Do you think console hardware can be upgraded?

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
G

Geoson

Honorable
Oct 27, 2013
75
0
10,630
An article that I've read which is interesting: http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/187536-could-microsoft-upgrade-the-xbox-ones-hardware-to-fix-the-ps4-performance-gap

I think it can be done like this: the early adopters can pay a fee to Sony or Microsoft and have them upgrade the hardware (either $100 or $200 depending on the upgrade involved). The late adopters will have to pay a bit extra for the new version of the console, but at a discount. They can pay either $50 or $80 more on the new hardware. I think this is the only way it can be done. For those who don't want to pay for the upgrade will still run the game smoothly, just not at the resolution or frame rate that the new hardware supports. What do you think?
 
Solution
Rationale
Sort by date Sort by votes
B

BustaRhymes

Reputable
Jun 16, 2014
582
0
5,160
Console games are coded with one set of settings so even with more powerful hardware the games would look the same.

Also very few console gamers would want to continuously pump money into their xbox or playstation. Its one of the advantages of consoles. You spend $400 bux and your set for 6-7 years.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
G

Geoson

Honorable
Oct 27, 2013
75
0
10,630
I agree. The main strong point of consoles is optimization. Making two or three revisions in hardware is going to destroy that. And to play on PC on max settings would require you to upgrade every 2 to 3 years for the price of a console. Mainly the GPU which costs the price of a console. I mean, a GPU like the GTX 780 costs $400 and will remain that price for a long time. Even the Titan is still a lot of money when it's released a few years ago. I think PC graphics are better but I don't see the point in keeping up with the max settings when GPUs cost so much. A console lets you play games at decent settings for its lifecycle. I don't mind playing games at lower settings on PC once the hardware is outdated. Medium settings is fine. But console games will continue to improve and by the end of its lifecycle, it's going to be amazing. Just think TLOU on the PS3 or Halo 4 on the Xbox 360.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
B

BustaRhymes

Reputable
Jun 16, 2014
582
0
5,160
I just wanted to say too that upgradability is one of the big advantages of PCs. You can spend $500-600 initially and put $100-200 bux a year into it and you have a really kickass gaming machine that plays games 1080p 60fps.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
G

Geoson

Honorable
Oct 27, 2013
75
0
10,630
Keep in mind that console prices will drop too so eventually one can find them at bargain prices like around $200 to $300 by the end of their lifecycles. For PC, you have to upgrade every 2 to 3 years so in the end it will cost you in the $1000s range. Whereas for consoles, you buy it once, it remains relevant for the rest of its life.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
bgunner

bgunner

Judicious
Feb 13, 2009
5,144
14
32,515


But a PC can do so much more. So the extra money has a good use. I would never buy a 5 year old tech for $300 and have to put money into it. That works as well as pissing into the wind while pointing up hill.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Rationale

Rationale

Admirable
Mar 21, 2014
3,025
0
7,960


That's just plain wrong.

Consoles are not magical. They only last 6-7 years because developers start releasing games at lower resolutions, lower framerates, and lower settings. They do not run games on ultra for their lifespans, not even close.

You can do the exact same thing on a PC and make it last 5+ years, if you're content with the low resolutions and framerates that the consoles always have at their EOL.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
G

Geoson

Honorable
Oct 27, 2013
75
0
10,630
Well no one keeps the same PC without upgrading for 5 straight years since the strong point of having a PC is to be able to do small upgrades in a small timeframe. The point of having a PC is to run everything at max settings with the same hardware for as long as possible until a small or big upgrade is needed. After 5 years, you will need to buy a whole new PC again or a major upgrade is needed. I expect PS4 and Xbox One to reach their peak much faster this time maybe in 5 years. So, at most they can last 6 years before PS5 and Xbox Two comes out. I think the next generation should do 4K properly just like the current gen can do full HD in most cases, although not always 60 fps. I am sure with the development tools improve, they can do 1080p 60 fps in more games.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
James Mason

James Mason

Titan
Jan 2, 2014
13,553
7
74,965



This is why microsoft's naming convention is completely retarded.


 
Upvote 1 Downvote
Rationale

Rationale

Admirable
Mar 21, 2014
3,025
0
7,960


Hah, lol, no.
I keep my PCs for 5+ years without upgrades. Just switched last month to a build that exceeds the PS4. Granted, my last one only lasted 5 years, a bit less than the PS3, but that was because I switched to 1080p when I should have been trying to compete with the PS3 at 720p. And of course, I'm fine with turning my settings down as the years go on, just like the consoles are forced to.

The X1 runs most games at 720p and 900p with poor graphics and often 30 fps.
The PS4 runs most games at 1080p, yes, but still already below ultra settings, and none of them consistently hit 60 fps. If you see them in action, you can tell even the ones capped at 60 regularly drop to 25-30 fps.

Console hardware does NOT get better with time. That's a myth that needs to be dispelled. The PS3 started running games at 720p and 1080p at 30-60 fps, and by the mid-point of the life cycle it was down to 600p and 540p at 25-30 fps.

Console resolutions get lower as they're out longer, not higher. The PS4 and X1 will never have higher framerates or resolutions than they do right now. By the time the next consoles hit, the PS4 and X1 will be running 720p-900p 30 fps in every game on low settings. They always have.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Solution
G

Geoson

Honorable
Oct 27, 2013
75
0
10,630


Well yes and no. For example, games that are out later like Kayne and Lynch 2 ran at sub HD resolutions on the Xbox 360 and PS3. That I agree with you. But what about games like Uncharted 2 and TLOU? Those I think are running at 720p 30 fps at least if not 60 fps. And those games are later in the PS3's lifecycle. Games like Halo 4 and Gears of War Judgement are simply amazing. Even though they can't compete with PC on resolution and frame rates. Artistically, they are breathtaking. Optimization will allow these consoles to get better and development tools and programming techniques will improve too. They will squeeze every drop of the power these consoles have so games should run better overtime.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Rationale

Rationale

Admirable
Mar 21, 2014
3,025
0
7,960


While I agree that those games look good, Uncharted 2 and The Last of Us were indeed both at 1280x720 at capped 30 fps, but the framerate noticeably dropped below 30 at times, in both games. I don't mind 30 fps itself, but dropping below the cap is noticeably unstable and causes control issues. And when comparing longevity over the years, starting at 60 fps at launch leaves a lot more room to fall gracefully than a console starting out at 30 fps.

At launch, the PS3 was equivalent to roughly an 8800 GTX, a high end card for the time. At launch, the PS4 is equivalent to a GTX 750 Ti and the X1 is equivalent to a noticeably weaker R7 260X, both firmly mid-range cards compared to the competition over the last year or two. Their CPUs are each respectively comparable to a Pentium G3220 in a PC. I know we're at the point of diminishing returns (and have been for a while), but there's no denying that the consoles don't have nearly as much headroom right now as the PS3 did in 2006.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
G

Geoson

Honorable
Oct 27, 2013
75
0
10,630


I heard more people are saying the PS4's GPU is in between a Radeon 7850 and 7870. Are those two cards equivalent to a GTX 750 Ti? I think even that card is quite powerful and can run games in 1080p 60 fps. With rumours saying the Definitive Edition of Sleeping Dogs will run at 1080p, I have no doubt the final game will be amazing.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Rationale

Rationale

Admirable
Mar 21, 2014
3,025
0
7,960


The GTX 750 Ti can run many games at 1080p 60 fps, I know that from experience. Both the HD 7850 and the GTX 750 Ti operate at approximately the same teraflops (total theoretical measure of performance) as the PS4 GPU.
Besides, the PS4 doesn't run every game at 1080p 60 fps, I already mentioned some that don't.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom