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Forums - General - Do you really believe in "future proof"ing electronics?

 

Future proofing is a marketing ploy?

Yes 24 43.64%
 
No 25 45.45%
 
WUT? 6 10.91%
 
Total:55
Cub on 26 August 2012
Soleron said:

No. "Because it's future proof" should never be a reason for buying anything. Buy because it is uselful to you now, or wait until you need it and buy the best at that time.

Now what IS insane is TV companies' expectations that people would upgrade their TVs every 1-2 years like they would a phone or laptop. The use case for TVs is not changing fast enough to warrant this; HD -> Full HD -> 3D -> 4K are becoming less and less effective rationales for upgrading.

@Zappykins

The plateau is here already with HD. Most people's eyesight and living room size don't justify anything bigger especially with a >$1000 price tag attached.

We have also reached a demand plateau in desktop CPUs (2006, Core 2), video game graphics (2006, 360), laptop PCs for non-gaming (2011, Sandy Bridge). We haven't reached it for smartphone/tablet performance or battery life which is why those devices are 'hot'.


Cool expression! When are we start getting our SSD for cheaper prices :(



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Soleron on 26 August 2012
Cub said:
Soleron said:

...

 When are we start getting our SSD for cheaper prices :(

Whenever they find out how to shrink flash without decreasing the failure rate.



SvennoJ on 27 August 2012
kowenicki said:
SvennoJ said:
kowenicki said:
SvennoJ said:
kowenicki said:
Well apparently sony want to have the capability to push 4k through the PS4, not generate... push (I hope people understand the difference)

But then I just read an article on 8k tv broadcasts and content on the BBC.

Future proofing is horseshit, it has always been so.

Why wouldn't it be able to generate 4K. Todays graphics cards can generate 4K. If the max render resolution of the gpu is 4K then it can easily generate 4K for simpler games. The ps3 can already push 4k for images.

The ps3 was future proofed. It can play 3D blu-rays can't it? Unheard of in 2006.

Future proof, future proof.

Read it and understand it.

NOTHING is future proof

Depends how far into the future you want your electronics to keep up. The ps3 is doing pretty well for its 10 year life cycle.
The ps4 will be selling at its prime around 2020, 4k is going to be relevant by then.


no. future proof is a definitive statement.  there are no ifs, buts or depends, it either is or it isnt.

Not in the common use of the word

The phrase future proofing describes the exclusive process of trying to anticipate future developments, so that action can be taken to minimize possible negative consequences, and to seize opportunities.

(Future-proof) Describes a piece of tech that supposedly won't become outdated (anytime soon).

There are lots of definitions for future proof, for example from the Camebridge dictionary
"Future-proof software, computer equipment, etc. is designed so that it can still be used even when technology changes"
Well my Intelli vision must have been future proof, since it still works on my lcd tv today.

If you want to use it as a dfinitive statement, well nothing lasts forvever. Not a very useful word in that case. It rolls better off the tongue then 'guaranteed to stay relevant during its lifecycle'.



SvennoJ on 27 August 2012
kowenicki said:

exactly...its a bogus phrase.

it is marketing ploy. thats why i ticked that box in the poll.

btw i can buy a 4k tv today.... so the PS3 wasn't future proof.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/03/ps3-will-support-4k-stills-after-a-future-update-moving-picture/
It's only pictures though.

There are 5 4k video clips on Youtube and 1 movie (Timescapes) available in 4K today
http://gizmodo.com/5914426/the-first-cinema-resolution-movie-download-available-to-consumers-is-160gb-and-absolutely-breathtaking
Ps3 can't play that.



ultima on 27 August 2012
kowenicki said:

exactly...its a bogus phrase.

it is marketing ploy. thats why i ticked that box in the poll.

btw i can buy a 4k tv today.... so the PS3 wasn't future proof.

You're just arguing semantics. By your definition, "future proof" is a term that can never be fulfilled, and hence should never be used. The fact is, by common definition, if you bought a DVD player in 1998, you were future proof, if you bought a Blu-ray player in 2006, you were future proof, just like if you buy a third generation i7 now you're future proof.



           

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sales2099 on 27 August 2012

The electronics industry is fast paced and hyper competitive. A truly great machine has at best a few years on the market before the spotlight is taken off them. Therefore futerproofing only leads to higher costs and irrelevancy when the next wave arrives.



Xbox: Best hardware, Game Pass best value, best BC, more 1st party genres and multiplayer titles. 

 

Solid-Stark on 27 August 2012

Somewhat. It's ridiculous to say you want a device for everlasting use. It makes me happy though, that my SNES still works even though I don't game on it anymore. Something like that.



e=mc^2

Gaming on: PS4 Pro, Switch, SNES Mini, Wii U, PC (i5-7400, GTX 1060)

Turkish on 27 August 2012

Yes, PS2 is still kicking ass.



thranx on 27 August 2012

no i don't believe in "future proofing" for technology as the only way that would happen is if society stops to advance electronics. I don't see that happening in my life time. Other objects may be able too, but even then not for me as i like electronics and i can't think of a single thing that can't be enhanced by them.



Slimebeast on 27 August 2012
Soleron said:

 

@Zappykins

The plateau is here already with HD. Most people's eyesight and living room size don't justify anything bigger especially with a >$1000 price tag attached.

We have also reached a demand plateau in desktop CPUs (2006, Core 2), video game graphics (2006, 360), laptop PCs for non-gaming (2011, Sandy Bridge). We haven't reached it for smartphone/tablet performance or battery life which is why those devices are 'hot'.

Great post. It was an eye-opener a few years ago when I realized that the performance of desktops and laptops suddenly had reached the level where the average consumer needs are perfectly satisfied. Same with HD TV. Only a very small niche will crave for 4K.

But I disagree about video game graphics. I really can't even imagine the plateau there. Now someone might say that Avatar quality graphics are almost  around the corner but then I'll say I want fully destructible Avatar graphics in huge worlds with interactive environments like in real life.

So our GPUs really need to become 100 times (if not 1000) faster than a 680GTX until we reach that level.