Anyone else finding themselves leaving PC gaming behind?

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dejadeadnz

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#277201 1-Oct-2020 14:39

For context, as an adult I've always been a mixed gamer who always had console(s) at home but did the majority of my most intense gaming on the PC. That's mainly because I considered the graphical abilities of the PC to be so vastly superior to what the consoles could deliver, wanting to leave the living room to GF/wife, and so forth.

But especially since the 1st lockdown I have barely gamed on the PC. I have a reasonably good system - i7-6700 and 1080 video card along wide a G-Sync 27 inch 1440p monitor. It still runs most games absolutely sweet on sensible high (or more) settings on 1440p, especially since I am more concerned with steady rather than high framerates and no screen tearing, which is where G-Sync comes in. Yet sitting so close to the screen and after buying two OLEDs (into which our PS4s are plugged) and seeing the differences that true blacks and HDR make (our previous TVs were hand-me-down 1080p oldies), I just don't enjoy PC gaming as much anymore. It's just way more comfortable to sit on a recliner and game on a TV using a console. And far few hassles and nod rivers etc to deal with.

Being a flight sim buff and not having kids/being in a position to spend some irrational money occasionally, I've been tempted to upgrade to a 3080. But for that to be worthwhile to me and bearing in mind my desire for the best graphics possible, I'll want to upgrade my monitor. The LG27GN950 if it ever has stock in NZ will be around $1600. Another $1600 or so for the video card.

$3.2K mainly for Flight Simulator and to play the odd RPG on uber settings. It's starting to get a bit steep even for an irrational spend.

Anyone else having similar thoughts?

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Networkn
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#2577335 1-Oct-2020 14:56

Yup, there are some specific games I play on PC only (and usually if they are PC only or PC first with a long delay, examples of which, would be Witcher 3, XCom)

Sometimes I game in my office where my PC is, as the game might be violent and I might occasionally get a chance to game during the day in the weekend when my kids are around.

The console has many attractive qualities. Games usually just work (I'm looking at you Flight Simulator that I can't get working for 2 months!), my lazy boy is more comfortable, I am fortunate to have a huge screen, and great surround sound. PC gaming I get none of that despite having a decent screen and a decent spec PC. Also, as you mention, a "decent" gaming machine, is well over 2500 these days.

Console just works. It's seamless. Next Gen will have even greater benefits.

This is a difficult conversion as I have been a long time PC gaming fanboi with a LONG history of PC gaming.

surfisup1000

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#2577347 1-Oct-2020 15:17

Hmmm, i bought the rtx3080. The thing is, I'm not sure I will even use it much. If I ever get it of course. Amazing there is so much demand for a $1500 graphics card.

Think maybe I bought it out of habit more than anything else haha. For whatever reason, I tend to play a game for 2 hours and then I'm bored. Although, MS flight simulator consumed about 5 hours of my time.

I've also ordered the oculus quest 2 and ps5 -- looking forward to the new ratchet and clank and gta 6 if it is ever released (what is going on at rockstar???). None of the ps5 launch titles interest me. but, at least I can have a play with the interface until ratched and clank is released.

GV27

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#2577358 1-Oct-2020 15:39

I'm at the point where I just put Minecraft or GWYF on one screen and browse on the other when I get home these days. Rig isn't up to much else and upgrading would basically require a new everything.

dejadeadnz

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#2577372 1-Oct-2020 16:46

surfisup1000:

Hmmm, i bought the rtx3080. The thing is, I'm not sure I will even use it much. If I ever get it of course. Amazing there is so much demand for a $1500 graphics card.

Think maybe I bought it out of habit more than anything else haha. For whatever reason, I tend to play a game for 2 hours and then I'm bored. Although, MS flight simulator consumed about 5 hours of my time.

This is the same thing for me too. I also get a sense that I am wanting to buy out of habit but just don't know if it's worth it anymore.

Handle9

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#2577383 1-Oct-2020 17:26

I go backwards and forwards. I mainly enjoy RTS and adventure games rather than shooters or RPGs. My kids are getting into gaming, especially my oldest girl who is totally minecraft obsessed.

I will probably buy a 3070 and hold off on a PS5 for a while. I have the money but won't get a chance to play on the big TV as much as the kids have pretty much taken that over for minecraft.

I'll be building my oldest a system in the next couple of years and see where that goes.

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#2577440 1-Oct-2020 20:04

My PC does everything I need non gaming quick and easily with its dinosaur hardware. To move on from the old 970 I would need to upgrade everything. I can run games on low to medium most of the time but the total I would have to spend to just make gaming better isnt worth it on the PC, when I can get a xbox and gamepass and have a crapload of games there for basically 1 PC part cost and then a low monthly cost.

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#2577452 1-Oct-2020 20:27

Have been a mostly console gamer for decades now - i.e. couch, comfort, 106" screen - happy.

But I have just got back into CS:GO on PC after a decade+ away from it and it is loads of fun even for this GenX gamer - especially since i set it up on my lads PC as well and we game together. And the main reason is FPS on console just lacks the precision of KB and mouse on PC.

I will however get a Series X (a while after launch) as PC gaming to get similar gfx is just way too expensive in my book.

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#2577460 1-Oct-2020 20:42

On reflection the other thing I really prefer about console gaming is a controller compared to a keyboard and mouse.

Even on a PC I much prefer a controller to a keyboard. I find the camera control on a mouse way too twitchy compared to a right stick on a controller.

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#2578136 2-Oct-2020 14:58

I'm the opposite.. I was always more of a PC gamer than a console gamer, but I have owned several consoles. These days I havn't touched a console in years. For the handful of games that I feel play better with a controller rather than a keyboard & mouse, I just plug a controller into the PC.

Kids are the same, they all prefer PC gaming over console, the consoles hardly get touched and I'm considering building a 5th gaming PC for the house (and more importantly somewhere for it to live!) to satisfy them all wanting to use the PC's lol.

I'm a geek, a gamer, a dad, a Quic user, and an IT Professional. I have a full rack home lab, size 15 feet, an epic beard and Asperger's. I'm a bit of a Cypherpunk, who believes information wants to be free and the Net interprets censorship as damage and routes around it. If you use my Quic signup you can also use the code R570394EKGIZ8 for free setup. Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

Hammerer

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#2578184 2-Oct-2020 16:24

Isn't the original switch more about comfort than anything else?

Consoles are definitely easier than PCs and it is easier to have them in a living area but I can't see us moving back again any time soon. PCs certainly haven't been a barrier to comfort in their bedrooms. One son plays his PC games with wireless keyboard and mouse while lying down in bed. We've also done the recliner with PCs too.

dejadeadnz:

Yet sitting so close to the screen and after buying two OLEDs (into which our PS4s are plugged) and seeing the differences that true blacks and HDR make (our previous TVs were hand-me-down 1080p oldies), I just don't enjoy PC gaming as much anymore. It's just way more comfortable to sit on a recliner and game on a TV using a console. And far few hassles and no drivers etc to deal with.

But if I want the best graphics then the PCs are still winning.The advantage of smaller screens and headphones is price. If we moved to large TVs and surround sound systems with a console then a lot of the cost benefit of a console is nullified.

And the main reason for PCs is what our friends are using for multiplayer games. It's simply not worth the pain of being cut out of online-gaming gatherings because we can't play them on our consoles.

1983 PC - speakers and later headphones
2000 Dreamcast console - TV surround sound
2003 PC - headsets
2007 Xbox360 console - headsets
2012 PC - headsets

PsychoSmiley

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#2579481 5-Oct-2020 12:37

I don't try and irrational spend on my PC any more. I try to stick to mid-range because I've done the flagship thing a few times before and it hurts having to keep up as you get used to a set of standards. Get used to less and it's much easier to manage.

Having said that my current life circumstances (13 month old mainly) means I don't use my PC much at all and I use my PS4 for gaming. Rest mode is an utter magical feature for parenting or anything where I need to stop what I'm doing right there and then and come back "at some point". Once he's older I'll probably use the PC more especially when my wife gets more time (we played a lot online prior to kiddo in the evening) too. Console just works better at the moment for my life situation. I'm way more proficient with a M+KB but I got over the whole console/PC a long time ago and now just enjoy playing games (this is a not so subtle jab as the PCMR crowd).

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#2579548 5-Oct-2020 13:45

Ive been back and forth for years now, just depends on the games I want to play etc.

I started with a console (Atari 2600), then to Amiga, then to PC (when my amiga died), Playstation, PC, PS2, PC, PS3, PC, Xbox One, PC..... they just seem to fill the gaps :)

I'd love to get an upgraded PC to play FS 2020, but see myself getting a new Xbox or PS5 instead in the next 6 months....

XPD / Gavin

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#2579642 5-Oct-2020 14:54

So uh...you can totally just plug your PC into those nice 4k TV’s and game via controller if you wanted to. Steam big picture makes it easier to couch game to your preference.

Personally I wouldn’t be spending over a grand on monitors. They’re just not that good compared to what you’d get from a proper TV, especially now that some of them are coming with 4k 144Hz and g-sync/freesync support.

If you’re after flight/drive sim then you’d be much more immersed in VR. Try and snag a newer HP or a OG vive, maybe even use a psvr headset with the custom driver on PC for sitting-only gameplay. A great example is the recent Star Wars Squadrons in VR mode. Puts a extra level of depth when you play in a x-wing cockpit, looking out at capital ships and other fighters zipping around.

There is also the option of ‘suspending’ a game via Resource manager in Windows. Find the process, right click and suspend, although it may not work across all games or while sleeping the machine.

And whoever said mouse aiming is too twitchy probably needs to disable acceleration and lower DPI/sensitivity. Accuracy is the main benefit, if it’s ’twitchy’ or feels too bouncy/overshooting too much then you’re going toooo fast :)