Over two times more "gaming PCs" sold in 2009 than all consoles combined

[Qbah]

http://www.game-newswire.com/index.php/the-news/232.html

First paragraph:

Among the key findings: Annual shipment volumes for the PC Gaming hardware market in 2009 were over two times larger than the combined Wii™, PlayStation® 2, PlayStation® 3 and Xbox 360® console units shipped in the same period. This trend for the PC Gaming hardware market to outpace all console shipments combined is expected to continue through the forecasted period of the research. In addition, revenues from consumer PCs capable of gaming that shipped with a discrete GPU (excludes Netbooks and integrated graphics-based PCs) totaled approximately $54.6 billion in 2009 and are forecasted to grow to $61.3 billion by 2014. These revenue figures are based on an estimated 61.5 million PCs (Desktop and Laptops) shipped in 2009 that can largely be associated with PC gaming as a key usage scenario.

Anything with a dedicated graphics card is defined here as a gaming PC though. But hey, a HD4350 can play plenty of stuff at low resolutions and low details. So it's not really that much of an overestimation.

The research mentions that the trend is expected to continue in the foreseeable future.

 

[Bateluer]

Anything with a dedicated graphics card is defined here as a gaming PC though. But hey, a HD4350 can play plenty of stuff at low resolutions and low details. So it's not really that much of an overestimation.

The research mentions that the trend is expected to continue in the foreseeable future.

Its also worth noting that even a 4350/5450 are leap years ahead of all of Intel's IGPs. Nvidia's and AMD's IGPs are much better, but still below the weakest dedicated.

 

[Lonyo]

60 million PCs with discrete graphics.
Q2 2010 Market research suggests 40% of discrete sales are >$100 cards, so based on this being true of general discrete sales (40% are >$100 cards in general), then...
That works out as roughly 24 million game worth PCs shipped.

Obviously some sub $100 might be able to game (especially when it comes to older games and older hardware with significant price cuts like the older HD4xxx and 8/9/GTS250 type cards).
(http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/video/...h_End_Mainstream_Graphics_Cards_Research.html)

 

[Qbah]

60 million PCs with discrete graphics.
Q2 2010 Market research suggests 40% of discrete sales are >$100 cards, so based on this being true of general discrete sales (40% are >$100 cards in general), then...
That works out as roughly 24 million game worth PCs shipped.

Obviously some sub $100 might be able to game (especially when it comes to older games and older hardware with significant price cuts like the older HD4xxx and 8/9/GTS250 type cards).
(http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/video/...h_End_Mainstream_Graphics_Cards_Research.html)

The report in my post also says that both desktop and laptop computers are included. So I don't think it's that high in the end (your 24 mil). If I had to guess, I'd say quite a bit lower. Should still be higher than any other console IMO

 

[CurseTheSky]

The consoles are getting long in the tooth, and IMO most people that want one already have one. Nearly all of my friends have an Xbox 360, a few have a PS3, and even my family has a Wii.

So, we're hitting the point where people want to play some stellar games (like Starcraft II), but can't on their console(s) for one reason or another. The result? They go out and purchase a gaming PC.

I just feel bad for the misinformed consumers that grab a $500 laptop from Staples or Best Buy with an Intel integrated 4500MHD and expect to play Metro 2033.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

It would be nice if all the buzz and marketing for Starcraft 2 convinced some console gamers to discover the world of PC gaming, online multiplayer, and free custom content.

 

[bunnyfubbles]

I just feel bad for the misinformed consumers that grab a $500 laptop from Staples or Best Buy with an Intel integrated 4500MHD and expect to play Metro 2033.

I just feel bad for gamers that get sucked into hype of a mediocre game solely because of its graphical prowess.

 

[Aikouka]

I just feel bad for the misinformed consumers that grab a $500 laptop from Staples or Best Buy with an Intel integrated 4500MHD and expect to play Metro 2033.

I was at Best Buy a week or two ago looking for UPSs and I saw this employee trying to sell a laptop to this woman. She asked if it would play WoW and he said it would play it great!

:hmm:

After he handed her the box and pointed her toward the registers, I walked over and look at the specs...



That thing wouldn't play WoW nearly as well as the guy tried to make it sound. It had a terrible graphics card that would make it pretty bad at raiding and such. If I could've located the woman after that, I would've tried to stop such a travesty, but I couldn't.

 

[Saga]

Comparing the millions of PC's purchased for acne-ridden tweens to play WoW is not an accurate representation of PC's bought/built to play real games.

 

[zerocool84]

I just feel bad for gamers that get sucked into hype of a mediocre game solely because of its graphical prowess.

I bought Metro 2033 solely cus of the gfx. I didn't spend near $400 on a gfx card to only play games cus they played well, I bought it so I can play the best looking games as well even if they aren't that great.

 

[0roo0roo]

wonder how many of those are 1.5gb ddr2 sh*t cards.

 

[Glitchny]

Comparing the millions of PC's purchased for acne-ridden tweens to play WoW is not an accurate representation of PC's bought/built to play real games.

yea cause of course WoW isn't a "real" game

 

[smackababy]

yea cause of course WoW isn't a "real" game

I like how it is only acne ridden tweens who play WoW as well. Of course, stereotypes are usually right, right?

 

[Bateluer]

and free custom content.

An endangered species in PC gaming these days. Publishers want to monetize everything you DL online for their games. They see armor skins and stat upgrades are easy money.

 

[Qbah]

For me it's good to have a reassuring research like that. It means I won't have to go back to my Xbox for plenty of future games.

While I did enjoy gaming on my console, the visual part lacked very much. Especially the low resolution and no AA was an eye sore. When I compare ME2 on my Xbox and PC, the immersion is so much better on PC...

 

[triggerpappy]

People always exaggerate the death of PC gaming. Statistics like this prove it. There are also more PC games sold than any one platform.

Xbox 360 and PS3 are basically old computers. As they get older in the tooth and when people see how much better the graphics are on a top end machine PC sales will pick up even more.

 

[skyofavalon]

the only thing keeping PC gaming from dying are console ports.The Xbox 360 has the PC on life support.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

An endangered species in PC gaming these days. Publishers want to monetize everything you DL online for their games. They see armor skins and stat upgrades are easy money.

...Which is why we need to support PC gaming and vote with our wallets and support the Unreal Tournaments and Neverwinter Nights of the gaming world and reject the other crap.

 

[Wag]

I don't buy it. I guess they consider my first PC with a Hercules monochrome card a "gaming" PC too?

It's not the hardware, it's the software sales that counts.