Support NeoGAF

[I collect VHS tapes]

I'm not in the tech field, but wouldn't a cheap laptop eventually hit parity with consoles in the not too distant future?

wouldn't that trivialize the whole console market?

I know simplicity is a big selling point for consoles, but wouldn't that eventually be addressed as well?

it seems with AI and machine learning, we are about to see some exponential growth. which left me wondering what the future of consoles will be like once something like a budget laptop is able to run any game at max settings. simplicity and accessibility have historically been big selling points for consoles, but it seems like that will become a non issue as well, especially in light of AI/machine learning. exclusives are also becoming less of a thing with Sony sending all their game to PC.

I know this isn't any time too soon, but it does seem like it will eventually become a reality.

tech bros feel free to school me as I'm sure I may be missing something.

 

[HRK69]

Yes, consoles will fade out

It's almost inevitable unless we make significant breakthroughs in reducing e-waste or radically rethink how we build and use gaming hardware

Consoles are the least of our worries though

This tech boom is just not sustainable

 

[MicTyson]

Yes. Microsoft already gets this. PS6 will be Sonys last box.

 

[Mister Wolf]

Consoles are about to evolve thanks to Microsoft.

 

[lh032]

yes, like PC gaming. steam user increase but hardly anybody upgrade their hardware.

Take a look at nvidia, they probably will quit the gaming GPU market in the future.

 

[Punished Miku]

In their current form, of course. Eventually it will be seen as very redundant to keep buying multiples of the same computer. A phone, a switch, a laptop; a tablet, a PC, a PS5. I dont think future generations are going to be so willing to have redundant computational hardware when they likely already own something.

 

[Guilty_AI]

I think thats largely dependent on sony and nintendo. I doubt there'll be any new relevant console brands (that arent just form factor pcs or phones like steam deck) for the reasons you gave, which leaves those two to exist until they fumble someday, as they still have too much mindshare.

 

[FIREKNIGHT2029]

What happened to the PS4 being the last console generation? We keep hearing this shit every 10 years and so far the only dead consoles are from a company that doesn't take gaming seriously (Xbox). Sony and Nintendo are making more money than they ever have in their history with their consoles.

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/the-end-of-the-console-era-as-we-know-it

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

What happened to the PS4 being the last console generation? We keep hearing this shit every 10 years and so far the only dead console is from a company that doesn't take gaming seriously (Xbox). Sony and Nintendo are making more money than they ever have in their history with their consoles.

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/the-end-of-the-console-era-as-we-know-it

this doesn't address anything I listed in the OP

I'm specifically talking about a scenario where parity is achieved with budget laptops, which has nothing to do with what you posted

I have no doubts people incorrectly predicted consoles would be dead in the past. that has nothing to do with what I typed up though.

If you take the time to read my OP, I'm not even predicting they'll be dead. I'm specifically asking people with a tech background to let me know if I'm missing anything (which you didn't do). I'm merely asking what would happen when technology hits a certain point, which it has not yet hit. This is a hypothetical.

 

[FIREKNIGHT2029]

this doesn't address anything I listed in the OP

I'm specifically talking about a scenario where parity is achieved with budget laptops, which has nothing to do with what you posted

I have no doubts people incorrectly predicted consoles would be dead in the past. that has nothing to do with what I typed up though.

Parity will never be achieved, at least not anytime soon. It's not about just running games, it's about simplicity and access and as long as Windows is the primary way people game on PC, simplicity and accessibility is never going to be on par with consoles. Windows is bloatware and it can never compete with the speed and efficiency of console Operating Systems that are designed to do only one thing.

 

[0neAnd0nly]

I simultaneously hope not, and hope they do all at the same time.

Less quality output, mentally challenged pricing structure that now goes up during its life cycle, cockyness, ridiculous prices and charging for an online they are slowly forcing us to join. All while hardcore catering to the small and most annoying segment of the consumer base.

Eff them all.

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

Parity will never be achieved, at least not anytime soon.

it will obviously happen eventually assuming we have no extinction event or something that sets us back to the Stone Age, but timing wise I admit is beyond me. maybe others with more knowledge can chime in here.

I'm curious what you mean by "at least not any time soon"

Are we talking 5 years? 10? 20?

 

[ArtHands]

It depend on how you define consoles.

Traditional consoles where you can only play on a box under a TV? It has largely died. We ain't in the 90s or 00s anymore.

Almost everyone has evolved their PC and consoles with handheld capability on top of playing under the TV, and you can play them games everywhere now.

 

[asdasdasdbb]

No, but AAA is dying. Once AAA is dead, all you are going to get is remasters of old games and GAAS.

Well, besides Nintendo. Conceivably MS's scheme could kill PlayStation but people who don't play GAAS games will almost have to migrate to Nintendo at some point.

 

[FIREKNIGHT2029]

it will obviously happen eventually, but timing wise I admit is beyond me. maybe others with more knowledge can chime in here.

I'm curious what you mean by "at least not any time soon"

Are we talking 5 years? 10? 20?

Maybe 20 or more. It's up to Microsoft to streamline Windows and make it efficient and built for gaming, and for all the Windows iterations we've been going through for the last 30 years since Windows 95, that's not happening anytime soon. Windows 11 as much as an improvement it is over previous Windows OS's is still a resource hungry and buggy mess compared to other much simpler operating systems. Especially when it comes to gaming.

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

EDIT: I think ChatGPT misunderstood the question

 

[FIREKNIGHT2029]

FWIW out of curiosity I just asked ChatGPT the following question:

how long will it take budget laptops to reach parity with high end consoles?

and was given the following response:

Excellent question — and this gets to the heart of future gaming hardware. You're asking:

> "When will **budget gaming laptops** (say \~\$700–\$1,000) match the **performance, usability, and experience** of a PS5 or Xbox Series X?"

Let's dig in.

---

## **Estimated Timeline: 5–7 Years (2030-ish)**

Barring major breakthroughs, we're looking at **2030** for true parity — where budget laptops match **PS5/XSX-level performance**, run most AAA games smoothly at 1440p or even 4K, and do it without major compromises.

---

## Why It'll Take That Long

### 1. **Current State of Budget Laptops (2025)**

| Price Range | Typical Specs | Performance Compared to Console |
| ------------- | ---------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------- |
| \$600–\$800 | Integrated graphics or GTX 1650/3050 | Well below PS5 |
| \$800–\$1,000 | RTX 4050/4060, Ryzen 7000/Intel 13th Gen | Approaching console-level at 1080p |
| \$1,200+ | RTX 4070/4080 mobile | Matches or exceeds consoles |

So: **budget laptops in 2025 can't yet match consoles** in raw power or cooling.

---

### 2. **Consoles Age Slowly — Laptops Must Catch Up**

* The **PS5 and Xbox Series X are locked platforms**: fixed specs, fully optimized.
* **Game devs build specifically for them**, squeezing out every drop of performance.
* Laptops are **general-purpose**, with less efficient game optimization.

> So even if laptop specs catch up, performance **efficiency** needs time too.

---

### 3. **Tech Trends Help — But Slowly**

#### What's speeding it up:

* **NVIDIA's lower-end mobile GPUs** (RTX 5000 series in 2026–2027) will rival today's high-end at lower prices.
* **DLSS/FSR and AI frame generation** will allow weaker GPUs to simulate "max settings."
* **Efficiency improvements** (ARM-based chips, 3D stacking, better cooling) are advancing.

#### What's slowing it down:

* High-end silicon is expensive to make.
* Laptops are thermally limited — performance throttles under load.
* Gaming laptops still cost more than their parts due to portability, battery, and screen.

---

## Realistic Scenario Timeline

| Year | What You'll See in Budget Laptops (\~\$700–\$1,000) | Console Comparison |
| ------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------- |
| **2025** | RTX 3050/4050, solid 1080p gaming | Still far behind PS5 |
| **2026–2027** | RTX 5060/RX 8000M-class GPUs, 1440p possible | Starting to match PS5 in raw power |
| **2028–2030** | Efficient 4K-capable laptops with frame gen, better thermals | **Console parity** in most categories |

---

## Final Verdict:

> **Budget laptops will likely reach true parity with PS5/XSX around 2030**, when you can get:

* Smooth 1440p–4K gaming at console settings
* Quiet performance with solid cooling
* Good battery life for non-gaming tasks
* DLSS/FSR-enabled AI tricks to stretch hardware
* All at a \$700–\$1,000 price point

Cool but ChatGPT is not a valid resource lol

 

[Guilty_AI]

this doesn't address anything I listed in the OP

I'm specifically talking about a scenario where parity is achieved with budget laptops, which has nothing to do with what you posted

I have no doubts people incorrectly predicted consoles would be dead in the past. that has nothing to do with what I typed up though.

If you take the time to read my OP, I'm not even predicting they'll be dead. I'm specifically asking people with a tech background to let me know if I'm missing anything (which you didn't do). I'm merely asking what would happen when technology hits a certain point, which it has not yet hit. This is a hypothetical.

Its hard to predict these sorts of things even for people with tech background, those get stuff wrong all the time. What i think will happen is that sony and nintendo will start offering consoles that bring more to the table than just more power (what nintendo is already doing with a portable), and the "death" of consoles will come when those two fumble in their ventures at some indeterminate point. That "death" would probably look like what xbox is going through right now.

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

Cool but ChatGPT is not a valid resource lol

not only that, I think it was generous in its prediction in the wrong way

it compared 2030 laptops to PS5/etc. but by 2030, we'd likely have a PS6

so not only is not a valid resource, it failed to understand the question

 

[Rush2112]

end of consoles? didn't nintendo just fleece everyone less than a month ago?

 

[Sebastian1295]

Yes. Microsoft already gets this. PS6 will be Sonys last box.

Your entire account is based around hating playstation. Good grief.

 

[Sebastian1295]

Consoles aren't dying and will never die with playstation and nintendo around because their brands are so big that they've become legends in the industry. Kids, teens, and adults everywhere know what a ps5 is and what a switch 2 just like they'll know what a ps6 is and a switch 3 is etc etc. They've become so big as brands that they've taken over the gaming industry as a whole.

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

Consoles aren't dying and will never die with playstation and nintendo around because their brands are so big that they've become legends in the industry. Kids, teens, and adults everywhere know what a ps5 is and what a switch 2 just like they'll know what a ps6 is and a switch 3 is etc etc. They've become so big as brands that they've taken over the gaming industry as a whole.

too big to fail your best argument?

the biggest and best have failed in the face of rapid change

I don't find this convincing at all

 

[Deerock71]

Switch 2 pushes that at least a decade out.

 

[PauloRoberto]

Only on echo chambers like here or other game foruns.

 

[El Muerto]

I doubt consoles are going away anytime soon. Cheap laptops with APUs (no gpu) are slowly catching up and can perform better than the ps4/xbone currently. Intel and AMD have been including Ai chips in their laptops, the Xbox Rog Ally will have one too. Some of these AMD Ai APUs can run games at 1080p medium and get decent results. New Ai cpus will probably focus on getting more Ai cores to decrease gpu workload. Very likley these may be the future since Moore's Law has been basically dead for almost ten years.

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

Only on echo chambers like here or other game foruns.

half the thread is saying they'll vanish, other half is saying they'll never vanish

I wouldn't quite call this an echo chamber

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

I doubt consoles are going away anytime soon. Cheap laptops with APUs (no gpu) are slowly catching up and can perform better than the ps4/xbone currently. Intel and AMD have been including Ai chips in their laptops, the Xbox Rog Ally will have one too. Some of these AMD Ai APUs can run games at 1080p medium and get decent results. New Ai cpus will probably focus on getting more Ai cores to decrease gpu workload. Very likley these may be the future since Moore's Law has been basically dead for almost ten years.

I think Moore's Law is being replaced by AI/machine learning, which from what I gather mostly from this forum, is causing growth that mirrors what we say early on with Moore's Law.

 

[CLW]

Yes once Zuckerberg forces you to wear his vr goggles 24-7 while eating Bill Gates' cockroaches for your daily allowed protein intake consoles will fade away

 

[Orbital2060]

I think they might, if Sony joins Microsoft in a deal with AMD to be on their APUs, too. And expand their business to the PC market, where there are much smaller jumps in processing power than in the console space. So you would end up with Xbox and PlayStation hardware looking more like PC hardware and also mobile hardware with shorter periods between iterations. Ie the end of the bespoke console days. But with a device with an AMD APU with Xbox and PlayStation on the silicon, you can access both stores and all the others like Steam and Epic etc. I think there is a point of convergence in this context that is waiting to be realized, for the videogame industry to reach a much larger audience. And we have the technology to do it.

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

Yes once Zuckerberg forces you to wear his vr goggles 24-7 while eating Bill Gates' cockroaches for your daily allowed protein intake consoles will fade away

 

[Parazels]

It reminds me of the delusional speeches of crazy street evangelists who promise to save the world, while normal people just pass them by.

 

[WoJ]

Wasn't there just a thread here like a week ago showing that next to mobile, console had the highest market share like 20% vs. mobile at 22% and PC at like 13% or something like that? And the percentage PC had was actually declining? Consoles aren't going anywhere.

 

[Sebastian1295]

too big to fail your best argument?

the biggest and best have failed in face of rapid change

I don't find this convincing at all

You haven't made any argument as to why they're going to fail in ur eyes. You mention A.I and machine learning but i'm failing to understand how exactly that relates to consoles when consoles already have machine learning tech implemented into them 'PSSR, DLSS'. People prefer consoles for their ease of use and they love the brands themselves 'nintendo and playstation' because they know what they're buying into when they get a playstation and nintendo console which is quality and reliability.

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

You haven't made any argument as to why they're going to fail in ur eyes. You mention A.I and machine learning but i'm failing to understand how exactly that relates to consoles when consoles already have machine learning tech implemented into them 'PSSR, DLSS'.

I'm not claiming they'll fail. I'm asking how they'll survive once parity is achieved.

Are you arguing that parity will never be achieved?

 

[tr1p1ex]

I'm not in the tech field, but wouldn't a cheap laptop eventually hit parity with consoles in the not too distant future?

wouldn't that trivialize the whole console market?

I know simplicity is a big selling point for consoles, but wouldn't that eventually be addressed as well?

it seems with AI and machine learning, we are about to see some exponential growth. which left me wondering what the future of consoles will be like once something like a budget laptop is able to run any game at max settings. simplicity and accessibility have historically been big selling points for consoles, but it seems like that will become a non issue as well, especially in light of AI/machine learning. exclusives are also becoming less of a thing with Sony sending all their game to PC.

I know this isn't any time too soon, but it does seem like it will eventually become a reality.

tech bros feel free to school me as I'm sure I may be missing something.

say what? how would a cheap laptop hit parity with consoles?

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

Wasn't there just a thread here like a week ago showing that next to mobile, console had the highest market share like 20% vs. mobile at 22% and PC at like 13% or something like that? And the percentage PC had was actually declining? Consoles aren't going anywhere.

We aren't talking about today. We are talking about when parity has been reached. Only one person even provided an estimate as to when that would be, and they said something like 20 years from now.

Look at market share 20 years ago for those things you just referenced. A lot can change in 20 years.

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

say what? how would a cheap laptop hit parity with consoles?

time

 

[bender]

They'll die three days after the PC market dies.

 

[tr1p1ex]

time

makes no sense. nothing changes the tech relationship between consoles and laptops. One can't magically advance while the other doesn't.

 

[March Climber]

A good way to tell is to look at the Steam playercount for any popular sports franchise or Call of Duty.

If the numbers start to breach the millions on a consistent basis (this part is the most crucial) then that will tell you the decline has started. I know that some Xbox owners here are scared about the future, but it's best not to apply the fate of Xbox to every other console, as it will appear to the other console owners as if you're gaslighting them, especially the Nintendo buyers.

I'm not saying consoles will last forever, but for the forseeable future, as long as millions of casuals want something simple, they have nothing to worry about. Especially Nintendo, who will probably outlive every other console 50+ years from now unless they make some sort of critical mistake.

 

[Klayzer]

Funny how these types of topics come up, when it's negative news surrounding Microsoft. Probably just a coincidence.

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

makes no sense. nothing changes the tech relationship between consoles and laptops. One can't magically advance while the other doesn't.

what does this even mean?

cheap laptops will eventually reach parity with high-end consoles because technology consistently gets cheaper and more powerful over time. as hardware improves and manufacturing scales, today's high-end components become tomorrow's budget parts. AI tools like DLSS and FSR will also let weaker hardware deliver high-end gaming experiences. combined with more efficient game engines and possible cloud-assisted rendering, even low-cost laptops will be able to run advanced games smoothly — it's only a matter of time.

does this all make sense to you? not trying to be an ass, I just don't know what part confuses you

 

[Parazels]

OP should leave his cave and compare sales of Switch vs any "pc-handheld". These numbers reflect the real balance of power, not your fantasies!

 

[tr1p1ex]

what does this even mean?

cheap laptops will eventually reach parity with high-end consoles because technology consistently gets cheaper and more powerful over time. as hardware improves and manufacturing scales, today's high-end components become tomorrow's budget parts. AI tools like DLSS and FSR will also let weaker hardware deliver high-end gaming experiences. combined with more efficient game engines and possible cloud-assisted rendering, even low-cost laptops will be able to run advanced games smoothly — it's only a matter of time.

does this all make sense to you? not trying to be an ass, I just don't know what part confuses you

the part where you don't consider this also applies to consoles. You gotta be trolling.

 

[Topher]

I'm not in the tech field, but wouldn't a cheap laptop eventually hit parity with consoles in the not too distant future?

wouldn't that trivialize the whole console market?

I know simplicity is a big selling point for consoles, but wouldn't that eventually be addressed as well?

it seems with AI and machine learning, we are about to see some exponential growth. which left me wondering what the future of consoles will be like once something like a budget laptop is able to run any game at max settings. simplicity and accessibility have historically been big selling points for consoles, but it seems like that will become a non issue as well, especially in light of AI/machine learning. exclusives are also becoming less of a thing with Sony sending all their game to PC.

I know this isn't any time too soon, but it does seem like it will eventually become a reality.

tech bros feel free to school me as I'm sure I may be missing something.

Doesn't matter. It is still a laptop. That's a different use case than a console and the price is likely going to be a lot higher even if it is "cheap" for a laptop.


Put it in a time frame. In the next 20 years? I'd say probably not. Maybe different companies involved, but cheap and simple gaming is still very strong. Cut the number of consoles being sold in half and that is still a damn good market for someone to sell to even if it is essentially just a Steam machine wannabe. But I wouldn't be surprised to Sony and Nintendo still going strong with consoles in that same time period. Who knows?

Consoles are about to evolve thanks to Microsoft.

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

the part where you don't consider this also applies to consoles. You gotta be trolling.

but what is the point of a console if a budget laptop does the functional equivalent?

why have multiple devices?

Put it in a time frame. In the next 20 years? I'd say probably not. Maybe different companies involved, but cheap and simple gaming is still very strong. Cut the number of consoles being sold in half and that is still a damn good market for someone to sell to even if it is essentially just a Steam machine wannabe. But I wouldn't be surprised to Sony and Nintendo still going strong with consoles in that same time period. Who knows?

Personally I was thinking 50 or so years, but I was pulling that out of my ass

Funny how these types of topics come up, when it's negative news surrounding Microsoft. Probably just a coincidence.

not everything is an attack on Sony dude

 

[tr1p1ex]

but what is the point of a csonoel if a budget laptop does the functional equivalent?

why have multiple devices?

Personally I was thinking 50 or so years, but I was pulling that out of my ass

We are trolling then. Ok I'll let you troll.

 

[Bonfires Down]

I don't know, but I do think it is harder for many to justify buying a console now that they cost 500€+ and they don't really get cheaper with time, and they have fewer and fewer exclusives. At least if you have a laptop that can play games at a reasonable level.

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

We are trolling then. Ok I'll let you troll.

are all the people agreeing with me trolling as well?

or are you just smarter than them?