How big is the difference in visuals/performance between PC and PS4/Xbox really?

Put it this way, last gen:

- New consoles came out and where cutting edge tech.
- PC's did not catch up in tech for a few months
- You needed a $1,000+ PC to beat consoles.

And yet as you said, PC ended up blowing past the performance of those systems by mid gen, and by late gen, well, many games where an entirely different experience on PC.

THIS gen:

- New consoles are NOT cutting edge tech. (the only exception is Async compute, but new API's will allow for this - and it doesn't seem clear as to what we can expect from it yet).
- mir-range PC's routinely beat the performance of the PS4, even entry level PC's cna beat the PS4 in several games.
- You can beat or match PS4 for WELL under $1,000 - it's more like $400-$500.

If history is anything to go by, PC's will be further along mid gen and even further along late gen than they were last time around.

How will that translate to games? Who knows. At the very least, we're likely to see differences as deep last gen. Given that PC gaming continues ot grow, I wouldn't be surprised if we see even more games that take true advantage of PC hardware than the handful we saw last gen.
 
I think it is mostly the same as last gen. IQ plus FPS, and then mods can make a difference. Otherwise, seems to be mostly the same effects, geometry etc...There isn't much out to take advantage of the large difference, and it doesn't seem like that will change much. Still you generally get the best version of games that look pretty stunning anyway.
 
BennyBlanco said:
You get prettier versions of games to varying degrees but the real benefit for me at least is framerate.



Tell me about the console versions of starcraft 2, xcom 2, civ V, etc. :p
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note the part where I said 'depending on the types of games you prefer'.
 
MrOogieBoogie said:
As mentioned above, my current PC is still going strong with an i3-2100 and 6850.

Here are the specs:

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=13535494

In that case, what can I do to upgrade and maximize my current PC and get some more life out of it? That'd be a preferable alternative for me than to go all-out on a new PC or invest in a PS4 if what you say is true about it being competitive.
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You can just buy a better gpu and it should be enough. But if you can, you can always get a i52500k and overclock it.
 
Depends really, image quality and framerate are the biggest advantages.

In the next few months there is the Steam controller, Oculus Rift and HTC Vive which will add to the excitement of the PC platform.
 
PC games look cleaner, sometimes have more effects, better textures and can be smoother.

The big downside to PC gaming is cost and tinkering. Even though it has gotten better than it used to be, unless you want to shell out for the expensive cards, there will be tinkering with settings and patches for some games to run smooth. It is so nice sometimes just to put a game and it runs great without have to test settings out. Again, it has gotten much better the last year or so with software that connects to a settings database and gets you very close to what settings you need for your set up.

As for frames, you can usually get better frames PC, but there is sometimes huge drops much more noticeable than some of the small drops on console. I have to lock the FPS. I don't have a monitor over 60hz and while having higher frames looks smoother, I want it locked knowing it wont drop below that point. I get bad motion sickness if the frame rate constantly dips from say 150 to 100.
 
Outside of the handful of nerds on this forum, nobody cares really. The difference is barely noticable nowadays with diminishing returns.

I may be an old gamer but the difference between platforms nowadays are insignificant compared to differences of the past like Atari ST vs Amiga, and even then nobody really cared outside nerds.

Buy the platform where your friends are, or the one with the exclusives you love.
 
mrklaw said:
note the part where I said 'depending on the types of games you prefer'.
Click to expand...

Regardless it doesn't matter. It may still be the case for Sony but Microsoft console exclusives do come to PC. But you're right, it's the games that matter. Although you are getting a much larger catalogue on PC and even Xbone where BC exists. But PS4 has Bloodborne, soo.....

Krisprolls said:
Outside of the handful of nerds on this forum, nobody cares really. The difference is barely noticable nowadays with diminishing returns.

I may be an old gamer but the difference between platforms nowadays are insignificant compared to differences of the past like Atari ST vs Amiga, and even then nobody really cared outside nerds.

Buy the platform where your friends are, or the one with the exclusives you love.
Click to expand...

Way to insult an entire subsection of this forum there, buddy.
 
the difference today, visually, is about as stark as the difference between high-end PC gaming and console gaming toward the end of last gen. PC had a significant leg up from the get-go this time around and don't let anyone tell ya different.
Current gen consoles still run modern games admirably, though. Which is a lot more than I could say about last gen consoles toward the end of that cycle. 24 FPS everywhere!
but there's more important differences than just visuals.
I picked up a keyboard with 18 macro keys and a mouse with 13 programmable buttons. I am far more capable with this incredibly flexible setup than anyone with a controller. I can do insane shit intuitively and naturally in the games I play that would take controller players 30 minutes of practice and/or finagling to achieve. Unless they're using a Steam Controller, of course!
I can tweak and mod my games. I just dropped tunes like Kashmir and Don't Stop Me Now into MGS V, so I can jam out more effectively during missions. I can make XCOM Enemy Within into a much more complex and challenging game with deeper simulation elements. I can often switch in and out models, textures, and effects at my leisure.
My backlog doesn't go away. Five years from now, on the eve of the release of next-next-gen consoles, I'll be able to pull up MGSV and reinstall that bitch, run it like it's a remaster in WhateverK.
Immense control over my streaming, sharing, and screenshot capabilities.
etc. etc. I have forgone console gaming sans Wii U and I'm more satisfied than I could have imagined when I first put down the money for my PC. To each his own, though. Not all of these things will be appealing enough to everyone to justify the steeper cost of entry. I'm nowhere near wealthy but I'm glad I put in the extra cash, personally.
 
Right now it's just minor details like better resolution, higher fps, more effects, crisper textures. In a few years from now on difference will be l_________________________l this big.
 
KellyNole said:
.

As for frames, you can usually get better frames PC, but there is sometimes huge drops much more noticeable than some of the small drops on console. I have to lock the FPS. I don't have a monitor over 60hz and while having higher frames looks smoother, I want it locked knowing it wont drop below that point. I get bad motion sickness if the frame rate constantly dips from say 150 to 100.
Click to expand...

That's just weird. Frame rate variance is a non issue with Gsync/Freesync, but even if you're still running Vsync, on PC frame rate drops from 60 to 50 are ok, so long as they aren't constant or go along with hitching. Even 45 is tolerable, specially during cutscnes (though YMMV).

Where as a drop from 30 to even 25 on consoles (which happens with a number of games) is BAD.
 
Kinthalis said:
Put it this way, last gen:

- New consoles came out and where cutting edge tech.
- PC's did not catch up in tech for a few months
- You needed a $1,000+ PC to beat consoles.

And yet as you said, PC ended up blowing past the performance of those systems by mid gen, and by late gen, well, many games where an entirely different experience on PC.

THIS gen:

- New consoles are NOT cutting edge tech. (the only exception is Async compute, but new API's will allow for this - and it doesn't seem clear as to what we can expect from it yet).
- mir-range PC's routinely beat the performance of the PS4, even entry level PC's cna beat the PS4 in several games.
- You can beat or match PS4 for WELL under $1,000 - it's more like $400-$500.

If history is anything to go by, PC's will be further along mid gen and even further along late gen than they were last time around.

How will that translate to games? Who knows. At the very least, we're likely to see differences as deep last gen. Given that PC gaming continues ot grow, I wouldn't be surprised if we see even more games that take true advantage of PC hardware than the handful we saw last gen.
Click to expand...
Yeah, pretty much this. Gotta say, I'm liking the new Kinthalis more. :P
If you know what I mean ;)

Anyway, OP, if you care mostly about multiplatforms and have a budget more than $500, PC is definitely the way to go. If you are interested in the console exclusives, you may be better off with a console.

Note: I do not have a decent PC, but I follow tech threads a lot.
 
EGM1966 said:
Depends on the PC - a decent "enthusiast" PC you're talking a fairly big difference IMHO.

Bottom line some PC gamers are essentially driving Ferrari's and MacLaren's and Xbox is a decent Audi.

Other PC gamers might be playing indie games only with equivalent of a Ford Fiesta.
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Pretty much. Consoles get the job done, the difference will vary from track to track, whether it's raining or not...etc.
 
I've never been more satisfied with my Alienware Alpha.

I think PS4 is a fine platform, but the value proposition with the Alpha has been excellent and I've never looked back.
 
Playing MGSV at 1440/120fps, even if it's the exact same assets as the console version, is pretty stunning IMO in comparison to the PS4 version. Both versions look great, but the fluidity and higher resolution make for a pretty different experience.
 
I feel like it's certainly noticeable right now, especially in terms of performance. I still feel most of the other benefits of PC gaming are bigger when making a purchasing decision, though, but obviously that's very subjective.
 
Javin98 said:
Yeah, pretty much this. Gotta say, I'm liking the new Kinthalis more. :P
If you know what I mean ;)

Anyway, OP, if you care mostly about multiplatforms and have a budget more than $500, PC is definitely the way to go. If you are interested in the console exclusives, you may be better off with a console.

Note: I do not have a decent PC, but I follow tech threads a lot.
Click to expand...

I killed him and took over his accounts.

Muahahahahahahaha!
 
There is more than a generational gap between a PS4/XB1 and a 3 year old high end gaming PC. PS4/XB1 is roughly equivalent to a 4/5 year old mid range gaming PC with a terrible CPU. Obviously it's about how much you want to spend. Now that consoles are basically just standardized PC's, there's no real way for a console manufacturer to make a console that competes with high end gaming PC's without going bankrupt.

Basically... just enjoy the ride. Play your games. Have fun.
 
Moving from PS3 to PC was certainly something. From sub-30 framerates and 720p or lower to 60fps, 1080p and smooth, anti-aliased visuals. Man. From what I can tell, the graphical differences with current-gen aren't as huge as they were, but the performance gap is still there, and it's difficult to go back to sub-60 fps. I remember going back to GTA V on PS3 while waiting for the PC port, and playing it was an exercise in cringe, with the horrible performance and jaggies everywhere.
 
Depends on the game - particularly in how scalable it is. It won't matter if you can't benefit from it with a PC right now, when you can take it to a better system later on also due to that scalability.

Even if you have a PC that runs it worse than the new consoles, as time goes on, if you get a new system or upgrade, you will be able to see significant improvements. Going even further, there is the ability to downsample to improve things yet further.

As a simple example - right now I'm using a 4 year old laptop that was pretty mediocre even back then, and I have no issues running things like MGS V, GTA V, Alien Isolation etc etc. In a few months I'll get a different PC and be able to reap the benefits that the game scales to, or even what can be done at the driver level.
 
The difference is on framerate, resolution and some settings upped. Despite next-years GPUs being a lot more powerful we won't see a graphics quality jump unless it's a pc exclusive game. Publishers still want to sell games on consoles, and we can't blame them.
 
Do you guys think the gap will widen faster than normal once graphics cards with HBM & HBM2 become more mainstream?

I mean assuming there will be some games that take advantage of the extra bandwidthh? I'm thinking there's going to be a huge difference late in this console gen (2018-2019).compared to the top end PC games.

An early example (but nothing to do with HBM) would be Star Citizen which isn't coming to consoles at all.
 
Depends on the game. In general it's noticeable but far from night and day like the end of last gen. If you've already got a PC that's can run things on the highest setting and you have no interest in console exclusives then there probably isn't much reason to get a console, and similarly if you've got a console and don't care much for PC exclusives then there probably isn't much reason to get one.
 
Hektor said:
The slightly better resolution that you only see if you're a total pixelnerd isnt worth upgrading for 300$ every 2 years. Let alone the viruses and Drivers. And you'd be missing out on gamepad control and the comfy couch.

Look up some Digitalfoundry articles if you're unsure, but the difference is rather huge for the most part
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lol what? maybe when a new gen comes around, but at this point a 970 pretty much is enough to pull you through this gen alone. this myth of having to upgrade every 2 years is just not true at all. thats for the enthusiastic.
 
AmyS said:
Do you guys think the gap will widen faster than normal once graphics cards with HBM & HBM2 become more mainstream?

I mean assuming there will be some games that take advantage of the extra bandwidthh? I'm thinking there's going to be a huge difference late in this console gen (2018-2019).compared to the top end PC games.

An early example (but nothing to do with HBM) would be Star Citizen which isn't coming to consoles at all.
Click to expand...

The gap won't widen any more then it is now because most gtaphically intensive games are made for consoles and then ported to PC where they are able to run at high rrsolutions/ framerate and some advanced settings. Console games are holding pc games back and that won't change as the generation moves forward.


The only thing that will change going forward is the cost to reach those higher settings is going to decrease as graphics cards get more powe4 full and cheaper.
 
It's HUGE. but consoles are def CHEAPER. but I think you get better graphical value out of a PC.

Best example I can give you is that I watched a PS4 struggle doing 25 frames for Farcry 4 and my 980 GTX PC was easily handling it at 120frames. Lots of people are fine with 30 frames. 30 frames seriously irritates my eyes and causes headaches, so I can't stand it.

it all comes down to what you want. $500 for 25 frames? or $1500 for 120+ frames.
 
It's a big enough difference that I've barely touched the PS4 I got at launch, after converting to PC a few years back. It's really hard to settle for less when you're able to to play games at 100+ fps with better graphics settings than you'll see on consoles for the rest of the generation. Also, G-Sync is a game changer (literally) and you can only get that on PC.

The upfront cost of PC gaming is daunting, but I haven't regretted it for a second. If you're serious about video games it's worth every penny.
 
Carlius said:
lol what? maybe when a new gen comes around, but at this point a 970 pretty much is enough to pull you through this gen alone. this myth of having to upgrade every 2 years is just not true at all. thats for the enthusiastic.
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He's referencing clueless people bumbling into PC threads on here.
 
First and foremost, you shouldn't be looking into a gaming PC as an alternative to a current gen console. Console ports often come buggier, late, or never at all, with UI and controls that are poorly implemented for keyboard and mouse and sometimes even controller. If you're a fan of the big console multiplayer games, the communities are incredibly smaller, to the extent that many game modes become unavailable. You should also be prepared to build your own, as prebuilds charge an unnecessary premium and even reasonable ones like the Alienware Alpha pale in comparison to the deals and new game bundles you can get with consoles, especially now that we're heading into a holiday season. You should look into PC gaming for the different experiences you can't get on consoles. I have a high end rig but mostly play free to play games like Dota, Path of Exile, Magic the Gathering, as well as modding The Elder Scrolls and playing older titles at high refresh rates.

If you purely want to know about visuals, the PC landscape is a generation or two ahead of consoles. The entry level cards of today offer a comparable experience, while the midrange comes close to maxing many games at 1080p 60fps. The high end crosses over into next gen territory, where you can run games comfortably at 1440p and sometimes even 4K, or at 1080p above 100fps on high refresh rate monitors. Whether or not you'll notice the difference in image quality is subjective but generally, you'll be getting sharper pictures with more robust graphical features and at higher or smoother framerates.
 
DarthWalden said:
The gap won't widen any more then it is now because most gtaphically intensive games are made for consoles and then ported to PC where they are able to run at high rrsolutions/ framerate and some advanced settings. Console games are holding pc games back and that won't change as the generation moves forward.
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I do understand that, though I didn't indicate that in my post. I know almost every game has to be built with console in mind because devs/pubs wouldn't be able to afford it. And I know consoles certainly hold PC back. But I was also thinking, maybe in the next few years another game like Crysis will come along (well maybe not) that pushes PC like in 2007/2008. Unlikely I know.

The only thing that will change going forward is the cost to reach those higher settings is going to decrease as graphics cards get more powe4 full and cheaper.
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True.
 
I have trouble seeing much difference, but I haven't seen games on ultra quality 4k yet. I appreciate good gfx, but the difference between XO - PS4 and PS4 - PC is too small for me to bother.
 
Hado said:
Right now it's just minor details like better resolution, higher fps, more effects, crisper textures. In a few years from now on difference will be l_________________________l this big.
Click to expand...

Neither of those 2 are "minor details".

Also, remember that PC has decades of backwards compatibility, active player base on old games and free online gaming.
 
Right now it's not that massive considering many games are still cross generation.

However for the games that are only next gen/pc, the jump is fairly significant. I did not think The Witcher 3 was that bad on PS4,but the framerate issues only worsen the further you get into the game. Playing a bomb build is super disheartening considering every time you throw one the game dips into the 20s. The game struggles with various areas throughout and is an overall rough experience. Menus are slow as hell, load times are awful in comparison to PC too.

It's a way smoother experience on a good PC and looks incredible. Also cleans up some of the clunkiness of the combat with the higher framerate. Hair works is a nice piece of tech too.

You've got Fallout 4 coming that I would probably not want to play on a console. But yeah the tech gap is already large, but it won't completely manifest itself until developers have fully left last gen behind.
 
It's the same experience but so different. It's hard to say but that how I'll say it. You have to experience both worlds for you to know. It also depends on what type of gamer you are.

Short term value goes to consoles, and long term value and flexibility goes to PC.
 
Difference between Ps4 and XboxOne is hard to say.
To me it looks like Xbox just launched with pretty bad dev tools and it took a while till devs got their games to run on XB1 properly. (I remember hearing a story about COD Ghost that took only a few weeks until it ran on Ps4, while it took the team months to get it to run on XB1)
There is a hardware differences, too, though.
But the visual difference is pretty small now between XB1 and Ps4 version of games.
The visual difference between XB1 and Ps4 exclusives is much bigger, but its always hard to compare when its not the same game.

High end PCs easily beat both consoles on paper and unless devs fuck up multiplatform games should look and run better on PC than on console(higher res, higher framerate is the bare minimum, most of the time there are other bonusses.)

So performance-wise:
PC>>>>>Ps4>XB1
You can always get much better erformance on PC

Visuals for multiplats:
PC>>Ps4>XB1
Differences are rarey big, but higher res and higher framerate is a big deal for many.

Visuals for exclusives:
Ps4>PC>XB1
I think the best looking games are on Ps4 right now(The Order 1886 and Driveclub), but of course, a PC could run these very games and make them look and run better, but nobody is harnessing the power of PC as efficiently as Sonys studios are harnessing the Ps4s power.
 
Bolivar687 said:
First and foremost, you shouldn't be looking into a gaming PC as an alternative to a current gen console. Console ports often come buggier, late, or never at all, with UI and controls that are poorly implemented for keyboard and mouse and sometimes even controller.
Click to expand...

The rest of your post is pretty spot on and I say that as a PC enthusiast, but I don't know why this particular factoid is often repeated as though it is the standard case and not the outlier, these days at least.
 
Investing in PC is never wrong, future proof, free online, ultra wide aspect ratio, cheapest and almost guaranteed the best version of games, 60+ fps, 4k+ resolution, mods and the list goes on.

Nintendo system + PC is the best combination to go.
 
I play my PC games on a triple monitor setup and my console games on a 70" TV.

They're both amazingly unique experiences from one another.

For me, that's infinitely more important than the purely graphical differences.
 
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