Current Events > Anyone else like the idea of PC gaming but hate the hassle of it?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Like the benefits you get with it compared to console gaming is great until you feel like you need to upgrade things and figure out what stuff works with other stuff. Just seems like a big pain in the ass to have to attempt to rebuild something you already built.

I think this is why I love the Steam Deck so much because it eliminates all of that and is basically PC gaming made easy for someone who is used to being a console player.

I feel the same, but how long until the steam deck wont be able to run new releaases?

Nah it's pretty easy

I've been on PC my whole life and it's not a hassle at all, ever

I used to feel the same, but its not a big deal at all in reality. Any times where youre unsure of anything, you can just ask on the internet for advice. This year will actually be 10 years since I switched to PC gaming and its felt normal for a long time now.

I bought a pre-built, but it's so well made (and came with a 3080) that swapping our the GPU when it's time will be super simple.

CARRRNE_ASADA posted...

I feel the same, but how long until the steam deck wont be able to run new releaases?

Ive thought about the same thing, but well probably just get Steam Deck 2 by that point. As long as I can play everything I want right now thats good enough for me. The idea of spending a bunch of money to future-proof my PC always seemed silly to me. Ill worry about the future in the future and focus on being fine with what I have currently.

hulkhogan1 posted...

you feel like you need to upgrade things and figure out what stuff works with other stuff. Just seems like a big pain in the ass to have to attempt to rebuild something you already built.

this is what people say who have never owned a gaming PC in their life.

upgrading and troubleshooting compatibility issues are extremely rare occurrences with PC gaming. it is for the most part not any more complicated than console gaming is, and console gaming doesn't even have the upside anymore of being plug-and-play, since you have to install the games and download patches and system/firmware updates on consoles these days just like you have to do on PC.

and consoles don't even have the upside of being able to troubleshoot issues that prevent you from playing certain games, and having the chance of fixing it or getting around it. on console if you get a fatal error, you are just fucked. in many cases you just have to buy a new console. you hardly ever have to do that with PC. best case scenario, tweak some settings or find a workaround by googling, worst case scenario, replace a component. you can't do this with consoles. but even with PCs this is relatively rare, again.

If anything it's gotten more homogeneous over the last few years. If you think of it in the context of a video game console life cycle, updating every 4 to 5 years, you can keep up with the current stuff. The only time it becomes a marginal hassle is if you try and play older stuff. Then you'll have to do some troubleshooting to make it work properly.

Alucard188 posted...

If anything it's gotten more homogeneous over the last few years. If you think of it in the context of a video game console life cycle, updating every 4 to 5 years, you can keep up with the current stuff. The only time it becomes a marginal hassle is if you try and play older stuff. Then you'll have to do some troubleshooting to make it work properly.

At least you can play older stuff though, even right back to MS-DOS games. Now try playing a PS1 title on a PS5.

I like the idea of PC gaming and find the journey of putting one together fun and personal. Totally get it if someone doesn't though.

Doesn't really seem like a hassle. I put mine together 10 years ago and I think I've upgraded parts twice. It's usually no more complex than finding the right socket CPU and motherboard and make sure your power supply is big enough

I actually really like working on my pc. I have a custom built hard acrylic tube liquid cooling system.

blistr posted...

At least you can play older stuff though, even right back to MS-DOS games. Now try playing a PS1 title on a PS5.

totally. basically infinite backwards compatibility is one of the best things about PC gaming that consoles don't have.

I don't think it's a hassle but I do think prices are ridiculous right now.

From about 2006 to 2015 I was into PC gaming. But I worked full time as a computer technician from 2009 to 2017 and it really killed my interest in it. Fallout 4 was the last games I played on PC, until Stray because I dont have a PS5.

I just upgraded my computer for the first time in around 8 years, by myself. It's very easy, just go to pcpartpicker and put in your current stuff along with the stuff you want and it will tell you if there's any compatability issues.

In that 8 years, all I needed was a new graphics card (3080) and a new CPU, both of which you just pop out and put in the new one. That 3080 should last me at least 5-8 years, easily.

DoesntMatter posted...

this is what people say who have never owned a gaming PC in their life.

Actually I say that as someone who built my own PC a good 6-7 years ago. Since then I upgraded to a better GPU and more RAM a couple years back, which were pretty easy upgrades but I know that sooner rather than later my 7 year old CPU will likely struggle to keep up with some newer games. My motherboard is also apparently outdated and not compatible with most newer stuff so if I wanted to buy a new CPU I would likely have to buy a new motherboard too, which at that point basically means having to build a new PC all over again. Even taking money out of the equation, I simply dont have the time or patience to go through that again. I guess if youre a hardcore PC gamer and treat it as a hobby then that whole process could be seen as fun and exciting. But for a casual PC gamer who appreciates the console like simplicity of devices like the Steam Deck, that stuff feels more like work than anything else.

I ended up getting a gaming laptop, since my living space is too small to fit a full desktop computer.

I'd rather take the hassle of pc gaming, what little there is to be had of it mind, than the hassle that comes with owning a console.

hulkhogan1 posted...

I think this is why I love the Steam Deck so much because it eliminates all of that and is basically PC gaming made easy for someone who is used to being a console player.

Really? If you think the Steam Deck is easy to use, wait until you use a windows-based PC.