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Forums - PC - Digital Foundry: £100 Graphics Card vs Next-gen consoles

curl-6 on 29 January 2014
adriane23 said:

That depends on the PC you have. And overall, the payout is still higher because it's not like the money you spent on the your PC suddenly disappears just because you bought it before you bought the graphics card.

And it's not like the money you spent on a PS3 disappears because you bought it before the PS4. There will always be progressive costs over time. We're talking about here and now. You can spend a mere 100 pounds and bag a GPU that can rival the much more expensive PS4/Xbone.



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adriane23 on 29 January 2014
curl-6 said:
adriane23 said:

That depends on the PC you have. And overall, the payout is still higher because it's not like the money you spent on the your PC suddenly disappears just because you bought it before you bought the graphics card.

And it's not like the money you spent on a PS3 disappears because you bought it before the PS4. There will always be progressive costs over time. We're talking about here and now. You can spend a mere 100 pounds and bag a GPU that can rival the much more expensive PS4/Xbone.

??? Why would the cost of a PS3 be added to the cost of the PS4? It's not progressive. I don't think you understand what I'm getting at.



I am the Playstation Avenger.

   

Scoobes on 29 January 2014
adriane23 said:
Scoobes said:
adriane23 said:
My take:

For more money than a next gen console, you can have a PC that will either slightly underperform, compete, or slightly outperform a next gen console.

What was the point of this?

Try similar money, free online and cheaper games with the ability to upgrade if you wish it.

For more money (£20) you'll get superior performance, and unlike previous gens, given an extra year that £100 graphics card will be superior to console games. All of these results haven't even factored the Mantle API into the equation as no one is using it yet. That'll allow devs to code "closer to the metal" in a similar way to consoles.

So PC is actually a very attractive option for the rest of the gen. If it wasn't for Uncharted 4 I'd probably skip PS4 altogether... I still might considering I have to save money to pay for a Wedding.

Similar? I don't think so. You'd be easily paying $650+ just to match most of what will be offered on the next gen consoles.

Here are a few examples of similar pricing but still <$500. It's also worth noting that the graphics cards in these builds are better than the graphics card in the OP.

By the end of the year (I doubt either the PS4 or X1 will have had a price cut by this point), this will be even easier:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-1878923/build-500-budget-gaming-amd.html

http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/171158-can-you-build-a-gaming-pc-better-than-the-ps4-for-400




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kirby007 on 29 January 2014
Pemalite said:
Hurr1cane said:
I would love to get into pc gaming just don't have the knowledge to build my own and just don't know if a prebuilt is worth the $ (alienware, etc) in comparison to my xbox1. $500 compared to $1500.


You have access to the largest repository of information known to man-kind.
Today it is not so important to "know" something but in-fact more important to know "how to find" the information you need and one has to assume you have some form of basic understanding for accessing said repository otherwise you wouldn't be on this forum. :)

Buying a prebuilt is typically charged at a premium, there are big for-profit companies involved remember and they can't loss-lead on the hardware.

You don't need to spend $1500, or even $1000, if you have a budget in mind and a panel resolution, plenty of people on this forum can suggest you some hardware and places to buy it from too, then with some special Youtube voodoo magic it can guide you through the assembly process. :)

curl-6 said:
adriane23 said:
My take:

For more money than a next gen console, you can have a PC that will either slightly underperform, compete, or slightly outperform a next gen console.

What was the point of this?

If you already have the PC, upgrading to this card to get similar performance is far cheaper than getting a PS4 or Xbone.

For sure! And considering there are roughly 100+ million Desktop PC's sold world wide each year... That's allot of potential gaming PC's, most people still do have a Desktop in their home right? Everyone I know does...

tbh if you really wanted to you could spend 1500 just on gpu 3 times r9 290x that would be seriously future proof



 "I think people should define the word crap" - Kirby007

Join the Prediction League http://www.vgchartz.com/predictions

Instead of seeking to convince others, we can be open to changing our own minds, and seek out information that contradicts our own steadfast point of view. Maybe it’ll turn out that those who disagree with you actually have a solid grasp of the facts. There’s a slight possibility that, after all, you’re the one who’s wrong.

curl-6 on 29 January 2014
adriane23 said:
curl-6 said:
adriane23 said:

That depends on the PC you have. And overall, the payout is still higher because it's not like the money you spent on the your PC suddenly disappears just because you bought it before you bought the graphics card.

And it's not like the money you spent on a PS3 disappears because you bought it before the PS4. There will always be progressive costs over time. We're talking about here and now. You can spend a mere 100 pounds and bag a GPU that can rival the much more expensive PS4/Xbone.

??? Why would the cost of a PS3 be added to the cost of the PS4? It's not progressive. I don't think you understand what I'm getting at.

A base PC can span multiple console generations, and is used for a lot more things than a console.



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Pemalite on 29 January 2014
adriane23 said:

??? Why would the cost of a PS3 be added to the cost of the PS4? It's not progressive. I don't think you understand what I'm getting at.


It is comparitive though.
For example, if you bought a Playstation 4 you currently cannot play the last generation of games on the Playstation 3.
The PC can, in fact one of it's strengths is decades worth of backwards compatability.

You need both consoles to be able to play both generations of games, that's a pretty big cost, the PC just needs an upgrade.

kirby007 said:
Pemalite said:
curl-6 said:
adriane23 said:
My take:

For more money than a next gen console, you can have a PC that will either slightly underperform, compete, or slightly outperform a next gen console.

What was the point of this?

If you already have the PC, upgrading to this card to get similar performance is far cheaper than getting a PS4 or Xbone.

For sure! And considering there are roughly 100+ million Desktop PC's sold world wide each year... That's allot of potential gaming PC's, most people still do have a Desktop in their home right? Everyone I know does...

tbh if you really wanted to you could spend 1500 just on gpu 3 times r9 290x that would be seriously future proof

Well that would be a downgrade for me wouldn't it? I have 4x Radeon 290's.




www.youtube.com/@Pemalite

kirby007 on 29 January 2014

Ok i quoted one of the few who already is futureproof, still istrue for the rest of us mortals xD



 "I think people should define the word crap" - Kirby007

Join the Prediction League http://www.vgchartz.com/predictions

Instead of seeking to convince others, we can be open to changing our own minds, and seek out information that contradicts our own steadfast point of view. Maybe it’ll turn out that those who disagree with you actually have a solid grasp of the facts. There’s a slight possibility that, after all, you’re the one who’s wrong.

Pemalite on 29 January 2014
kirby007 said:
Ok i quoted one of the few who already is futureproof, still istrue for the rest of us mortals xD


I wouldn't really call it "Future Proof" Chances are I'll upgrade next year like I do every year, I get it heavily discounted anyway because of work.
7680x1440 is incredibly demanding. (That's more pixels than 4k).
I had to "downgrade" allot of games when I was running three Radeon 7970's.




www.youtube.com/@Pemalite

adriane23 on 29 January 2014
Scoobes said:
adriane23 said:
Scoobes said:
adriane23 said:
My take:

For more money than a next gen console, you can have a PC that will either slightly underperform, compete, or slightly outperform a next gen console.

What was the point of this?

Try similar money, free online and cheaper games with the ability to upgrade if you wish it.

For more money (£20) you'll get superior performance, and unlike previous gens, given an extra year that £100 graphics card will be superior to console games. All of these results haven't even factored the Mantle API into the equation as no one is using it yet. That'll allow devs to code "closer to the metal" in a similar way to consoles.

So PC is actually a very attractive option for the rest of the gen. If it wasn't for Uncharted 4 I'd probably skip PS4 altogether... I still might considering I have to save money to pay for a Wedding.

Similar? I don't think so. You'd be easily paying $650+ just to match most of what will be offered on the next gen consoles.

Here are a few examples of similar pricing but still <$500. It's also worth noting that the graphics cards in these builds are better than the graphics card in the OP.

By the end of the year (I doubt either the PS4 or X1 will have had a price cut by this point), this will be even easier:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-1878923/build-500-budget-gaming-amd.html

http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/171158-can-you-build-a-gaming-pc-better-than-the-ps4-for-400


Similar pricing with no OS, no keyboard/mouse (or controller if you really want to try and match), no Blu Ray drive, no headset, and no wireless capabilities.



I am the Playstation Avenger.

   

Pemalite on 30 January 2014
adriane23 said:
Scoobes said:
adriane23 said:
Scoobes said:
adriane23 said:
My take:

For more money than a next gen console, you can have a PC that will either slightly underperform, compete, or slightly outperform a next gen console.

What was the point of this?

Try similar money, free online and cheaper games with the ability to upgrade if you wish it.

For more money (£20) you'll get superior performance, and unlike previous gens, given an extra year that £100 graphics card will be superior to console games. All of these results haven't even factored the Mantle API into the equation as no one is using it yet. That'll allow devs to code "closer to the metal" in a similar way to consoles.

So PC is actually a very attractive option for the rest of the gen. If it wasn't for Uncharted 4 I'd probably skip PS4 altogether... I still might considering I have to save money to pay for a Wedding.

Similar? I don't think so. You'd be easily paying $650+ just to match most of what will be offered on the next gen consoles.

Here are a few examples of similar pricing but still <$500. It's also worth noting that the graphics cards in these builds are better than the graphics card in the OP.

By the end of the year (I doubt either the PS4 or X1 will have had a price cut by this point), this will be even easier:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-1878923/build-500-budget-gaming-amd.html

http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/171158-can-you-build-a-gaming-pc-better-than-the-ps4-for-400


Similar pricing with no OS, no keyboard/mouse (or controller if you really want to try and match), no Blu Ray drive, no headset, and no wireless capabilities.

Keyboard+Mouse can be had for under $10.

Blu-ray really isn't necessary for PC gaming, EB Games/Gamestop and other gaming stores over the decades constantly reduced the PC shelf space and Steam arrived, thus by extension most PC gamers have no need for last century optical discs, everything is online.
With that in mind, my main PC has no optical disc drive, it's a high-end enthusiast level machine, but I do have a USB Blu-ray ROM drive on the *very* rare chance I might need it. (Hasn't happened yet.)

Wireless network card/USB stick can be had for $10 or less.

Microphones can also be had pretty cheap, usually you sit at a desk with a desktop PC so a cheap $10 logitech free standing Microphone is more than adequate for allot of users.

As for Operating System, you have less than legal ways of obtaining a copy (I don't condone this), you can also go to a computer recyclers place and grab a key legally off the side of a box. - A call to microsoft will untie it from the previous hardware.
You also have SteamOS and Linux as options too. - Linux has WINE+DosBox which has an impressive amount of backwards compatability with Windows games and they're 100% free.

On the flipside, once you buy it, that's it.
With consoles, whenever a new generation is launched you usually have to buy all the peripherals all over again.




www.youtube.com/@Pemalite