Computer bargains

[KillinSpoon]

1. I hear Mac folks talk a lot about Steam in the context of games. What is that and how does it relate?

Do you remember GameSpy? How it used to be a hub where all your installed games were, and they had special GameSpy servers? Well, it is essentially like that, it is an iTunes for games. :P
Friends lists, team parties, servers and a store.

2. Doesn't XBox and/or Playstation provide the best gaming experience anyway? I thought PC games were pretty passé as a result of these.

I llike to think that they do, but each to their own :/

[Doubledealer]

Important Disclaimer: I don't play games. So, a couple of questions:

1. I hear Mac folks talk a lot about Steam in the context of games. What is that and how does it relate?

As quoted from http://www.valvesoftware.com/:

Valve is the creator of Steam, the pioneering game platform that distributes and manages over 1,500 games directly to a community of more than 30 million players around the world.

The site has its own Mac area too: http://store.steampowered.com/browse/mac/

2. Doesn't XBox and/or Playstation provide the best gaming experience anyway? I thought PC games were pretty passé as a result of these.

The consoles you mentioned provide a different experience, not necessarily better or worse, it just depends on the person. For example, some people prefer to slob on the couch and play on their huge telly which is hooked up to their surround sound system. Others prefer the added immersion and keyboard + mouse controls PC gaming provides.

It's all about the games for me and I've got no brand/platform loyalty whatsoever. I'll simply buy whichever version I think will suit me best eg. Portal 2 on 360 for local split-screen co-op or Bioshock on PC for the controls & atmosphere. They all have their strengths and as a hardcore gamer...Must have them all (well, apart from the Wii )

[SkyWarp91]

I got a Windows, but unlike those folks that crap on Windows and bow to Apple, I know how to use a Windows computer.

You want a cheap comp? Try out a small computer store that isn't based in your CBD, most of those stores can chuck together a power-box for a bargain and still offer warranty!

[Hursticon]

Important Disclaimer: I don't play games. So, a couple of questions:

1. I hear Mac folks talk a lot about Steam in the context of games. What is that and how does it relate?

Do you remember GameSpy? How it used to be a hub where all your installed games were, and they had special GameSpy servers? Well, it is essentially like that, it is an iTunes for games. :P
Friends lists, team parties, servers and a store.

That's actually a damn good set of analogies KS, really well put and pretty much sums up exactly what Steam is: A PC Gamer's friend.

2. Doesn't XBox and/or Playstation provide the best gaming experience anyway? I thought PC games were pretty passé as a result of these.

I like to think that they do, but each to their own :/

</swallows_fanboy_rage> (Does everyone forget what console games are designed and built on?... )

Gaming on a desired platform really is subjective and as KillingSpoon says, is entirely up to the individual.

There are arguments for and against gaming on Mobile, PC & Console based systems but they're all pretty much equal and none of them are passée at any rate.
Whilst console gaming may possibly make more money than that of PC and Mobile, that certainly doesn't mean the quality is superior because at the end of the day the past 1.5 generations of consoles have been handed their market share courtesy of PC Gaming.
(A little hint: The abbreviation is FPS )

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

Do you mean will current computers be obsolete when HTML5 comes in? Absolutely not. A lot of stuff in HTML5 is all about getting more out of the web while using less resources. HTML5 will require less computing resources than comparable Flash does now.

Currently in tech, due to the new frontier being mobile (which includes tablets), the push is to do more with less. The race for higher and faster CPUs has basically plateaud. While desktops and laptops are getting more CPU cores, instead of faster ones, new operating systems are being written from the ground up (iOS, WebOS, Android, Windows Phone) to handle less resources.

Cheers again, you guys are awesome as ever.

Thanks lads.

Don't forget young Grasshopper, this is going to be a pretty big year for PC gaming too, the biggest in years! The Witcher 2 recently came out and is a must have, then you've later got Diablo 3, Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, Rage, Battlefield 3, Modern Warfare 3, Deus Ex: HR, Duke Nukem Forever...The list goes on! Just food for thought. Dedicated gaming desktop would be pretty sweet too...Getting a big tax return this year?

Meh, I still haven't got around to playing my way through Morrowind yet, and I'm probably going to be short on free time for the next few years what with work and travel as opposed to fruitless job hunting here in Oz.
So yeah, it's very much a long-term eventual plan, i.e. when a winning Lotto ticket blows my way or somesuch. I'm a traveller at heart so it's one of those 'if I can ever afford a house' plans.

[Lint]

Sweet. It'll likely be my default-for-everything computer for the next couple of years, so gaming is kind of important, but I'm also more into older games like the Thief series, Baldur's Gate, the occasional play of GTA Vice City (I love shooting up the 80s ), and so forth - probably the most recent game I really want to play besides maybe War for Cybertron is the first Assassin's Creed, which my current ****heap is a tad short of running. So gameability is a factor, but less so than keeping it working at my less-than-tender 'puter-wise hands and it definitely doesn't have to be top-of-the-line. It'll be a work, internet, and media computer first, and a games rig second - the big factors are versatility,reliability, how well it'll travel, and if it'll last a fair while.

Hehe we have very similar taste in games . The first two games I played through after buying my new laptop this year was War for Cybertron and Assassin's Creed.

Any laptop being sold now will probably get you by work/internet/media wise for the next 5 years. Thus gameability is going to define the performance specifications you want. If you're going Windows I would recommend getting the laptop equipped with the highest spec graphics card available, as this will future proof you for at least 2 years of being able to play new games at reasonable performance. Also if you're gonna game, the bigger the screen resolution (not physical size) offered the better. If you're going with an Intel processor, I reckon the new 'sandy bridge' series of i5's is sufficient. Compared to an i5 chip, i7's cost more, run much hotter and only give you a performance edge when doing stuff like video encoding or serious 3D modelling. Some people have questioned why i7's are put in laptops in the first place.

Another thing that hasn't been discussed so far is travel friendliness. I don't know if you're like me and your laptop is your desktop pc OR if you need to travel with it everyday. If you need to travel I would avoid the ASUS brand as their construction is not very robust (personal experience, I own two of them, however I still reckon they are value for money). Even though I hate their guts, HP build a pretty robust laptop and I reckon Toshibas are pretty sturdy too.

Finally, a few items to look out for:
-make sure it includes at least one USB3 port. This will be important as file sizes inevitably grow and you want to store stuff on portable hard drives.
-screen resolution: if you're hooking it up to a TV or monitor, the bigger the res the better. If not, don't waste your time with high resolutions (i.e anything bigger than 720p / 1366x768 which is basic HD not full HD ).
-battery life. If you're very mobile, you'll want a decent one, and the smaller your machine the better.
-weight. Every gram counts if you're walking lots so the lighter the better. I personally dislike carrying my 3kg laptop around.
-bluray or dvd drive. Up to you but can save you about 150 bucks if you ditch bluray.
-connectivity. if you are planning to hook this up to your awesome TV, a HDMI output is mandatory and also check if you have a standard VGA output for monitors. Also check where the headphones, heat vent, power supply, USB ports and disc drives are located. I preferentially like EVERYTHING at the back if possible.

[jaydisc]

I got a Windows, but unlike those folks that crap on Windows and bow to Apple, I know how to use a Windows computer.

In my case, i have extensive knowledge and experience with Windows, OS X and UNIX, as I write software that is run on all three. Most of my colleagues who share a similar or greater depth of knowledge simply don't use Windows, regardless of their ability to do so.

There's no doubt that there's a fervent support base around Apple that has no clue about Windows. Similarly, there's a fervent support base around Windows (and every OS, really), that has no clue about its competitors.

But when I go to software conferences, or look at pictures from conferences, or look at what platforms are used by staff of all the major platform-agnostic tech companies (e.g. Google, Twitter, Facebook, 37 Signals), it's Macs.

So, I don't really think knowing how to use Windows does anything to promote its acceptance (unless it's the only think you know). Actually, I think the reverse.

[SkyWarp91]

In my case, i have extensive knowledge and experience with Windows, OS X and UNIX, as I write software that is run on all three. Most of my colleagues who share a similar or greater depth of knowledge simply don't use Windows, regardless of their ability to do so.

There's no doubt that there's a fervent support base around Apple that has no clue about Windows. Similarly, there's a fervent support base around Windows (and every OS, really), that has no clue about its competitors.

But when I go to software conferences, or look at pictures from conferences, or look at what platforms are used by staff of all the major platform-agnostic tech companies (e.g. Google, Twitter, Facebook, 37 Signals), it's Macs.

So, I don't really think knowing how to use Windows does anything to promote its acceptance (unless it's the only think you know). Actually, I think the reverse.

Yeah I know, I should really say that I just prefer using windows and that's that. I've used Macs before for media work back in high school and I don't mind them. But what I do mind is when Mac-supporters keep telling how better Macs are in my face and that they keep bringing up the topic in other conversations. I don't care if Macs are better, I've grown up using a PC and that's just my preferred platform. Maybe if those zealous Mac Supporters weren't so patronizing maybe then I'd consider a Mac...

[jaydisc]

Maybe if those zealous Mac Supporters weren't so patronizing maybe then I'd consider a Mac...

I agree with this sentiment across so many things. I find that opinions are polar (in the true scientific sense), in that the more intense someone is putting forward an idea, with equally intensity, they repel the opposition.

Applies to politics, computers, even Transformers (e.g. TT vs. Hasbro, or Beast Wars vs. G1). We'd all get along more if we could meet in the middle more often

[Hursticon]

MS-DOS?