Is the PC dead?

[trickson]

Been debating, Should I even build a new computer or not? I have seen the tablets that are out and love them they do every thing and more than any icrap! But is there a need any more for the big bulky desktop any more? The tablets are faster too. Is this the end of the desktop? I just do not see spending thousands and know in 2 months it is worthless like the stuff I have now and for what 350 you can have a tablet now? I can see the PC gaming industry is dead as well. Xbox one and PS4 are the real game platforms any way, Right?

What do you think?

 

[rtwjunkie]

Is PC/desktop use on the decline in general? yes. Is the PC dead as a gaming platform? Absolutely not. Just look at the sales of high-end parts (which you are debating spending for), and look at the phenomenal numbers of games sold by download on sites such as Steam, Origin, Greenman Gaming, GOG, etc. PC gaming is alive and well, probably at it's strongest point in years. You would certainly not be wasting your money upgrading...and you would have several years of viability as well. Tablets are great and have excellent convenience, consoles have great gaming ability, but nothing can beat the pure computing power that is available to a full-size pc.

 

[Deleted member 24505]

Simply, no. rtwjunkie said it all.

 

[TRWOV]

huh? Dead in what sense? PC shipment's grow has flat-lined but that's market saturation for you.

That being said, a good quad core tablet (an RK3188 based model would be my personal recommendation) would surely suffice for internet use and even for some office type work (Quick Office is pretty nice). Android games have also started to show off some meat too.

Add a netbook or maybe an ITX system for anything PC specific (picture processing, archiving, online banking, what not) and you'd be all set. Leave gaming to the consoles. I can certainly see the charm in that.

If you have doubts about building another PC then you'd better not. You'll find yourself selling the parts later (has happened to me before too, although looking at my sig you might not think so )

 

[LAN_deRf_HA]

You post this after Steam sets a record for simultaneous users? And your figures are just inflammatory nonsense. A common gaming rig core configuration, 2500k, should last people at least 5 years without even being taxed. A top card get's you 2 years of close to max settings. Upgrading more often than that is for the hobby, not because it's necessary. More people than ever before are considering PC gaming because of it's benefits over consoles. The mediocrity of recent consoles hasn't had much impact, and if anything get's people more excited for PC games now that they won't be held back by the past console generation. If you don't game I could see working and browsing on an expensive IPS laptop, and if for some reason you want to hold your TV shows and movies to watch at odd angles around the house then maybe a tablet would be for you, but to actually get shit done and while enjoying powerful and flexible gaming nothing will replace the versatility, productivity, and comfort of a proper desktop setup.

 

[Deleted member 24505]

You post this after Steam sets a record for simultaneous users? And your figures are just inflammatory nonsense. A common gaming rig core configuration, 2500k, should last people at least 5 years without even being taxed. A top card get's you 2 years of close to max settings. Upgrading more often than that is for the hobby, not because it's necessary. More people than ever before are considering PC gaming because of it's benefits over consoles. The mediocrity of recent consoles hasn't had much impact, and if anything get's people more excited for PC games now that they won't be held back by the past console generation. If you don't game I could see working and browsing on an expensive IPS laptop, and if for some reason you want to hold your TV shows and movies to watch at odd angles around the house then maybe a tablet would be for you, but to actually get shit done and while enjoying powerful and flexible gaming nothing will replace the versatility, productivity, and comfort of a proper desktop setup.

+1 Agree totally.

 

[TRWOV]

trickson, I think that from now on product refreshes will come slower: AMD isn't developing new CPUs for AM3+ for the next two years at least and if Mantle takes off we could see 3 year cycles for GPUs (heck, Mantle isn't even here and the HD7000 series are entering their third year in the product stack) and Intel's performance improvements have been tenous at best (although the performance per watt ratio has improved considerably).

Your Q9650 is getting long in the tooth but, if anything, I would just get a new graphics card and get done with it. The recently released R9 270 is poised to be the mainstream champion of this generation. If you don't mind getting used parts, used 7850s are into the low 100s range.

 

[rtwjunkie]

Your Q9650 is getting long in the tooth but, if anything, I would just get a new graphics card and get done with it.

Very true! LOL, just look at my sig: My W8 build is actually a very capable (not top-end, but capable) gamer, thanks to the last generation 660Ti (which I bought used BTW).

 

[Law-II]

Hi

This all comes down to user needs; if a tablet and console fit the bill then that may be the way to go. However saying that gaming on PC is evolving and we may just see the demise/reduction in size of the house brand publishers over the coming years, in turn allowing smaller studios to blossom. Would be missing not being able to mod games and using full conversions without a PC around, that and hours of tinkering; they don't have to take up a great amount of space with some of the ITX models available.

Note: would always have a choice to come back to a desktop at a later date if it did not work out.

atb

Law-II

 

[silapakorn]

Tablets are good for casual gaming only. If that's your thing then go for it.
For hardcore games, I still prefer PC to any other options in the market. (I bought consoles to play exclusive titles and that's it.)

 

[kn00tcn]

lolwut, tablets are faster? at what? it's not x86, it's not adobe suite or 3ds max, it's not apache, it's battlefield4 on consoles sure, but at a fixed platform with no upgrades & a few cut backs in gfx

you use what you need & want, deal with not being able to experience exclusives or buy into multiple platforms, putting labels is completely irrelevant

just recently i read something about unix (not linux), there are still old designed systems that keep going regardless of what's in the local store or internet forum

EDIT: i also find it strange that people bring up the 'it's worthless in 2 months' type of arguments, in fact my reaction is WTF

seriously... your existing software didnt magically die & get slow, new software isnt somehow crazy demanding, high end is still high end for a while & beats new lower/mid range for years, nothing wrong with a $350 desktop, there is no one gaming platform, if there was, the world would be on it right? but let's ignore the dumb consumers/media, the devs will have to pick a platform first (protip: they havent & never will, each has advantages & different ways to develop)

in fact pc is closer to console in the sense of longer lifespans, ipad 3 lasted SEVEN MONTHS, the mobile space is extremely high paced, new OSs dont run on the older devices, new apps dont run on older OSs, even if your cpu/gpu is capable, new apps end up being too demanding for your old device

 

[Tonduluboy]

No. I just bought new pc worth USD$2k early this year (gaming) and planning again next yr to buy new one use for my job replacing my current old pc. Unless u dont work in office or rarely at home, PC may not suitable for you. No TABLETS can do the job i am doing now beside PC. So many people doing the same job like me around the world, i believe they at least do have 1 pc or laptop.

 

[Jetster]

Its good to hear that your happy wth a tablet. I was wondering how good they really are. But PC gaming is not on a decline. Its a small market but its healthy. We are seeing more powerful hardware then ever before. Prices are low for parts relitive to 5 years ago. I dont think the enthusiast pc level gamingis going anywhere soon. And console players are in awe of the true gaming PC

 

[alwayssts]

Been debating, Should I even build a new computer or not? I have seen the tablets that are out and love them they do every thing and more than any icrap! But is there a need any more for the big bulky desktop any more? The tablets are faster too. Is this the end of the desktop? I just do not see spending thousands and know in 2 months it is worthless like the stuff I have now and for what 350 you can have a tablet now? I can see the PC gaming industry is dead as well. Xbox one and PS4 are the real game platforms any way, Right?

What do you think?

To each their own opinion and lifestyle (I respect those that still use their pc at a desk, alongside multiple monitors and/or 2560 or 3840 displays), but for me it simply evolved.

The era of the necessary upgrade for productivity every year or so is certainly over. I think many will agree that ended sometime around the era of core 2 duo or so, and likely around this generation on the video/gfx side (for basic necessities). Tablets are certainly almost there in that regard.

For me, the desktop evolved into an htpc. With the standard uses of a pc becoming the internet and digital content distribution that can be integrated into different (ie netflix on a tv, or the game store on a console) or smaller (phones and tablets for convenient web-surfing and consumption) form factors, you simply have to decide how you like to experience that content.

I like sitting six feet away on a couch and looking at a (relatively) bigger screen, also knowing I don't need to spend a ton on a gfx card to enjoy contemporary games at 1080p, while knowing I have the option to upgrade either the display or gfx card at any time. I also prefer the option of a mouse and keyboard over a mandatory remote, trackpad, controller, gestures or touch screen...even though those are still all options. You will notice my posts do not say 'sent from my phone/tablet using swype'...even though I own both those devices and am proficient, they are not my preferred input to the world.

It also really comes down to a persons' definition of good-enough. Tablets and then phones will soon have competent-enough cpus and gpus to make pretty much all content good-enough for the visual acuity of their use for most purposes. That said, 4k is a thing that demands a large screen (or sitting really close) and is not going to be the same experience on anything other than a dedicated pc or tv set up. Gaming will evolve, with 720p (thanks to the xbox and smart phones) being the new lowest common denominator as the later catches up to the former...but scaling to 4k (9x resolution) is going to be rough on anything other than a pc for some time to come.

I, for one, want to move with the middle to upper stream of that river as time flows into that reality, while participating in a manner I am accustomed (tabs, websites, videos, discussions across a large screen with an efficient input device). That will require a pc of some sort for some time to come.

 

[Maleko]

This kind of thing always comes up a lot when new consoles come out.

Yeah, the new consoles have impressive specs and graphics, but they are already out of date. You can upgrade your PC graphics tomorrow. Those consoles will be around for a while now and PC's will, as always, improve before they do.

 

[Mussels]

i own two desktops, a laptop, three tablets and two high end smartphones (galaxy S3 + S4, both the 2GB/LTE variant)


while the phones and tablets take over many tasks the PC can do, they tend to have a clunkier interface, and serious performance issues.


to play back a 10 bit H264 video file with positional subtitles requires a 1.9GHz quad core high end smartphone (the s4) when my quad core APU laptop can do the same at 800MHz lag free (and so much more).

it should be noted that the laptop was a lot cheaper and bought many years before, comes with a keyboard, longer wifi range, 750GB vs 16GB, and many other advantages.


these devices will co-exist side by side, and neither can replace the other.

 

[techtard]

Every year someone predicts the death of the PC. Every year, they are wrong.

If the Steam game streaming really takes off, it could extend the life of the PC platform. I know that I would personally rather have a high powered local server streaming my games at low latncy than rely on anything cloud based to do the same job.
But if I had my way, I'd just play directly on the PC. I'll ride the PC train until the day that I die.

 

[Frick]

In this case, yes.

 

[erixx]

Just recently many people that had to buy a PC, now do not need a PC anymore, as their habits are: read email, real webpages, play poker. chat. all of that can be done on small devices.

But liberal arts offices, the industries, the artists, the pc gamers, the computer sciences students, and a long etc. CAN NOT, DO NOT stop using PC.

The OP saying he can do "all" with a tablet is pretty self-definitory. No harm intended.

 

[remixedcat]

There's still some things I can't stand doing on my phone like blogging, gaming (tiny screen and controls are awkward and sometimes makes me sick), and content creation. I still have to use my PC to type epic long posts or reviews. Also for music creation/organization as well. I compile my own EDM series (s) and I create the albums, the artwork, and I have a very nice file structure and I can't just to it on my phone/tablet.

Like Mussels said streaming from local is sluggish and some players have timing issues with subs and stuff and it drives me nuts.

Gaming is only done on a PC. I only play consoles for one or two games that are exclusives and that rarely happens for me. I can't stand small screen squinty gaming it kinda makes me sick sometimes.

 

[GreiverBlade]

Is PC/desktop use on the decline in general? yes. Is the PC dead as a gaming platform? Absolutely not. Just look at the sales of high-end parts (which you are debating spending for), and look at the phenomenal numbers of games sold by download on sites such as Steam, Origin, Greenman Gaming, GOG, etc. PC gaming is alive and well, probably at it's strongest point in years. You would certainly not be wasting your money upgrading...and you would have several years of viability as well. Tablets are great and have excellent convenience, consoles have great gaming ability, but nothing can beat the pure computing power that is available to a full-size pc.

Amen.

 

[trickson]

I have seen laptops that can game and do every thing a desktop can. You can custom build a laptop to be powerful as a desktop.

 

[Kursah]

I have seen laptops that can game and do every thing a desktop can. You can custom build a laptop to be powerful as a desktop.

For a price. A very expensive and unless you are tight on space or travel a lot and like to lug around a heavy, noisy, hot laptop then it doesn't make a lotta sense. There are some sweet laptops out there with huge gaming capabilities, but limited upgradability...spend several grand to match the performance that I spent less than 1/3 of that on. But take my sub $400 Asus K55n laptop...it's an AMD APU...not very powerful but it does handle gaming better than I expected...sure I gotta crank the settings down but the core gaming is still good. In that case it's a solid unit but even more limited than a custom built laptop. I never really understood gaming laptops for those that weren't traveling a lot...and most of those folks ended up being disappointed that their expensive laptops sucked in a year or two...and that I was able to build 2-3+ better gaming PC's for the price they paid for a gaming laptop and ended up paying me to build them a desktop. Sometimes people think something is dead until they see the benefits of it.

It depends on desires, needs and budget.

My next build will be in a smaller case still with good airflow and a powerful single-gpu solution. I'm perfectly content with my current gaming rig...it's powerful, quiet, fast and cool running. Been my best PC build yet. No regrets on it.

Is PC gaming dead? No...some people needs and desires are different, and a console, smartphone, tablet or even laptop are their better choices. It comes down to what route benefits the gamer asking the question. Maybe for them it is. Maybe they're asking because they don't think it is...or have doubts either direction. Who knows...I can whole-heartedly say PC gaming is far from dead and honestly with the onset of better indie titles is better than ever in some aspects...there are lots of folks going back to console...and they can take their CoD with them. Bring me the Arma's, Wargames, Evochrons, Star Citizens, CARS, heavily modded Skyrims, etc. That's where I'll be at! I am honestly glad there are so many gaming platforms to choose from....sometimes even for me a laptop or tablet or my phone are my only options, say when I'm not at home...so it's better to have them than not in that situation. Gaming in general is livelier than ever! Cheers to gaming!

 

[rtwjunkie]

I have seen laptops that can game and do every thing a desktop can. You can custom build a laptop to be powerful as a desktop.

I would say fairly close, just not AS powerful as top-end desktops/towers. But it is indeed fun to custom-build your own laptop, with about half the parts being selectable by you! The big enemy to a powerful laptop will be heat. I know several friends that have done this and that is now their all-purpose "desktop". But really, trickson, only you can decide what type of device or system fits your needs best! With just a video card tho, you CAN get some extra life out of your q9650 like I did.

 

[de.das.dude]

if you use a pc for watching movies, and surfing the net and mild office work, then yes fuck PCs, go for tablets.