Has a High End PC become pointless? PC Gaming useless?

[Princess Luna]

Before any one comes here with the usual PCMR hue hue read me out.

 

For the longest time the dream of a High End gaming computer lived vivid in me and I'm sure on many others, being able to play games on the maximum eye candy possible is always an exciting thought.

 

However I can't help but notice that PC gaming nowadays as is entering 2019 has become extremely Online and Game as Services orientated, E-sports every where, Battle Royale, MOBA, massive multiplayer online and so on.

 

 I work monday to friday, 10 hours shift daily and I am doing my second college, so realistically sit down and game to me is limited to some hours on weekends at best and for a very long time I have been focusing only on single player story driven or at least semi-rpg games as competitive online stuff is a no no any more obviously.

 

The problem here is that I was looking through some of the recent games and I can't help but realize that pretty much the best single player games are all exclusives for the PS4, you know:

 

God of War, Horizon, Last of Us, Spider Man, Bloodborne, Uncharted, Last Guardian, Detroit Become Human and the list goes on... Not only Sony exclusives then we have Console Exclusives like Red Dead Redemption 2 and a bunch more... And all this while every game that actually got a PC Port is available on the PS4.

 

So here is the deal, I don't care about online competitive games, I don't play any of those any more... The PS4 Pro hardware wise is capable of running said games on pretty good quality nowadays... So... as much as I used to hype like most of us with high end PC gaming and all the extras I actually have been feeling like I've been missing out a lot if not more by not owning a PS4...

 

Furthermore laptops have come a long way, Intel's 8th gen was actually impressive I got a new laptop with a MX150 and an i7 8650U and I can do all my drawing and content creation and web browsing and actual professional work with office and do classes etc...

 

So the thing is my personal computer has become... kinda redundant if not pointless... I'm actually thinking, should I even insist on it? Maybe try selling it while it's still "up-to-date" buy a PS4 and call it a day?

Have any one ever went through this or people just go and buy the PS4 alongside their PC and call it a day?

[Guest]

I agree with you to be honest, I just love to mess around with hardware and will always own a high end PC for that reason!

 

Also, once you go 144Hz you can never go back (in my opinion)!

[Radium_Angel]

2 minutes ago, Princess Cadence said:

and call it a day?

The choices are not binary, you can have a PC and a console, and no one will think less of you...well, I won't. Can't speak for the rest of humanity.

 

[Fasauceome]

High end is always gonna be up there, like the aforementioned  144Hz or 4K, there's gonna be some performance ceiling that the consoles are bsuy catching up to. Until those differences are undetectable, there's a purpose to enthusiast gaming. As far as single player games being console exclusives, that's just licensing. It's anti consumer and a huge bummer, but that's what it takes to sell consoles. If I could play God of war and bloodborne on PC, I would, and you too probably. However, it makes lots of money to restrict these properties, and if anything, it shines positively on the PC market since console makers clearly feel the pressure from the growing PC market.

[Princess Luna]

1 minute ago, fasauceome said:

.

Well yeah that's the thing though, what is the point of being able to play at high quality when the best games simply aren't ported to PC?

 

I'm kinda just really salty how every one enjoyed Red Dead Redemption 2 through the holidays and I have a machine that is insanely faster than a console just suck my finger tips

 

Really feels shitty... I'm not going to own both, but I am highly considering selling my PC for a PS4 because actually being able to play the good games has more value than having high settings on a highly reduced library of games.

[Fasauceome]

2 minutes ago, Princess Cadence said:

I'm not going to own both

I don't see why not, I do. Love me some halo, but the gameplay experience on my PC is simply better.

[Princess Luna]

1 minute ago, fasauceome said:

I don't see why not, I do. Love me some halo, but the gameplay experience on my PC is simply better.

I don't have parents banking me up that's why lol.

[VillaiNPC]

I don't see why you can't have both you can pick up second hand PS4's cheap nowadays, There's also still a possibility that if you sell your PC a game you were hoping/waiting for releases but wait... you can't play it because it's only on PC and you just sold yours. But I see where you are coming from but once I made the switch from console years ago I don't think I can cope with using a joystick anymore.

[Fasauceome]

4 minutes ago, Princess Cadence said:

I don't have parents banking me up that's why lol.

Neither do I, I'm self supported for devices.

[Princess Luna]

Just now, VillaiNPC said:

.

Actually I already play half my games on the PS4 controller, you know all third person games like Hitman 2 and such only first person ones I stick to mice and keyboard.

 

And funny enough I have like stated above encounter a shit load of games that were exclusive to the PS4 and or Consoles, and not a single one from my memory is PC exclusive.

[TempestCatto]

If you find yourself using a PC much less and looking forward to more PS4 titles, well then I would sell the PC and buy the PS4. A PS4 is also much more portable and less of a wallet hurt if somethings breaks. I would love to own both myself, but money is thing. As you said, games on console are at the point where they're pretty good and high quality. Sure, not 4k or 2k. But I can only game in 1080p 60 and I still have a ball. It's all about how much you enjoy the game, not just how it looks. There's plenty of DOS based games that are quite fun. Are they in 4k 69? No and they're just as fun as games today that are. Bite the bullet and do it. You'll have much more fun out of it than you do currently.

[VillaiNPC]

It's up to you at the end of the day if it's worth while to you and can finally play the games you enjoy then everyones opinion on here should be irrelevant.

 

 

Do what makes you happy

[Guest]

Good read and well said. Fact is even though I own a Mac, so not the best graphics-wise, its still good enough to play all the titles I enjoy. Don't like PUBG or Fortnite, just SC2, and all I have time for really, sold my gaming PC a while ago, don't plan on buying anyone soon, just no need. 

[mr moose]

It's just the way things evolve, at one point in time you needed a high end PC, then you need a well spec'd PC and now you can easily get away with mid to low end for a lot of games.  It was only a matter of time before the tech allowed the consoles to catch up.    Point is get what you need to the job you want it to do. No point in hanging on to a desktop if you don't need it or use it.  

 

 

[Gix7Fifty]

How long have you been dreaming of a high end gaming computer? Remember it changes from quarter to quarter. 

[KuJoe]

For me my PC requirements are like a rollercoaster. In high school and my first few years at college (2001-2007) I absolutely "needed" the latest and greatest, I would always replace my PC and/or laptop every year (it was with my own money so it got expensive when I moved out, but it still needed to be done in my eyes). Then one day I started doing some coding and found that much more enjoyable than playing games so in 2008 I sold my gaming PC and laptop and picked up my first netbook, an HP Mini-Note 2133 for $749 with 2GB of RAM and a VIA C7-M CPU... I used that as my daily driver until 2010 (the longest I'd ever gone with a single PC/laptop) when I replaced it with an HP Mini 210 HD for $442 which I continued to use as my main computer until I finally decided to get back into gaming in 2013 when I picked up a gaming laptop (HP Envy 15z). In 2015 I built a gaming desktop and got back into the cycle of upgrading frequently for "the best" experience but as of last month, I find myself using my ODroid H2 more and more to the point where I didn't even have any of my Ryzen desktops plugged in for almost a week this month after I reorganized my office. I can legitimately get away with using my H2 with a Intel Celeron J4105 (or my Lenovo Carbon X1 ultrabook) as my daily driver now. I only power on my Ryzen PC's for gaming and streaming but if I wasn't going to stream I can even switch over to GeForce Now and get the same experience as I do with my desktop. I don't play consoles much, I use my Steam Link more than I do my Dreamcast, PS2, or Game Cube (is my age showing? ) so I can't comment on that, but from what I've read and seen, consoles definitely have a place these days and are viable alternatives for a lot of people.

 

But I also mentioned something that brings up another avenue of discussion, Gaming as a Service. GeForce Now is an amazing technology, I was thoroughly impressed with it. The proposed pricing is hard to swallow, but IMO the business model is perfect for somebody like you. The price is expensive if you game regularly, but if you only game for a few hours during the week here and there it might be worth looking into as an alternative. Looking at the cost to build a gaming PC today along with the costs of upgrades down the road it might be a cheaper option depending on your needs. Imagine paying a monthly fee to game when your schedule allows you to from anywhere with your laptop without needing to upgrade because the provider (NVIDIA) will provide upgrades on the backend to play the latest and greatest games without costing you a dime more than your monthly fee. Imagine the next cryptocurrency bubble where a low end videocard will cost you $500... being able to game on a high end videocard for a few bucks a month seems like a better deal now. This is the exact definition of future-proofing IMO.

 

Sorry to get off on a tangent, your post made me think and this is what came from it.

Edited December 30, 2018 by KuJoe
Typos

[Princess Luna]

8 minutes ago, Gix7Fifty said:

How long have you been dreaming of a high end gaming computer? Remember it changes from quarter to quarter. 

I'm sorry mate don't mistaken me, my first computer was an IBM on Win 98.

[KE2012]

Hmm I get what you are saying, but I'm not sure, I think the high end pc is living alot on people loving the idea of having the best, and enthusiastic people who love tinkering with their PC's to get the best out of them - then at the same time, I admit I'm an enthusiast but I haven't powered my big pc up in a year with thanks to my job keeping me away from it. 

 

I definitely think however that the experience between gaming on pc and console is coming closer. If we get consoles capable of hitting 144hZ at 1080 or even 60hz at 4k then I do think it will change people's perception of the gaming pc. 

[jasonvp]

Your self-imposed restriction of "Single Player Campaigns" will generally lead you towards a console.  As you pointed out, most of the new, hot single player campaigns are only available on consoles.  If that's your bag, then get the console and punt on the PC.

 

But to say that the PC gaming rig is becoming useless because of your requirements is, well, a false generalization.  A LOT of people like to play online, competitive first person shooters.  Lots and lots.  Tens of millions per day, if not more; counting all of the various titles being played today.  Those folks can play on a console, but the experience just isn't the same and, quite frankly, it never will be.  I'll bet one of my paychecks on that.  PCs just play shooters better simply because of the flexibility afforded to them.  Need a new GPU?  Add it.  Need more RAM or faster storage?  Cool.  Done.  These things are precisely anti-console, and are why PC gaming will continue to be a thing.

 

So, no: I don't agree that having a "high end PC for gaming" is useless.  Not in the least.

[BuckGup]

There is a difference between a PC Enthusiast and a gamer. You should be excited about tweaking BIOSes, reapplying thermal paste, customizing, overclocking, and just knowing the hardware is the latest and greatest. A gamer would just play games and say my CPU is a intel 3.6ghz

[meenmeen1103]

I mostly agree with this post. I'm a casual, non-competitive player that hasn't seen the NEED for ultra high performance PC gaming at all, even when playing esport games (again, non-competitively). Online multiplayer games for the majority have been a DLC money pit, and even great single player games can't seem to be released without a massive update near half the size of the launch game one day after release. Through recent games played, I've had the best pure gaming experience with single player games and even when they are ported to PC, often times they just run smoother on console, which I prefer for immersion over higher textures and FPS but with stutters and crashes, however seldom they occur. Recent online multiplayer games I feel like I enjoy more so because of friends I play with rather than the gameplay itself. For anyone who can relate to this, if they're honest with themselves, high end PC gaming may absolutely be pointless, and rather simply be something they do to put to use that which they actually enjoy more, building and owning a high end PC. 

[JammyCreedog]

What i'd like to see is someone build a good 4k capable system, then start swapping out the cpu for incrementally lower spec models. It wouldn't be hart to chart the results and pinpoint where a performance drop-off hits. Since 4k is supposedly less taxing on cpu's, the experiment could expose some cost savings for system builders.

[Guest]

High end PCs are pointless to me for the most part. 

Low end hardware can game most games decently. 720p and 1080p are fine imo and look great/good enough. 

 

The main advantage to PC gaming as to console is the choice of keyboard/mouse, custom controls, near perfect backwards compatibility to all old games (for the most part & exceptions), mods & large scale exclusives (arma 3, world of Warcraft.) 

 

though consoles are getting kB/mouse support & there are adaptors that emulate keyboards, it’s becoming redundant. There is a ton of backwards compatibility by just throwing in the disk, now it’s just mods which is a semi yes, semi no on consoles, & large scale games. Dayz pubg & fortnite are on console so it’s not really a limitation. Especially since phones have PuBg & back in 99-01 arma 1 was on PC requiring like 1gb ram. 

 

So yes you’re right about high end being worthless. As for single player experiences, it may be so that consoles have it better. I use my PC for music, web, dev & gaming but it seems consoles have the first 2 and last. It’s not really a bad thing that consoles have this though. 

[Paul Rudd]

23 hours ago, Princess Cadence said:

I actually have been feeling like I've been missing out a lot if not more by not owning a PS4...

You're not missing out much from PS4.

23 hours ago, Princess Cadence said:

I'm kinda just really salty how every one enjoyed Red Dead Redemption 2 through the holidays and I have a machine that is insanely faster than a console just suck my finger tips

RDR2 will be on PC before you know it.

23 hours ago, Princess Cadence said:

I am highly considering selling my PC for a PS4 because actually being able to play the good games has more value than having high settings on a highly reduced library of games.

This would be a beyond dumb choice. PC has way more games than PS4 and plenty of them are very similar to the few PS4 exclusives that are worth playing.

23 hours ago, Princess Cadence said:

God of War, Horizon, Last of Us, Spider Man, Bloodborne, Uncharted, Last Guardian, Detroit Become Human

8 exclusives, wow. There's plenty of similar games to these on PC that will provide the same fix or entertainment value.

 

God of War - Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, DmC: Devil May Cry - Definitive Edition, Bayonetta, Rise of the Tomb Raider, For Honor, Dark Souls: Remastered, Shadow of War/Shadow of Mordor.

Horizon Zero Dawn - Far Cry Primal, The Witcher 3, Monster Hunter World, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Skyrim, Zelda Breath of the Wild(played on Dolphin on PC), Dragon Age Inquisition, Nier Automata, Enslaved Odyssey to the West

Spider Man - Batman Arkham Knight, GTA 5(Spiderman mods), Prototype 1 & 2, Just Cause 3, DmC: Devil May Cry, Sleeping Dogs, Any Assassins Creed game, Any other Spiderman game, Incredible Hulk Games

Bloodborne - Dark Souls Remastered, Dark Souls, Dark Souls II, Dark Souls III, Lords of the Fallen, Nioh, The Surge, Necropolis, Death's Gambit, Severence BoD, Dead Cells, Salt & Sanctuary, Hyper Light Drifter, Dragons Dogma

Uncharted - Rise of the Tomb Raider, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Enslaved Odyssey to the West, Quantum Break

Last Guardian - Probably not gonna find many similar games to this game that are actually worth playing.

Detroit Become Human - Heavy Rain, Any TellTale game, Quantum Break, Mass Effect games

 

I hope you can get the picture. And the best part about playing all these games... Higher FPS, mods, being able to tweak graphic settings, K&M support, mapping controls, being able to get rid of bugs yourself.

23 hours ago, Princess Cadence said:

the list goes on... a bunch more... 

Where's the rest of the list? Where's the bunch more? There's at least 1 similar game to almost every game on PS4 that can be played on PC to provide the same type of fix. If you don't want your PC, sell it. But replacing it with a PS4 will be a mistake. Once you go to 90-144 fps, it's tough to go back to 23-30(and sometimes 60).

[Lathlaer]

23 hours ago, Princess Cadence said:

not a single one from my memory is PC exclusive.

That's because a well-made single player AAA game is crazy expensive to make and no one in their right mind will take away half of potential revenue by excluding consoles. CDPR even admitted that if it weren't for consoles, Witcher 3 wouldn't have been released.

 

It also helps that with consoles you have a single entity (Sony/Microsoft) responsible for any kind of backdoor deals that result in a game being released exclusively for one platform. No such company for PC.

23 hours ago, Princess Cadence said:

Have any one ever went through this or people just go and buy the PS4 alongside their PC and call it a day?

I have been toying with the idea of getting a PS4 as an addition to my PC because I'd really like to play Horizon Zero Dawn and the new Spider-Man but so far there are too few exclusives to get me to pull the trigger. Additional problem lies with the fact that the other console game I'd like to play is Breath of the Wild so now in order to play 3 games I'd have to buy 2 consoles.

 

Even if I could do that (not kidding myself, I've spent more money or sillier things), I have another problem: despite having relatively lots of free time every day (no studying, don't bring work home), there is simply too much for me to do already. Every day I'm getting torn between playing a game, watching a TV series, watching a movie, reading a book and simply sitting and listening to my favorites on Tidal. And they are all mutually exclusive! (ok, maybe not reading + listening)  But that's maybe because my current game (Pillars of Eternity), while good, isn't nearly as engaging as some titles I've played before. I guess the situation will change with Anthem and Cyberpunk (as in, I will not have any doubts about priorities).

 

19 minutes ago, A Random Dude said:

here's plenty of similar games to these on PC that will provide the same fix or entertainment value.

Yeah but the point is that many of the games you listed are also available on consoles - just like @Princess Cadence said, not many real "PC exclusives" so switching to a console will not render those alternatives unavailable for her AND will grant access to exclusives.

 

You do have a point with mods, graphics settings, resolution and FPS - admittedly the reason someone might choose to play a PC version of a game that also exist on a console. But it's not an ultimate factor. Has to be weighed against costs (for instance, let's say biyearly upgrades since she is a "performance whore" by her own admission  ) - whether eye candy on PC is worth to her more than exclusives at the cost of ugrades to the hardware - only she can answer.