Long time pc gamer that loves pcs but age makes me like consoles now

jarablue

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
May 31, 2003
Messages
1,361
I just wanted to make a post for us 45 year old guys here. I have gamed on pcs since 1990. BBS days and before that since the early 80s. After sitting hunched over in an office chair and upright at my computer with my nice keyboard and mouse and office chair and slammin system. To me now, nothing beats a really nice big ass TV with hot tech and a good console game. Sitting on my couch with a beer in my hand totally comfortable. I know pcs are more powerful but at my age. Comfort and contentment is coming through.

There is just something about sitting on a couch with your legs up with a cold beer and relaxing that a desk and office chair will never replace.

And I am die hard pc master race guy. But I do appreciate a nice TV with the new consoles coming out. Age I guess.
 
To me, if you like games at all and in more than a couple genres (say FPS or RTS games on PC), you should be pretty platform agnostic, as they all offer their own exclusives (well maybe besides Xbone at this point) and advantages over either other even going from PC to console. I also like to jump between my office chair and couch depending on my mood and type of game as well, but either setting doesn't dictate what platform I'm playing on either, as sometimes I play my PC games on my TV via my Steam Link/Shield TV and I also move my consoles to my office to play on my monitor sometimes as well since I like to sit closer to the display for better immersion for some games.

So generally I stick to FPS and other cross-platform games on my PC to take advantage of its better hardware and performance, and consoles for their exclusives, which admittedly are where most of my favorite games from the last several years come from and is how I justify having the consoles for those relatively few games.
 
Is it gaming from the sofa/recliner or the hassle of tinkering with a PC that is winning here?

Year 46 coming up soon myself and I just have a second PC for that couch gaming experience. Wireless peripherals are great these days and plenty of games play well this way.
 
I just wanted to make a post for us 45 year old guys here. I have gamed on pcs since 1990. BBS days and before that since the early 80s. After sitting hunched over in an office chair and upright at my computer with my nice keyboard and mouse and office chair and slammin system. To me now, nothing beats a really nice big ass TV with hot tech and a good console game. Sitting on my couch with a beer in my hand totally comfortable. I know pcs are more powerful but at my age. Comfort and contentment is coming through.

There is just something about sitting on a couch with your legs up with a cold beer and relaxing that a desk and office chair will never replace.

And I am die hard pc master race guy. But I do appreciate a nice TV with the new consoles coming out. Age I guess.
You can connect your PC to your TV physically or wirelessly, and wireless peripherals exist.
 
To me the only definitive way to play games is on the PC, sitting 2-3 feet from the screen. When I brought my tlou2 screenshots to the PC and put it full screen I was really saddened by how much I'm missing out on by playing it on a TV. I used to play the PS4 on my monitor but I Can'T do that with my current 24:10 screen as the PS4 just doesn't support widescreen. So I either end up with bad scaling and black bars on the side or cut off the bottom and top of the picture.
 
I got a better picture on my Samsung KS8500 49" than what I've seen on most monitors. However, the low framerates are the biggest problem. Newer 4K units that have FreeSync/G-Sync capability and higher refresh rates should be able to solve those issues. Personally, I feel the immersion factor is better with a TV close up, but the performance leaves a lot to be desired. 60Hz just doesn't do it for me.
 
I just wanted to make a post for us 45 year old guys here.

This 53 year old guy thinks you're nuts. I have Steam Links that can stream to every TV in my house for over four years- and I still prefer gaming at the desktop w/ a mouse & kybd. And I don't even consider myself PCMR.

If you want to go whole-hog console, go right ahead. But don't generalize characteristics based on age. The only thing different about me now vs 45 is that my eyesight is a little worse, (which makes building a new system a little daunting)
 
Has nothing to do with age. I'm 47, and still much prefer playing on PC. The only time I play console is for exclusives.

PC is faster, looks better, has much better modding, I can use a controller when I want, and it's easy to use the latest 4k screens.
 
Most hard core gamers I know have a high end recent PC with latest GPU, equipment, etc... as well as a plethora of consoles (they keep over the years). Just saying.
 
41 today and have had my PCs have been hooked to my TV for ~11 years, game and surf from the couch. dont think ive touched a console in that time either. no wait thats a lie, i played the ff vii demo on my little sisters ps4 on her tv.
 
Most hard core gamers I know have a high end recent PC with latest GPU, equipment, etc... as well as a plethora of consoles (they keep over the years). Just saying.
Indeed. In addition to the PC in my signature I have a collection of consoles that I find time to play games on regularly, including all current generation consoles.
 
To me they're all the same. I have my PC hooked up to the same TV that my consoles are hooked up to. They're all running through the same AV receiver, too.
Both the Xbox One and PS3 pads work flawlessly with a PC and Steam Big Picture works like a console front-end. Xbox Game Pass even gives you all of MS's exclusive games for $5 per month.
It has never been easier to treat your PC like the greatest console of them all. Just plug your HDMI-out into any TV from the last 10 years and you're there.
 
Just use a controller plugged into USB port. Unless your playing a RPG that requires a mouse.
 
I just wanted to make a post for us 45 year old guys here. I have gamed on pcs since 1990. BBS days and before that since the early 80s. After sitting hunched over in an office chair and upright at my computer with my nice keyboard and mouse and office chair and slammin system. To me now, nothing beats a really nice big ass TV with hot tech and a good console game. Sitting on my couch with a beer in my hand totally comfortable. I know pcs are more powerful but at my age. Comfort and contentment is coming through.

There is just something about sitting on a couch with your legs up with a cold beer and relaxing that a desk and office chair will never replace.

And I am die hard pc master race guy. But I do appreciate a nice TV with the new consoles coming out. Age I guess.

I'm sitting about ten feet away from my TV right now with a keyboard and mouse. Just connect the computer to the TV. Problem solved.
 
I'm in my late forties and still prefer a PC. I do have a PS4 but it gets used very rarely. As others have mentioned just get a wireless keyboard and mouse, and I also got a wireless Xbox controller as well.
 
Wireless mice and keyboards have never been better. They work from long distances with precision that's on par (or close) to wired. You can even get wireless mechanical keyboards, too.
Your local Wal-Mart, Target, Bed/Bath/Beyond, etc. should have these for around $20-25. These Amazon ones are newer (and have a cup-holder), but the old ones are common and cheap: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=table+mate+2

Combine these with some wireless accessories and you're couch gaming/working on your PC/TV in minutes.
 
As an Amazon Associate, HardForum may earn from qualifying purchases.
I just wanted to make a post for us 45 year old guys here. I have gamed on pcs since 1990. BBS days and before that since the early 80s. After sitting hunched over in an office chair and upright at my computer with my nice keyboard and mouse and office chair and slammin system. To me now, nothing beats a really nice big ass TV with hot tech and a good console game. Sitting on my couch with a beer in my hand totally comfortable. I know pcs are more powerful but at my age. Comfort and contentment is coming through.

There is just something about sitting on a couch with your legs up with a cold beer and relaxing that a desk and office chair will never replace.

And I am die hard pc master race guy. But I do appreciate a nice TV with the new consoles coming out. Age I guess.

I WANT to enjoy console games, but I'll be honest, I cannot get the hang of the analog sticks. I can use them, sure, but do I trust my ability in a fast paced game or online? Nope.

I avoided them as long as possible. On the ps1/2 and to an extent the PS3, I used the directional pad as much as possible. Probably ruined it for me.

Nothing beats the speed and accuracy of a mouse, so for now I'll stick to PC gaming.

To each their own!
 
I'll always be a PC gamer but I have wondered...is it better to game on PC at 1440p G-Sync 144hz or game on console at 4K HDR (I have a 4K HDR OLED for TV but use a dedicated 1440p gaming monitor)?
 
I'll always be a PC gamer but I have wondered...is it better to game on PC at 1440p G-Sync 144hz or game on console at 4K HDR (I have a 4K HDR OLED for TV but use a dedicated 1440p gaming monitor)?

Better is suggestive.

I had an Asus ROG Swift, so exactly as you describe, 1440p, 144hz, gsync. It was an absolutely beautiful monitor. I sold it because I preferred couch gaming and found an ultrawide to be much more appealing for the desktop work I do.

I do all my gaming on a 65" LG OLED. Both on consoles, and on a PC. I have a couch keyboard (Roccat Sova) for stuff that I'd still like to play with a KB+M, but default to an Xbox controller for basically anything that not an FPS. This setup is so much more enjoyable to me. I will continue to prioritize gaming on PC for as long as PC provides the superior experience, but I still typically pick up all consoles eventually for their respective exclusives.
 
I had an Asus ROG Swift, so exactly as you describe, 1440p, 144hz, gsync. It was an absolutely beautiful monitor. I sold it because I preferred couch gaming and found an ultrawide to be much more appealing for the desktop work I do.

but in terms of image quality is 1440p G-Sync 144hz better then console 4K HDR?...and let's say I'm not hitting that 140+ fps in newer PC games...with the same game lets say I'm hitting 75 fps on PC vs console 4K HDR
 
but in terms of image quality is 1440p G-Sync 144hz better then console 4K HDR?...and let's say I'm not hitting that 140+ fps in newer PC games...with the same game lets say I'm hitting 75 fps on PC vs console 4K HDR
Yes, in my opinion. Console games, in general, are still a blurry mess due to a combination of effects to hide poor framerate and the upscaling from really low resolutions up to 4K. Some games can look better than others, but it does not compensate for the sub-30 FPS gameplay.
 
but in terms of image quality is 1440p G-Sync 144hz better then console 4K HDR?...and let's say I'm not hitting that 140+ fps in newer PC games...with the same game lets say I'm hitting 75 fps on PC vs console 4K HDR
Yes, in my opinion. Console games, in general, are still a blurry mess due to a combination of effects to hide poor framerate and the upscaling from really low resolutions up to 4K. Some games can look better than others, but it does not compensate for the sub-30 FPS gameplay.

I agree with Armenius. If the question were 4K HDR vs 1440p 144hz Gsync on a PC, I'd say PC all the way (assuming you have a GPU capable of 4K 60fps). But console games are rarely in native 4K. The standard seems to be (on the higher end skus) somewhere between 1440p and 2160p @ 30fps or 1080p @ 60fps. My answer may change with the upcoming consoles. If they can push 4K at 60fps, then they might make for a great, cost effective way to get the most out of your 4K TV. Right now, we have no way of knowing that, and thus the win will go to PC.
 
I agree with Armenius. If the question were 4K HDR vs 1440p 144hz Gsync on a PC, I'd say PC all the way (assuming you have a GPU capable of 4K 60fps). But console games are rarely in native 4K. The standard seems to be (on the higher end skus) somewhere between 1440p and 2160p @ 30fps or 1080p @ 60fps. My answer may change with the upcoming consoles. If they can push 4K at 60fps, then they might make for a great, cost effective way to get the most out of your 4K TV. Right now, we have no way of knowing that, and thus the win will go to PC.
Unfortunately it seems like the majority of news coming out from developers is that "cinematic" graphics are still the priority. Meaning the continuation of exploding budgets from the belief that the main concern of the gaming public is how awesome the game looks. I think the 30 FPS target on consoles is here to stay.
 
I agree with Armenius. If the question were 4K HDR vs 1440p 144hz Gsync on a PC, I'd say PC all the way (assuming you have a GPU capable of 4K 60fps). But console games are rarely in native 4K. The standard seems to be (on the higher end skus) somewhere between 1440p and 2160p @ 30fps or 1080p @ 60fps. My answer may change with the upcoming consoles. If they can push 4K at 60fps, then they might make for a great, cost effective way to get the most out of your 4K TV. Right now, we have no way of knowing that, and thus the win will go to PC.

my question was more about the upcoming consoles versus the current generation...consoles with 4K, HDR10, ray-tracing
 
Last edited:
Unfortunately it seems like the majority of news coming out from developers is that "cinematic" graphics are still the priority. Meaning the continuation of exploding budgets from the belief that the main concern of the gaming public is how awesome the game looks. I think the 30 FPS target on consoles is here to stay.

You're probably right... and the reality is developers are probably right too. 30fps has pretty much been the target on consoles forever. Why change what you're customers have come to expect, especially when it's a lot easier to market better graphics than it is to market high framerate? I'd love for us both to be wrong though.

my question was more about the upcoming consoles versus the current generation...consoles with 4K, HDR10, ray-tracing

We still know very little about them. We've seen very little in the way of actual game play on the upcoming consoles, and no concrete information about what sort of resolution and framerates are being targeted. Microsoft likes to tout that their supporting 8k and 120fps, but those are meaningless numbers until we see a game running at 8K or 120fps (and see what sacrifices is has to make to make that happen). Likewise with ray tracing. That's a very demanding feature on PC... will the nature of console's to-the-metal programming allow developers to implement ray tracing without the massive performance hit? Maybe... we don't know.

If you're concerned about how the new consoles will stack up to your PC, the best thing to do is sit tight and wait for someone like Digital Foundry to get their hands on them and take a deep dive into their performance. Right now, all we have is raw hardware specs, with absolutely no insight as to how developers are using the new hardware.

Also worth asking, are you stacking these consoles up against your current 1070, or are you weighing whether you should be shopping for a console or a GPU this holiday? A new GPU will of course bring you things like ray tracing and DLSS and just all around is likely to give your PC an edge over what's to come.
 
Also worth asking, are you stacking these consoles up against your current 1070, or are you weighing whether you should be shopping for a console or a GPU this holiday? A new GPU will of course bring you things like ray tracing and DLSS and just all around is likely to give your PC an edge over what's to come.

I'm in the planning stages of a new system build (Ryzen 3700X but ideally would like to wait for Zen 3 in September)...I currently have a GTX 1070 but am planning on upgrading to a 3080/3070 on release

earlier you stated: "If the question were 4K HDR vs 1440p 144hz Gsync on a PC, I'd say PC all the way (assuming you have a GPU capable of 4K 60fps)"...what does having a 4K 60fps capable GPU matter if I'm gaming at 1440p?...I use separate displays for gaming vs TV (LG 4K OLED)...which was my main question...PS5 4K HDR on an LG 4K OLED vs 1440p G-Sync 144hz on a dedicated gaming monitor
 
I'm in the planning stages of a new system build (Ryzen 3700X)...I currently have a GTX 1070 but am planning on upgrading to a 3080/3070 on release

earlier you stated: "If the question were 4K HDR vs 1440p 144hz Gsync on a PC, I'd say PC all the way (assuming you have a GPU capable of 4K 60fps)"...what does having a 4K 60fps capable GPU matter if I'm gaming at 1440p?...I use separate displays for gaming vs TV (LG 4K OLED)...which was my main question...PS5 4K HDR on an LG 4K OLED vs 1440p G-Sync 144hz on a dedicated gaming monitor

I guess I worded that weird. What I meant was, to get the best experience possible on your 4K TV would be by way of hooking a capable PC up to it. 4K HDR on the TV would be my preference, but with a PC, not a console.

Beyond that, I can't answer your question. We don't yet know what sort of experience the PS5 will provide. If the target remains 4K at 30fps, I personally would want nothing to do with that, but if it ends up that the console can consistently push 4K 60fps (and developers choose to take advantage of that), then it could be a good option.

At the end of the day, your choice is convenience or performance. PC is always going to give you more freedom. You can always upgrade, and you can always fine tune your graphics settings to hit whatever performance target you prefer. On a console, you're at the mercy of whatever the developer thinks you want, regardless of if it's actually what you want. Are you willing to give up your freedom to configure your games the way you want them in favor of sitting on the couch with your feet up?

(I still say you just find a way to hook your PC up to your TV and have the best of everything, but I realize that approach isn't for everyone)
 
I guess I worded that weird. What I meant was, to get the best experience possible on your 4K TV would be by way of hooking a capable PC up to it. 4K HDR on the TV would be my preference, but with a PC, not a console.

I love 4K Dolby Vision content on my LG OLED but I don't feel comfortable hooking it up to my PC due to potential image retention/burn-in issues inherent to OLED technology...I know the chances are slim but I still prefer to game on a separate display
 
I love 4K Dolby Vision content on my LG OLED but I don't feel comfortable hooking it up to my PC due to potential image retention/burn-in issues inherent to OLED technology...I know the chances are slim but I still prefer to game on a separate display

When I first got my OLED, I was terrified of burn-in. If my TV sat on a static screen for more than 30 seconds i'd get nervous. After 3 years of ownership, I don't think about it anymore. I had a single instance of temporary burn-in, and it was a total accident. Cat stepped on my harmony remote (touchscreen) which fired up my blu ray player, and the TV ended up sitting on the menu of the blu ray for a few hours. Thankfully, running the burn-in removal tool in the TV got rid of any trace of burn in, and i've since set my remote to lock itself when not in use.

A PC doesn't put your TV at any greater risk of burn in than a console. If you leave your TV on a static screen for too long, you risk burn in. That can happen from any source. If you always turn your TV off when you aren't using it, you'll never have to worry about it.
 
We still know very little about them. We've seen very little in the way of actual game play on the upcoming consoles, and no concrete information about what sort of resolution and framerates are being targeted. Microsoft likes to tout that their supporting 8k and 120fps, but those are meaningless numbers until we see a game running at 8K or 120fps (and see what sacrifices is has to make to make that happen). Likewise with ray tracing. That's a very demanding feature on PC... will the nature of console's to-the-metal programming allow developers to implement ray tracing without the massive performance hit? Maybe... we don't know.

how big of a difference does HDR make in gaming versus playing in SDR?...UHD Blu-rays, Netflix 4K Dolby Vision etc look amazing and is a much more noticeable improvement versus the higher resolution by itself...my current 1440p G-Sync display is not HDR capable
 
how big of a difference does HDR make in gaming versus playing in SDR?...UHD Blu-rays, Netflix 4K Dolby Vision etc look amazing and is a much more noticeable improvement versus the higher resolution by itself...my current 1440p G-Sync display is not HDR capable

Much like movies and TV, it can vary. Aside from when a developer half-asses it (aka RDR2), it pretty much always looks better than SDR. But, some games do a lot more with it than others. Most of EA's offerings look incredible (ME:A and the last two battlefields are holy shit levels of impressive with HDR on). Tomb Raider is another that looks just incredible. So does RDR2 after they patched in proper HDR. And one of my biggest surprises, Tetris Effect, is basically an HDR benchmark with Tetris in the background, it's jaw dropping... especially on an OLED.

By contrast, The last two assassins creed games and FC5 I didn't find nearly as impressive, but those games in general have a much flatter color pallet and much less contrast between light and dark areas. They still looked good, and I'd still rather play them in HDR than SDR, but they aren't exactly the games I'd choose if I wanted to show off the capabilities of HDR gaming.

Do you have the ability to easily get your PC hooked up to your TV? Even if it's just to demo a few games (and even if your 1070 doesn't have the power to push 4K well enough to be playable), it at least lets you see it in action, and lets you decide for yourself if that experience is worth investing in.
 
I've been playing PC games on my HTPC for the last ten yeas. Most Steam games support controllers, and Steam is the ONLY storefront I tried that doesn't hate 4k displays.

Really, you have nothing to complain about... even if you don't want to invest in dedicated hardware! Steamlink ported to Android means you can use it on ANY Android TV (Sony, Panasonic) or Shield-style Android box.

My first 1080p TV had too high input lag for twitch games, but since I upgraded to OLED 3 years back, I've been revisiting the rest of my Steam game library. But back then I still enjoyed less twitch titles like Skyrim, Bioshock Infinite and Life is Strange.

I reuse my video card from my gaming system, and use that to upgrade the HTPC. I also set it up with a Core i3 3225 + 8GB ram, so I could uupgrade to my i5 2500k + 16GB after I need something new for cutting-edge gaming. It's cheaper than buying a new console + closed game library.
 
Last edited:
Do you have the ability to easily get your PC hooked up to your TV? Even if it's just to demo a few games (and even if your 1070 doesn't have the power to push 4K well enough to be playable), it at least lets you see it in action, and lets you decide for yourself if that experience is worth investing in.

I have an LG C7 and could easily hook it up to my PC but I'd rather wait till I upgrade my GPU (RTX 3080)...but I would only want to use it for games and not web browsing etc...I hear MA: Andromeda is one of the few games with Dolby Vision support and looks pretty amazing

it would be DisplayPort on my GPU to HDMI on my OLED?...or is it HDMI to HDMI?
 
I have an LG C7 and could easily hook it up to my PC but I'd rather wait till I upgrade my GPU (RTX 3080)...but I would only want to use it for games and not web browsing etc...I hear MA: Andromeda is one of the few games with Dolby Vision support and looks pretty amazing

it would be DisplayPort on my GPU to HDMI on my OLED?...or is it HDMI to HDMI?


You have a GTX 1070. Use the HDMI port.

I'm currently gaming at 1080p on my C7 on a GTX 960 (currently playing Dragon Quest 11 (ultra) and Fallen Order. (high settings), and Witcher 3 (all high, plus hair works medium, and Life is Strange 2 (all ultra)so it's not all that demanding. You should be able to play recent games at native 4k/medium.

The 1080p upscaling on the C7 is such an improvement, I can barely tell the difference from my viewing distance. It also runs at 120hz at that resolution.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top