How long would you prefer a console lifespan to last before replacement?

[KBG29]

mZuzek said:

KBG29 said:
I like a generation to occur when the technology is ready to deliver a significant leap on all fronts. With the rate at which technology is growing, I would like to see generations get even longer, but have optional upgrades like PS4 Pro and XBO X come out more regularly. The next generation is coming about 2 years too early based on what I am seeing. I think a PS4 Premium this year on 7nm with a 3GHz Jaguar and a 10TFLOPs GPU would have suited us just fine, until a full generational leap was ready in 2022.

I really hope that Microsoft and Sony have built the PS5 and Scarlett with many upgraded models in mind. I wouldn't mind upgraded models every 2 - 4 years depending on new tech, with PS6/XB5 not arriving until 2030 at the earliest.

I don't really understand this notion of wanting upgraded models of the same hardware or whatever. PS4 Pro and Xbox One X already kinda boggle my mind in that regard, it's just... isn't it just better to get a PC at that point? To me the whole idea of consoles is that it's this one machine, that no matter where you go or whose console you turn on, it'll run everything exactly the same as yours - that games are built and optimized to perform in a certain way for this one system. Having many different iterations of the same console, with varying degrees of power, it's just a PC thing to me. But, to each their own, I guess.

 It comes down to how often there is a generational leap in technology, and how technology outside of the console space evolves. I would prefer a new generation to deliver a generational leap in technology. PS5 should not be Quarter or Half gen upgrade, if that is the case it deminishes the meaning behind the numbers signifying a generational leap. When we get a new Genration, it should deliver a increase in perfromance that delivers an monumental leap forward in what is capable.

 The thing is not all technology is progressing in lock step. Some technologies are growing rapidly at times, while others get stuck in a rut. A generation in Displays, Sound, Storage, Netwroking, etc. are not all in alignment with each other. We might have a situation where we see 3 generations of TV advanacements in a 5 year period, while we don't see a generational leap in Consoles for a decade. Someone can buy a console day one, that takes full advanatge of the latest displays and sounds, and within 2 years, there can be a massive improvement to display and sound. The consumer can upgrade their PC to play 3rd party titles that take advanatge of that, but without a refresh of the current console hardware, 1st party games are still locked to the now outdated display and audio tech. At this point a new generation of console is completely unjustifiable, but an optional upgrade can allow these early adopters to take advanatge of the newest industry standards. 

Does it make sense that someone that buys a new Display and Sound System would like the option to have SIEWWS titles take advantage of that, and not have to wait 5 - 7 years for the next generational leap in technology?

I know some will say that instead of a optional upgrade after 3 - 4 years, there should be a full gen upgreade at 5 years, but that is not how technology works. If all that is possible after 3 - 4 years are superficial upgrades, then a year or two later is very unlikely to deliver a generational leap. So instead of getting an optional upgrade that offers the same games with superficial improvements, now you end up with a generational required update that only adds superficial improvements, thus deminishing the image of generational required upgrades, and hurting the image of console altogether.

Pemalite said:
Whenever there is a fundamental leap in hardware capability that makes the generation jump... Well. Generational.

Perfect answer from a hardware perspective. Years do not determine hardware generations, technology does. A new generation could be possible in 10 months or 10 years, it is all about whether there is a breakthough in tech or a stagnation.