Anyone recently switch from PC to console?

[HeXen]

The xb1 uses kinext IR blaster and can turn on your TV, cable box, and AVR. Can also choose to turn them off when you shut the console down if you want.

This is why I would never buy an xb1 without a kinect. You lose this functionality.

And to think everyone bashed the inclusion of the Kinect for $100 more than PS4. I think MS should have just ate more profits than to have chosen to separate them just to please consumers. It'll probably kill off the Kinect eventually. Now MS is just sounding desperate by giving 2 games with an Xbone for $350.

Except a PC with an OS costs more than a XB1 or PS4 and you can't trade in or sell your games to offset future game costs. That's the tradeoff

Not if you wait for the Steam deals like they had recently. I saw plenty of good games for upwards of 85% off.

 

[tential]

The PC will always be my #1 game platform and nowadays with how powerful cmoponents are, upgrading every year is a false statement. You can get a cool rig costing arounf what a console cost but do more stuff with it.

But the new gen is tempting and I saw a freind PS4 on his 50" TV and it looked really nice. I have a PS3 but don't game much with it, mostly use it from streaming and checking videos in the house network from my PC.

Other point for PC: Steam, GMG, GOG and other platform like that often sell games for a fraction of the price. Buying a new game on release day for 20-25% off is awesome and you won't see that coming to consoles soon.

So basically if you buy 5 games during a year:
- Console: 60x5 = $300
- PC-GMG rebate: (60x5) - 20% = $240
- PC if you wait a 50% sale = $150

So all this money after a year or two of savings can be thrown at an upgrade

Huh? Who says console gamers only pay 60 for games? I've found each new release on Console for around $20 less than a month after it came out. Slickdeals... Halo 4 after AMEX+Store rebates was $20

 

[tential]

The xb1 uses kinext IR blaster and can turn on your TV, cable box, and AVR. Can also choose to turn them off when you shut the console down if you want.

This is why I would never buy an xb1 without a kinect. You lose this functionality.

I think MS giving up on the Kinect was a bad idea. Having EVERy console come with the kinect was cool and meant devs might use this feature more. Imagine calling plays on Madden using the Kinect or even using hand gestures to call plays quickly rather than going through a huge playbook. Or some other interesting features.

MS, they need to go 100% in with the Kinect and show it's capable of more than just gimmicky games. It is, it could be used for so many features but it's not.

And to think everyone bashed the inclusion of the Kinect for $100 more than PS4. I think MS should have just ate more profits than to have chosen to separate them just to please consumers. It'll probably kill off the Kinect eventually. Now MS is just sounding desperate by giving 2 games with an Xbone for $350.

Not if you wait for the Steam deals like they had recently. I saw plenty of good games for upwards of 85% off.

I wish they hadn't. Too much potential, now killed off. If EVERY person has a Kinect, it's impossible to ignore. But when you have to purchase it separately? Well, people aren't going to spend $100 for that... or even bother goign out and getting it for most people.

 

[ronbo613]

I'm slowly moving from Xbox 360 to my PC, at least for the time being. I like the console because, like some people have already mentioned, you just turn it on, park your butt and start playing. What I don't like is the mentality of the game developers and Microsoft. You buy whatever they come out with, which they usually get you to do by slick marketing and exaggerated game features, only to find out the game is not what it looked like on those PC emulator generated marketing videos, multiplayer is lag city and every time you turn around, you are asked to purchase DLC. If you don't like it, too bad, they've got your money and you are stuck with their console and a year's subscription, where you going to go? They haven't been exactly hitting home runs with their recent game offerings either.

With PC gaming, there are more games, usually cheaper than consoles, even if some of them are somewhat dated. Even if they are older, if the gameplay is good, I think that's a better deal than a game that looks fantastic and plays like crap. The DRM kind of sucks, but I think the developers know that if they treat their customers too badly, the odds of people saying "screw you" and pirating the game go up. My opinion is that the smaller game developers are more likely to be in tune with their customers; gamers feel like part of the game development and the developers get a bit more sympathy if there are bugs or problems.

I play PC games via HDMI to the same TV as my Xbox and I use a wireless Xbox controller for both. By upgrading my older i7 860 computer with a relatively inexpensive GTX 750 Ti graphics card, the graphics probably about as good as an Xbox One. Give or take, I think the overall cost is about the same. You don't have to buy a new graphics card and TV every year.

When Microsoft finally pulls the plug on the Xbox 360 to try and force people to buy the Xbox One, I'll see where I stand and I'll have the PC that's always there.

 

[Remobz]

I gave up on PC games because of the cost but I despise console games and hate the controllers even more.

I rather sim type games and real time strategy games anyway.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Considering most of you kept saying how you were going all digital, I don't see how that plays into it.

Huh? Even with a disk you can't sell or trade PC games.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Not if you wait for the Steam deals like they had recently. I saw plenty of good games for upwards of 85% off.

That doesn't change the fact that your hardware costs were higher and no resale on games. That's what I said.

 

[sourceninja]

Except a PC with an OS costs more than a XB1 or PS4 and you can't trade in or sell your games to offset future game costs. That's the tradeoff

The thing is, I need a computer no matter what. It needs a lot of ram for my job, it needs a big cpu for my job, so it's really all about buying a $200.00 video card.

The rest is steam sales, it's amazing what you can get for $5 on steam.

I'm not saying it's the best fit for everyone, but it works for me.

 

[Subyman]

The PC cost argument is typically not correct. People throw around retail prices for GPUs and CPUs to prove its too expensive. When I was younger and couldn't afford the brand new gear, I always bought used stuff and pieced together my own system. I'd use the same OS for years too and buy the cheap keys when the new one launched. I got Win 7 for $30 when it came out and MS ran similar deals on Win 8. XP was a dime a dozen.

You can get a nice card like a Nvidia 670 for low $100's. That is plenty to play at better than PS4/Xbox One graphics at 1080p and it opens you up to all the Steam sales. My point is that if you really want to PC game for cheap, you certainly can.

IMO price is not the differentiating factor. Its time and difficulty for most people. Buy a box, plug it in, and shove a disk into it. Can't get much easier than that.

For me, it is the convenience on some games. I'll take a graphical hit on a game like Dragon Age Inquisition so that I just have to turn on the controller and lay down on the couch to play on my plasma. No moving cords, going to origin, and such.

 

[sweenish]

This whole discussion is misguided.

There are so many factors to consider for each side.

What else is your PC used for? Do you game online? Would you use the console for other things? If so, factor that yearly cost into your console purchase. What are your games of choice? MMO players will still largely stick to PC. Same for RTS. FPS really comes down to the person. What is your financial situation? Would you be upgrading a POS PC, or one that was already pretty amazing? What resolution are you gaming at on PC vs. console? What platform are people you would play with on? Which platform has the exclusive titles that you want to play the most? Do you honestly think you have to buy the $500 video card every couple years? Would you remote play? What scheme fits your situation best? Is playing older games important to you?

People will play what they play. Their reasons are their own. Stop trying to justify your decisions to others as the only correct ones. And stop using wrong arguments. Upgrading PC hardware is not a hassle if you know what you're doing. Consoles are having just as many bugs as PC right now (Ubisoft? Do you even follow this stuff?).

I've been shifting more to PC lately, but it's not for everyone. I get that. I won't tell you how to have fun.

EDIT: This is not directed at anyone specifically, but nearly everyone. The inability to put together a half decent argument is baffling.

 

[sweenish]

That doesn't change the fact that your hardware costs were higher and no resale on games. That's what I said.

You assume everyone wants to trade in their games (that's not correct at all), and ignore the fact that much cheaper sales than console makes trade-ins a wash.

You can keep your blinders on, just stop pushing your misguided opinion.

 

[purbeast0]

throwing around cost in general as a major reason to go one way or the other is stupid. if you like something and can afford it, cost is a moot point.

but people love to make the argument that "im spending less money than you therefore i'm smarter and better than you" which is simply retarded.

we're not 10 years old anymore where mommy and daddy buy us games once a year for xmas so we have to be careful about what we buy. we're (most of us) professionals now with more than enough disposable income that we can support the hobbies we want to support.

i would have paid $500 for xbox1 at launch without a kinect. the kinect in general had absolutely no reasoning on whether i was going to get the system or not. the simple fact is it had 1 game at launch that i wanted to play. $500 was my limit. would i have paid $600 for it? probably so. but $500 was my limit simply out of principle.

same thing goes for talking about the prices of games. whether a game is $15 or $60, if i want the game i'll buy it. arguing that one game is cheaper on one platform over the other really doesn't matter when you can afford both. now whether you WANT to spend the amount is a different story.

but pulling the price of things into the argument is simply stupid IMO.

 

[tential]

throwing around cost in general as a major reason to go one way or the other is stupid. if you like something and can afford it, cost is a moot point.

but people love to make the argument that "im spending less money than you therefore i'm smarter and better than you" which is simply retarded.

we're not 10 years old anymore where mommy and daddy buy us games once a year for xmas so we have to be careful about what we buy. we're (most of us) professionals now with more than enough disposable income that we can support the hobbies we want to support.

i would have paid $500 for xbox1 at launch without a kinect. the kinect in general had absolutely no reasoning on whether i was going to get the system or not. the simple fact is it had 1 game at launch that i wanted to play. $500 was my limit. would i have paid $600 for it? probably so. but $500 was my limit simply out of principle.

same thing goes for talking about the prices of games. whether a game is $15 or $60, if i want the game i'll buy it. arguing that one game is cheaper on one platform over the other really doesn't matter when you can afford both. now whether you WANT to spend the amount is a different story.

but pulling the price of things into the argument is simply stupid IMO.

I'll have a Wii U with ONE game. Smash Bros...

If something doesn't fit my usage scenario, no matter how cheap, what's the point?

 

[purbeast0]

I'll have a Wii U with ONE game. Smash Bros...

If something doesn't fit my usage scenario, no matter how cheap, what's the point?

exactly.

that is why i don't even download the free games on "games with gold" and PS+ if they aren't games i'm interested. it's just a waste. there are TONS of games i wouldn't even take for free, unless the sole purpose was to resell them. but free downloadable ones that i have no interest in? yeah ... waste of space and time.

 

[Wingznut]

exactly.

that is why i don't even download the free games on "games with gold" and PS+ if they aren't games i'm interested. it's just a waste. there are TONS of games i wouldn't even take for free, unless the sole purpose was to resell them. but free downloadable ones that i have no interest in? yeah ... waste of space and time.

Agreed. Except that I go "buy" those free games, and not download them. Because who knows, perhaps many months from now I (or my kids) will decide that we want to try it. Then I still have the option to check it out. But yeah, that hasn't happened yet, so I'm sure it's not a compelling argument.

Gamers are an odd, yet fascinating, group. We have discussions/arguments about things that fan of other things never would.

 

[cmdrdredd]

You assume everyone wants to trade in their games (that's not correct at all), and ignore the fact that much cheaper sales than console makes trade-ins a wash.

You can keep your blinders on, just stop pushing your misguided opinion.

If I buy a game for $60 and sell it quickly because i finished the story I can probably get $50. I played a brand new game for $10. Most of the games you see cheap on steam aren't brand new titles.

 

[sze5003]

Not true at all. If I buy a game for $60 and sell it quickly I can probably get $50. I played a brand new game for $10. Most of the games you see cheap on steam aren't brand new titles.

That's what I do now when I notice I have too many console games. Hurry up and try to finish a game to trade in.

 

[Subyman]

This whole discussion is misguided.

There are so many factors to consider for each side.

What else is your PC used for? Do you game online? Would you use the console for other things? If so, factor that yearly cost into your console purchase. What are your games of choice? MMO players will still largely stick to PC. Same for RTS. FPS really comes down to the person. What is your financial situation? Would you be upgrading a POS PC, or one that was already pretty amazing? What resolution are you gaming at on PC vs. console? What platform are people you would play with on? Which platform has the exclusive titles that you want to play the most? Do you honestly think you have to buy the $500 video card every couple years? Would you remote play? What scheme fits your situation best? Is playing older games important to you?

People will play what they play. Their reasons are their own. Stop trying to justify your decisions to others as the only correct ones. And stop using wrong arguments. Upgrading PC hardware is not a hassle if you know what you're doing. Consoles are having just as many bugs as PC right now (Ubisoft? Do you even follow this stuff?).

I've been shifting more to PC lately, but it's not for everyone. I get that. I won't tell you how to have fun.

EDIT: This is not directed at anyone specifically, but nearly everyone. The inability to put together a half decent argument is baffling.

I agree with what you are trying to say, but there is no need to belittle everyone as you say it. All you are saying is that there are many factors for which only the player can decide are important. Your long list of questions certainly isn't more than a "half decent argument."

You assume everyone wants to trade in their games (that's not correct at all), and ignore the fact that much cheaper sales than console makes trade-ins a wash.

You can keep your blinders on, just stop pushing your misguided opinion.

He's not "pushing" anything. No need to be so abrasive to others. He gave one example of what a lot of console gamers do. I've done it before as well. Sometimes trade-ins are lucrative. I traded in GTA5 for PS3 for $30 credit toward GTA5 for PS4. Then I traded GTA5 for PS4 for a $40 credit toward Dragon Age Inquisition for PS4. That is a nice option for those that don't like to keep a library of games sitting around. No agenda pushing being made here lol.

 

[anthd56]

If I buy a game for $60 and sell it quickly because i finished the story I can probably get $50. I played a brand new game for $10. Most of the games you see cheap on steam aren't brand new titles.

Whilst I see your point, your previous point of saying the cost of PC hardware and a OS being is a trade off I don't agree with. What you have to consider is that a PC with a OS can do a lot more than a single purpose gaming/multimedia couch machine. You also forget that PC games are normally much cheaper on launch.

Also to the OP, consoles do have their advantage of being cheaper on the long run since you don't have to worry about FPS and its just plug and play. However I think its slowly becoming more like of a hassle, with games requiring a install and others require a day one patch to play. Long gone are the days of games working perfectly out of the box sadly, nowadays its all about the DLC and patches before you can enjoy the full game.

There are tradeoffs to both side, but I think PC gaming is better than before due to Steam and PC hardware being good enough. The advantage of being plug and play for consoles is also slowly dying as mentioned above. Both ways, you'd have fun so just pick one and start playing.

 

[sourceninja]

Whilst I see your point, your previous point of saying the cost of PC hardware and a OS being is a trade off I don't agree with. What you have to consider is that a PC with a OS can do a lot more than a single purpose gaming/multimedia couch machine. You also forget that PC games are normally much cheaper on launch.

Also to the OP, consoles do have their advantage of being cheaper on the long run since you don't have to worry about FPS and its just plug and play. However I think its slowly becoming more like of a hassle, with games requiring a install and others require a day one patch to play. Long gone are the days of games working perfectly out of the box sadly, nowadays its all about the DLC and patches before you can enjoy the full game.

There are tradeoffs to both side, but I think PC gaming is better than before due to Steam and PC hardware being good enough. The advantage of being plug and play for consoles is also slowly dying as mentioned above. Both ways, you'd have fun so just pick one and start playing.

The reason I went to the xbox 360 was because I got sick of the PC upgrade mill. Every year it seemed I had to upgrade my video card to play the latest games. But in the last few years that has changed. I built my PC almost 2 years ago and it's still good enough to do the 1920x1200 resolution for any game I've wanted to play. I'm guessing I'll get another 2 or 3 years out of my computer before I have to upgrade it.

I didn't even build my PC to game, I built it to help prepare for a tech exam and to have a windows workstation for a project. The HD7970 was on sale, so that's what it got. I was skeptical that I'd want to make the switch, but 6 months ago I sold my xbox 360 and I have no plans currently to buy a xbox one.

 

[mmntech]

throwing around cost in general as a major reason to go one way or the other is stupid. if you like something and can afford it, cost is a moot point.

The cost argument hinges on the assumption that you're only using the PC for gaming and nothing else. Everyone needs a computer. You can buy a cheap pre-built Core i5 desktop for $500 and throw a $200 GPU in there. You've got yourself a decent little gaming rig out of something you needed anyway.

I'd also wager the majority of PC gamers are hobbyists while most console gamers are not. As far as hobbies go, it's not that expensive. Have you seen how expensive golf can get?! There's more to PC gaming than just gaming. There's tweaking, building, modding, etc. It's an entirely different animal. You get out of PC gaming what you put into it.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Whilst I see your point, your previous point of saying the cost of PC hardware and a OS being is a trade off I don't agree with. What you have to consider is that a PC with a OS can do a lot more than a single purpose gaming/multimedia couch machine. You also forget that PC games are normally much cheaper on launch.

Also to the OP, consoles do have their advantage of being cheaper on the long run since you don't have to worry about FPS and its just plug and play. However I think its slowly becoming more like of a hassle, with games requiring a install and others require a day one patch to play. Long gone are the days of games working perfectly out of the box sadly, nowadays its all about the DLC and patches before you can enjoy the full game.

There are tradeoffs to both side, but I think PC gaming is better than before due to Steam and PC hardware being good enough. The advantage of being plug and play for consoles is also slowly dying as mentioned above. Both ways, you'd have fun so just pick one and start playing.

The thread is about gaming, this is a gaming forum. My PS4 and XB1 can watch Netflix, play blu-ray. XB1 can control my cable box and stream via DLNA. So in effect they also do more than gaming. PC games also aren't much cheaper at launch. Dragon Age launched for PC and console at $59.99 in the US. You can point to all the websites that sell discounted digital games as well but then I could also find a sale somewhere that would apply to a console game. I don't normally wait for games to go on sale. I buy new release games because I want them when they are fresh for the most part. Both PC and console games have cost me $60 just about every time. From my point of view the real difference is in the cost of the hardware for the purpose of gaming.

Everyone needs a computer.

Not anymore. I can use my phone to do email, browse the web, even shop online. Unless you use a PC for work or gaming, there is very little I can think of that you "need" a PC for anymore.

I understand what you're saying but an actual computer isn't a necessity for many any longer since you can do a lot of stuff from a phone these days, even print from it.

 

[HeXen]

Problem is... HDMI-CEC on the PS4 works with my equipment, but the IR blaster on the X1 does not. I have no idea why not, but maybe it's telling because the Wii U's IR remote function doesn't work with my equipment either.



An HDMI-CEC implementation on a computer requires quite a bit more than just a GPU that supports it. The last 'C' in the acronym gives it away: control. The GPU itself shouldn't be issuing commands but rather simply be a redirect for any commands issued by the CPU through the OS or software. There are two other things that come to mind as well...

Cost: Someone has to pay to implement the feature in the driver, develop software, etc. The problem is that the largest consumer of something like this is arguably... the HTPC crowd. You may disagree with that, and that's fine, but the HTPC crowd does not usually pay a lot for video cards.

Capability: One of the biggest issues with HDMI-CEC is that it's a mixed bag of functionality. The problem is that a manufacturer is free to implement whichever features they want and to implement them however they want. To give you an example, my LG TV will not turn on my AVR, but it will turn it off; however, my Vizio TV will turn on my AVR and also turn it off. How can they truly market this as a feature to the masses when the implementations are so darned random!?

Anyway, you can get this functionality on your PC if you really want it! However, it isn't a free thing to do. Pulse-Eight makes two devices that handle HDMI-CEC control with a PC. Most users would opt for the external unit, which acts as a pass-through with your HDMI and connects to the PC via USB for the CEC commands. There's also an internal unit; however, this one is only supported by Intel motherboards/products that have Intel's HTPC header (also called the "Custom Solutions header"), which actually includes the Intel Haswell NUCs.

How can cost be an issue? I literally purchased a $30 DVD player at Walmart for my bedroom that has CEC and actually turns my TV on faster than my PS4.

Also, to my understanding those adapters require MythTV, XBMC or something like that. You have to have some special lib file or something. Not exactly something that would help a Steam only setup I guess unless there is something I don't know about it.
*edit, says any app that supports LibCEC. Steam apparently doesn't support it.

 

[shortylickens]

The thread is about gaming, this is a gaming forum. My PS4 and XB1 can watch Netflix, play blu-ray. XB1 can control my cable box and stream via DLNA. So in effect they also do more than gaming. PC games also aren't much cheaper at launch. Dragon Age launched for PC and console at $59.99 in the US. You can point to all the websites that sell discounted digital games as well but then I could also find a sale somewhere that would apply to a console game. I don't normally wait for games to go on sale. I buy new release games because I want them when they are fresh for the most part. Both PC and console games have cost me $60 just about every time. From my point of view the real difference is in the cost of the hardware for the purpose of gaming.



Not anymore. I can use my phone to do email, browse the web, even shop online. Unless you use a PC for work or gaming, there is very little I can think of that you "need" a PC for anymore.

I understand what you're saying but an actual computer isn't a necessity for many any longer since you can do a lot of stuff from a phone these days, even print from it.

photography.


The Gimp is so much better than any paid program on Android or iOS.



Managing photos, videos, and music.
You can play them on your tablet, but you cant archive a thousand songs or a hundred vids easily.

 

[Blanky]

Not anymore. I can use my phone to do email, browse the web, even shop online. Unless you use a PC for work or gaming, there is very little I can think of that you "need" a PC for anymore.

I have an iphone and ipad and never, ever go for them when I'm at home and want to surf the web if the laptop is free. I can type 100+ wpm on a keyboard, and even on the ipad air 2 surfing the net efficiently is slow and sucks. I can open up multiple tabs with a mouse and move around them far better than on an ipad.