Improving Tablets May Mean the End of PC & Console Games

PC gaming has always been like that, back then used to be worse so I don't know what were you expecting.

You have people that complain about new more demanding games coming out and other people that complain why modern games don't make use of their new hardware.

It's very sad. One of the primary reasons I never got into PC games. So much wasted potential with hardware and the extortion and racket that these computer companies have on people.

I don't think it's sad. There are plenty of closed down gaming platforms, PC is the only one that is constantly evolving. It may not be for everyone but I like it just fine the way it is.

Intel Bay Trail + Windows 8.1 tablets can already do light PC gaming. They're powerful enough to run games like Half Life 2, Portal 2, Team Fortress 2, League of Legends, Starcraft 2, Dirt 2, etc.

In 2014 these devices will become even more powerful with the release of Intel's Cherry Trail and Broadwell-Y. There will also be new tablet SoCs from AMD (more info at CES).

I see no reason to ever have to limit yourself to an iOS or Android tablet running on ARM hardware.

Example of a current Bay Trail device: Dell Venue 8 Pro (Intel Z3740)

When you think of tablet gaming:

• ARM hardware
• iOS or Android
• Touch screen controls

When I think of tablet gaming:

• x86 hardware
• Windows 8.1
• Touch screen or physical controls

What recent games were poorly optimized?

@SEANMCAD said:

@NVIDIATI said:

@Shottayouth13- said:

Lol no.

Mobile gaming will never replace anything for one simple reason - it lacks buttons.

Playing anything other than Angry Bird-esque games on any touch device is a severe pain in the ass.

When you think of tablet gaming:

• ARM hardware
• iOS or Android
• Touch screen controls

When I think of tablet gaming:

• x86 hardware
• Windows 8.1
• Touch screen or physical controls

I really dont understand these examples!

why would I go from playing TF2 on a 26-28" monitor to playing it on that thing.

I really dont not understand the popularity of LESS horsepower.

It's just an example of handheld PC gaming (and yes there are devices smaller than the 10-inch tablet shown above).

Don't get me wrong, these types of devices are not going to replace a traditional desktop, but they can serve as an extension of a desktop experience.

@NVIDIATI said:

@Shottayouth13- said:

Lol no.

Mobile gaming will never replace anything for one simple reason - it lacks buttons.

Playing anything other than Angry Bird-esque games on any touch device is a severe pain in the ass.

When you think of tablet gaming:

• ARM hardware
• iOS or Android
• Touch screen controls

When I think of tablet gaming:

• x86 hardware
• Windows 8.1
• Touch screen or physical controls

That's cool and all but it's not going to replace anything.

And what's the market share of Windows tablet/phones again?

Yeah ...

@Shottayouth13- said:

@NVIDIATI said:

@Shottayouth13- said:

Lol no.

Mobile gaming will never replace anything for one simple reason - it lacks buttons.

Playing anything other than Angry Bird-esque games on any touch device is a severe pain in the ass.

When you think of tablet gaming:

• ARM hardware
• iOS or Android
• Touch screen controls

When I think of tablet gaming:

• x86 hardware
• Windows 8.1
• Touch screen or physical controls

That's cool and all but it's not going to replace anything.

And what's the market share of Windows tablet/phones again?

Yeah ...

Don't mistake my intention, I don't agree with the TC, but many people here have the wrong impression of what tablet gaming can be.

Windows Phone / Windows RT are ARM based. The devices I'm showing above are x86 Windows 8.1 computers.

Current market share of x86 Windows tablets holds little relevance. These use the same software and hardware architecture as a Windows desktop/laptop, the ecosystem is already established.

Don't forget, Bay Trail just launched this past October. There has never been an efficient x86-64 SoC this powerful and this cheap.

Upgrading or purchasing a pc today, is like buying a vcr after 1999, or a dvd player in 2007. The pc is on the way out, everyone sees it except for a small vocal crowd. Why do you think MS has been scrambling the last few years, making one horrible decision after another? They see the writing and desperately want to jump on the next gadget trend. Either by integrating with tablets and phones, or dominate the living room.

I don't think it will specifically be a "tablet" device. But I do think eventually we'll have to merge some of our products together, OR, there will be a new product we have yet to conceive.

Because eventually we'll get to a point where graphics cannot proceed, and the gap between a handheld and a PC will be none.

So, what will happen then? I think the current generation of consoles shows us a glimpse into the future, with the Wii U's gamepad, the Vita/PS4 streaming, and smart glass for Xbox.

For example, the Wii U gamepad and Vita shows how a controller for your console can also act as your portable system, thus making the two markets "consoles" and "handhelds" redundant, and we'd merge them into one market: "home consoles that can be portable". This might sound bad for companies like Nintendo, who effectively have a larger market when both handhelds and consoles co-exist, but one day, this may need to change.

So pushing that further, we might simply have a handheld device that replaces

everything

, and effectively it streams to your TV for the home theatre experience. No more PCs, consoles, handhelds - it'd become one kind of system that does the lot.

The counter to all of this is innovation, for example, the "two screen experience" with the Wii U or DS series, or the motion controlled experience with the Wiimote, Move and Kinect. These kinds of innovations might require specific hardware that is separate from the "standard", thus validating its existence. This is somewhat the current counter argument to PC gaming, where consoles/handhelds offer something "different" (besides exclusives).

We'll see someday anyway :)

Bad comparison. DVD is still going strong and is the cheapest, legal way to watch movies at home. PC's arent going to suddenly be unable to use the internet or run word processing programs.

Tablets will kill PC gaming just like consoles did.

A burgeoning market that is only growing.

Tablets are an emerging market. When laptops first released they didn't kill off desktop computers, the same way a tablet computer is not going to kill off desktops or laptops. All of them will find a balance in the market and co-exist.

Microsoft is reaching to three mediums (desktop, laptop, tablet), that use the same hardware architecture (x86-64), and the same software (Windows).

"They're the same thing! Doesn't anybody notice this?! I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!"

TC i said a long time ago that computer and console gaming is going to head in a totally different direction. It wont be long you wont find a big bulky tower and monitor. Even laptops are fazing out. Pads are the new IN thing and they are as good as most laptops now. Gaming will "in the next 10 years" belong to the tablet market. Consoles and PC's bye bye..mark my words.

No. I've been hearing the "end of console" and "end of PC" BS for years and so far, none of it has happened.

Depends, if a tablet would be able to hook up to a wifi controller or kb/m then perhaps.

This is ofcourse IF tablets become powerful enough and they abandon the horrible failure rates tehy have for being too thin for prolonged gaming without melting.

Even Laptops have'nt figured out a way to migrate heat, well enough yet, standing at a 3 year failurerate between 16-25% on average largely due to heat issues, and clogging.

A pad stands no better in that department, rather far worse, I mean have you tryied using a pad (or phone for that matter) to recive and send decent pockets of information (tip: it is largely suggested NOT to do so due to the thing melting).

So no, at it is now, I can not see it happening, not for serious gaming anyways. Technology does not move as fast nor as far a people think it is, Like stated above laptops still suffer from the kinks of the small form factor, and they have been tryied solved for over 10 years.

As long as heat is involved we will not see gaming on a tablet. Unless all games take huge leaps back. If the heat issue gets resolved, and the Tablet simply functions as a "processing station" between your input and the tv, then yeah I can see that happening.

My question would then be, with having the tech to make componants like that NOT melt, why not simply implement it into the smart tvs, and leave the clunky tablet altogether?

The TC isn't crazy. It's a huge possibility considering the burgeoning market for Tablet games. I recently purchased an iPad air and was pleasantly surprised at the graphical quality of games like Infinity Blade 3, Real Racing 3 and a litany of other titles.

Throw in the fact that there ARE traditional controllers available for all tablets, and that you can connect these tablets to a big screen HDTV, and it's well within safe assumption that Tablets/Smartphones will be a much more capable avenue for mobile gaming, even more capable than current traditional mobile gaming devices such as the 3DS and PSP.

It's about having an open mind. I understand most inhabitants here on SW tend to not like change and mock anything resembling a new or unique idea, but this is already sort of happening as we speak. Simple unbiased research alone is enough to show it. Hell, money talks, and the sort of money that's already flowing through tablet/smartphone games speaks volumes.

I'm with you on this one TC.

Just because motorbikes sell doesn't mean cars will be replaced, they can co exist and while they both do the same thing they are for different audiences. A tablet for gaming to a gamer has about as much appeal a bike to a person with 2 kids... Just doesn't meet his/hers requirements, might be fun and some may have a bike but they sure as hell have car as well.

Enjoy the analogy.

I'm off to play CSGO.

^ This ^ There's room for every platform in this world. Scoffing at the existence of something that legitimately exists is like saying global warming is a hoax and carries no merit.

With controllers getting popular on tablets and stuff like iphones, I can see them making great gaming machines. I think it will be a few years before they overcome consoles.

Pretty good analogy.

Which could be played on an 8-inch tablet such as the Z3770 powered ThinkPad 8. ;)

Tablet/mobile gaming isn't killing consoles, or PC.

They've certainly taken over the casual masses that Wii had.

Do iPads even work with decent controllers yet?

At least on android you can use PS3 controllers.

What your not realizing is the Tablet peripherrals that already exist, such as the dual analog stick, with face and trigger buttons, similar to that Razers Edge tablet set up they released. Which gives you all the controls of a console controller, with the tablet harness centered in the middle and wi-fi capable to play on your TV.

However even though that tech has serious hardware, it's still greatly overpriced, but it is in fact that exact kind of technology that will one day be affordable and every bit as capable as todays current PC's and consoles.

Oh please. I'm sorry but I can't stand all the controls mapped on the touch screen. Not for deep gameplay gaming anyway.