Is the "Console Killer" budget even a feasible idea?

[JosephEK]

What kind of console controller do people most commonly use for a PC? I know one of my brothers got a wireless adapter for an Xbox 360 controller, but there's a lot of other generic options that I have no idea how well they work.

 

[zovc]

I haven't really kept up with consoles My last was the original Wii. What do people prefer these days? I heard the switch was successful and that PS VR on the PS4 Pro was topping sales in the VR sector. I've never been an X box fan.

I just bought a PS4 second-hand exclusively because Persona 5 was coming out. And it's great, if you're a fan of the series. IMO the best-executed storytelling so far and I'm barely scratching the surface. The music is great, they changed an iconic character's voice actor and I'm upset, but the rest of the experience is nice enough that I'm coping.

 

[iFreilicht]

It seems like nobody has mentioned it, but be aware that consoles are actually sold at a loss!

All gaming consoles only become profitable through the games that are being sold for them, because the manufacturer gets a cut on every game. Thus, it is impossible to build a PC with the same specs as a console from newly bought parts for the same price, even if we don't consider the higher manufacturing volume.

I believe "console killer" is a term that shouldn't be taken literally. You can not 100% replace a console with a PC right now, there's always some compromise. For me, the term merely suggests that a PC can be used in the same environment as a console, (i.e. sitting in your HiFi rack with you playing from the couch), so it is able to replace a console in most usage scenarios and maybe even excel in terms of performance.

Really, the only thing I can't do on a PC is play console exclusives.

The cost debate is also a very complicated one, even when we just see the PC as a replacement for a console and ignore the additional functionality it might have, because games are usually cheaper on PC than on console. So the overall cost depends on the hardware you already have, the amount of money you spend on games over a certain amount of time and the time it takes for you to upgrade your system/replace your console and your desire to keep old consoles. You don't have to keep your old PC to be able to play old PC games, but you do have to keep your console if you want 100% compatibility with old games for it.

With so many aspects, a "console killer" price-point can't be set universally.

 

[zovc]

I more or less agree with all your points, @iFreilicht. Like I said, the only reason I have a PS4 right now is for one game that just came out. Haha

 

[Biowarejak]

PCPartPicker part list: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/2PcJ2R
Price breakdown by merchant: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/2PcJ2R/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($174.59 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: ARCTIC Alpine 11 Pro Rev. 2 36.7 CFM Fluid Dynamic Bearing CPU Cooler ($9.88 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ECS H81H3-I/HDMI (V1.0) Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard ($38.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Crucial 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($27.00 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB ACX 2.0 Video Card ($131.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: BitFenix Nova ATX Mid Tower Case ($29.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: EVGA 430W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply ($29.89 @ OutletPC)
Total: $492.22
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-04-05 10:18 EDT-0400

So yeah... That's about as cheap as I could go, keeping that 1050ti.

-Edit-

But we all know you could probably get a handful of those used! And yes, I splurged a few extra bucks on the case.

 

[talkion]

PCPartPicker part list: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/RGH7nn
Price breakdown by merchant: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/RGH7nn/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Pentium G4560 3.5GHz Dual-Core Processor (Purchased For $49.99)
Motherboard: MSI H110I PRO AC Mini ITX LGA1151 Motherboard (Purchased For $73.96)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR4-2666 Memory (Purchased For $52.15)
Video Card: Asus Radeon RX 470 4GB STRIX Video Card (Purchased For $122.75)
Case: Silverstone Sugo SG13WB Mini ITX Tower Case (Purchased For $39.99)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro OEM 64-bit (Purchased For $6.00)
Monitor: Acer G257HU smidpx 25.0" 2560x1440 60Hz Monitor (Purchased For $177.99)
Keyboard: Logitech G410 Atlas Spectrum Wired Gaming Keyboard (Purchased For $59.99)
Mouse: Logitech G303 Daedalus Apex Wired Optical Mouse (Purchased For $0.00)
Other: Toshiba OCZ TL100 (240GB) (Purchased For $58.73)
Other: EVGA 450B (Purchased For $29.99)
Total: $671.54
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-04-05 11:48 EDT-0400

my build ^

excluding the peripherals, that's $431.56. an h110 mobo can cause incompatibility issues, so opting for a b250 (which adds about $10-20) would be a better choice. i could definitely get it under $400 if i opt for a hard drive, less memory, a weaker gpu (460/1050), the free windows version, or a matx form factor (saves a little bit of money on the motherboard and case).

 

[Biowarejak]

Only thing about the dual core is some games won't run, or at least I think that was an issue with GTA 5 iirc.

 

[IntoxicatedPuma]

I ran GTA v on a g3258 and it did pretty well, although in downtown areas it would have constant hiccups every 3-4 seconds, it was really bad if you were running from the cops after mowing down random pedestrians repeatedly. Not saying I would do that, just saying the hiccups would happen if you do.

Far Cry 4 doesn't run on dual core CPU's however....Not sure about newer Ubisoft games but I guess they would have similar issues. I can ask our PC compliance in the morning how many games fail the dual core check

 

[Biowarejak]

Ah that's right! I thought it was one of those. It's honestly kinda unfortunate that you'd need more than 2 cores to run even just a couple games, because that tends to hurt the "console budget" if you're buying new

 

[talkion]

Only thing about the dual core is some games won't run, or at least I think that was an issue with GTA 5 iirc.

while that has been a problem with dual-cores, the g4560 is actually hyperthreaded like previous i3s, so it isn't really a problem

the pentium makes for an incredible value in budget systems, actually. kaby lake as a whole has been disappointing but this is definitely a bright spot

 

[Biowarejak]

I totally missed that! Lol x) thanks for pointing it out

 

[Ceros_X]

Another thing consoles have going for them is that ever game is designed for the same specs - there is a definite advantage to everyone using the same hardware and being able to optimize for the one hardware suite being used.

 

[iFreilicht]

Another thing consoles have going for them is that ever game is designed for the same specs - there is a definite advantage to everyone using the same hardware and being able to optimize for the one hardware suite being used.

But on the other hand, what good is that if the games still have constant hiccups? I actually prefer a bad looking game to a badly running one, but on consoles I usually don't have the choice.

 

[EdZ]

New It seems like nobody has mentioned it, but be aware that consoles are actually sold at a loss!

This is no longer the case. The PS3 and 360 were loss-leaders, but the PS4, XB1, Wii, Wii U and Switch are sold close to at-cost or at a profit.

 

[janas19]

A desktop PC has an advantage over consoles in that it's modular and many of it's parts are manufactured on a semi-commodity scale, thus savvy consumers can use eBay and Craigslist to purchase secondhand PC parts. Is it possible for the frugal consumer to build a "console killer"? Absolutely, no question about it. Using secondhand PC parts that are 2-3 generations old, it is possible to build a desktop PC that has anywhere from 40-50% more computational power than a console for equal cost. However such a system would be larger than a console, if that factors in to your calculations.

Now, the real question is: is it possible for the mainstream consumer to build a "console killer" using retail parts. And the answer is yes but it requires savviness and tech know-how to purchase the right parts at the right prices, and self assemble the parts. Hence the reason why consoles are popular in the first place: they offer a simple, turn-key gaming experience to the average consumer.

 

[iFreilicht]

This is no longer the case. The PS3 and 360 were loss-leaders, but the PS4, XB1, Wii, Wii U and Switch are sold close to at-cost or at a profit.

Do you have a source? I have a very hard time believing that.

 

[EdZ]

Do you have a source? I have a very hard time believing that.

PS4 and XB1 at launch (production costs will since have dropped, but so have retail prices). Wii, Switch. I was incorrect for the Wii U, requiring 'more than one' additional game purchase to turn a profit (Nintendo as a whole became profitable in 2015, but it is unknown if the Wii U division has turned a profit, or even if individual consoles ever reached a net profit).

 

[iFreilicht]

Wait, but retail prices for those consoles dropped as well, didn't they? But it looks like they're close to selling at-cost, at least, so I was still wrong.

The margin on the Wii is actually quite impressive, I didn't know that. In general, it's quite surprising that Nintendo would sell their consoles at a profit, they are the one console company that has very unique features on their consoles, so they can expect to have lots of exclusives games or at least exclusive features in those games without paying the publishers copious amounts of money. MS and Sony, not so much.

I'm a bit weary about the Switch, the articles source is one single tweet from a guy from Bloomberg.

 

[EdZ]

I'm a bit weary about the Switch, the articles source is one single tweet from a guy from Bloomberg.

Tatsumi Kimishima (Iwata's successor as president of Nintendo) had previously stated the NX (as the Switch was known as at the time) would be sold at a profit also.

 

[JosephEK]

One of the problems with the dual cores (for me) is that they don't run Planetside 2 very well. It's a horribly optimized game, but darn it it's such a great mass combat experience and nobody ever thought to compete with it.

Planetside 2 is on the PS4 though so IDK if that has some kind of quad core CPU in it?