Saturn/PS1 were better than anything a PC could do at time of release excluding 3D cards. n64 wasn't as good graphically as a pc with a 3dfx card in either.

Even the Xbox 360 had a suprior GPU to what was even purchasable on the PC at the time, was similar but had some extra bits...technical explanation is easily obtainabe via google.

This is actually the first "next gen" where PCs have easily been ahead even before release of said consoles.

Your confiendence is misplaced.

PCs have had more generations than consoles have had hot dinners in the last 10 years/

the problem is n64 was released nearly 6 months earlier than 3Dfx, well if you wish you can count some intergraph Win NT workstations but the cost was 10 000 $+

Not really so much as before. Because of a new major difference. Microsoft is now linking the DirectX version to the operating system. So the new Xbox is expected to run a similar version of DirectX 11.1x that only Windows 8 is running.

True, while new GPU's can and will get more powerful, the differences will be less noticeable than today. Currently we have the Xbox 360 running DirectX 9c while the best GPU are in a different way all together at DirectX 11.1. It noticeable handles scaling, detail and textures much better. You can see it in this demo, look at things like the texture of the rope, tiles on the room, the stones of the wall and sidewalk. In DirectX 11 they all have extra textures. They also increase in detail as you get closer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiS6kzXQchk

The next major graphics update will wait until Windows 9 and probably DirectX 12. Then you will see a graphics improvement, which probably need new new hardware not available today.

In the meantime, it would seem the new and more powerful GPU will allow a better frame rate, and large monitors and scaling across monitors, but not the major difference we are used to seeing in the last 5 years or so.

Mobile and tablet gaming are next gen. You old fashioned rednecks with your dinosaur video gaming habits...

PS4 and Xbox 720 will be used as a base for next-gen games. Can you build a PC that will run these games at higher resolutions and better AA and effects? Yes, but it'll cost you.

It won't make PS4 of 720 look last-gen in any way, shape, or form.

Oh and 8GB GDDR5. Thanks disolitude.

In terms of hardware? No, I wouldn't consider even the best PC hardware a generation ahead of the PS4 / rumoured Xbox hardware at all. We're comparing mid-high end PC hardware to top end PC hardware here.

In terms of graphics displayed on screen? Hell no. Optimisations should allow next-gen consoles to keep up with PC graphics for a couple of years. From what I've seen on Youtube with Crysis 3 and Killzone Shadowfall, I'd say next-gen launch games have already surpassed anything on PC (although I'd need to see them on the big screen before I come to any conclusion).

Wait one year when AMD releases their new APU-sets ;) I think AMD is just starting with the APU-tech and I can see it increasing performance higher than the usual performance-improvement in the next years.

But who cares? You still can't play Gran Turismo or Halo 5 or Forza 5 on PC.

PC gamers love to build their own PCs and swap out CPUs and GPUs to their liking. These APUs are more of a laptop thing where low cost high performance actually matters. Can you even buy APUs for a Desktop PC today?

@bold
Exactly.

Sure:
http://www.amd.com/us/products/desktop/pages/consumer-desktops.aspx#1

IIRC it's called Fusion currently.