PC gaming to make a comeback? - Page 3

BF3 in 3D ????. I never notice any mention of it being 3D compatible.

http://bf3blog.com/2011/03/battlefield-3-supports-3d/

Thanks for the replies guys. This game might actually bring me over to the PC gamers side. I know the current consoles can't achieve that kind of detail, looked amazing.

Unfortunately, piracy is a major problem on the PC. The only games that can compete with consoles are ones that are oriented towards online play, like World of Warcraft. And as others have said, people get frustrated when their computers can't play games. When families are looking for a computer, they're not going to drop an extra $400 for the "EXXXTREME GAMER" edition so little Johnny can play video games.

PC gaming is where it's at. A joystick can't compete with a mouse, and games like WoW just aren't practical for so many reasons.

It's also funny because my girlfriend came over and saw Portal 2 and said, "These graphics are good for a computer game." I was like, "For a computer game? What the hell?" Apparently some people are under the impression that PC games have bad graphics because their integrated video card can only handle 800x600!! I'm such a nerd


I disagree with you here. You can get a Radeon 5830 for $100 now and it will run whatever you want at 1920x1080 and medium settings (at least). I have a 5850 and can run whatever game I want -- Dirt 3, Witcher 2, etc -- at 1920x1080 resolution and high settings. The Dirt 3 benchmark shows me getting ~75fps average and over 60fps minimum. I understand the desire to have a really fast gaming computer, but at some point, it doesn't really matter anymore. I've been debating getting an extra card for Crossfire, but is it really worth it to change a few settings to "Ultra" from "High"?

If it doesn't matter, then you don't have a fast gaming machine. It's as simple as that. When your pushing 60fps with everything maxed, it's pretty amazing (depending on the game of course)

If you're not pushing the envelope, at least a bit, you may as well play on a console.

Not everyone can drive an exotic. Some people drive mini vans and buy 5830s for their psuedo gaming machines. Be happy with what you can afford. For me, it is a 580 SLI rig or nothing. I want the best money can buy and would settle for nothing less. To each his own I guess.

I agree 100%... Go big or go consoles.

I thought Games for Windows was supposed to do that.

Piracy is just an excuse for being too lazy to make a proper pc version of a game. Craigslist is full of ads offering to mod systems and the games are all over torrent sites. Playstation network can't keep from being hacked. I guess when everyone has a jailbroken iphone, the every growing supply of apps will die out. Piracy is soo well rounded that it should be taken out of the equation.

GfW was supposed to bring the PC gaming experience in line with the simplicity of the console experience on the Xbox 360. Unless they are making sweeping changes to DirectX like Vista brought, I really can't see anything being brought to the table other than very close integration with XBL and XBLA on the PC. Perhaps we'll get a lot of cross-platform pollination with XBLA stuff being playable on the PC and tablets. Hell, I'd take some solid backwards compatibility with those older 9x/XP games if they'd offer it with the new OS.

PC gaming is making a come back because there are an ever increasing number of tech savy kids... rather than being shunned for being a nerd... it's what everyone is doing. Will pc gaming every overtake console? No. Why? Because consoles are good social tools (mobility and ease of use) as far as gaming is concerned and they already have too large a portion of the market to be trivialized.

I am really excited to see what influence 3-D, ever increasingly powerful & affordable hardware, and new iterations of DX will bring to gaming as a whole.

PC gaming will never make a comeback. Developers target the biggest market for maximum profit and games are getting dumber and dumber as they target younger and younger audience that don't have the patience to learn a real game or develop any skill. Just a bunch of brats running around spraying each other with garden hoses....

Steam has around 30 million users I think. Which if I'm correct is also comparable to how many 360's have been sold. I don't think pc gaming ever went away but all the consoles together certainly have the numbers. I know very few people who have (had) a gaming pc but many many that have consoles.

Most of my issue is that my main pc is not located by the theater and I don't find it practical to have it there. My gaming rig is also my general use pc and media server so I keep it upstairs. Also as someone pointed out to me before a game like starcraft is better at a traditional desktop setting anyway. I used to drag my pc back and forth for some games and ended up regretting that I didn't get it for console instead. I could build another gaming pc but its not worth the trouble to me.

I use the kb/mouse when it excels at a game but vastly prefer a gamepad even on the pc. I would go all console but there are still some niche games on pc that are great. Minecraft, terraria, etc ...

I could in theory run the cable down to the theater but is there a keyboard and mouse that would transmit through the floor and a wall? Also what to do when I want to use my wired gamepad and usb mic? Building a 2nd rig looks like the most practical thing to do yet not what I want to do.

I have a nmt so I'm covered on the media player.

thanks for the suggestions

pc gaming may make comeback because it is more profitable for the game industry. They can cut out middlemen "gamestop and console makers" and keep the profits. ea is making strong push in this. kotick has mentioned how they dont get the revenue from xbox subs and want it in future.

Ya, I lost interest on online gaming a while ago but Eyefinity got me to replay a bunch of single player games and then 3D did the same thing.

Taubs - Hope BF3 has some guts.

I am doin the same.. suprised how much Eyefinity breathes life back into those old games.

Too Much Coffee Man pretty much sums it up here.

http://techreport.com/discussions.x/21105

PC and console gaming... the line is going to blur as technology and peoples understanding of technology presses forward. In the short term yes consoles will beat out pcs, however in the long term we'll all be playing VR games inside gaming pods or something along those lines. It's just a matter of time at this point.

Gaming has taken a HUGE step backwards, 10 years or more. The developers have already forgotten what makes a game and they will have to relearn it. Really, the FC3 Demo at E3 had a tall guy in a suit with a deep voice, even upward camera angle to show how manly you look holding a child's toy in your hands. But as long as everyone is happy with eating at Mac Donald's then that's all we'll get to eat....

There does seem to be a number of people that are building their first PC gaming rigs, or building a PC gaming rig for the first time in a very long time. I belong to the second camp, but there are plenty of people in the first camp. There is definitely a subset of console gamer that is growing very restless with the 5 and 6 year old consoles that are currently available. These people keep hearing about high-end gaming rigs on various message boards, and some are looking at potentially needing to wait till 2013 or 2014 for a new Microsoft or Sony console.

Some might have thought that the Wii U would be a good stopgap option, much cheaper than a gaming PC, but I think after seeing what was shown at e3, that might be wishful thinking.

I'm very glad to have built my gaming PC, because I know that November 2013 is going to be the earliest point in time in which there might be something to pull me away from my PC as my gaming platform of choice. That's more than two full years away, so it's all gravy as far as I'm concerned. Many console gamers like me are starting to think along the same lines, and I think there is going to be alot of i5 2500k systems being built in the very near future.

You must have read my mind Anthony1. I'm soooo ready for the next console, especially to show off my new Panny VT30 on. Ive read some confirmed specs on Wii U and it seems like it is going to have last gen GPU and just slightly better graphics that ps3/360. http://www.shacknews.com/article/689...-uses-last-gen Too bad, looks like a pass for me. I want a gaming PC bad but don't have the budget now for a $1000-1500 plus gaming computer. How much did you pay for your gaming PC Anthony? Did you build it yourself?

I spec'd out a SFF PC using a mini-ATX (or micro... one of those) motherboard this week and it was about $1000. I'd just have it hooked up to my Tv and use it more or less as a game console.

Unfortunately I don't think it is worth it.

What the heck were you gonna put in that thing that drove the price up that high??!

About $1000 sounds right if it includes things like the OS, controller, keyboard and mouse. An Intel 2500K, GTX 560Ti and a decent power supply alone will get you half way there. Add a good case, motherboard, hard drive(s) and 8GB of RAM, and you are pretty much there.

I forget. Silverstone FT03 case, 8GB, nice Radeon card, i5, big hard drive (not a SSD), etc. I'd also need Windows 7.

My rig cost about 1 grand, but I overpaid for a couple of my components. If you really watch the deals, you can probably put something together for like $850 ish, maybe $900, that would be EXTREMELY capable. Fry's had the i5 2500k on a big sale about a week ago. I think it was $179.99 or something like that. I was surprised to see it so low, I think it was $10 cheaper than I've ever seen Microcenter have it. I also saw a good deal somewhere on an Asus P8P67 Pro for even cheaper than the regular one that I got. I've seen decent versions of the GTX 560 Ti for as low as $189.99 after rebate. They key thing is getting all the right parts at their lowest possible price. It's really all about patience.

Here are some parts from my rig that I would definitely recommend, and what I paid for them:


CPU = Intel Core i5-2500K
3.3 GHz (3.7 GHz Turbo), Quad Core, 6 MB L3 Cache ($196.64 with tax, on sale at MicroCenter)

You might be able to find it for $179.99 at Fry's.

Motherboard = P8P67 R3 LGA 1155 P67 ATX Intel Motherboard ($152.94 with tax at MicroCenter)

I definitely overpayed for this motherboard. I should have gotten the Pro version of this motherboard for the same price. Right now, you might be able to get the regular version for $130 shipped, maybe even a bit cheaper. Just make sure you never want to crossfire or SLI. If you want to do that, then pay more for the Pro or Deluxe versions.


Memory = G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL----------- $69.00 shipped, after tax (newegg)

Basically, make sure to 8 gigs, and make sure it's DDR3 1600. You should pay $70 or less shipped.


Power Supply = SeaSonic S12II 520 Bronze 520W ATX12V V2.3 / EPS 12V V2.91 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply ($74.59 shipped, after tax and shipping , Newegg)

I spent $75 on a PSU, but I got a damn good one. Quality PSU's cost money. Mine is only 520 watts, but very effecient 520 watts. Yes, I wouldn't want to Crossfire or SLI with only 520 watts, so there is that to consider. If you need to crossfire or SLI, then you need to go like 850 watts to be on the safe side.

Hard Drive = Samsung SpinPoint F3 Desktop Class 1 TB ($54.07 Newegg)

SpinPoint F3 is very well known and respected HDD. Sometimes you can find it for like $48 shipped.

Case = Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower - ($54.07 / 39.07 Newegg)

If I ever get my rebate back, then I'll have got this for $39.07 shipped, which isn't bad at all, considering I have to pay tax for stuff from Newegg. The case does everything I need it to. I did add some extra fans to it, raising the cost up slightly, but it's all gravy.

CPU Cooler = Cooler Master Hyper 212+ ($23.05 after rebate $33.05 before rebate - Frys)

I'm still waiting on my rebate for this.

Operating System =Windows 7 Professional 64-bit (Student upgrade version) $30 (Digital River via download)

You just need to have a .edu email address (or find a friend that has one), and then you can download it for $30.


As for the GPU, right now I like the 560 Ti for around $190 ish after rebates. The key is getting a dual-fan version of the card, and not a single fan version. Also, make sure it's a reliable company and it has gotten a decent review. I way overpaid for mine, but I just got tired of waiting for a sale, and just said F it. I was waiting around with all the parts except the GPU, so I finally just bit the bullet. Had a waited just two more weeks, I would have likely saved about $30 or more. Oh well.

Thanks for sharing Anthony, great info. Do you think I need to upgrade any components if I will be doing a lot of 3d gaming? Thanks.