Why do people "trash" console games for inconsistent fps while pc games don't?

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dolphinsupreme

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Mar 31, 2016
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I'm watching some Digital Foundry videos and it seems like console version of games are always getting (for a lack of better words) "torn up" for inconsistent frame rates while the pc versions shown have wildly inconsistent frame rates (with VYSNC off).

Why is this? Why does it seem like when console games fps dips, it's a bad thing? But when pc games dip, it's never really mentioned as negatively?

I'm guessing it has to do with the display monitor: TV versus computer monitor. Like maybe fps dips on TVs are just more detrimental to the gaming experiences versus fps dips on monitors.

I'm just curious. I'm coming over from console to pc, but I couldn't help but notice this trend in comparing console vs. pc ports.

Edit: BTW, I'm not insulting DF. I like their videos. Just had a question after watching some of their stuff.
 
Solution
hang-the-9
Another issue could be the fact that a console game is made for ONE hardware version, a PC game has to deal with a hundred CPU and video card combinations, different DX versions, different operating systems, etc...

Having frame issues in a game that is made for a single known spec should have more complainers than an issue where you are trying to make a game run on a hundred different specs.
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sizzling

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Oct 18, 2006
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FPS has never been my problem with consoles. I have an Xbox One as well and a few games on both platforms, the pc always looks way better at the same resolution. Also for some games a keyboard and mouse give you much better flexibility and precision. Another oddity is game speed, for example in Black Ops III the Xbox version feels slower, physically moving just seems slower than the pc version.
 
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Snipergod87

Snipergod87

Splendid
May 26, 2009
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I haven't watched any DF's videos, but from my own experience with consoles the dips tend to be more often and more noticeable that on a good gaming PC. In general console games run at 30FPS so a drop to 25 or 20 FPS during intense scenes its very noticeable, while dropping from 60 to 50 or 55 FPS on a PC is not.

If a console is rendering at 60FPS and dips to 50 then there isnt really an issue
 
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TMTOWTSAC

Distinguished
Jun 27, 2015
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Well, if you're getting inconsistent framerates on a PC you can reduce settings, upgrade components, overclock, get some form of adaptive refresh, etc. With a console you don't really have much by way of options. Also, trashing someone's framerates on PC can be taken personally. Some people may feel you're discriminating against them on an economic level and implying they can't afford a better rig.
 
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Supernova1138

Supernova1138

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Mar 22, 2011
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Because most console games are locked to 30FPS, aka the bare minimum framerate for smooth gameplay, any dip is quite noticeable, especially if its for an extended period. PC users also have options for dealing with framerate inconsistency eg. turning down some settings, locking your framerate to whatever your minimum framerate is or getting better hardware. Console users are stuck with a fixed set of hardware and generally have no options for improving performance, you're stuck with whatever the developer gives you and if they think an average framerate of 25 with lots of dips and spikes is acceptable, then there's nothing you can do about it.
 
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starscream27

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Feb 11, 2015
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to add to whats already been said, per my knowledge frame pacing is more commonplace on console titles than the other way around and PC users can somewhat control and mitigate the issue by tinkering with the settings while in case of console games, the user is pretty much stuck until dev decides to patch up the game
 
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hang-the-9

hang-the-9

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Mar 25, 2010
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Another issue could be the fact that a console game is made for ONE hardware version, a PC game has to deal with a hundred CPU and video card combinations, different DX versions, different operating systems, etc...

Having frame issues in a game that is made for a single known spec should have more complainers than an issue where you are trying to make a game run on a hundred different specs.
 
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T

TMTOWTSAC

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Jun 27, 2015
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^This, absolutely. People get furious at PC games like Arkham or Civ when they have problems at release. But when a developer can't get a console game working right with only 2-3 configurations? And a lot of developers make things worse when they say this is how it's supposed to look/run when it's clearly not.
 
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