if you build a hella rig with all the toys, with hardly any lag, again internet speed. And finally you can still stream ur bad ass pc to the little box via Nvidia or AMD using a app u can get off the play store, so GP AMD or Nvidia will no longer matter on it. DL app, configure driver(s) on ur pc, bam, playing.

So I guess what I am getting at is to build a PC now a days to go after a console is a thing of the past to need to build really anymore, and about to be even less of a thing to buy when you can do all of that above for much less cost then a xbox/PS/PC/ to do the same, or way better with a little ass shield doing 4K60 like as if you built that bad butt pc finally without doing so and only a lousy $5 a month if ur internet is, say it with me, fast enough