Long have the Nintendos, Segas, and Sonys dominated the world of gaming. The gaming console has been very successful for the past thirty-some years, but it is slowly being eroded by other devices. Mobile phones and tablets are only becoming more common, and they offer affordable, portable experiences. In fact, one could make an argument for the iPad being the best gaming device in years with its mix of countless casual games with a number of triple-A titles that take advantage of the platform?s unique features. That?s not the only competition traditional gaming consoles are seeing, though. Now, we?re seeing small PCs coming that could do some damage to the console-focused gaming model.
Boutique vendor Digital Storm has just released a tiny gaming rig called the Bolt that is quite compelling. Starting at $999, you?ll get a computer that is only 13.4?13.3?3.6 inches (34x34x9cm). The budget model comes with an Intel Core i3-2100, 8GB of RAM, and a Nvidia GTX 650 Ti GPU with 2GB of RAM. Using Digital Storm?s purchase configuration tool, you can upgrade the internals all the way to an Intel Core i7-3770K, 16GB of RAM, and an Nvidia GTX 680. You pay for what you get, which means the ?Ultimate? model comes at a premium price of $1,949. Despite its small size, the folks at Digital Storm claim that you?ll have no problem fitting in a large graphics card if you decide to upgrade down the road.
Companies like Alienware and Digital Storm seem to have the high-end console replacements covered, but what about the low-end? The rumored Steam Box from Valve has a lot of people interested in what a low-cost, living room friendly, gaming PC could mean for the industry. One of the biggest advantages of gaming consoles for consumers is the simplicity ? plug it in, pop in a disc, and play without ever worrying about drivers or graphics settings. A simple computer with the Steam juggernaut behind it could really change the game because while it?s great to have customizable machines like the Bolt, the simplicity of the Steam Box would be a welcome addition the console competition.
It?s worth noting that despite some bumps in the road, cloud gaming is becoming more and more feasible as internet speeds increase and hardware prices plummet. To get the best experience with PC gaming, we might need a machine that costs somewhere between one and two thousand dollars now, but that clearly won?t be the case for very long. Server-side components of games are ever-expanding, meaning gamers will be able to pay a small monthly fee as opposed to having to buy a serious gaming rig.
Gaming is in for an interesting decade ahead, and it?s only going to get better and easier. In other words, those people who said PC gaming was dead might have spoken a bit too soon.
Now read: Real-time tech demos that showcase the future of console and PC gaming
Source: http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/138466-tiny-gaming-pc-more-competition-stagnating-consoles
miracle andy whitfield kennedy demi moore roy oswalt kevin martin 2012 senior bowl
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