PC versus Wii: Can a PC be made to compete in cost and capability?

[Soundmanred]

To answer OP's question...no...could not be done...

I mean, taking your part list...the VIA CPU/GPU are NOT more powerful...not by a long shot, especially the GPU...the Unichrome S3 is by far one of the if not THE worst IGP out there...even getting bested by the GMA950 and GMA500 in ALL tests...Google it if you dont believe me...and the Wii's GPU is vastly superior to the GMA line of IGP's.

Add on top of that program compatibility such as OS and games that are playable...I know my GMA950 IGP in my netbook has a hard enough time playing PS1 games on emulator at the games native resolution and no eye candy (like AA or texture filtering)...games on the level of the Wii/Xbox 1 are IMPOSSIBLE with a low end IGP like the Via S3 or Intel GMA...

I mean, over all, I get what you are saying OP...but to answer your question, right now as technology is...Id have to say no...I mean, even the ION platform from Intel I dont think is as powerful as the Wii...

Granted the Wii does kinda suck compared to true next-gen consoles, its not exactly a slouch either ya know?

How dare you disagree! Blah blah blah, dementia, i'm poor, roommate, blah blah blah...

 

[lord_emperor]

What remotely fun game are you going to play with a 1GHz VIA CPU and on-board video.

 

[nyker96]

I think depend on what you do, if you only game, then wii/xb360 wins on price/function. but if you do other things like some work, running 3-4 virtual machines, encoding x264s then the pc probably get you a lot for the money.

 

[shortylickens]

Since the Wii is far inferior to current consoles and most PC's in terms of hardware, sure you could build a comparable one. But why? You wont be able to play anything besides web based flash games.

As for building something about the same cost, that could also be done, but only poor people and not rich Anandtechers would do such a thing.

And I bet somebody out there already has a functional Wii emulator they just dont wanna share it with the rest of us. Seems to me getting the remote controls working would not be THAT complicated an issue.

 

[Keeper]

Just my 2 cents.... When I click a mouse... I expect a reaction.....


When I put FULL topsin on some tennis game my son has; I expect FULL topspin...

I dont miss-hit that much in REAL life....
And then fishing in Zelda (I think?)

Cripes, I landed many a fish but never "Boated them" because I didnt pull back far enough or fast enough.

And dont get me started on bowling. I bowl. Very well in real life. I know how to hook, NEVER threw a back-up ball and within 5 to 10 practice shots I can hit the pocket in any house 9 out of 10 times. Except SPORT Shot oil pattern.
I average two teen in real life. I cant break 140 in WII LOL. (If your interested I average 170 to 175 in Sport shot. It is the great equalizer. Keeps one from wasting money and going to try the "tour" LOL.....)

Dont get me wrong, WII is revolutionary. They just need better sensors/receptors IMO.

 

[Tom]

They already have a better sensor and a new bowling game in wii Sports Resort.

But the point of Wii bowling isn't recreating real bowling, it's a game that uses similar motions to the real thing to play.

 

[Tom]

to the original topic, as I said before, no cheap pc can do as well what the Wii does best, which is allow multiple people in the same room play games using a unique control interface.

That's why the Wii isn't the best console to replace with a pc. As far as the xbox 360 and PS3, I think a pc can easily replace them, neither has anything special about their hardware, but since it's possible to get an xbox 360 for $100 now, that's hard to beat.

 

[Keeper]

They already have a better sensor and a new bowling game in wii Sports Resort.

But the point of Wii bowling isn't recreating real bowling, it's a game that uses similar motions to the real thing to play.

I do get that, really. I just dont like the fact a lot of actions (No, not 50% MUCH less I am just a PIA I guess) get no action or not the expected reaction.

Like I said in my opening. I click a mouse button. I get an expected result.
To continue; I click F1 followed by the shift key, I get an expected result.

I never click the "Shoot" button and see my "toon" doing a reload.... Never.

My character in Wii resort was doing some WEIRD things LOL....
I even cheated. I found out all I had to do was still do a foreand motion and I still hit the ball on backhand. That was a bit of a let down.


I will have to ask my son if he has upgraded his sensor.

Thanks for that tidbit.