How big is the difference in visuals/performance between PC and PS4/Xbox really?
- Thread starter MrOogieBoogie
- Start date
copelandmaster
Member
Moving the goal post 101.
My 21:9 monitor feels left out
I knew I was forgetting something
Pixel density seems to be something that's ignored often, but that seems to be a fairly big advantage to using monitors over larger televisions, isn't it? Especially at a higher resolution.
I'm not saying that's a PC advantage, especially as I've played consoles and PCs on both screen types for years; I'm not one of those people who think PCs can't be plugged into televisions, lol.
I'm not saying that's a PC advantage, especially as I've played consoles and PCs on both screen types for years; I'm not one of those people who think PCs can't be plugged into televisions, lol.
alexandros
Banned
The mods once said that it is necessary to preface personal opinions as such and not present them as facts. I agree that it is usually redundant but it does help reduce friction in several cases.
Arma, Total War, Cities Skylines, Planetside, Star Citizen and basically any MMO.
GhostTrick
Banned
thomasmahler
Moon Studios
Why do we really give a shit?
When the SNES came out, every PC was stronger than that thing, but nothing had its software library.
I don't care about the raw numbers of the hardware at all as long as the games rock.
When the SNES came out, every PC was stronger than that thing, but nothing had its software library.
I don't care about the raw numbers of the hardware at all as long as the games rock.
Finaika
Member
PC has a bigger software library than the PS4 and Xbox One combined.
In this topic because OP asked. Elsewhere people can have many different reasons for caring. Personally I like my games to run smoothly.
Which they do on PC with a library spanning decades. That the games can be made to run better than on any other platform is just an additional advantage.
Buggy Loop
Gold Member
Not losing your library because "next gen" happens, having access to decades of gaming, mod community sometimes breathing new life in titles, should be the main interest of owning a PC. Graphics and performance is a cherry on the sundae but you dont have to spend $$$
Nemesis121
Member
The best thing about PC gaming free online
FPS.
Mods.
This are the 2 things that really make the diference at PC Gaming, at least for me.
Of course there is some visual improvements but they are not a huge deal, and not even close as they really could be if devs really use all the horsepower high end PCs have.
There are some things like exlusives, third party support and others that honestly I think is way more important than only "graphics" to choose what plataform suits you better but since you dont ask about them lets forget about it.
Mods.
This are the 2 things that really make the diference at PC Gaming, at least for me.
Of course there is some visual improvements but they are not a huge deal, and not even close as they really could be if devs really use all the horsepower high end PCs have.
There are some things like exlusives, third party support and others that honestly I think is way more important than only "graphics" to choose what plataform suits you better but since you dont ask about them lets forget about it.
Gipsy Danger
Member
FTFY
RubenCordeiro
Neo Member
Online gaming with no extra fees.
Better visual fidelity and performance that improves gaming experience.
Games are generally cheaper and sales are more common.
Mod support culture in various games.
The biggest e-sport titles are exclusive to the PC (League of Legends, DOTA 2, CS:GO, Starcraft).
Lack of a "generation" concept: games launched 5 years ago are perfectly playable on new machines. No software is lost and no HD remasters are required.
Another non specific advantage is the general purpose of a PC, besides buying a gaming machine, you're also buying a work tool.
Better visual fidelity and performance that improves gaming experience.
Games are generally cheaper and sales are more common.
Mod support culture in various games.
The biggest e-sport titles are exclusive to the PC (League of Legends, DOTA 2, CS:GO, Starcraft).
Lack of a "generation" concept: games launched 5 years ago are perfectly playable on new machines. No software is lost and no HD remasters are required.
Another non specific advantage is the general purpose of a PC, besides buying a gaming machine, you're also buying a work tool.
I agree, but production value goes a long way. Crysis 2 looks like it was made with a map editor compared to TLoU.
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
Still can't play Hyrule Warriors or Bloodborne on it. *shrugs* It's all about what games matter to you.
D
Deleted member 325805
Unconfirmed Member
HUGE if you have a good PC. 60fps without dips vs 30fps with dips at a higher IQ is massive. My PS4 is used for exclusives only.
You can't really compare the better aspects of a pc to a console currently. If you use lightboost or gysnc I just don't see how you can even compare situations lacking it and with far more frame variance. Both of these technologies really make display tech pop in ways traditional tech just can't. Most people using the tech mentioned have said as much. I've become addicted to proper triple buffering which is still lacking on console after all this time. There really needs to be a proper tech term for smoothness this kind of tech allow.
Assets haven't changed dramatically but effects in complexity or higher amounts are still a difference to be noticed compared to consoles. Even on a title like diablo 3 they have to really curb mob density on the console even ps4, even on pc the game can still crush a machine as the current patch is.
Assets haven't changed dramatically but effects in complexity or higher amounts are still a difference to be noticed compared to consoles. Even on a title like diablo 3 they have to really curb mob density on the console even ps4, even on pc the game can still crush a machine as the current patch is.
Trogdor1123
Gold Member
lol, i just love threads like this where people take it way to seriously lol.
Mineshaft_Gap
4077th
I just bought a LG 34UM95. I just finished playing GTA5 on it. Using GTX780 and an i7-4790K.
It is absolutely incredible in 3440x1440p. Amazing. You guys have no idea. Holy shit.
It is absolutely incredible in 3440x1440p. Amazing. You guys have no idea. Holy shit.
I had to send my 1440p monitor in for repairs. Using my old 1080p monitor now, feels like 2008.
Mineshaft_Gap
4077th
Can't get these to upload to picpar or abload and I'm not going to put all of my personal information into Flickr. Sorry for the compressed imgur upload but yeah. This shit is incredible to me. Very playable with a GTX780. I can crank AA to 4x, TXAA, and max extended distance scaling and still maintain playable 30fps. 60FPS without those things (with some slowdown in grass heavy areas)
Mineshaft_Gap
4077th
And my shots are shit. Look at the PC screenshot thread if you want to see people who actually know how to take pictures of games.
It's a pretty safe bet that all console exclusives will tome to PC eventually if you're patient enough.
Not in those cases probably. Doesn't matter though. The PC platform has so many orders of magnitude more exclusives that it would be ludicrous for anyone to attempt a comparison
alexandros
Banned
The OP asks: How big is the graphical difference?
The poster answers: Yeah, well, but you can't play *insert random exclusive*
We really do need a bingo card.
CuckFupertino
Banned
I suspect the people who argue the most passionately about PC v Consoles don't have the luxury of owning both.
Here are some facts (with exceedingly rare exceptions):
- PCs are capable and often deliver higher graphic fidelity than current gen consoles, e.g. resolution, frame rate, and other image quality enhancements
- the difference in graphics fidelity and performance will depend on the software. See MGSV if you want an example of a game that looks and runs amazing on modern consoles. See any of the 720p/900p 30fps games on Xbox One (then compare at 1080p 60fps on PC) if you want a counter point
- PCs are modularly upgradable. This means the PC you bought in 2011 can be upgraded in 2015 without having to buy a new PC
- PCs are much more expensive than current consoles
- PCs can require more technical expertise than consoles.
- Games on PC are generally significantly cheaper, especially if you wait for a Steam sale
- All PCs are backwards compatible and likely always will be
- the mod scene is non-existent on console compared to PC
- Consoles continue to get some of the best exclusives and will likely continue to
- PCs can do a lot more than play games. For example, they can be a great way to make games.
- Consoles provide a much simpler and user friendly way to use services like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO
- Download speeds for games on consoles is abysmal compared to Steam
- You have several options for purchasing games digitally on PC. You typically have on, at best two on console
- Physical PC games can be hard to find or may come with needlessly complex DRM schemes
- PCs provide more flexibility in terms of input that consoles. Almost every controller is supported in some way, in addition to mouse and keyboard and other alternatives.
...
I could go on. The fact is, the PC is currently the definitive gaming platform - but you still probably want to own a console.
I'm lucky enough to have a great PC and the Xbox One and PS4. As a "serious" gamer I wouldn't want to miss games like Halo 5 and Uncharted 4, and by the same token I wouldn't want to miss games like Starcraft 2. I want to enjoy multiplatform games at their absolute best, so I play them on PC - because I can afford to.
If you're in a situation where you can't own it all, then figure out which titles are most important to you and prioritize that over graphics. The PC offers the most versatility and value but if playing Halo 5 is more important to you than having all the emulators in the world, then a PC isn't a must have for you.
Ignore anyone in this thread who "shrugs" at one platform or another. If we could, we'd all own every platform and every game because we all love games. We can't, and we must prioritize, but that doesn't mean you have to attack the thing you don't have.
Here are some facts (with exceedingly rare exceptions):
- PCs are capable and often deliver higher graphic fidelity than current gen consoles, e.g. resolution, frame rate, and other image quality enhancements
- the difference in graphics fidelity and performance will depend on the software. See MGSV if you want an example of a game that looks and runs amazing on modern consoles. See any of the 720p/900p 30fps games on Xbox One (then compare at 1080p 60fps on PC) if you want a counter point
- PCs are modularly upgradable. This means the PC you bought in 2011 can be upgraded in 2015 without having to buy a new PC
- PCs are much more expensive than current consoles
- PCs can require more technical expertise than consoles.
- Games on PC are generally significantly cheaper, especially if you wait for a Steam sale
- All PCs are backwards compatible and likely always will be
- the mod scene is non-existent on console compared to PC
- Consoles continue to get some of the best exclusives and will likely continue to
- PCs can do a lot more than play games. For example, they can be a great way to make games.
- Consoles provide a much simpler and user friendly way to use services like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO
- Download speeds for games on consoles is abysmal compared to Steam
- You have several options for purchasing games digitally on PC. You typically have on, at best two on console
- Physical PC games can be hard to find or may come with needlessly complex DRM schemes
- PCs provide more flexibility in terms of input that consoles. Almost every controller is supported in some way, in addition to mouse and keyboard and other alternatives.
...
I could go on. The fact is, the PC is currently the definitive gaming platform - but you still probably want to own a console.
I'm lucky enough to have a great PC and the Xbox One and PS4. As a "serious" gamer I wouldn't want to miss games like Halo 5 and Uncharted 4, and by the same token I wouldn't want to miss games like Starcraft 2. I want to enjoy multiplatform games at their absolute best, so I play them on PC - because I can afford to.
If you're in a situation where you can't own it all, then figure out which titles are most important to you and prioritize that over graphics. The PC offers the most versatility and value but if playing Halo 5 is more important to you than having all the emulators in the world, then a PC isn't a must have for you.
Ignore anyone in this thread who "shrugs" at one platform or another. If we could, we'd all own every platform and every game because we all love games. We can't, and we must prioritize, but that doesn't mean you have to attack the thing you don't have.
huh?
This and frame rate are the two things which really distinguish PC versions - the rest is only really a minor improvement IMO. There's such a thing as having enough pixels, enough graphical effects, enough texture quality. Then you have 30fps which is not enough, and usually a total lack of graphical options to disable troublesome effects.
alexandros
Banned
We're still nowhere near that point sadly. Image quality is still suffering from a multitude of problems, especially on consoles.
PC vs consoles. The new console war. Seriously, why do you people care so much to argue for 13 pages? There's nothing to argue about. PCs are objectively better than consoles when it comes to image quality and performance. Some people just don't care. That's it. There is nothing more to say.
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
*sigh* If you had been paying attention, you would have seen I was replying to someone talking about libraries. I was obviously not answering the OP.
alexandros
Banned
In a world where everyone's opinion remained consistent, you'd be right. The issue that often appears in technical and performance discussions is that some people will often chance their stance and standards according to the narrative they want to push or the platform they want to support. That's how we get the phenomenon that Durante satirized with his grassgate pic. In PS4 vs XB1 discussions even minute differences get blown up and considered dealbreakers, while much bigger differences between console and PC are dismissed as unimportant. I find this sort of double standard hypocritical.
Finaika
Member
My PS4 downloads games noticeably faster than Steam.
I was perfectly happy with last gens graphics in terms of 'image quality', but that word seems to mean a lot of different things to a lot of people.
I disagree entirely.
It's not that big a difference since games are being made to be playable on consoles. At the same time though, higher resolution textures takes more artists, more time, and more money to develop so PC gaming wouldn't get too far from current console gaming just because of the budgetary requirements.
I would recommend changing your download region, it may be set to something farther away.
You are literally the first person to have this experience.
nope
I thought Steam always maxed out internet connections. I know there's a way to limit the connection, but when not set to limit, my connection is always maxed out on Steam.
Literally the first time I've heard this. Steam downloads insanely fast for me on wireless ac whereas PSN barely utilizes my speed. I have to constantly start and stop in hopes of making it faster.
Trogdor1123
Gold Member
I think he is better able to judge that than you.
Either way my speeds are comparable.
The best I have ever gotten speed wise for an update or a download was actually from a guild wars 2 update. Was about 5 mb or something for a long while. Never seen that on any platform before where I live.
TheAdmiester
Member
On PC I can have this kind of image quality:
The console version of the same game is 1080p with hazy FXAA. Just an example.
The console version of the same game is 1080p with hazy FXAA. Just an example.
Not it's not. Not even rmeotely comparable. Games can take 10 HOURS to download on Ps4, even on a very fast internet connection. Similar donwloads take 20 minutes from Steam on my connection.
Dang you must have great internet. I have a 200mbps connection and I download from steam at 25MB/s consistently.