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Torn between building a new gaming PC or a PS4.

Momentary

Banned
PS4 definitely - Low entry level pricing, overpriced games, overpriced services, and all your bros with have one.

As for me, I'm going with Maxwell x Oculus Rift 2014! True next gen gaming.
 

Grayman

Member
Buy a PC now and when the PS4 has a price drop upgrade your PC.

If you are not sure yet maybe wait awhile and try out the PS4 after it actually is available. That also gives you some leeway in hardware may die area.
 

Malio

Member
If you wanna play games and watch Blu Rays, get a PS4.

If you wanna play games, watch Blu Rays AND EVERY THING ELSE, get a PC.
 

ghst

thanks for the laugh
consoles are a curated experience. you pay a modest price, get your modest hardware and get a guided tour of the lot. they are great entry level or supplementary devices, but offer the user no agency beyond what the manufacturer has planned for them.

there is a lot of fervour right now as some of those who are deeply connected to their hobby are having trouble coming to terms with the fact that their preferred console model is one which doesn't necessarily reward a large degree of investment. they offer a prescribed package tailored to the mass market.

if you are someone who wants to invest in this hobby beyond treating it as a distraction, you must have a PC. it's not even a question. in both next gen console's entire lifetimes, they won't build anything close to library of defining titles already available to the PC today. though i'm not sure how much of that you can already explore on your laptop.

there are big things coming to the PC market. DD has given way to an entire frontier of maverick game design, price and distribution which the consoles are scrambling to emulate, multiplatform support will be of unprecedented quality, the oculus rift is on the cusp of starting a revolution, esports is firmly rooted on the platform and 20nm GPU tech should see a performance leap like we haven't seen in years.

so i guess it all comes down to how active you want to be in your hobby. do you want to kick back at the end of the day and enjoy titles for what they are, enjoying tightly honed AAA blockbusters and signed-off indie titles without too much scrutiny or agency beyond playing the game itself? or do you want to actively invest in crafting the best experience you can for yourself, personalised for your idiosyncrasies?

all this is before getting into a power debate, the results of which are already firmly established. i will say that come october, the radeon 9000 series is dropping and the 20nm fabricated nvidia maxwell is pencilled in for q1. should you choose to go with PC, if you can wait until then, do.
 

RedSwirl

Junior Member
Depends on how much life your laptop has left in it.

I faced the same problem in 2007 -- get a 360 or a new PC. I chose a new PC because my laptop at the time was so ridiculously oudated it couldn't do much outside word processing. I needed a new PC, and not just for gaming.

If you need a new PC for reasons other than gaming, then go ahead and get one. Even if you do feel the need to upgrade your PC again in a couple years, you'll really only need to upgrade the GPU. A GPU from 2006 might not be able to play many games now, but the CPU and RAM are just fine.

This year I'm trying to get a new PC instead of a PS4, but only because I'm not as interested in the next-gen games right now. I'd mostly be using it to get better performance out of games I already own along with some other non-gaming stuff.
 

Shambles

Member
PC. If you want a PS4 later on it will be cheaper and a library large enough to warrant buying the console for. Buying into a console platform at the start of a generation is absolutely the worst time to buy one.
 
I love my PC, but the PS4 stole my heart at Gamescom. Resogun, Killzone, Driveclub, Velocity 2X, inFamous and the mouth-watering prospect of new Naughty Dog and Sony Santa Monica games. That plus PS+ and Vita cross-buy/play (not sure if you have one). Or wait till TGS if The Last Guardian is re-revealed. :)

Get an extra job and buy both. :)
 
It's usually a good idea to buy everything at once so you can see if you receive any DOA parts. If you buy some parts early and wait until after your return window expires to buy the rest, you're out of luck if you get bad parts.

Good point. I'm still buying a tower, keyboard, and peripherals first since I'm starting fresh.
 

def sim

Member
It sounds like you're already leaning towards a PS4. Commit to that purchase.

As for a replacement for your laptop, you can make a build without a discrete GPU.
 
I am like you (with some differences), got a PS3 current gen but mostly for Multiplats. Looking back I got the following PS3 exclusives: GT5, MGSIV, Uncharted1-3, Infamous 1, GoW 3, KZ2 (sold it), Resistance FOM (sold it), tried KZ 3 MP did not like it. I am going to get TLOU and probably Resistance 3 as I enjoyed the demo, but nothing amazing. The best exclusives were uncharted 1-3, MGSIV and I bet TLOU will be amazing. The rest I can certainly live without and exchange it with a Multiplat game. So giving this plus free MP I will totally go PC, but will buy it next year.

Based on your comments I recommend a PS4, the only thing we don't know is when will this consoles start to age. Looks like the multiplats will hold up well. I am not getting a PC just for the better graphics and performance, but also free MP, cheaper games, games library and based on that I played mostly multiplats on my PS3 and that I can live without some PS4 exclusives. But if later there is a considerable amount of must haves for me on PS4 I will get it eventually 3-4 years from now, when there is a cheap library. I do not consider myself fan boy as I have PS3/Wii U/3DS, but I decided to go Wii U for exclusives next to my PC. In the end is about the games you enjoy the most, forget about everything else!!
 
PC now. Enjoy a fast PC that will deliver a great gaming experience.

In a few years, pick up a Ps4. It'll be cheaper, more reliable, with a cheaper older games library (exclusives) and the games will better take advantage of the system.
 

Malice215

Member
I would just build the PC now and wait on the PS4, unless there is something you are dying to play on the PS4 at launch.

The PS4 can wait, but eventually you will need both if you're a gamer.
 

RubenCordeiro

Neo Member
Replace you laptop: PC is the obvious answer.

I can't understand the reasoning of some people seriously.

EDIT: I can't think how anyone can live without a PC, either for work purposes or just a purely unrestricted enviroment with so many uses and applications.
 

Sturm

Banned
Lol seems it is about 50/50 in the comments here if you should go PS4 or PC first.

I would say go PS4 first. Or atleast in the first months. You will get the exclusives and the big budget multiplatform titles on console.

I wonder what specs you're current PC has though, because it could be important if you really need that PC upgrade or wait a year or so. If you could, I'd say wait as long as possible with the new PC, you will see what the new standard in PC gaming will be, and you will get better hardware at a cheaper price.
 

Sentenza

Member
consoles are a curated experience. you pay a modest price, get your modest hardware and get a guided tour of the lot. they are great entry level or supplementary devices, but offer the user no agency beyond what the manufacturer has planned for them.

there is a lot of fervour right now as some of those who are deeply connected to their hobby are having trouble coming to terms with the fact that their preferred console model is one which doesn't necessarily reward a large degree of investment. they offer a prescribed package tailored to the mass market.

if you are someone who wants to invest in this hobby beyond treating it as a distraction, you must have a PC. it's not even a question. in both next gen console's entire lifetimes, they won't build anything close to library of defining titles already available to the PC today. though i'm not sure how much of that you can already explore on your laptop.

there are big things coming to the PC market. DD has given way to an entire frontier of maverick game design, price and distribution which the consoles are scrambling to emulate, multiplatform support will be of unprecedented quality, the oculus rift is on the cusp of starting a revolution, esports is firmly rooted on the platform and 20nm GPU tech should see a performance leap like we haven't seen in years.

so i guess it all comes down to how active you want to be in your hobby. do you want to kick back at the end of the day and enjoy titles for what they are, enjoying tightly honed AAA blockbusters and signed-off indie titles without too much scrutiny or agency beyond playing the game itself? or do you want to actively invest in crafting the best experience you can for yourself, personalised for your idiosyncrasies?

all this is before getting into a power debate, the results of which are already firmly established. i will say that come october, the radeon 9000 series is dropping and the 20nm fabricated nvidia maxwell is pencilled in for q1. should you choose to go with PC, if you can wait until then, do.
You are a cool guy, ghst.

23620-e84b6f6659f492b4a39cd83a2ca12757..gif
 
I'm having the same dilemma as the OP. I decided to just wait a year or so before I make my decision, and then just play my backlog until then.

edit: another problem I'm having is that I don't know if I should buy the indie games that are coming out on PSN/XBLA, or if i should just grab them in a steam sale and play them later when I possibly grab a gaming Pc =/
 
Get a PS4 and use the extra money to buy games and things.

This.

Unless you are a real graphics / performance whore, which you don't sound like as you haven't been a PC gamer before except on laptop I would go console.

For under $400, PS4 is an incredibly powerful piece of kit.

If this thread still doesn't convince you one way or another then why not build a $600 mid range PC now (i5 CPU, 8GB's of RAM and a GTX 660Ti) and see if you like PC gaming and if you do upgrade the GPU to something high end like a 780.

If you don't like it then you still have $600 left for a PS4 and some launch games, keep the PC for exclusives / certain types of games :).
 

Seanspeed

Banned
Nobody can tell you what you should do. There's a long line of pros/cons for each, and we don't all weigh things the same way.

I was in the same boat. I ultimately decided that PC now, PS4/XboxOne later was going to be my best option. My reasoning:

- I had the money to put upfront for a decent PC. Ultimately spent a little more than £800 for an upper mid range rig. I'm fairly confident I'll be good going into next-gen, power-wise.

- I needed a new PC anyways.

- I got immediate access to a large amount of games I hadn't been able to play on the consoles. It was kind of like being a very late adopter for a console, but that console will also play next-gen games in all their glory when they come out!

- Console launch lineups are quite good, but I've always felt that waiting was the best way to jump into a generation, being able to better choose which one suits you best and having a larger library of games(including cheaper, used games) available.

- Free online gaming.

- Cheap games from Steam/GoG.

- Mods and general customization.

- Oculus motherfuckin Rift(when it comes out).

I have absolutely zero regrets and am really having a great time right now. I'm quite floored by how amazing everything looks, even slightly older games. I don't ever see myself being a PC snob, but I think the hype surrounding modern PC gaming has generally been warranted. I've played PC games before, but never really had a gaming machine. This is like a whole new world for me.

BUT, that's just me. You may not be so happy about the initial cost or may not care about online gaming or whatever. I don't know.
 
I know that feeling of never having a gaming rig. It's not a good feeling cranking everything down just to play a game at 20-30 fps.
 
as an avid PC gamer I can't really recommend going PC right now if you have to start from scratch. If you are all about KZ:SF and driveclub and knack a PC wont help you in anyways shape or form. That said if you have the parts picked out and are not really in to Sony exclusives at launch and are only looking at multi plat games go PC, and get a PS4 when a game you want launches. A 1200 dollar pc will run circles around a PS4 on multi platform games.

Just my opinion. Do what ever you feel will make you happier :)
 

Zimbardo

Member
i'd get both, but if i had to pick one, it'd be a nice pc any day of the week.

you'll pay more for a nice pc ...but you'll save on the games, and it has free online play.

pc can obviously do a lot more than a console, too ...so you get all the extras, which is gravy.
 
PS4 now. Save up for a PC afterwards as prices for cards that give a sizeable increase of power over the PS4 will be coming down next year.


Right now isn't the best time, price wise, to build a PC. There's a very powerful generation of tech that's just coming out that will be much more affordable in 8 months or so.
 
If you can afford a high-end pc, I would go with a pc. There is a good chance most of the launch games for either Xbone or PS4 are not going to be that good. It will take some time until killer-apps for PS4 are released. On the other hand, pc is going to have the thanksgiving and holiday sales where you will recoup quite a bit of your investment. Not to mention if you get a high end graphics card you might be able to play the multiplatform next-gen releases with better IQ.

That's what I'm doing later this year. I'm going to finally get a Titan.
 
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