Abstract
- Difficult Home windows and driver updates are not as large a priority for PC gaming as previously.
- The transition to PC gaming is clean with apps just like the Home windows Xbox app and Recreation Bar.
- The high-end graphics of a strong gaming PC make trendy video video games look gorgeous.
For so long as I can bear in mind, I’ve at all times been a console and handheld gamer.
I’ve dabbled in PC gaming, particularly after I was youthful, and have fond recollections of taking part in basic point-and-click journey video games like The Secret of Monkey Island and Sam & Max Hit the Road, far earlier than I used to be sufficiently old to grasp them. I’ve additionally performed numerous PC technique video games over time, together with SimCity 2000, Age of Empires II, and naturally, the all-time basic, RollerCoaster Tycoon.
However typically, PC gaming has at all times felt prefer it was out of my attain as a result of I used to be underneath the impression that it is simply too time-consuming and sophisticated. Driver updates? Fixed patches? Discord? Tweaking settings to get that perfect frame rate to graphics ratio? These are issues I’ve by no means been all in favour of doing. As a aspect be aware, numerous this has labored its approach into the console gaming world over the previous few years. Once I play video games, I wish to activate my console and instantly get into the expertise to profit from the gaming time I’ve out there. Fixed troubleshooting simply is not it.
Then I acquired my arms on a fully insanely highly effective gaming PC. To be clear, this rig is nicely past something I might think about shopping for myself, however it’s provided me a style of the PC gaming good life, and I am unsure if I can return to console gaming at this level. The previous couple of weeks have satisfied me it’d lastly be time to construct my very own gaming PC, one thing I have been saying I’ll do for years at this level.
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- Model
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Asus
- CPU
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Intel Core Extremely 7 265F
- Graphics
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ROG Astral Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090
- Reminiscence
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64GB (4 x 16GB DDR5 U-DIMM)
The ROG G700 is an absolute pre-built PC gaming beast, full with an Intel Core Extremely 7 265F and a ROG Astral Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 GPU. This PC is so highly effective, it may deal with just about any recreation you throw at it, whatever the settings.
The times of difficult Home windows and driver updates aren’t actually a factor anymore
Sustaining a wholesome replace schedule is easier than I anticipated
Pocket-lint / Nvidia
Past value, one of the vital notable roadblocks I’ve had with PC gaming is that I’ve at all times assumed that it is simply too difficult. Possibly I used to be scared off by the three.5mm boot disk period of the early 90s or Grand Theft Auto III working at 15fps on my dad and mom’ Pentium III within the early 2000s? I am unsure. Nonetheless, fortunately, that is not the case primarily based on my expertise over the previous few weeks. Actually, I might describe my time with Asus’ ROG G700 as being very console-like for probably the most half.
The general expertise truly is not that totally different from putting in an Xbox Sequence X dashboard replace or downloading updates for particular video games.
Preserving Home windows 11 up to date is as straightforward as navigating to Settings > Replace & Safety, and eventually, Home windows Replace, and I discover I solely have to double-check for updates each few days. Driver updates for the ROG G700’s motherboard and considerably obnoxious RGB lights that I’ve surprisingly grown to essentially like, can be found in Asus’ Armoury Crate app and accessible with only a few clicks of the mouse. Even Nvidia’s Management Panel app for updating the highly effective ROG Astral Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 is easy, and I have been pleasantly stunned by how shortly updates targeted on compatibility with new titles are launched (the Doom: The Darkish Ages driver replace was out there nearly as quickly as the sport launched).
The general expertise truly is not that totally different from putting in an Xbox Sequence X dashboard replace or downloading updates for particular video games.
In fact, if I decide to ultimately pull collectively my very own gaming PC as a substitute of choosing a pre-build, issues get decidedly extra difficult. I do know that PC gaming devoted declare that pulling collectively a rig is “identical to constructing Lego” and is as straightforward as deciding on suitable elements on PCPartPicker, however that actually is not the case for the common particular person.
Again in 2016, I upgraded an older pre-built gaming PC with a brand new graphics card so as to check first-generation digital actuality headsets just like the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift. The expertise was an advanced, multi-day nightmare that developed into changing the motherboard, RAM, and ultimately even the facility supply.
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The Home windows Xbox app helped me easily transition to PC gaming
It is easy and acquainted
Xbox / Pocket-lint
Then there’s the Xbox app, which I’ve primarily used to obtain and handle my library of video games since I am an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriber. I do know hardcore PC avid gamers will scoff at this and inform me I needs to be utilizing a mixture of Steam and Discord, however I’ve spent the previous roughly 20 years taking part in multiplayer video games on Xbox Dwell. Every part from its Social gathering system to messaging and even altering microphone settings, is all second nature to me at this level. I am a creature of behavior and I like to stay with what I do know.
Fortunately, the Windows Xbox app and the accompanying Recreation Bar have made my transition to the world of PC gaming acquainted and clean. I can nonetheless invite the identical contacts on my Mates listing to a Social gathering and simply mute my mic by mentioning the Recreation Bar with Home windows Key and G (the Xbox button on my controller does this too). It was all a bit complicated for the primary few hours, however I shortly acquired the cling of it. I would make the transfer to Discord sooner or later, however for now, the Xbox app and Recreation Bar work nicely for my on-line gaming wants. I additionally nonetheless use Steam often for some single-player titles.
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Cross-play video games are a lot extra widespread now
Enjoying Halo Infinite on a high-end PC has been an absolute blast
Halo Studios
Today, I principally play single-player video games, however I proceed to be one of many final folks on the market that is nonetheless taking part in Halo Infinite (I not too long ago managed to hit Onyx, the best aggressive rank within the recreation, and have an ungodly quantity of in-game time). Once I downloaded the PC model of Halo Infinite, it was initially only for testing functions. I figured I may jack up all of the visible settings to 4K/144Hz (getting 144Hz to show on my monitor over HDMI 2.1 was a journey) and bask within the constancy offered by the mighty RTX 5090.
Because of the Xbox Recreation Move app, I can proceed that very same save file on PC, full with 4K/120fps and the visible settings set to their most, which makes the sport look completely gorgeous.
That is precisely what I did, however after a couple of matches, I made a decision that this was how I wanted to play the sport shifting ahead. It simply appears to be like too good to surrender. Wanting past Halo Infinite, I have been interested by giving Splitgate 2 a strive, which fortunately, is cross-play with PC and console too. If I ever dive again into Name of Responsibility: Black Ops 6, it’s going to be nice to have the ability to proceed my progress on the single-player and multiplayer aspect. The identical goes for different latest Xbox and PC Recreation Move additions, like Avowed and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered.
Having the ability to choose up the place I left off with sure titles has additionally been nice. I began Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 on the ROG Ally X however often booted it up on my Xbox Sequence X, too. Because of the Xbox Recreation Move app, I can proceed that very same save file on PC, full with 4K/120fps and the visible settings set to as excessive as doable, which makes the sport look completely gorgeous.
I’ve actually loved that I can use my trusty Xbox Elite Sequence 2 controller very simply with the PC. All I wanted to do was an preliminary Bluetooth pairing, and now it really works almost the identical because it does with my Xbox Sequence X. I’ve grown up as primarily a console gamer, so throughout all genres — with real-time technique video games being the one exception — I am way more snug with a gamepad than I’m with mouse and keyboard controls.
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The graphics make me really feel like I am in a 90s Sega industrial
Welcome again to the period of “Blast Processing”
Sandfall Interactive
I’ve at all times cared about visible constancy to some extent. I used to be an early 4K/HDR TV adopter again in 2017, and after I acquired actually into Halo Infinite, I picked up a 4K 120Hz/144hz-compatible monitor. That stated, I’ve by no means actually cared that a lot. So long as a recreation appears to be like respectable and runs easily, I am good. Now that I’ve entered the world of high-end PC gaming, although, that is began to alter.
As a result of this highly effective pre-built PC options each Intel’s Core Extremely 7 265F and Asus’ ROG Astral Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, I do not actually need to even take into consideration the graphics-to-performance ratio stability. I simply flip all the things to the max and recreation away. So many titles look unimaginable working at 144Hz, whether or not it is Demise Stranding: Director’s Reduce, Avowed, or perhaps a recreation from my Steam library like Elden Ring or Baldur’s Gate III. It is solely been a couple of weeks, however I already discover it troublesome to return to my Xbox Sequence X. Significantly, I did not know that trendy video video games may look this good.
For instance, a couple of months in the past, I picked up Kingdom Come: Deliverance II for the Sequence X. It is a fantastic recreation that appears fairly good on Microsoft’s console, significantly in Efficiency Mode at 2160p/60fps, however I can not assist however want I may boot it up on the ROG G700 as a result of I do know it might simply hit 4K/80-90fps with the graphics settings turned to excessive. Hopefully, sooner or later, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II involves Xbox Recreation Move in order that my save file (I’ve roughly 45 hours within the recreation) is transferable to the PC model (in fact, I may purchase the Steam model of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, however then I might personal two copies of the sport and nonetheless would not have entry to my save file).
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Will I return to the land of consoles? In all probability someday
I am placing the ending touches on this story whereas I eagerly await the Swap 2 arriving at my door, so I am not giving up completely on console gaming. There’ll at all times be unique titles on Sony’s, Microsoft’s, and Nintendo’s gaming machines that draw me again into their closed-garden ecosystems.
That stated, I do know that after I get tired of Mario Kart World in a couple of weeks, I will nearly actually be doing nearly all of my future gaming on the ROG G700 or a future gaming PC I plan to construct myself.
This machine was offered to Pocket-lint by Asus.
4:08
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