Putting $1,000 towards a custom built gaming PC is going to lead to a near high-end system. Essential components have become increasingly affordable over the years, allowing our dollar to return better performance. With that said, the following is the best build just under $1000.
All prices of the following components are updated as of September 28, 2016 and are in US Dollars. Any mail-in rebate offers are not included in the stated price. Tax and shipping costs are not included in the prices as they may vary. Base prices are subject to change.
Graphics Card - EVGA GTX 1070 SC 8GB ($399.99)
At the $1000 price point for a build, the prospect of getting a GTX 1070 is too good to pass up. The EVGA GTX 1070 superclocked (SC) can be found for $399.99. This is slightly above MSRP, but EVGA’s superclocked series offers clock speeds above stock, an upgraded cooler, and performs extremely well against competitors.
This particular model is fit with the ACX 3.0 dual fan cooler to keep your temperatures in check. According to tests by Guru3d, their EVGA GTX 1070 SC idled at 37C and only went up to 72C under load. By comparison, their reference GTX 1070 idled at 30C but hit 76C under load. Considering that the SC model is overclocked out of the box, the ACX 3.0 cooler proved its worth.
Its 8GB of VRAM will give you the opportunity to crank in-game quality and texture settings to their max. This SC model comes out of the box with a core clock speed of 1594 MHz and a boost clock of 1784 MHz, compared to the reference model's 1506 MHz core and 1683 boost clocks.
The GTX 1070 is hands-down the best graphics processing unit (GPU) at this price range. It outperforms Nvidia’s last generation beast, the 980 Ti, and all of AMD's current offerings. There’s no reason not to go with the GTX 1070.
Choosing the best central processing unit (CPU) while staying under budget was challenging. Your choice of CPU is contingent upon the motherboard and CPU socket you choose. However, we were able to squeeze in an Intel 6th generation Skylake i5 processor; the i5 6500.
Intel’s LGA 1151 socket is their latest iteration and the upcoming 7-series of CPUs, scheduled for 2017, will use the LGA 1151 socket. This gives users a path for upgrade. However, the i5-6500 packs more than enough for gaming performance today and the coming years.
The CPU comes with thermal paste and a cooler, which will be sufficient to keep temperatures reasonable under load. Since the i5-6500 cannot overclock through standard means, a higher end CPU cooler is not mandatory. If you wish to keep your temperatures down in the future, there are great budget cooler options. I would suggest the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus for around $30, but that has to be considered outside of our current build.
An alternative to Intel CPUs at this price range would be AMD's FX-8350 8-core 4.0GHz CPU. While the AMD CPU may look faster on paper, comparing clock speeds and core count across different architectures is akin to apples and oranges. In a pure gaming sense, Intel's faster and more efficient individual cores push it well beyond the performance of its AMD counterpart. There will be little to no bottlenecking between our CPU and GPU, especially when we approach higher resolutions and higher quality settings.
We went with Gigabyte’s GA-H170-GAMING 3 motherboard. It’s one of the more affordable ATX motherboards. User reviews indicate that it's more reliable than its cheaper Micro-ATX counterparts.
Gigabyte is known for its strong physical durability, so nothing is going to snap or break off when putting your components together. This model is an LGA1151 socket, supporting Intel's most recent 6th-gen Skylake CPUs. As stated previously, the option to move to the 7th-generation Kaby Lake CPU is open to you.
The Gigabyte GA-H170 GAMING 3 supports SLI or CrossFire, so the option to add an extra video card is available. Four DIMM slots for RAM and running dual channel is standard for ATX motherboards. It also features 6 SATA 6GB/s ports, 7.1 surround sound onboard, and four USB 3.0 ports.
The motherboard is at the core of your system, so building off of a high quality one with adequate features is imperative even though it does not directly impact in-game performance.
Memory - G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 8GB (2x4GB) DDR4-2133 288-pin ($40.99)
G.Skill has a lock on the budget memory market, offering several configurations for every modern motherboard. The Ripjaws series also comes with neat heatsinks.
We decided to go with a two 4GB sticks for two reasons. Games today still do not require more than 8GB to run, and two sticks will allow for a dual channel configuration.
Our motherboard of choice has four DIMM slots, so if you need to jump to 16GB, that option is available. If you run several programs at the same time or in the background that may be resource hogs, 16GB is something you will want to consider. Luckily, another 8GB of RAM is only going to cost you about $40.
If you happen to go with a different motherboard, pay attention to the pin count for compatibility. Our Gigabyte GA-H170 takes 288-pin DDR4-2133 memory.
A solid state drive (SSD) is a must in a mid-high end system. Here we went with a 120GB SSD from PNY. This drive can serve as the boot, but has enough room to load a few of your most demanding or frequently used programs; perhaps the game you're focusing on for an extended period of time, your favorite multiplayer game, or your most intense photo/video editing program.
The PNY CS1311 120GB SSD has a track history of reliability. There are technically faster SSDs on the market, but the difference will be negligible for our purposes. SSDs are very fast regardless. This particular model sports 550 Mb/s read speed and 510 Mb/s write speed. At $45 for an SSD, it’s an incredible deal.
A 1TB hard drive is recommended for everything else, since most of us need some sort of mass storage. The Western Digital Caviar Blue will give you the best bang for your buck at around $50. This is your standard 7200 RPM hard disk, and it has the reliability of most Western Digital drives.
Power Supply - Corsair Builder 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ($49.99)
A power supply will make or break your system, choosing the right one is crucial. With our single video card, two-drive configuration, the 500W Corsair Builder series PSU is sufficient to power our system.
According to PCPartPicker.com, our hypothetical system will consume around 340W at peak power draw. You never want to cut close to your peak wattage so it’s smart to have some extra room for safety and overclocking, if you wish to go that route.
A slight downside is that the Corsair Builder is not modular, meaning cable management will be challenging. Extraneous wiring will have to be cleverly tucked away or left hanging around somewhere in the case. Cable ties and smart work around your case should solve the problem.
Case - Deepcool Tesseract ATX Mid Tower Case ($33.99)
We simply wanted a case that works and gives us sufficient cable management options. The Deepcool Tersseract gives us that while being cheap and stylish. At about $34, this case is ideal for our budget and build.
We went with the slightly more cost-effective white model. The Tesseract is sleek, but also has all the expected features of a quality case; options for case fans (includes one rear fan), tool-less install, a rack for storage disks, a front USB 3.0 port, cable management options, and enough room to sport that new beast of a graphics card that'll go in it.
Operating System - Microsoft Windows 10 64-bit Home Edition ($85.70)
There’s no reason to not go with Windows 10 64-bit. Around $100 for a fresh operating system (OS) is par for the course, but a few shops may give a small discount.
Windows 10 is going to give you access to games available through Xbox cross-buy (think Forza Horizon 3 and Gears of War 4). Windows 10 doesn’t stray too far away from Windows 7 (the previous flagship OS) in terms of functionality and program compatibility.
Performance
Since the system could not be built at the time of writing this article, performance data can only be extrapolated from those who have tested the hardware. To get a rough idea just how powerful this machine will be, check the following articles:
Our grand total before shipping is $995.62. As stated previously, no mail-in rebate discounts, shipping costs, or taxes were included in the pricing of these components. All parts, except for the Windows 10 OS, were chosen to be purchased on Newegg.com.
It was critical that we paired a 6th-gen Skylake i5 CPU with a GTX 1070 for this build. As a consequence, concessions were made with other parts in the system such as storage space of drives, RAM capacity, and opting out of a modular power supply. We also tried to squeeze in the slightly more powerful and overclockable Intel i5-6600k CPU, but the pricing didn't work out making it too difficult to stay under budget. The i5-6500 is no slouch, though.
The objective was to build the strongest gaming PC under $1,000 and we guarantee that this setup completes that objective.
Maximizing your dollar value for PC performance is always the priority when upgrading or building a new gaming PC. Extraneous purchases that are not vital to squeezing out those extra frames per second on higher settings can often be overlooked. However, if you have some extra cash and want to create a more well-rounded gaming experience, these four components are worth investing in.
1) Audio - Quality Headphones
Onboard audio on modern motherboards will suffice to get good in-game sound, but your output device should also be able to take advantage of audio potential. If you really want to push your audio quality, then you'd probably look into an external digital to analog converter (DAC) and/or amplifier. The right setup can create a richer experience with more detailed sound, but it can also help with positioning and anticipation in multiplayer games.
You don't have to be an audiophile, or spend close to what an audiophile would spend, for decent audio setup. Almost anything is an upgrade from built-in TV/monitor speakers or standard earbuds.
Headphones
If you're looking for a pair of headphones to help accurately detect footsteps in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive or gunshots in Battlefield 1, you're looking for something with good soundstage. Soundstage is the perception of where a sound takes place in-game, in what direction and at what depth.
It's imperative to understand the simple difference between open-back and closed-back headphones when investing in headphones. Open-back means that the cups do not seal off noise and will leak sound to the outside world. As a consequence, noise-cancelling is limited and others will hear your audio in a quiet space. The advantage you gain is more accurate audio positioning or soundstage, audio will flow more naturally given open-back's non-isolating design.
That's not to say closed-back headphones can't provide the same quality audio. You may not notice a large difference in directional sound with this design, but will notice a large difference with outside noise. If you plan on using your headphones in moderately loud areas, or quiet areas where people are not be disturbed, closed-back headphones are a must.
Sennheiser HD 598 w/ Fostex DAC, via hifizine.com
My top recommendations would be the Sennheiser HD 598 for open-back headphones and the Audio Technica ATH-M50x for closed-back headphones. I can only speak to the comfort of the Sennheiser HD 598s, which are the easiest pair I've had to wear. I haven't had the chance to use the ATH-M50x for an extended period of time. Comfort is very much a personal preference based on the size and shape of your ears and head. There are great options either way. Regardless of your budget, doing research and testing different products is always the key to smart purchasing.
Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) / Amplifier
A DAC converts a bunch of zeroes and ones into something we can actually hear. It's a key component in sound cards. All onboard audio contains a DAC, but beefier external DACs can provide punchier bass, higher range and depth of sound, and less distortion.
Many DAC products are also amplifiers. This helps drive higher volume without distorting your audio and power high-end headphones to bring out detailed sound.
Much like performance parts (CPU, GPU, RAM, etc.), your audio hardware can create bottlenecks. High-end headphones are only as good as your DAC, and there's no point investing in a better DAC if you're using earbuds or low budget speakers.
2) Controls - Quality Keyboard, Mouse, and Controller
If you don't feel that higher quality keyboards, mice, and controllers will improve your in-game performance, then you should at least find what fits your style and provides the most comfort.
The Right Keyboard
Mechanical Keyboards provide better feedback and distinct key response. For lack of a better term, standard membrane keyboards feel squishy. No matter what type of switch or keyboard you choose, every switch has what's called an actuation point or the specific point at which a keystroke is registered. Every key is operated by an individual switch that is placed beneath the key cap.
The series of colored switches made by Cherry are the most widely available in mechanical keyboards and offer different functions:
Blue and Green switches have a distinct tactile click to indicate actuation. The keystroke is loud and may disturb those around you, but the switch's physical feedback can be advantageous.
Black and Red switches are both linear, meaning a keystroke has no tactile feedback or click to indicate actuation. This makes keystrokes effortless. Black switches require a little more force to push down than red switches.
Brown and Clear switches offer a tactile bump to indicate actuation, but do not have a distinct click on a keystroke. It is essentially the middle ground between the aformentioned switch types.
Different tenkeyless keyboards, via programmerfriendly.com
Keyboards also come in several shapes and sizes. A full size keyboard with a number pad and the directional key column will traditionally have 104 keys. There are plenty of options for smaller form keyboard known as tenkeyless which ditch the number pad and sometimes the directional keys. If you need to save desk space, have no need for the extra keys, or just prefer the smaller aesthetic, tenkeyless keyboards might interest you.
The Right Mouse
Purchasing the right mouse mainly comes down to preference. Weight, shape, extra buttons, scroll wheel feel, and click force cannot be objectively quantified as better or worse. For example, I needed a mouse that was light, small, good for a claw grip, and had at least two thumb-side buttons. Some might want a heavy mouse to suit their play style, deeper thumb grooves for ergonomic reasons, or more programmable buttons on the side. Whatever it is you need from a mouse, be sure to test out your options and ask questions.
Mice have come to a point where high sensor precision and multiple DPI options come standard. Check out PC Gamer's article on busting myths about gaming mice by Wes Fenlon to go in-depth about technical mouse features.
The Right Controller
Modern PC games have seamlessly integrated gamepad support. Plug-and-play and switching to controller on the fly has become a standard. The options for the right controller are simpler compared to keyboards and mice.
Windows will automatically detect a wired Xbox 360 controller then you're set for games with controller support. Wired X360 controllers can be found for cheap, but the buttons themselves may not give the overall best feel. Getting the Xbox One wireless controller to connect to your PC may take some work, but many find the textured grip, thumbstick precision, and button response to be great.
The Dualshock 3 or 4 can also be made to work on PC. Sony has gone as far as releasing a USB bluetooth dongle specifically for the Dualshock 4, but a traditional bluetooth connection or USB cable can work as well. Drivers, such as DS4Windows, will be required to download if you plan to use either Dualshock without the dongle.
The Steam Controller takes some getting used to, but if you can spend some time with it and test it in game, you may prefer its design. Instead of a traditional right thumbstick, the Steam Controller implements a touchpad in its place to simulate the precision of a mouse. It also adds two extra buttons behind the controller face with paddles on each side of the controller arms.
3) Cooling - Temperature Control and Cable Management
A hot system is not an efficient one. Modern drivers and software will have general safeguards from overheating, such as downclocking itself or simply shutting down before damage is done. But you should not have to come to that point if you follow these tips.
Cleaning Your System
Never underestimate the impact of cleaning your computer. Dust naturally traps heat and blocks efficient airflow. Using compressed air to blow out lingering dust stuck in GPU fans and case fan blades will yield cooler temperatures.
Dusting out my EVGA GTX 970 alone dropped my idle and load GPU temperatures by 5C. Dusting out your rig doesn't have to be done at a high frequency, but it's a best practice to keep it reasonably clean through its lifespan.
Managing Airflow and Monitoring Activity
You can throw in as many case fans as you want, but if you don't manage their speed and flow direction then you're not doing your rig any favors. As a general rule you want air intake from the side and bottom, and air exhaust from the back and top of your case.
Several third-party applications will let you monitor temperatures, load, and speed of all your fans (like Open Hardware Monitor). You may also want an application to set your fan speeds manually or react to certain rises in temperature (like SpeedFan). I haven't had a problem with stock fan speeds, but it's a best practice to at least monitor activity.
Thermal Paste and Water Cooling
Thermal paste is generally applied on top of your CPU and forgotten about for its lifespan. When installing an aftermarket CPU or GPU cooler, the application of thermal paste is a critical step and must be applied correctly.
Aftermarket CPU coolers will either come with its own thermal paste or a coat already applied to the area that comes in contact with the CPU. If you need thermal paste alone, Arctic Silver 5 is a highly regarded thermal paste.
Water cooling is regarding as the most effective way to keep component temperatures down. A block that holds water is placed on your CPU or GPU and tubes flow the water to a radiator where the water is cooled by a fan. This cycle happens continuously and brings your temperatures down further than traditional cooling methods, though it can be pricey.
Cable Management for Functionality
Some of us find satisfaction in the sleek aesthetic of a properly cabled rig, but cable management is just as important in managing your airflow and temperatures. You don't want cables hanging in front of fans or stuffed into a compartment where vital hardware is situated.
The key to cable management is found in the right case and proper power supply. A decent case will have holes and openings to funnel your cables through the backend of the case and behind the motherboard. These openings should coincide with the necessary ports on a motherboard. Modular power supplies allow you to detach unused cables from the unit itself leading to less clutter.
Figuring out how and where to fit your cables will require a decent amount of work, but it will result in the best form and function for your rig.
4) Ergonomics - The Right Chair and Seating Support
Regardless of whether you're sitting at a desk or lounging on the couch while gaming, proper seat support pays dividends. This is one aspect of gaming that does not directly affect what happens in-game, but understanding the affect on your own body will have you consider investing in a the right chair or couch.
Soft cushioning is not always the answer. Sinking too far into a seat makes maintaining decent posture during long gaming sessions difficult. It can also cause problems with weight distribution on different parts of your body. A seat too firm will cause general discomfort and lower back pain. The right seat has a lot to do with body type and personal preference. Like many other components discussed here, try before you buy.
Lumbar support is crtical to avoiding lower back pain and maintaining a straight back. It is essentially a cushioned wedge that is placed at the lower back. This pushes the lower back forward and prevents slouching when leaning back into your chair.
Neck support can be found in higher-end desk chairs. The ability to lean into a neck or head support make longer sessions more comfortable and help avoid hanging your head.
Gaming is our favorite hobby. We sink countless hours into it, some of us have been that since we were little boys and girls.
There are plenty of reasons why we play games; to escape reality and exist in a surreal world; for competition and the thrill of challenging actual people across the country maybe other countries; exert power in a virtual world and make decisions that affect it; maybe unravel an interesting story and get to know characters through the span of a series; or just have something to do with your friends even though we’re at home.
While we all have different tastes in games, some take it a bit more seriously than others. There's more to video games than winning, getting the best loot, blowing things up, or getting clutch headshots. But, can a game change who you are in real life?
Never do we go into a game expecting it to change our perception of our real lives. The impact of a game is circumstantial. You probably have to relate to the situation that it's portraying, or identify with the events and even make a leap to interpret the events as you see fit. Games that act as stress reliever or coping mechanism to life's challenges are therapeutic. I've even learned about myself and gained perspective for real decisions.
Braid
The first time fully realized a game’s impact outside its virtual world was when I completed Braid, a 2008 side-scrolling, time-manipulating, puzzle platformer, which was a pioneer of the modern indie game scene. You play a man who is in constant search of someone who just isn’t there.
Through searching for puzzle pieces and putting the pieces together, both figuratively and literally, you see a story of someone who struggled to maintain a relationship. In its last stage, you fight through the toughest obstacles thinking you’re within reach of who you were searching for. Just when you thought it ended, the game uses its own mechanic of time reversal to reveal that you weren’t the hero. That person you were reaching for was trying to get farther away from you. As the ending unfolded, I felt my stomach drop because in that moment not only did I realize what the game was really about, but I realized what I was doing wrong in my personal life. Braid embodied my situation and I saw myself in a greater context.
After I played this game all those years ago, I had finally come to terms with the fact that there will be people who don’t want to be a part of your life anymore, no matter how hard you try to keep them around. You can get so caught up in your own world and what you think is right that you can’t actually see what you’re doing wrong.
Antichamber
The 2013 MC Escher-inspired first person puzzler came at a time when I wasn’t sure if I wanted to keep doing the work I was doing. I felt lost and struggling to justify the professional decisions I needed to make.
As you solve increasingly complex puzzles, the game presents panels on the wall of ambiguously motivational quotes which also vaguely reflect the solution to the corresponding puzzle. Whether or not the quotes were actually deep or profound is beside the point. It provoked the thought of making the most of life by taking risks for what you truly want.
Intentional or otherwise, I saw the gameplay mechanics and level design as a parallel to the message it was trying to convey. I thought longer and harder about my career and where I was going. Antichamber proved that a little perspective can go a long way. Whether or not it actually influenced my decision-making is impossible to tell at this point, but the fact that it became a part of the process and provided clarity is powerful.
Key SNES RPGs
The more I thought about games that made an impact, the more I retreaded my early gaming years. What I call my Super Nintendo trifecta were major keys in improving my reading comprehension, understanding of context clues, and imagination of storytelling when I was about six years old.
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Final Fantasy VI
Chrono Trigger
This was before cutscenes and voice-acting, so I had to work to understand what was happening or what to do next. Boss battles challenged my critical thinking skills. I catch new story elements I glossed over as a kid each time I revisit these games. I also see these games as time capsules reminding of who I was as a child.
I loved Super Mario RPG so much that I told my 2nd grade teacher I wanted to change my name to Geno. I was met with reality when she told me straight up that it's not happening.
Deus Ex, Undertale, and Choice-Based RPGs
In the Summer of 2003, I first played what became my favorite game of all time and still is to this day. Deus Ex introduced me to cyberpunk and first-person stealth action RPGs. It showed me that PCs could offer deeper and more complex gaming experiences. Deus Ex showed me that music and sound can make good games great.
While I know I was young and impressionable, Deus Ex told a story I’d never been told before. It perpetuated my interest in government and politics. Along with many other influential books, games, and documentaries, I pursued a professional career in politics and government affairs.
The plot twists set a precedent for how game stories can surprise me and how my choices can affect outcomes. Deus Ex shifted my gaming paradigm, more so than any single game since.
The same could be said about my experience with Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic just a few months later.
Speaking of Bioware games, I got around to finishing Mass Effect 3 this year. Playing through the Citadel DLC not only made me reminisce the days of playing 1 and 2, but it also reminded of who I was and what I was doing at the time I played those games. I was also thinking about my friends and how our bonds were created and strengthened through what we experienced together. I’ve always valued friendships to the highest degree, but it doesn’t hurt to be reminded every now and then.
Just this year I got around to playing Undertale, an experience that hit just as hard as Braid. It is one of the best examples of innovative storytelling, a game’s awareness of your decisions, the power of sound to convey emotion, and the weight of life and death. It was one of the better interpretations of racism, xenophobia, humanity, and self-awareness which in 2016 is just as relevant as ever.
I’m not trying to convince anyone how great our medium is, but I’d like more of us to think about the value our games might be giving us outside of pure entertainment. I don't want to be pretentious, because there is nothing wrong with enjoying games for its simple fun-factor. My hope is that we could understand that sometimes there’s more to games than what we simply see on a screen.
A wrench has been thrown in the gears of traditional console generation cycles with Sony's PS4 Pro reveal and Microsoft's Xbox Scorpio on the horizon. Both console manufacturers have opted out of perpetuating distinct next-generation hardware, at least for now. This approach is akin to the smart phone model of releasing iterations of the same platform with continual upgrades. While this is new to console gaming, it should be met with open-mindedness but tempered skepticism at the same time.
Pushing the Limits of Visual Fidelity
Arguably, the current generation of consoles were underpowered from the start, but were still able to provide an improvement in visual fidelity. However, 1080p (1920x1080) has been the standard resolution for displays for about 8 years. The PS4 and Xbox One struggle to provide stable frame rates and top-notch visuals at 1080p. As we move forward, 4k (3840x2160) will be increasingly accessible. Thus, consoles are at a crossroads; how do you capitalize on new technology without alienating an already established user base?
As Sony unveiled the PS4 Pro in early September and Microsoft revealed the Scorpio at E3 2016, it made perfect sense. Naturally, the new consoles have to be sold at a higher price point, but those who are in the market to take advantage of the new hardware specs are also the ones who have or are willing to purchase a 4k television. As 4k TVs become more mainstream in the coming years, the more that upgraded consoles (in concept and price point) will appeal to a consumer. Developers of console games will now have more freedom to push their games to higher visual limits.
Diminishing Returns, Backwards Compatibility, and VR
While discussing the next step in graphical quality, it's also important to understand diminishing returns. Games from 5-6 years ago can still look and function like modern games. As a consequence, compatibility across platforms is increasingly important. Sony and Microsoft don't have to worry about leaving a large library behind or making backwards compatibility work by moving towards iterations of the same platform.
Virtual reality gaming needs stronger hardware if it is going to stay relevant in the console market. PSVR will initially be accesible on the original PS4, but it's hard to imagine boundary-pushing VR games of the future working with dated hardware.
Getting Developers On Board
Having different hardware specifications within the same platform will require developers to tweak their games to either take advantage of the extra power or maintain a playable experience on the standard console specs. To what lengths developers will go to satisfy both user bases and to what extent is a gray area at this point since the new consoles are not yet released.
Several games have been announced to support 4k on PS4 Pro's launch such as Deus Ex Mankind Divided, Ratchet and Clank, Uncharted 4, and more. However, it's ultimately up to the developer on how to take advantage of the new hardware. Some may opt for full 4k support, some may opt for higher texture and effects quality at lower resolutions, and some may give you the option to take higher frame rates (as seen in the beta test of Nioh for PS4).
What About Nintendo?
It's arguable that Nintendo lacks wide third-party support due to releasing consoles with hardware specs below its competitors. Maybe unconventional control schemes or underdeveloped social features hurt third-party support. Regardless, the Wii U's struggle to get developers on board limited its ability to compete on the console market. The Nintendo NX may face the same struggle. That's not to say the NX won't innovate or feature generation-defining games, but from a business perspective, third-party support is vital to stay relevant.
The transition from the Wii to the Wii U wasn't exactly clear, and indicates that better hardware alone won't push a platform forward. The NX's portable and home console hybrid functionality might be enough to separate itself from the competition, but software is what will push it beyond being a novelty product.
How Microsoft is Creating What the Steam Box Aimed to Be
Steam Machines (or Steam Boxes) were developed with the objective of bringing PC gaming to living rooms in a more efficient manner. While sales numbers on Steam Boxes aren't concrete, Ars Technica deduced that less than 500,000 Steam Boxes were sold by June of this year, which marked 7 months since release. Ars Technica went as far as calling the concept 'dead in the water.'
Microsoft already fits itself into the living room with Xboxes. With the addition of the upgraded Scorpio model and Windows 10 cross-play for many PC games, Microsoft is filling the niche Steam Boxes were trying to fill; the gamer or family that doesn't want to deal with the ins and outs of a PC but wants PC games with accessibility, simplicity, and higher-end specs.
This is also how Microsoft distinguishes itself from Sony in the console market. With the PS4 having outsold the Xbox One roughly 2 to 1, bringing the Windows PC platform and the Xbox closer together is a logical step to stay competitive.
Pro-Consumer Messaging is a Major Key
The messaging thus far has been all-inclusive. No one on initial versions of the two consoles have to worry about missing out on certain games, other than games that are not cross-platform.
Consumers are in the midst of adjusting to the market. Some will condemn Sony and Microsoft seeing the upgraded consoles as an exploit of initially releasing underpowered hardware. Some will welcome the new consoles as a way to keep up with advancing technology to push the capability of games further. Everyone else is somewhere in the between, still unsure of what it means to them and how to move forward as a consumer.
We have to understand what we are getting ourselves into and determine whether or not the new consoles are for us.
As a long-time PC gamer, 60 frames per second (FPS) is always the golden number to hit when determining if my hardware is powerful enough to handle a certain game and the graphics settings I choose. As a long-time console gamer, I have no choice but to accept the performance and visual fidelity
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