Update - My wife and I questioned our son on exactly what he wants to do with his computer / gaming console. What he really wanted to do was shoot video of himself playing games and then overlay that video onto the game. I guess lots of gamers do this on YouTube? Anyway, we explained that this would be more than just a computer, it would be a webcam, green screen and video editing software. And that even if he was able to get all of that stuff from Santa, where was he going to set it up? He doesn't have room for a green screen in his bedroom.

We questioned him about why a PS or Xbox would not work and he was very non-receptive to the idea of a gaming console. After more discussion, it sounds like he doesn't really have interest in many of the games that are available for these consoles. He said he just wants to play Roblox, Minecraft, Fortnite, and would like to add Planet Coaster. There were one or two others, but I cannot recall their names.

After we made him realize that a gaming computer / webcam / green screen was not an option, he asked again for a MacBook. He said the games he is playing function differently on an actual computer operating system vs. an iPad iOS system? And since it sounds like the games he wants are not really Xbox or PS games, I suppose I am leaning towards the Mac option for a few reasons. One, it seems like it will run the types of games he wants. Two, because of my business, there are certain financial incentives to purchasing a laptop over a gaming console. And three, he will need a laptop in a few years for school anyway. Is my train of thought valid?

Original post below -

Read this knowing that I am not a gamer, I have never owned a PS of any variation, an Xbox or a gaming computer.

My son will be 10 years old in less than 2 weeks. He currently has an iPad, Occulus 2 and Nintendo Switch. Earlier this year he announced that he wanted a computer. His older sister has a MacBook Pro and he said he wanted a Mac. I told him no, there was nothing he needed to do that would require a Mac vs an iPad. That a Mac is $1,200 investment and it just was not going to happen.

He dropped it for a while, then as we approached the Christmas season he again said he wanted a computer. This time it was no longer a Mac. He realized it wasn't a Mac he wanted, but something suited for his gaming desires. When his sister chimed in and again mentioned how expensive a computer is, his response was, "It's not a problem, I am going to ask Santa for it."

Yes, the kid believes with all his heart in Santa Claus.

His mother and I have quizzed him a few times, what games do you want to play on a computer? Why wouldn't a PS4 / PS5 or Xbox work? He's still young enough that he doesn't really have answers. He does know that when he plays Fortnite, I guess it works better on a computer vs. what he has now?

I do know enough to know that a gaming computer will run well over $1,000, probably $2,000 or more. And that a PS or X-Box can be had for around $500. I do know that with a PS or Xbox he can connect to friends, like he does now on his Occulus and Switch. Why would I want or need to speed the money on a computer when I could get PS or Xbox for so much less?

Please help guide a Dad who really wants to keeps his son's belief in Santa alive, but also doesn't want to waste a bunch of money.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: holdem,

As another perspective, 10 isn't too young to start to learn to code. If the boy has any interest in this at all, it might be worthwhile to encourage it. Yes, one can write programs on game consoles, but the available tools and flexibility are far greater with a general-purpose computer.

quote:

Originally posted by holdem:
…
I do know enough to know that a gaming computer will run well over $1,000, probably $2,000 or more. And that a PS or X-Box can be had for around $500. I do know that with a PS or Xbox he can connect to friends, like he does now on his Occulus and Switch. Why would I want or need to speed the money on a computer when I could get PS or Xbox for so much less?

I think you have the right idea. A gaming PC, to be significantly better than a console, will likely be much more expensive. Unless there’s a specific use, other than gaming, I wouldn’t go that way. A similar situation happened with one of my grandsons last year (he was 12). We put him off. This year school indicated online could be part of their strategy in dealing with COVID should it be needed. I bought him a Mac Air with 16GB for school and he’s plenty happy about that. Personal opinion, it’s some age related but mostly they’re hearing neat things about stuff they don’t have and are trying to fit in with their peers. Be the Dad and guide them through it with reasoning and he’ll likely adapt just fine.

Started playing PC games back in ‘86.
Spent a fortune keeping up and wasn’t convinced by Consoles etc, until i realized it’s a money pit. Can’t keep up, every year there are new minimum specs.

With a console you have spit screen if there’s more than a player and your machine specs are the rule for as long as the model is not replaced plus a couple of years ir more.

Currently enjoying my 3rd gen Xbox (Xbox One) after having my kids grow up pkaying the Original and rhe 360. This one should last me at least two more years.

AFAIK, the Xbox is more combat oriented than the PS5.

I think if you need to be on the bleeding edge of technology, then a lot of the statements made about gaming PC's in this thread are true. I, however, have never been on the bleeding edge of hardware and have been PC gaming since the late 90's and had plenty of fun.

The hardware has been at a state of plateau for years now. No longer is it the case that you need to spend several hundred bucks on RAM and a new GFX card every year or so just to be able to play the newest stuff. Currently, I have the same machine I've been using for at least six or seven years, and it runs everything on pretty high settings with no problems.

My specs:
Intel quad core i5-6500 @3.2hgz
Nividia GeForce GTX 1050Ti 1 ghz of internal RAM
4 gigs of DDR3 RAM
200 gig HDD
2.5 TB external drive

Now, to build something like this, you're looking at about a grand, yes. I don't know how long it'll be good for and I haven't been keeping up on hardware advancements. My suspicion is that a rig like this will last a good, long time. Years for sure, probably at least five, maybe more. Gaming console systems aren't coming out as often as they used to, either, since they are also at the mercy of hardware development plateaus.

One thing you won't have to worry about with a console is managing software and drivers - the system does it for you. Also, many games are made for console, and then ported to PC afterwards. These games tend to look and run better on consoles compared to the PC ports, and the controls usually make more sense for a game controller, since that's what they're designed around. However, I've played a number of such games and enjoyed them, never missing out on the advanced graphics I wasn't seeing, and being able to work around the controller issue with a keyboard and mouse just fine.

When my computer gets dated, I generally either add more RAM or swap out the graphics card. Where I'm at now with the most modern games that won't run with everything on maximum settings is add RAM and a second graphics card. I've gone through maybe four or five motherboards in about twenty years. The last two lasted two or three times longer than the previous ones, again, because hardware development has slowed down. Basically, I had an initial investment on a machine, and popped a few hundred bucks in it every few years when it got too slow to keep up, with the exception of this last one where I had to build from scratch, and I'm only into it about six hundred bucks. With Covid and the hyper-inflation of these last two years, I'm astonished to see that to build what I have costs about three times what I expected it would. On that note, I don't know if it leveled out or not, but last year gaming consoles were all but unobtanium. Everyone got a hobby and absolutely everything got ridiculously expensive.

Anyways, just some thoughts from a PC gamer who's been at it about twenty five years.

quote:

Originally posted by P220 Smudge:
The hardware has been at a state of plateau for years now. No longer is it the case that you need to spend several hundred bucks on RAM and a new GFX card every year or so just to be able to play the newest stuff. Currently, I have the same machine I've been using for at least six or seven years, and it runs everything on pretty high settings with no problems.

My specs:
Intel quad core i5-6500 @3.2hgz
Nividia GeForce GTX 1050Ti 1 ghz of internal RAM
4 gigs of DDR3 RAM
200 gig HDD
2.5 TB external drive

Now, to build something like this, you're looking at about a grand, yes.

In terms of gaming, recent improvements in CPUs are not very important, but the hardware is FAR from at a state of plateau and improvements in RAM and especially GPUs have been huge.

Yes, your computer will play plenty of new games at decent graphics settings, because a lot of new games are not very graphics-focused and don’t ask much of the hardware.

There are also plenty of graphics-intensive new games that will make your computer grind to a halt and start smoking (metaphorically).

$1000 was probably a fair estimate when you got the machine, but less money will get you a much more powerful machine now.

XBOX or PS5 depending on what his friends have. Years ago I would have said PC, but not anymore. I got my son the latest XBOX last year for Christmas, and he still has the PS4 Pro I got for free a few years ago when I bought a Sony OLED. He isn't very interested in a PS5 because his friends all have XBOX's.

I agree, XBox or PS5, depending on their friends group.

PCs are great, but much more expensive and less turnkey than either console.

I've had them all, currently on a Playstation, which I like a smidge better than the XBox.

PS5s really "need" a 4k Television to warrant buying over a PS4, imo.

If you aren't building one, gaming computers are just as turn key as consoles. Laptops even more so than desktops.

My 15yo uses the laptop we bought him 6 years ago for gaming more than the PS5 we bought him last year for Christmas. The laptop was fairly high spec when we bought it (Nvidia mobile GTX980), but it's showing its age now. He's building a desktop to replace it. He bought 2 GTX1080s from a friend for $90 each just as the chip shortage hit.

My 11yo uses his laptop exclusively because his friends don't have a PS5.

If it weren't for the chip shortage and crazy GPU card prices, I'd skip the console. My thinking was the console is $500, but a good gaming laptop is $500 more and can do so much more. At the time I bought my oldest his laptop, he was entering middle school and doing PowerPoint presentations and writing reports in Word. We had a shared family computer, but with the five of us, that wasn't working.

When my other two kids entered middle school, I bought them laptops as well. I haven't replaced any iPads, they use their phones for that. It worked well when school went to online only.

Like others have said, it really depends on what his friends are playing. I believe Fortnite is cross platform. You don't need a great computer to play it.

quote:

Originally posted by holdem:

a Mac is $1,200 investment.

Nope, not necessarily. Take a look at the Apple website (apple.com). Scroll down to the very bottom of any page and click on the link for refurbished equipment. If you are current or ex military, you get another 10% off.

If you see something you like, and don't qualify for the military discount, touch base with me via the email address in my profile. I'm in the Orlando area and can help you with this, if you like.

I have basically been utilitarian when it comes to computers for about a decade.

I built a gaming computer (about $2800) in 2007 and realized I could have purchased a PS3 and Xbox 360 several times each.

Currently, I have an Xbox Series X that is my gaming computer (it sits on my desk), I have a decent laptop, and the PS4 is our everything box for the family. The xbox is a bit of a luxury, but my wife remembers the days of me tracking down new memory, processors, faster HD's, more powerful PSU's etc. She seems to like the 5-7 years that I get out of the xbox with no real complaints about hardware.

quote:

Originally posted by maladat:
$1000 was probably a fair estimate when you got the machine, but less money will get you a much more powerful machine now.

Have you looked at GPU prices recently? $1k will get you a good computer, minus gaming GPU. How much extra you need to spend depends on what you plan to play. It can easily double that $1k.

My suggestion, PS5 or XBOX, depending on what he wants to play & what friends already have. OR, a gaming laptop with a decent iGPU (RTX3060 or similar) if the oculus 2 can benefit from that (not sure about that). I saw a laptop with RTX3060 for $1200 last week - kills 2 birds with 1 stone, even if the birds might be little.

quote:

Originally posted by maladat:
There are also plenty of graphics-intensive new games that will make your computer grind to a halt and start smoking (metaphorically).

This is not me being snippy, but I'd be interested to know what some of those are. I get some slowdowns with some modern games, but by and large, I haven't run across anything that comes close to making this machine choke.

quote:

Originally posted by maladat:
$1000 was probably a fair estimate when you got the machine, but less money will get you a much more powerful machine now.

I dunno, I estimated that figure after googling my graphics card and saw the prices they're commanding. I was surprised to see the cheapest at around $350 or so, IIRC. Most were in the $400-500 range. Honestly I figured it would be more like you suggest, much cheaper. It doesn't seem to be the case after a quick look. I'm sure one could shop around and get a great deal, but it seems to me that along with everything else over the last two years, prices surged.

quote:

Originally posted by snidera:

quote:

Originally posted by maladat:
$1000 was probably a fair estimate when you got the machine, but less money will get you a much more powerful machine now.

Have you looked at GPU prices recently? $1k will get you a good computer, minus gaming GPU. How much extra you need to spend depends on what you plan to play. It can easily double that $1k.

My suggestion, PS5 or XBOX, depending on what he wants to play & what friends already have. OR, a gaming laptop with a decent iGPU (RTX3060 or similar) if the oculus 2 can benefit from that (not sure about that). I saw a laptop with RTX3060 for $1200 last week - kills 2 birds with 1 stone, even if the birds might be little.

Yes, I have looked at GPU prices and built computer prices recently. Look again at the specs he posted. I didn’t say you could get a screaming powerhouse for under $1000. I said you could spend less than he did six plus years ago and get a more powerful machine than that six plus year old computer.

He recommended spending around $1000 to get something similar to his computer with a 1050Ti and 4GB of RAM.

quote:

Originally posted by P220 Smudge:

quote:

Originally posted by maladat:
There are also plenty of graphics-intensive new games that will make your computer grind to a halt and start smoking (metaphorically).

This is not me being snippy, but I'd be interested to know what some of those are. I get some slowdowns with some modern games, but by and large, I haven't run across anything that comes close to making this machine choke.

quote:

Originally posted by maladat:
$1000 was probably a fair estimate when you got the machine, but less money will get you a much more powerful machine now.

I dunno, I estimated that figure after googling my graphics card and saw the prices they're commanding. I was surprised to see the cheapest at around $350 or so, IIRC. Most were in the $400-500 range. Honestly I figured it would be more like you suggest, much cheaper. It doesn't seem to be the case after a quick look. I'm sure one could shop around and get a great deal, but it seems to me that along with everything else over the last two years, prices surged.

Often, outdated components that are not being produced in bulk anymore can be surprisingly expensive.

Here is a computer with 8GB of DDR4 RAM and a GTX 1660 Super GPU for $849.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ace...706&campaign_id=9383

The GTX 1660 Super will run many games at more than double the frame rate of a 4GB GTX 1050Ti.

https://gpu.userbenchmark.com/...X-1050-Ti/4056vs3649

As far as games choking the computer, I haven't done a ton of gaming lately, but I've played plenty of stuff that runs fine on my integrated-graphics laptop. I also have what was a moderately-high-end gaming computer I bought in 2018, with a Core i7-8700K, 11GB GTX 1080 Ti, and 32GB of 3000MHz DDR4 RAM, and I've played a few games that make it really start to stutter sometimes on high graphics settings, mainly more photorealistic, detailed-environment survival or FPS games. If I remember correctly, both Just Cause 3 and Far Cry 5 sometimes caused it to stutter pretty hard when a lot was happening on the screen.

As Lefty Sig said. Find out what system his friends use. Nothing worse than having the wrong system and being left out.

quote:

Originally posted by maladat:
He recommended spending around $1000 to get something similar to his computer with a 1050Ti and 4GB of RAM.

Oh, to be clear, this is not what I was trying to do. I was trying to make the example that even a non-powerhouse of a computer can last you for years these days, and the point that it can be done for a reasonable price - the latter point I believe you've helped me make. It's not quite like it was in the early 2000's where stuff would be obsolete within a year or two. If that's wrong, too, then I 'll leave it alone.

quote:

Originally posted by P220 Smudge:

quote:

Originally posted by maladat:
He recommended spending around $1000 to get something similar to his computer with a 1050Ti and 4GB of RAM.

Oh, to be clear, this is not what I was trying to do. I was trying to make the example that even a non-powerhouse of a computer can last you for years these days, and the point that it can be done for a reasonable price - the latter point I believe you've helped me make. It's not quite like it was in the early 2000's where stuff would be obsolete within a year or two. If that's wrong, too, then I 'll leave it alone.

I'm sorry, that's my mistake. I misinterpreted what you wrote.

I agree with you. The hardware has gotten good enough that unless you are a super hardcore gamer, there's no point in spending a ton of money on a top-of-the-line gaming computer, and it's reasonable to expect to get at least several years out of one before feeling compelled to upgrade.

Around $1000 is plenty to get a machine that will play almost anything on at least decent settings.

I think it's more that, for the most part (there are always exceptions pushing the envelope), the graphics requirements of the games have plateaued (helped along by the recent popularity of retro, cartoony, and/or simplified graphics) than that the hardware performance has.

I've done a fair amount of GPU data processing and the improvement in processing power of GPUs over the last few years has been astonishing, but for the overwhelming majority of games it just isn't necessary.

quote:

Originally posted by gpbst3:
As Lefty Sig said. Find out what system his friends use. Nothing worse than having the wrong system and being left out.

A lot of games especially the popular ones are cross platform now.

The kid is only ten, maybe limit it with a regular game box and and the same time encourage him to get outside and do other things in lieu of hours of mind-wasting-unproductive gaming day and night.
I know it is important to a kid now days but it can be obsessive to a fatal degree.
IMO