77 replies to this topic

[Rize]

Yeah, the fact that there was a 54 something odd page document from 2010... it sounds like too much work to be fake. So it's probably true. There's nothing too ground breaking in there either. It just answers some basic questions.

backward compatibility: yes
300 price point for the cheapest SKU: yes
increase in processing power of 4 to 6 times:
upgrades to kinnect

Scalable architecture is the only unusual thing for a console and the leak only allows us to speculate on how it might be used. Will they launch with two SKUs where one has more memory and/or a faster CPU/GPU? Or will they release a newer model later or modular upgrades (like the N64 expansion pack)? It would explain the mere 4 to 6 times power increase. That's a figure that makes sense for the low-end SKU.

[norg]

R4P3 is a 3rd cousin to R2D2.

[XMark]

The idea of an upgradeable console is interesting... I think that MS would insist all games made for the console support the minimum specs and automatically scale some things upward for more powerful versions.

If all the consoles did something similar, then we might see the start and end of future console generations defined in a much fuzzier way.

[Norrin_Radd]

I like the idea of upgradable systems. That's one area I really don't feel comfortable with messing around in my PC. The hardware. I don't know anything about power supplies, fans, cooling, and what is the best graphics card. If they could some how distill all of that into really simple upgrades throughout the life of the system, in order to keep pace, or outpace PCs, I'd be stoked.

My PC does many things, and I rarely consider gaming one of them. It's a different beast. But the console? All it does is game, for me. And maybe watch movies or stream certain media for watching on the big screen. Basically, it has different needs. And needs that can be more specifically, and more accurately met if those upgrades are aimed at the very narrow number of things I use the console for.

If they busted out a legitimate N64 expansion thing, I'd be on board. Especially if it had drastic improvements.

[Lucavi00]

I like the idea of upgradable systems. That's one area I really don't feel comfortable with messing around in my PC. The hardware. I don't know anything about power supplies, fans, cooling, and what is the best graphics card. If they could some how distill all of that into really simple upgrades throughout the life of the system, in order to keep pace, or outpace PCs, I'd be stoked.

My PC does many things, and I rarely consider gaming one of them. It's a different beast. But the console? All it does is game, for me. And maybe watch movies or stream certain media for watching on the big screen. Basically, it has different needs. And needs that can be more specifically, and more accurately met if those upgrades are aimed at the very narrow number of things I use the console for.

If they busted out a legitimate N64 expansion thing, I'd be on board. Especially if it had drastic improvements.

Consoles will never outpace PCs, ever. Though up-gradable consoles is a bit of a neat idea.

[Nario]

I like the idea of upgradable systems. That's one area I really don't feel comfortable with messing around in my PC. The hardware. I don't know anything about power supplies, fans, cooling, and what is the best graphics card. If they could some how distill all of that into really simple upgrades throughout the life of the system, in order to keep pace, or outpace PCs, I'd be stoked.

My PC does many things, and I rarely consider gaming one of them. It's a different beast. But the console? All it does is game, for me. And maybe watch movies or stream certain media for watching on the big screen. Basically, it has different needs. And needs that can be more specifically, and more accurately met if those upgrades are aimed at the very narrow number of things I use the console for.

If they busted out a legitimate N64 expansion thing, I'd be on board. Especially if it had drastic improvements.

Consoles will never outpace PCs, ever. Though up-gradable consoles is a bit of a neat idea.

On the contrary, Xbox 360 and PS3 had better graphics than the average PC until about three years ago. This doesn't include my laptop, though.

[Lucavi00]

I like the idea of upgradable systems. That's one area I really don't feel comfortable with messing around in my PC. The hardware. I don't know anything about power supplies, fans, cooling, and what is the best graphics card. If they could some how distill all of that into really simple upgrades throughout the life of the system, in order to keep pace, or outpace PCs, I'd be stoked.

My PC does many things, and I rarely consider gaming one of them. It's a different beast. But the console? All it does is game, for me. And maybe watch movies or stream certain media for watching on the big screen. Basically, it has different needs. And needs that can be more specifically, and more accurately met if those upgrades are aimed at the very narrow number of things I use the console for.

If they busted out a legitimate N64 expansion thing, I'd be on board. Especially if it had drastic improvements.

Consoles will never outpace PCs, ever. Though up-gradable consoles is a bit of a neat idea.

On the contrary, Xbox 360 and PS3 had better graphics than the average PC until about three years ago. This doesn't include my laptop, though.

Crysis - 2007
Grand Theft Auto IV for the PC also looks INFINITELY better than its console brothers.

Oh wait, you said average PC. No gamer uses an average pc for gaming. This comparison is moronic at best.

Consoles will never surpass a PC in hardware potential and if companies actually made games for the PC and ported them over to consoles then we'd probably all be better off but that will never happen because casual console gamers exist.

[GENTLYPORKING]

I like the idea of upgradable systems. That's one area I really don't feel comfortable with messing around in my PC. The hardware. I don't know anything about power supplies, fans, cooling, and what is the best graphics card. If they could some how distill all of that into really simple upgrades throughout the life of the system, in order to keep pace, or outpace PCs, I'd be stoked.

My PC does many things, and I rarely consider gaming one of them. It's a different beast. But the console? All it does is game, for me. And maybe watch movies or stream certain media for watching on the big screen. Basically, it has different needs. And needs that can be more specifically, and more accurately met if those upgrades are aimed at the very narrow number of things I use the console for.

If they busted out a legitimate N64 expansion thing, I'd be on board. Especially if it had drastic improvements.

Consoles will never outpace PCs, ever. Though up-gradable consoles is a bit of a neat idea.

On the contrary, Xbox 360 and PS3 had better graphics than the average PC until about three years ago. This doesn't include my laptop, though.

[Bonkers]

I believe nothing until MS says something themselves. Anyone with the right skills could obviously fake stuff.

[Nario]

average PC

I word my sentences carefully, and I still get -1'd.

[XMark]

Yeah, almost nobody could run Crysis on full settings when it came out.

[Lucavi00]

Yeah, almost nobody could run Crysis on full settings when it came out.

Even at medium settings, Crysis still looked better than anything on consoles.

[Nario]

Yeah, almost nobody could run Crysis on full settings when it came out.

Even at medium settings, Crysis still looked better than anything on consoles.

If your computer could even play it back in 2007. That is my point. We don't all have Bonkers's computer, you know.

[Lucavi00]

Yeah, almost nobody could run Crysis on full settings when it came out.

Even at medium settings, Crysis still looked better than anything on consoles.

If your computer could even play it back in 2007. That is my point. We don't all have Bonkers's computer, you know.

If you're a PC gamer, you have to have a gaming PC. There is no in-between. Those people with 'average PCs' weren't PC gamers.

Yes, my PC back in 2007 could play Crysis on ultra with acceptable frame rates and yes, my PC today can play Crysis 2 on ultra at 1920x1080 with acceptable frame rates. I am a PC gamer. I'm not some idiot who thinks I'm a PC gamer because the guy at Best Buy said that my Inspiron could play games 'pretty well'.

If you want to make a comparison about console gaming and components/potential vs PC gaming and components/potential you don't limit the comparison by saying that only 'average' PCs are allowed.

[Rize]

The idea of an upgradeable console is interesting... I think that MS would insist all games made for the console support the minimum specs and automatically scale some things upward for more powerful versions.

If all the consoles did something similar, then we might see the start and end of future console generations defined in a much fuzzier way.

Definitely. I could see the 720 launching with a regular and pro SKU. Alternatively, the pro model could be released a couple years later. As the price comes down and the percentage of hardcore gamers owning the pro model reaches critical mass, we could see big games that only run with the upgraded system. If this happens with enough games and gamers, then you've effectively jumped forward a half generation. That cycle could repeat and stretch the 720 life span indefinitely. The only reason to stop the cycle would be if major architectural changes were needed. The ability to run older games with higher resolution, frame-rate etc. automatically is a great opportunity as well since they can be sold as bargain on-demand titles as they age, and yet not look like complete ass.