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View Full Version : FSX, PC Specs, Consoles, Software and the last three generations



DogTailRed2
03-16-2006, 11:54 AM
Hi,

just seen news that FSX will be released sometime in the next year.
As my aging PC will not run FXS have been exploring potential upgrades. Well I'm stunned. Dual Core, 1gb dual FSB, 2gb RAM standard, 250gb RAID1 discs, not to mention the new generation of graphics cards.

I'm 39. Grew up in the days of the zx81 and progressed from vic20, c64, Amiga500 and finally the PC. Not into the console culture so will probably remain with PC technology. I think I'm a dying breed especially when scanning the shelves at Game. A very small section indeed devoted to the PC where once the reverse was true.

Now look at my families newest two generations. My eldest nephew, at 22 is interested in the PC but also has a console. My youngest nephews (x2) 9 and 12 had a PC but are not intested at all. They spend most of their time using consoles. Comparing the new range of consoles to my PC I have to admit they look rather good, dare I say better.

Microsoft are producing Vista but they also have the XBOX. I've heard people ask if FSX will be available on console format. The two technologies are converging.

So what's the point of my ramblings. The point is this. At 39 my next upgrade is going to set me back between £1500 - £2000 for a state of the art FSX ready PC. I doubt I will upgrade again due to financial, family commitments and the fact as I get older the interest in computing is subsiding. I believe I'm the last, perhaps last but one generation to have a purely PC based setup. I believe FSXI will be a console version and the PC games market will slowly draw to a close.

Now look at console technology. Faster CPU's, RAM discs, gorgeous graphics. I think it's the way to go but sadly I doubt I will be part of it. Too steeped in 64 law.

Dog.

loki
03-16-2006, 08:42 PM
Consoles are only faster for a short time. PCs will catch and easily overtake them by the time a new console generation comes out though. They also work very differently than your PC and while fast in games, may not work so well for other tasks. The newest Radeon cards are based on the same technology as Ati used in the XBox 360, and the same goes for nVidia and the PS3.

Not to mention the interfaces have a ways to go before consoles could take over everything a PC does. First person shooters and flight sims tend to benefit from having a keyboard, mouse and/or joystick to use, while sports and racing games work very well with a console controller.

I'm not sure they will completely converge, at least not for quite a while yet.

loki

tgibson
03-20-2006, 07:28 PM
Hi,

Please note that DX10 compatible video cards are not yet available, so you will want to wait on that upgrade for a while.

Hope this helps,

Atmosphere5
03-21-2006, 02:32 AM
Yes..I also agree. I've told my "eager" friends to hold onto their bucks and let them grow and wait. Wait for the true next step which is DirectX 10, windows Vista, multi-core processors and the compatible cards. Some have gone out blowing their dollars on PIV's with HT and cards that ..sadly (not for the manufactures though) be in a way "not all that"..veryyy soon.

Also, I believe a new trend will start with cheaper flat screens...however not just any flat screen. Ever noticed the new ways of connecting hardware components...such as use of ball joints etc. For example the new laptop thats a screen which rotates and pivots to become a tablet pc. Well...I've gotten some buzz about 3-way even 4 to 5 way "panoramic" flat screens. They come folded as one monitor and you open them up at angles (simliar to 3 panel dresser mirrors, or how you would open a book etc) to create a truley wide screen multi-view monitor. Many graphics cards are implementing technology now for multiple-monitor operations. Hang in there people. 2007 will be great.

SlayerTX16
03-22-2006, 03:33 PM
Gorgeous graphics? Have you even compared some of the latest games?

Compare Call of Duty 2 between the X-Box 360 and the PC. The PC version is way better.. in my opinion.

Plus computer-based games can be much more complex... one reason is that a keyboard has 100-something keys instead of 10+ buttons.

About the only thing going for consoles are their low price... compared to computers.. but can they really be compared in capability?