I definitely wanna go the PC route so I can tack on Killer Instinct and maybe a couple of indie fighters instead of shelling out for a PS4. I’ve been looking at getting a Steam Machine so it can serve as my all purpose console so I can keep using my Dualshock pads. I’d rather build a PC for music production and graphics work instead of gaming. I’ve been looking at Alienware’s $449 and Syber’s $499 Steam Machine specs and I’m a little concerned whether they’re good enough, unless somebody’s already figured out the minimal specs? Is 4GB RAM + a GTX 750 enough or nah? Still a bit of a noob when it comes to PC specs so… yeah.
i5 6500
6 gigs DDr4 ram 2133mhz (essential the same price as DDr3 now)
Msi B150 M3 mobo
MSI GTX 760 ( it was used but in really good condition)
NZxt S340 case
with power supply, hard drive and all that jazz system ran about 600 bucks, ( not including things I got for free like a monitor and op system.)
Like was said above, build your own, but a 750 should do the trick. I will say this, building it and having it power on for the first time felt good, it was an extremely fulfilling experience and I would tell anyone looking into it to do it themselves, spend a good amount of time researching and figuring out what you want your system to do for you and go from there. You can still use your dualshock pads with the proper drivers loaded.
I agree with this, I’d really like some sort of LAN/tournament mode similar to SSF2: tournament battle. Bring your set up, be it ps4 or pc, join the LAN bracket and start the tournament… Everyone gets to play on their preferred monitors etc. Since this game uses Unreal Engine 4, some of that stuff needed should already be there, so it should be no sweat
Even if you don’t want to build your own PC (and it’s understandable if so, but I would argue it’s a valuable thing to learn/go through) you can get it built for you by someone. For example, NCIX will build your purchased parts for you for about $50. It will still end up being a better value than Steam machines. Out of those 2 Steam machines you listed, the Alienware Alpha has the better GPU and will be better for gaming (just try to get Windows somewhere for cheap like if you have a friend in a STEM program at university he can probably give it to you for free). It’s roughly equivalent in power to the PS4 but can run into some issues with the low VRAM and system RAM in new games and you’ll have to run on lower textures occasionally. SF5 will run perfectly, though, if that’s all you’re concerned about and just want something easy to use for production. The thing is, though, if you get a custom PC like the one NoChart listed the better CPU and RAM will benefit you in both production speed/efficiency/multi-tasking.
If it’s something within your means I would have to recommend a budget of at least $700-800 on a custom PC as it will be a far better machine overall for both production and gaming over a $400 Steam machine. Failing that, still go for a custom PC within your budget and if that isn’t something you want to go through just get the Alienware Alpha.
Don’t think price is a factor anymore. You can take the USD 400 you’d spend for a brand new PS4 and build a midrange PC that performs just as well, if not better than a PS4. If you factor in the costs for PS+, it’s even more worth it.
Portability isn’t either, as gaming PCs aren’t restricted to tower PCs anymore. If you want to you can purchase a gaming laptop. Or get a small form factor gaming PC. Or build a mini-ITX PC, if you want a cheaper portable option.
As for the need for tournamentgoers for owning PS4 arcade sticks for tournaments, there’s likely a custom driver or application out there already (or there eventually will) that can enable you to use one on PC.
I was thinking of buying a gaming laptop, I was looking at the new dell inspiron i7559. I was looking at the specs and it seems pretty good, but I’m pretty new to the PC gaming realm. The specs for it are
Just a heads up: laptop versions of existing hardware are gimped to hell. You pay for the mobility in a big way. The 960m is weaker than a desktop 750 ti, which is at the lower level for SF5’s requirements.
Premade comps are always going to run you more than if you build it yourself. It’s really not that hard diy either. However, if you want a good gaming pc that is almost as the same price as buying and building yourself, check out digital storm. They custom build pc’s or you can buy one of their prebuilts.