Hardware's important to PC gamers. Unlike console gamers, for whom hardware is little more than a feature list, fanboy bait, and marketing copy, it's critical for PC gamers to know which bits do what in those crazy metal boxes sitting on their desks. It's also critical to developers, who need to know how much of their potential market can actually play their masterpieces.
That makes the Steam Hardware Survey all the more significant, as its data provides a good approximation of the hardcore PC landscape. And the results? Quite average, which is very much a good thing. How is that a good thing? For one, it puts to rest the common stereotype that all PC games require the best hardware, but become obsolete several minutes after being turned on. That notion is patently false, and this survey helps prove it.
First off, nearly half of all systems are now "DirectX 10 ready." As a point of comparison, the Xbox 360 cannot use DX10, theoretically making even an average PC (such as the one you can build with the help of community member WastelandTraveler) more capable than Microsoft's money-printer. Windows XP though, still reigns supreme OS market, much as it has for most of the decade thus far.
Less encouraging, however, is the apparent market dominance of Nvidia and Intel in the graphics card and CPU department (holding roughly 60% in their respective fields). Dominance can depress competition, which risks lowering quality overall. Considering that AMD processors and ATi video cards have been hailed as providing great value for money. The Saboteur famously released with no support for ATi video cards whatsoever (a patch for that came out soon after, though). That said, it's simply not favorable for devs to ignore 40% of the potential market. The ATi vs. Nvidia GPU wars are as vicious as any console slap-fight.
Keep it in mind, gamers. You don't need to blow a month's salary just to play some great PC games.
Contest:
7:00 AM on 01.09.2010
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I would expect Win7 to be pretty popular eventually, give it a year or so. Every hardcore PC gamer I know has upgraded and eventually the others will as well. The nVidia superiority is based on them having the best cards since the 8800, but with the 5000 series from ATI they are taking back the crown, so expect to see a bump in ATI's numbers.
It wasn't anymore than $1,000 when I bought it, either.
Though the minute I get a good 500 bucks I'm making a desktop. I can only run off of a first-gen dual-core and a 256 Nvidia card for so long...
Within 2 years I will need a new one. That's like a 4 year life span. For 500 bucks or more? Seems a bit pricey.
True, in gaming terms it's not as consistently capable as a console, but you can do much more on a PC than on any console, regardless of price. Think of that $200 extra is the price of being able to work, browse and store porn.
You win that one.
HEY! We can store porn! Gosh give us some credit.
I also wish I had at least an average PC. I have an average laptop, which means it can't play games for crap. I got Braid for 2.49 off the Steam holiday sale under the assumption that my laptop could at least handle running that in a stable manner. I was wrong... Like 10fps on Braid. Lame.
true. i am fighting nearly EVERY day on my local forum. Console wars happens not so often.
SOURCE, JOSH!
And it's quite sad to see that ATi are so far behind considering how nice their cards are for the price but it's not surprising that Nvidia have got market dominance, since they've been building up to this point for a while now.
let the dickwaving begin! :-p
Here's the process.
STEP 0: HAVE A COMPUTER (Duh)
STEP 1: INSTALL STEAM
STEP 2: BUY GAMES
STEP 3: PROFIT!!!
Simples.
It's probably the video card, i.e. you do not have one, not a real one anyway. They sell pre-made computers, especially laptops, with a simple video device that can't even play HD movies well, let alone HD games.
My computer cost me about $350 when I got it last year. I;ve since put in about $150 in it for upgrades and replacements (Dvd drize died, replaced that, got in an actual graphics card and a beefier power supply.)
I can run Mass Effect at max everything, as well as Dawn of War 2 on max everything, but it get's a bit chuggy in 3v3 when a lot of shit is going on, it also takes awhile to load, and I;m slow for the first 10 seconds in a match. Then it runs like a charm. So I have an low-average gaming PC for $500 Canadian. Didn't build it myself though. Next PC will be self built.
SO i still argue that pc gaming works only for fps games and only becuase of the keyboard and mouse but i do admit i enjoy it more on my console just becuse everyone has the same controller so fair play is evident ,a player with a razr tarantula or a g5 on the pc will most of the time kick ur arse (i know u dont wana accept it )with those gazillion custom buttons !!! ive moved 27 levels on modern warfare since i got the g5 in practically 4 days so i know what im talkin bout , i was never a bad fps player alteast i believe im not
so pc gaming in short is very limited and a pc is not a gamin device its just a ensemble of products doing everything averagely well which is not good cuz u dont pay average amount of money for a average playing pc u pay a min of 900$ to play it with all its glory
SO i still argue that pc gaming works only for fps games and only becuase of the keyboard and mouse but i do admit i enjoy it more on my console just becuse everyone has the same controller so fair play is evident ,a player with a razr tarantula or a g5 on the pc will most of the time kick ur arse (i know u dont wana accept it )with those gazillion custom buttons !!! ive moved 27 levels on modern warfare since i got the g5 in practically 4 days so i know what im talkin bout , i was never a bad fps player alteast i believe im not
so pc gaming in short is very limited and a pc is not a gamin device its just a ensemble of products doing everything averagely well which is not good cuz u dont pay average amount of money for a average playing pc u pay a min of 900$ to play it with all its glory
might sound corny but i actually got my holiday pay so i got the razr tarantula and g5 only because it looks slick with my black monitor and xbox 360 elite sitting on the desk lol
Had it not died on me last week though, I wouldn't have probably upgraded to anything like I have now, lol.
Given how badly Intel has been putting the performance whooping to AMD it's surprising that those numbers are that low. And it's always surprising that anyone buys ATi cards since they are unreliable pieces of crap and always have been.
That whole bit about ATi makes you sound like a clown, or at least a paid AMD/ATi shill. It's really pathetic. Go bitch about Windows install base if you want competition "depressing" market dominance.
Really. Ati cards have been lacking BEFORE the 4xxx series. But if you dont think the 4xxx/5xxx series cards are the best cards per dollar available (or at all right now) you need to pull your head out of ATI's ass.
PS. Upgraded 275 for 5870. Just before you lose your can.
If that is from a comic book, I will buy it.
But this was a couple of years ago, and I'm so much more a console gamer that I've not bothered to play many PC games since. I can run oldies like Half-Life 2 and Doom 3, but I wouldn't bother trying Crysis.
Also: image sauce?
An nvidia gts 220 or radeon 4650 are gpu's for about $50 that easily beat the gpu's in both HD consoles.
Anyone who says you need an expensive computer to outperform the consoles is ignorant of the hardware.
And since the 4xxx series from ATI, they have been the better GPU maker. Nvidia was better with it's 9xxx series, and hopefully they can regain a competitive place with their new GPU's at the end of Q1