Thoughts on replacing gaming consoles with a dedicated TV rack/living room PC.

[iSynthMan]

I've been thinking about this for a while because:

 

1) Exclusives are dying, all Xbox games are coming to PC day one on the cheaper PC game pass.

 

2) Modern consoles are pretty much just low spec gaming PCs with cut down hardware and AMD's awful first gen RT performance for the next five years.

 

3) ITX configurations are only getting smaller, more capable and affordable.

 

4) Legacy games get much superior graphics and performance: I don't want to play say...Watch Dogs 2 with crappy low graphics and 30fps at low resolution just because Ubisoft couldn't be bothered to update it to run better on new consoles.

 

To those who have done the same, how was the experience? DId you regret it? What were some problems and frustrations you had to go through?

 

This is currently my "TV gaming setup":

 

[thevictor390]

I stopped buying game consoles after PS3 thanks to PS+. PC games work just fine with a controller on a TV, it's a little more fiddly to set up and maintain but if you're good with computers it's a breeze (I have a small wireless keyboard+trackpad). It would be really annoying to deal with for some. I used to not even have a dedicated device, just my PC and a long cable, but now for suitable games I just use my Steam Deck docked.

[dkoudijs]

I did this many years ago, and moved the PC back to the office. The game types I played did not move well to a large screen. I also didn't like to use the mouse/keyboard on the couch. The desk works much better for this.

 

Now saying all that, I do play games still on my TV. Some arcade type games I play through steam and my apple TV.

 

I play PC (solo) and nintendo games (Party games)

 

So it depends if what you play, as controller based games work great on the TV. My case not really so I sorta do a split method and it works well for me.

[ToboRobot]

Different experience and community.  I wouldn't say either is better or worse, there are different trade offs for a different experience. 

Having a console for exclusives and easy couch gaming is nice, and having a PC is also nice for gaming and all the other things it can do that consoles can't.

 

 

[iSynthMan]

3 minutes ago, dkoudijs said:

I did this many years ago, and moved the PC back to the office. The game types I played did not move well to a large screen. I also didn't like to use the mouse/keyboard on the couch. The desk works much better for this.

 

Now saying all that, I do play games still on my TV. Some arcade type games I play through steam and my apple TV.

 

I play PC (solo) and nintendo games (Party games)

 

So it depends if what you play, as controller based games work great on the TV. My case not really so I sorta do a split method and it works well for me.

I'm mainly thinking about games that work great on a controller.

 

I'll still have my main PC for the other ones.

[dkoudijs]

4 minutes ago, iSynthMan said:

I'm mainly thinking about games that work great on a controller.

 

I'll still have my main PC for the other ones.

Try a device that can do steam streaming (They changed the name a few times)

This will show you if you are going in the right direction. A wireless keyboard and mouse might reach your PC, so you can control it if needed.

[iSynthMan]

56 minutes ago, dkoudijs said:

Try a device that can do steam streaming (They changed the name a few times)

This will show you if you are going in the right direction. A wireless keyboard and mouse might reach your PC, so you can control it if needed.

I tried that and it's way too janky and terrible.

 

I really don't like streaming games, at all.

[Donut417]

4 hours ago, iSynthMan said:

frustrations you had to go through?

Sometimes it takes time for games to come to PC. GTA 5 was out for 2 years before it was brought to PC. My friend seems to think the same might happen with GTA 6. 

 

Another thing to is cross play. If you have friends that you like to play with that only do consoles, you might not be able to play with them. OR you will have limited games that you all can play. 

[iSynthMan]

39 minutes ago, Donut417 said:

Sometimes it takes time for games to come to PC. GTA 5 was out for 2 years before it was brought to PC. My friend seems to think the same might happen with GTA 6. 

 

Another thing to is cross play. If you have friends that you like to play with that only do consoles, you might not be able to play with them. OR you will have limited games that you all can play. 

All my friends that play stuff online are on PC.

 

I'm mostly a singleplayer guy tho

[BrandonLatzig]

I mean its an option. its a relatively expensive option upfront with the ideal being less in the future. but at the same time...lets be honest, consoles are designed to work with tvs and to work in the living room environment.  Again, you can do a rack/living room pc, but making a pc just to play games is... a bit silly when people keep touting that pc are multifunctional and thats why they are better.
Again, you can do it and I wouldn't call you dumb. I have an emulation box for something like this, to me its just inconvivent. I like my xbox, it adds character in my opinion and its for when I wanna play games. I gotta connect my keyboard, mouse and controller to the emulation box to play games, and even then its not the best process.

[BrandonLatzig]

and another thing. personally I don't care if console games are made to "look worse" or "run worse" They play fine and if I like them, I like them. 

[Mark Kaine]

yeh, but i don't use a tv, that'd be a bit icky. ~

 

 

 

[Totallycasual]

12 hours ago, iSynthMan said:

1) Exclusives are dying

 

Ummm, no they aren't.  Playstation's success last generation is for the most part a product of their strong stable of exclusives, particularly single player narrative driven titles, so much so that MS has spent years gobbling up studios so they can compete on the exclusives front (Starfield is pretty much the first major title to arrive as a result of these efforts).  If anything, exclusives are going to become even more important in the years ahead.

 

I'm not knocking the idea of putting a PC in your lounge to replace your X-Box, i just think it would be silly to not keep your Playstation as part of the setup, ideally i'd throw a Nintendo in there too, because that's the gaming holy trinity, PC-PS-Nintendo. 

[Mark Kaine]

1 hour ago, Totallycasual said:

 

Ummm, no they aren't.  Playstation's success last generation is for the most part a product of their strong stable of exclusives, particularly single player narrative driven titles, so much so that MS has spent years gobbling up studios so they can compete on the exclusives front (Starfield is pretty much the first major title to arrive as a result of these efforts).  If anything, exclusives are going to become even more important in the years ahead.

 

I'm not knocking the idea of putting a PC in your lounge to replace your X-Box, i just think it would be silly to not keep your Playstation as part of the setup, ideally i'd throw a Nintendo in there too, because that's the gaming holy trinity, PC-PS-Nintendo. 

well it depends on what you want. for me 99% of "console exclusives" are irrelevant. 

 

i want two things from my games:

 

moddable, stable framerates 

 

(3rd: cheap)

 

 

so pc it is, no time to deal with consoles and their shoddy performance/ drm hell.

 

 

[Blue4130]

35 minutes ago, Mark Kaine said:

 

 

(3rd: cheap)

 

 

 

This was a big reason why I went with pc/tv combo. Steam sales are hard to beat.

[Totallycasual]

1 hour ago, Mark Kaine said:

for me 99% of "console exclusives" are irrelevant

 

Sure, that's for you personally, but your personal feelings don't negate anything i said about console exclusives and the role they have played, and will continue to play in the future. 

[Mark Kaine]

6 minutes ago, Totallycasual said:

 

Sure, that's for you personally, but your personal feelings don't negate anything i said about console exclusives and the role they have played, and will continue to play in the future. 

actually thats more a universal view than anything,  console exclusives aren't really worth mentioning since ps360 gen, that *you* personally still think thats a thing tells more about you and FOMO phenomenon than anything tbth. (and yes, i know you're not the only one, but since we're getting "personal" might get more to the point then )

 

 

[Beerzerker]

3 hours ago, Totallycasual said:

 

Ummm, no they aren't.  Playstation's success last generation is for the most part a product of their strong stable of exclusives, particularly single player narrative driven titles, so much so that MS has spent years gobbling up studios so they can compete on the exclusives front (Starfield is pretty much the first major title to arrive as a result of these efforts).  If anything, exclusives are going to become even more important in the years ahead.

 

I'm not knocking the idea of putting a PC in your lounge to replace your X-Box, i just think it would be silly to not keep your Playstation as part of the setup, ideally i'd throw a Nintendo in there too, because that's the gaming holy trinity, PC-PS-Nintendo. 

Nintento-Sega-Sony - Now those are a trinity in console gaming at least but if you want to go further concerning consoles, add Atari into the mix too.

For the purpose of gaming itself overall, I get what you are saying though.

That's like the ideal setup most would have and use, Sega and Atari are options.... Like an appetizer/side dish if you want because that only applies if you want to add a bit of retro-spice to the overall setup.
Spice is nice you know.

[Lurking]

A PC will also be do much better watching YouTube and Netflix etc. Full keyboard to enter search terms, and you can install all YT advertisement and shorts-blocking extension. I loathe "smart" TVs with their extremely slow hardware, inflexible UI and entering passwords or search term with a TV remote. 

[Totallycasual]

1 hour ago, Mark Kaine said:

console exclusives aren't really worth mentioning since ps360 gen, that *you* personally still think thats a thing tells more about you and FOMO phenomenon than anything tbth

 

Wait what? 

 

Console exclusives are a huge thing, anyone who knows anything about the gaming industry will tell you that Sony crushing MS last generation was largely due to their exclusives and focus on quality single player games, that's not an opinion, that's just how it went.  Why on earth do you think MS is spending so much cash on studios?  It's to get their own exclusives lol

 

The average consumer doesn't always know about who owns which studios and IP's, they'll walk into a retail outlet and say "I want to play Spiderman or Starfield" and the sales staff will point them towards the console they need.  Titles like that are hardware movers, once you've gotten someone to buy the hardware, they're locked into the ecosystem, when someone buys the latest Assassins Creed game for their PS or X-box via the digital storefronts, something like 30% of the games price stays with Sony/MS so it's super important to try and get people to buy your hardware. 

 

Also, what the hell does FOMO have to do with this conversation? 

[Mark Kaine]

I am sorry that the truth is such a shocking revelation to you. but of course you're free to believe whatever you want and pretend its still the early 2000s, its a free country.

[Kerrj]

The last console I purchased was the game cube when I was like, 10.

 

Ever since, it's been PC all the way. My last gen gaming PC goes to the tv, which keeps it plenty ahead of the consoles.

 

I have a lot of stuff set up to emulate older console games. As OP said, pretty much all new games run flawlessly with controllers on a desktop. There really is no reason to get a console unless you are hooked on an exclusive.

[Donut417]

22 hours ago, iSynthMan said:

All my friends that play stuff online are on PC.

 

I'm mostly a singleplayer guy tho

Cool beans. Id suggest an Xbox controller. I do know they can connect via Bluetooth Im not sure how good it is, I use my controller wired. You may also want to look in to Logitech as they have a  wireless media center keyboard with a built in touchpad. That will help with navigating the machine sitting on the couch. 

[TetraSky]

I personally liked the idea of a home theater PC to replace the consoles in the living room and even planned to buy a PC just for that.

But after careful considerations, I just couldn't see myself actively using the living room PC. Why use an underpowered PC when the PC in my room is better in every way?

There's always the option of mirroring my PC to the living room, but that's a whole other can of worms.

[iSynthMan]

29 minutes ago, Donut417 said:

Cool beans. Id suggest an Xbox controller. I do know they can connect via Bluetooth Im not sure how good it is, I use my controller wired. You may also want to look in to Logitech as they have a  wireless media center keyboard with a built in touchpad. That will help with navigating the machine sitting on the couch. 

I already own a Logitech wireless keyboard with a touchpad and multiple Xbox controllers. (All from my 360 consoles)

 

im pretty much ready to go lol