Gap in the gaming hardware market (Column)

Yeah some great points, and a novel idea!! Although the logistical nightmare of trying to make this work I think makes it unfeasible.
My main concern is that electronic HW designers have to somehow predict future electronic advances, and design such an open, expandable system that it allows for these upgrades every couple of years. If they had to actually do this...IMO the part of the system that would be upgradable would cost too much in the first place. It can't JUST be a CPU, or JUST GPU. Its gotta be some strange hybrid of the two?? Thats custom development, with its costs.

If they make multiple components upgradable (just like a PC), then gamers would choose certain parts to upgrade, causing a wide variety of consoles out there. And like stated, some console just wouldn't play the new games until upgraded. Game designers would have to specify minimum specs for your semi upgraded console...they'd have to set graphics limits and make them settable.

....hold on, that sounds like PC gaming! :p

All in all, a novel idea. I'd love it! But there are just too many issues with a system like that.
 
Then you get the PC, with its ability to network allowing multiplayer games.
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Umm Consoles also have networking capability? :confused:

PCs are also vastly more powerful and are capable of rendering massive environments and highly detailed graphics.
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Really? How then does the PS3 / Xbox manage to deliver stunning graphics equivalent to that of a PC? And with better performance I might add.


While I see what the author is saying, having a PC / Console hybrid is simply silly. I buy a console specifically so I don't have to worry about upgrading and all that crap. I have PC for that. And when I am in the mood I rip out my machines innards and shove in a whole lot of new stuff to "make it faster".

That is one of the things I love about my Xbox and PS3. It is already setup to perform at its optimal. No need for me to fiddle around necessarily to try get it to "run better"
 
Hmm is this one of those moment in history where everyone thought the idea was so crazy that it won't work and in the end makes the person millions/billions?
 
Grimspoon said:
Umm Consoles also have networking capability? :confused:



Really? How then does the PS3 / Xbox manage to deliver stunning graphics equivalent to that of a PC? And with better performance I might add.


While I see what the author is saying, having a PC / Console hybrid is simply silly. I buy a console specifically so I don't have to worry about upgrading and all that crap. I have PC for that. And when I am in the mood I rip out my machines innards and shove in a whole lot of new stuff to "make it faster".

That is one of the things I love about my Xbox and PS3. It is already setup to perform at its optimal. No need for me to fiddle around necessarily to try get it to "run better"
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I disagree with that one point. While Uncharted 3 looks absolutely stunning (for a console game) it barely holds a candle to what BF3 looks like running at 1080p on my PC.

I doubt though that we would ever see a hybrid. Consoles work because they are a fixed platform that dont change. The fact that developers need to rely more on strong art design to make console games look better in their latter years is actually a positive for me.

As it is I like having both. My PS3 for convenience and my PC for "uber" graphics. :)
 
Wonderful "Utopian" idea but one major flaw. People are greedy. Hence a single console/pc hybrid with one type of upgrade? So they basically have no competition and can monopolise the market? Unfortunately, this will never work in our current society.

The funny thing is...and sorry to get all philosophical...but this whole debate just shows how unsatisfied we can be. We want the best of everything all the time. Sure, it's probably a good thing to strive for that perfect gaming experience...but ironically it takes the competition between sony and microsoft and the PC to keep pushing the boundaries.

I own a PC. pretty average specs havent upgraded in 3 years. (you should be able to see my specs in my sig). It's decent can play most on moderate graphics. But I probably will be getting console soon because a) im over upgrading and b) im looking forward to that more casual experience of flopping onto the couch and just jamming with my controller.

I really believe that the PC gaming market should fall away, and focus more, like apple on applications and work and media, leaving consoles to work on gaming. My only concession would be that console NEED and I say MUST/NEED add keyboard and mouse support for RTS games.

I think that would be the best of both worlds
 
Cobalt said:
Wonderful "Utopian" idea but one major flaw. People are greedy. Hence a single console/pc hybrid with one type of upgrade? So they basically have no competition and can monopolise the market? Unfortunately, this will never work in our current society.

The funny thing is...and sorry to get all philosophical...but this whole debate just shows how unsatisfied we can be. We want the best of everything all the time. Sure, it's probably a good thing to strive for that perfect gaming experience...but ironically it takes the competition between sony and microsoft and the PC to keep pushing the boundaries.

I own a PC. pretty average specs havent upgraded in 3 years. (you should be able to see my specs in my sig). It's decent can play most on moderate graphics. But I probably will be getting console soon because a) im over upgrading and b) im looking forward to that more casual experience of flopping onto the couch and just jamming with my controller.

I really believe that the PC gaming market should fall away, and focus more, like apple on applications and work and media, leaving consoles to work on gaming. My only concession would be that console NEED and I say MUST/NEED add keyboard and mouse support for RTS games.

I think that would be the best of both worlds
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That's a bit dramatic don't you think (what would Valve say?)? I can't imagine not being able to game on my PC. Both platforms have their place and I don't think one should be shunned in favor of another.
 
Isengard said:
That's a bit dramatic don't you think (what would Valve say?)? I can't imagine not being able to game on my PC. Both platforms have their place and I don't think one should be shunned in favor of another.
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haha...sorry...it was early monday morning and I was learning. Felt a tad fatalistic. :-D
 
I was thinking that something like this would be cool, But having only 1 supplier would make things like Telkom have it at the moment, since there would be no competition but a module console that can lan and keyboard and mouse compatible would be awesome.
 
One company makes parts? then you looking at hectic over pricing, similar to what you get when upgrading your Xbox HDD

I think an Unified OS will worked better then unified hardware,
 
Pc's will never fall away and will continue to be superior to consoles.
Yeah sure when the new Ps whatever and X720 launch they will be mean machines but give it a few months and it'll be way behind even a mid range pc. They won't ever allow people to make changes to their own consoles, warranty issues ect.

The only way i can see this working is if they produced lets say a x720 v1, v2 and then a v3 with each option offering better/faster parts, but that in itself is a huge mission. So for now we have what we have and I think it'll remain like that for a long time to come.
 
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