Question for PC gamers...

[Chevron]

All awesome posts, but the TLDR version when talking about RIO is Steam sales. PC Gaming is cheaper when you factor in the cost of games. Even new games not on sale is cheaper on PC.

If you buy just 1 game a month, you see the RIO very quickly.

 

[ImpulsE69]

I'm seriously thinking about pulling the trigger on a 970. I don't 'need' to....but...the 480 is getting a bit long in the tooth at nearly 5 years old. It still handles 90% of everything really well, 4 gens out of one card, not bad not bad...ugh...decisions decisions...

 

[ControlD]

I'm seriously thinking about pulling the trigger on a 970. I don't 'need' to....but...the 480 is getting a bit long in the tooth at nearly 5 years old. It still handles 90% of everything really well, 4 gens out of one card, not bad not bad...ugh...decisions decisions...

You know once that seed gets planted there is only one way out. Go ahead a buy it!

 

[TheSlamma]

I'm seriously thinking about pulling the trigger on a 970. I don't 'need' to....but...the 480 is getting a bit long in the tooth at nearly 5 years old. It still handles 90% of everything really well, 4 gens out of one card, not bad not bad...ugh...decisions decisions...

Man 480 and still going, that is great.

 

[blastingcap]

An overclocked 7850 can take down a GTX 480. You can't take that laying down. Buy the 970! 😉

 

[tential]

I'm seriously thinking about pulling the trigger on a 970. I don't 'need' to....but...the 480 is getting a bit long in the tooth at nearly 5 years old. It still handles 90% of everything really well, 4 gens out of one card, not bad not bad...ugh...decisions decisions...

GTX 970 isn't a great value on price to performance. I'd wait for the GTX 980 Ti to come out to push the values down. Right now Nvidia is price gouging since there is no "competition". R9 290 is 10% slower (at MOST) than the GTX 970 but is more than $100 less in many cases.
That's about 2/3s the price for 10% less performance so I'd wait for the 390x/GTX 980 Ti to push the prices down to where they should actually be (GTX 970 should be slightly below $300).

 

[futurefields]

the pc library is unstoppable

i can play Doom, Diablo, Diablo 3 and DayZ all on the same system

 

[TestKing123]

practical example:

if i tried to play quake live from a couch, i would suck. i need the fine motor control, the accuracy i get from being in a specific position relating to my screen, in a certain posture.
this also stresses me; a couch doesnt stress me.

just figure out the inverse, couch = more fun, desk = more skill.

Are you moving goal posts?

You can play ANY PC game from a couch with a wireless Xbox 360 controller, just as easily as a console. In fact, PC games have supported gamepads since the Xbox more than 5 years ago.

Play quake live on your office PC if you want keyboard / mouse, because pretty much Intel's integrated graphics is all you need :lol:

For every AAA game out there, the console is "better because you can do it from a couch" argument is utter BS.

My primary gaming computer is a full tower HTPC connected to a 46" 3DTV. Going back to a desk would be a huge step backward.

 

[ImpulsE69]

Are you moving goal posts?

You can play ANY PC game from a couch with a wireless Xbox 360 controller, just as easily as a console. In fact, PC games have supported gamepads since the Xbox more than 5 years ago.

Play quake live on your office PC if you want keyboard / mouse, because pretty much Intel's integrated graphics is all you need :lol:

For every AAA game out there, the console is "better because you can do it from a couch" argument is utter BS.

My primary gaming computer is a full tower HTPC connected to a 46" 3DTV. Going back to a desk would be a huge step backward.

I actually get what he means, certain games call for..certain distances and postures/positioning for optimal playstyles. I am that way with LOL. If I'm even slightly out of my normal posture it messes my whole game up.

Now that being said, you can still use a keyboard and mouse with a TV, there's really no reason you can't if you've already went to the trouble of hooking up the PC to the TV, but some games simply don't translate well to the 12 foot distance you might be sitting from it (example LOL).

 

[BSim500]

I actually get what he means, certain games call for..certain distances and postures/positioning for optimal playstyles. I am that way with LOL. If I'm even slightly out of my normal posture it messes my whole game up.

Now that being said, you can still use a keyboard and mouse with a TV, there's really no reason you can't if you've already went to the trouble of hooking up the PC to the TV, but some games simply don't translate well to the 12 foot distance you might be sitting from it (example LOL).

^ I agree with this too. Some game genres (especially twitch FPS + RTS) just "feel" more right sitting closer to the screen and leaning forward into the action. I couldn't play Quake or Age of Empires style games "slouching on a couch" even with an identical keyboard + mouse to what I'd use at a desk. Personally I think it's due to posture related variable response times & HUD design rather than input hardware / technology.

 

[DigDog]

..

i think you missed the point

 

[bystander36]

I actually get what he means, certain games call for..certain distances and postures/positioning for optimal playstyles. I am that way with LOL. If I'm even slightly out of my normal posture it messes my whole game up.

Now that being said, you can still use a keyboard and mouse with a TV, there's really no reason you can't if you've already went to the trouble of hooking up the PC to the TV, but some games simply don't translate well to the 12 foot distance you might be sitting from it (example LOL).

I think this may be more about what you are used to, and not some inherent need.

 

[ImpulsE69]

I think this may be more about what you are used to, and not some inherent need.

Some yes, some no. There are plenty of PC games who's UI assumes you are sitting 2 foot in front of your screen. However it does depend on how far your couch is from your TV. Mine is just too far away to do any 'detail' oriented gaming or games with small text.

 

[JujuFish]

In fact, PC games have supported gamepads since the Xbox more than 5 years ago. .

Not to belittle your fact, but PC games have supported gamepads for more than 20 years.

 

[SambaJones97]

For me as a 3d designer and going to do computer games development for programming and developing my hardware upgrades are generally influenced by both gaming and the best suitments for 3d. So for me, buying a new 970 was an easy choice as it meant better gaming power and more vram and cuda cores for 3d modelling and rendering. After that its a new i7 devils canyon, mobo and an extra 8gb of ram for a total of 16 :3

 

[spat55]

I would rather have a HD 7770 or GTX 650ti than a PS4 so no, I would be happy playing medium settings @1080p because it would be better than console.

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

get the high end machine if that's your thing and you can afford it. i would still get the console because there's good games on those machines also. you're either a gamer or you're biased (console/pc only) or on a budget.

 

[NTMBK]

My PC has a 7770, Phenom II X4 and a crummy old DDR2 motherboard, runs games fine. Only thing that annoys me about it is fan noise- might be tempted to replace the GPU with a quieter card, but that's it. Don't see the need to spend a fortune to play the games I like when I can just turn the settings down slightly.

 

[Anomaly1964]

My PC has a 7770, Phenom II X4 and a crummy old DDR2 motherboard, runs games fine. Only thing that annoys me about it is fan noise- might be tempted to replace the GPU with a quieter card, but that's it. Don't see the need to spend a fortune to play the games I like when I can just turn the settings down slightly.

Nods...

 

[TheSlamma]

Not to belittle your fact, but PC games have supported gamepads for more than 20 years.

This is the one my friend and I had on our pentium 120's, it was called "The Champ"

People get too uptight about controllers on PC's as if they degrade the PC. This is primitive thinking.

What makes the PC the ultimate gaming machine is the fact that it can play games with KB/M AND steering wheels, gamepads, flight sticks (not just joysticks but complete flight setups) and joysticks. It's the do all be all system that can be tweaked, upgraded and customized to the individual if they do so desire or left alone for years if they want too.

 

[Pandora's Box]

My resolution this year is to not buy any new PC hardware...spent way too much past few years

 

[TridenT]

lol wtf.

I can play all games on my computer that are supported. (and even unsupported, thanks emulators) I have a wireless xbox 360 controller connected to my computer. Works just fine for all those racing and fighting games.

There are some games you just can't play on a console with a gamepad to any decent degree. (Pretty much any RTS and even most FPS have auto-assist aim...)

 

[mmntech]

PC gaming is one of the few hobbies where you get out of it exactly what you put into it. As hobbies go, it's not particularly expensive in the grand scheme. If I spent as much money as my dad does on golf in a year, I'd always have a new high end rig with a full library of new releases.

PC gaming gives you that freedom to build and mod that you just can't do on consoles. You're free to create your own experience, and discover new content that wouldn't otherwise see the light of day. It's a bit like YouTube versus conventional television in that regard.

My PC has a 7770, Phenom II X4 and a crummy old DDR2 motherboard, runs games fine. Only thing that annoys me about it is fan noise- might be tempted to replace the GPU with a quieter card, but that's it. Don't see the need to spend a fortune to play the games I like when I can just turn the settings down slightly.

Same here, except I have dual 6850s, that I got during a Boxing Day sale. Handles most games just fine on medium high to high settings.

We haven't seen huge leaps in software requiring huge leaps in performance over the past few years. Largely because the last console generation dragged on so long. So things have been pretty stable. Unless of course you're Ubisoft Montreal, and you don't know how to code for x86.

 

[Arsinek]

And first let me say that I myself am a PC gamer...

But do you start asking yourself "Am I crazy for wanting/needing to buy a new $350 GPU just so that I can play the newest game when the (game) looks and plays pretty darn good on a console that costs about the same as my video card alone?"

Do you ever begin to question your ROI?

I mean when you look at games like Borderlands you realize that TOP END graphics are NOT a requirement for a game to be fun. Would Dragon Age: Inquisition be any LESS fun with Borderland style graphics...?

And I KNOW you can do so much more than play games on your PC but do you think there might be a MIDDLE GROUND device at a price point between the CONSOLE ($395) and a nice gaming rig ($1300) some day?

If they would come out with a quality, reliable mouse and game pad (WSAD, Run, Jump keys) for consoles, I would be VERY tempted...

I don't know, I just feel there comes a point where FPS and shadows begin...over shadowing...the FUN of gaming.

Hope to hear your thoughts...

Thanks!

Games I like arnt on consoles.

 

[YBS1]

Eh, while I do subscribe to the "PC Master Race" school of thinking, I have to admit I've been playing on my sons PS4 substantially more than I've been playing on my PC the past few months. Between playing Skylanders with him, Destiny and Advanced Warfare (due to the bigger player base making it easier to find the type of match you're looking for), I've barely touched my gaming rig. That's compounded by my lack of interest in any new hardware as of the moment, to me that's half the fun right there though so I wouldn't say the ROI is poor.