For the serious gamer, a seismic shift has opened up between the design and the enjoyment of games. The next generation of consoles has advanced, and now, more than ever, there is now a fundamental disconnect between the capabilities of the console, and those of the PC.
While the new Xbox One and Playstation 4 both use a very similar processor (which is more like that of a PC than predecessors) this new hardware is taking PC gamer specs to task. The latest generation of game releases are memory munching, graphic monoliths, which might mean your video card and RAM will struggle to keep the pace, however recent your PC.
Minimum core requirement
While the new generation of consoles comes with eight processor cores as standard, many home computers are still operating on two. Now, some newer games have been found to be incompatible with a dual core setup; eating up CPU and showing lag, stuttering images, and in some cases, a complete refusal to launch. This means to enjoy the latest titles in the context of PC gaming, you’ll need a quad core at least.
Image by Antony Bennison, shared under a Creative Commons Licence
The gaming experience is adapting
While you can tweak a PC spec to match the game, and purchase hardware to add to the experience, there are still fundamental disparities between PC and console gaming. PC gaming is generally a much more solitary experience, and to an extent, it is still shackled to, and dictated by its hardware.
Console gaming has struck out in the other direction, placing the console firmly at the heart of the family gaming experience, stretched only beyond its capabilities by new software releases. Consider the Kinect, a motion-sensing piece of kit used with the Xbox 360 console for everything from dancing games to fitness. While now last generation, the Xbox 360 deals out this distinct advantage: it has liberated the player from sitting, hunched over a control pad.
Image by Performance Gaming, shared under a Creative Commons Licence
The gaming experience is adapting
While you can tweak a PC spec to match the game, and purchase hardware to add to the experience, there are still fundamental disparities between PC and console gaming. PC gaming is generally a much more solitary experience, and to an extent, it is still shackled to, and dictated by its hardware.
Console gaming has struck out in the other direction, placing the console firmly at the heart of the family gaming experience, stretched only beyond its capabilities by new software releases. Consider the Kinect, a motion-sensing piece of kit used with the Xbox 360 console for everything from dancing games to fitness. While now last generation, the Xbox 360 deals out this distinct advantage: it has liberated the player from sitting, hunched over a control pad.
