Console & Gaming Thread

Sour? For what? 35 years, maybe more. Enix equaled Nintendo and Square equaled Sony. Money money money! MONEY!

Money killed Hollywood. Money killed gaming. Money will kill you next.

Square-Enix? Sucks donkey balls.

People be playing games to help them finish the product.

We're all beta testers now. We eat, we breath and we shit beta tests.

Oh, and don't forget to get more RAM. God DAMN!
 

dilla

Trumpfan17 aka Coonie aka Dilla aka Tennis Dog
Ghost of Tsushima rumored to get the PC launch announced tomorrow. I heard so much about the game around its release but haven't heard much in the last year or two. That's the nature of gaming these days, I guess.

But it'll be interesting to see when it comes out.

Sony rumored to be buying the studio behind Helldivers, too.
 

dilla

Trumpfan17 aka Coonie aka Dilla aka Tennis Dog
Time to upgrade the monitor. Looking at all the criteria in monitor reviews is overwhelming. So much tech to learn about aside from the panel type. Dimming zones? all the sub-categories dealing with HDR ratings?

And I have to decide if my GPU can do 4K/120 on most games. And, if so, for how much longer before games become more demanding? Or do I go 1440/240?
 

dilla

Trumpfan17 aka Coonie aka Dilla aka Tennis Dog
Decided to fight like a savage for the MSI 312URX when it comes in stock. Seems like QD OLED is the way to go over WOLED, at least the new gen of panels.
 

masta247

Well-Known Member
Staff member
@masta247 Nigga, you around at all?
Looks like it's been a while since I last logged in. It was a busy time!

I'll spend some time re-reading the older posts.

Decided to fight like a savage for the MSI 312URX when it comes in stock. Seems like QD OLED is the way to go over WOLED, at least the new gen of panels.
I got the 32 inch 4K Alienware OLED, and the MSI 321URX. First I ordered the Dell as the others weren't available. I thought I'd prefer the flat screen but can use the Dell in the meantime and return it if I don't like it/others become available. Needless to say, I liked it, but I returned 3 units that arrived completely scratched up. The initial batches had insufficient packaging considering the anti-glare layer of those displays is made of soft plastic. My fourth came with a screen protector and has been perfect, but then the MSI I had on backorder shipped. I ended up keeping both.

I slightly prefer the Dell. The service is second to none, which surprisingly the three returns showed me. They bring you a new monitor that you can set up, and then come again to pick your old one up, with minimal hassle. It's quite important due to inherent burn-in risks of OLED. The build quality and software polish is also somewhat better than MSI's. But MSI is flat, if you care a lot about that. I thought I did, but the curve on the Dell is quite subtle, and it helps reduce reflections. Like, things behind you but somewhat to the sides don't reflect thanks to the curve.

They're definitely the best displays you can buy today. There's also the overpriced and slightly sub-par Asus model, and a Gigabyte model. All use the same panel with the exact same image quality as far as any differences that would be noticeable in real life are concerned. So pick by the price/availability balanced against the non-image-related features you may care about. I don't care about the inputs/outputs on the monitor and only cared about the image quality and reliable software/OSD that doesn't get in the way with OLED care features and such (which the MSI asn't as good at as Dell, but it's got the same image quality, and it's the cheapest option).

Overall considering the far superior (and more convenient) service and related trust that Dell will take care of any issues I may have with the monitor in the next three years, compared with the many discount codes floating around for purchases at Dell, I think if I were to pick one all around best, I'd pick the Alienware. It's the one I use as my main monitor now.
 
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Jokerman

Well-Known Member
Dell is the best and that Alien 4K is great. I don't ever game on PC and prefer a 27" as my main, so I got the Dell UltraSharp 27 4K USB-C Hub monitor U2723QE a few months back. Came with no flaws the first time and works great. Thought that C-hub might come in handy if I ever want things bigger.
 

dilla

Trumpfan17 aka Coonie aka Dilla aka Tennis Dog
Looks like it's been a while since I last logged in. It was a busy time!

I'll spend some time re-reading the older posts.



I got the 32 inch 4K Alienware OLED, and the MSI 321URX. First I ordered the Dell as the others weren't available. I thought I'd prefer the flat screen but can use the Dell in the meantime and return it if I don't like it/others become available. Needless to say, I liked it, but I returned 3 units that arrived completely scratched up. The initial batches had insufficient packaging considering the anti-glare layer of those displays is made of soft plastic. My fourth came with a screen protector and has been perfect, but then the MSI I had on backorder shipped. I ended up keeping both.

I slightly prefer the Dell. The service is second to none, which surprisingly the three returns showed me. They bring you a new monitor that you can set up, and then come again to pick your old one up, with minimal hassle. It's quite important due to inherent burn-in risks of OLED. The build quality and software polish is also somewhat better than MSI's. But MSI is flat, if you care a lot about that. I thought I did, but the curve on the Dell is quite subtle, and it helps reduce reflections. Like, things behind you but somewhat to the sides don't reflect thanks to the curve.

They're definitely the best displays you can buy today. There's also the overpriced and slightly sub-par Asus model, and a Gigabyte model. All use the same panel with the exact same image quality as far as any differences that would be noticeable in real life are concerned. So pick by the price/availability balanced against the non-image-related features you may care about. I don't care about the inputs/outputs on the monitor and only cared about the image quality and reliable software/OSD that doesn't get in the way with OLED care features and such (which the MSI asn't as good at as Dell, but it's got the same image quality, and it's the cheapest option).

Overall considering the far superior (and more convenient) service and related trust that Dell will take care of any issues I may have with the monitor in the next three years, compared with the many discount codes floating around for purchases at Dell, I think if I were to pick one all around best, I'd pick the Alienware. It's the one I use as my main monitor now.

I think I'm going to do the same. MSI's supply/stock issue is really frustrating to deal with. I reached out to a few retailers and only one could tell me when stock was coming in. It was BH Photo and they said they expect more tomorrow, 5/6. Unlikely I get one then.

I have a bias against Gigabyte, MSI, and even ASUS based solely on what I've read on Reddit from other users. Their experiences sounded bad where the brand would have long turnaround times and also scrutinize everything in an attempt to avoid RMAing their products. Not just monitors, but GPUs, mobos, etc. That being said, I have an MSI mobo and I used a Gigabyte eGPU for 5+ years with no issues. But I'm still unreasonably wary of those brands.

I definitely trust Dell more. I was after the 3423DWF for a month or so but was unable to decide if ultrawide was something I'd grow tired of. Probably not for daily use or with most games but I have read that despite being pretty immersive in single player games and FPSs, there's always a chance a game dev might not support it on a game and you'd get the dreaded black bars. It's also not HDMI 2.1, I don't believe, so the few times I play on console, it'd be a less-than-optimal experience.

And while 1440p looks great, I felt like I'd be selling my 7900xtx short by not going 4K.

So I've inched away from the MSI URX; I think I'll wait for a cashback offer from Dell that should, ideally, bring it under $1K before taxes. And at under $1K, it'd be, at worst, $50 more than the MSI URX, which is a fine premium for me to pay.

I had heard that the curve of the 32QF can bother some, but most people say they stop noticing it after a while and even prefer it. I don't expect it to be an issue for me.

I too had read about Dell's poor shipping method that had a lot of people receiving damaged screens. I read they've added the screen protector and, maybe, some better padding, so that it does not get damaged during the shipping process. People on the forums were mentioning their production dates and it looks like those made March onwards are getting the better packaging.

The other option for me, if I don't go OLED, is either the Innocn miniLED. They have a 32" and 27" option and it got good reviews on RTings. So did the Acer XV275K P3. But again, I went all-out on building my PC and only "cut corners" by not getting a 4090, which I have absolutely no need for at all. I'd hate to bottleneck my experience by doing the same on the monitor. There's an Alienware 27' 1440/360 monitor that is also reasonably priced but I'm still attracted to the shine of 4K.
 

dilla

Trumpfan17 aka Coonie aka Dilla aka Tennis Dog
Dell is the best and that Alien 4K is great. I don't ever game on PC and prefer a 27" as my main, so I got the Dell UltraSharp 27 4K USB-C Hub monitor U2723QE a few months back. Came with no flaws the first time and works great. Thought that C-hub might come in handy if I ever want things bigger.

My sister has that. The 32" variant. She didn't even know what the hub was for but once I shower her that her Keychron and MX Master could plug in to it and her MBP was free of cables, she appreciated it.

Got my dad a cheapo 34" ultrawide LG for $250 from Staples. His previous monitor was a 23" LG he used as a secondary in the office and it was 10+ years old. I think he'll like it once I've set it up for him, i.e just plugging it in.
 

dilla

Trumpfan17 aka Coonie aka Dilla aka Tennis Dog
Looks like it's been a while since I last logged in. It was a busy time!

I'll spend some time re-reading the older posts.



I got the 32 inch 4K Alienware OLED, and the MSI 321URX. First I ordered the Dell as the others weren't available. I thought I'd prefer the flat screen but can use the Dell in the meantime and return it if I don't like it/others become available. Needless to say, I liked it, but I returned 3 units that arrived completely scratched up. The initial batches had insufficient packaging considering the anti-glare layer of those displays is made of soft plastic. My fourth came with a screen protector and has been perfect, but then the MSI I had on backorder shipped. I ended up keeping both.

I slightly prefer the Dell. The service is second to none, which surprisingly the three returns showed me. They bring you a new monitor that you can set up, and then come again to pick your old one up, with minimal hassle. It's quite important due to inherent burn-in risks of OLED. The build quality and software polish is also somewhat better than MSI's. But MSI is flat, if you care a lot about that. I thought I did, but the curve on the Dell is quite subtle, and it helps reduce reflections. Like, things behind you but somewhat to the sides don't reflect thanks to the curve.

They're definitely the best displays you can buy today. There's also the overpriced and slightly sub-par Asus model, and a Gigabyte model. All use the same panel with the exact same image quality as far as any differences that would be noticeable in real life are concerned. So pick by the price/availability balanced against the non-image-related features you may care about. I don't care about the inputs/outputs on the monitor and only cared about the image quality and reliable software/OSD that doesn't get in the way with OLED care features and such (which the MSI asn't as good at as Dell, but it's got the same image quality, and it's the cheapest option).

Overall considering the far superior (and more convenient) service and related trust that Dell will take care of any issues I may have with the monitor in the next three years, compared with the many discount codes floating around for purchases at Dell, I think if I were to pick one all around best, I'd pick the Alienware. It's the one I use as my main monitor now.
Also, now I know what you were referring to when you mentioned bluetooth audio lag. It can get pretty bad in Windows and I didn't realize it until I used Windows daily. Most of the time, it sounds fine. I can game with it and I can stream my shows and YouTube with it, but sometimes it gets bad and I can notice the de-sync in audio when watching a podcast. I experienced this far less with macOS and on my phone and iPad.

I asked someone in a Discord about it and they mentioned macOS is "better" with the latency than Windows but I didn't go deeper to find out why. Anecdotally, I believe it. I knew wireless audio would always sound bad compared to wired but switching OSs really highlighted it for me.

I know it has nothing to do with wireless audio but the Tomahawk B650 I have supposedly has some of the better audio codecs out there (ALC 4080). I don't have plans to get a proper speaker system yet but I don't know how much that will come in to play. People said true audiophiles buy an external DAC and use that with a pair of wired headphones.

Right now, I'm using a Bose Acoustic Wave II my parents bought when we first moved to our house lol. Back in 99 or 2000, can't remember, but some time around then. Still works well. I already had a dinky RCA-to-AUX cable from Amazon lying around so I use that on my PC lol. Looks kind of ghetto, but it works. The speaker is bulky and sits to the side of the PC so it's not giving the stereo effect it normally would if it was front and center but it does the job well. And it was so expensive back then and still works so I can't bring myself to chuck it. I might get a bluetooth transmitter and send it with my sister to her apartment so she can have a "wireless" system.
 

dilla

Trumpfan17 aka Coonie aka Dilla aka Tennis Dog
Anyone in to the Chi Fi scene? I think my Galaxy Buds+ is getting a little long in the tooth. Still works fine but I looked around to see there was anything better sounding for the same price, or less.

Got introduced to the Moon Drop Space Travel and the Tanchjim Mino. But I know the scene for ChiFi is huge and saturated so there's probably tons more good options.

I don't know if 1More counts/counted as ChiFi, even though I bought the triple drivers online from Costco, of all places. But those were solid too, but I think I've misplaced them.

Trying to stick to wireless, despite its caveats.
 

dilla

Trumpfan17 aka Coonie aka Dilla aka Tennis Dog
Google did something stupid and removed the long-press Assistant shortcut for the Home button. Now it brings up some random feature that scans your current screen and lets you highlight and then search for that thing, be it text or even an image. Might be a neat feature but the Home button was my shortcut for years for calling up the Assistant and barking out a command for it.

Now I have to swipe up from one of the corners of the screen and that brings up the Assistant. Small change but why change it to something fewer people, probably, use?

I'm skimming Computex headlines and seeing a ton of "AI" being mentioned. I shouldn't be surprised; it's been a buzzword for a few years now but only recently do I feel it got more marketable. AI laptops, CPUs, GPUs, etc.

Reminds me of the "non-GMO" or "gluten free" or "organic" labels that we've seen on food for decades. Not useless or pointless but the consumer doesn't know what it means or how to even define the buzzword and companies are going to fudge the definition and blur the lines so they can label everything with it.

I thought there would be announcements for monitors but I was informed the timeline, at least for OLED monitors, was released earlier this year and was the entirety of 2024.

Still set on the 32QF but hoping and waiting Dell has a sale price on it, for once. But maybe they're selling like hot cakes and Dell knows MSI's supply sucks and many people are balking at the chance to get an ASUS product after the RMA fiasco with the ROG Ally.
 

dilla

Trumpfan17 aka Coonie aka Dilla aka Tennis Dog
Google did something stupid and removed the long-press Assistant shortcut for the Home button. Now it brings up some random feature that scans your current screen and lets you highlight and then search for that thing, be it text or even an image. Might be a neat feature but the Home button was my shortcut for years for calling up the Assistant and barking out a command for it.

Now I have to swipe up from one of the corners of the screen and that brings up the Assistant. Small change but why change it to something fewer people, probably, use?

I'm skimming Computex headlines and seeing a ton of "AI" being mentioned. I shouldn't be surprised; it's been a buzzword for a few years now but only recently do I feel it got more marketable. AI laptops, CPUs, GPUs, etc.

Reminds me of the "non-GMO" or "gluten free" or "organic" labels that we've seen on food for decades. Not useless or pointless but the consumer doesn't know what it means or how to even define the buzzword and companies are going to fudge the definition and blur the lines so they can label everything with it.

I thought there would be announcements for monitors but I was informed the timeline, at least for OLED monitors, was released earlier this year and was the entirety of 2024.

Still set on the 32QF but hoping and waiting Dell has a sale price on it, for once. But maybe they're selling like hot cakes and Dell knows MSI's supply sucks and many people are balking at the chance to get an ASUS product after the RMA fiasco with the ROG Ally.

Turns out the shortcut for getting the Assistant was just altered to require a swipe-up from the corner of the screen, instead of long-pressing the Home button. Still a little annoying but at least it's not too cumbersome. Still wish they gave us an option to bring back to the home button icon.

I got a pair of refurb HD 560Ss. I'm still trying to get my ears trained to it. They are open back so the fan in my room definitely can be heard. Sometimes I feel I notice the difference from my Sony XM3s and other times I don't. Most of my time is spent listening to podcasts so I don't think the benefits are there. I tried about 5 hours of music from Spotify free and then did a trial of a new service, to me, Qobuz, which has higher quality/bitrate music. Still on the fence. I may return within the thirty day period but so many people recommended it as an intro model in to audiophile stuff.

Maybe I need to watch a movie with it to hear the difference. It's my return to wired headphones since 2017. I have been wireless since then and I've grown accustomed to the freedom to move around my house while listening to something. I've done a few hard tugs on the wire of these headphones because I forgot about the wire and got up to do something while listening.
 

masta247

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Anyone in to the Chi Fi scene? I think my Galaxy Buds+ is getting a little long in the tooth. Still works fine but I looked around to see there was anything better sounding for the same price, or less.

Got introduced to the Moon Drop Space Travel and the Tanchjim Mino. But I know the scene for ChiFi is huge and saturated so there's probably tons more good options.

I don't know if 1More counts/counted as ChiFi, even though I bought the triple drivers online from Costco, of all places. But those were solid too, but I think I've misplaced them.

Trying to stick to wireless, despite its caveats.
I'd probably look into the Buds 2 Pro on a sale, since the Buds 3 are out now. Well, they were announced, though the issues and delays seem to be preventing them from properly hitting the stores.

That said, the Buds+ are still excellent headphones if you don't need ANC. I honestly can't tell much of a difference between these and any newer buds, except that the Buds+ are more comfortable than anything Samsung launched since then due to the wingtipped design. Samsung knows too, since they brought it back in the FEs.

Chi-fi is almost never worth the time and little money they cost. They're not going to be in any way, shape or form as good as the Buds+. With the exception of Xiaomi/Redmi buds, which are DEFINITELY worth the asking price, but at a fifth/eight the price of proper Galaxy Buds they clearly aren't as good either.

Speaking of, I just came back from an extended trip to Taipei that started with the Computex. I honestly love what brands like Xiaomi are consistently doing. If they were allowed in North America, they'd overtake our local brands immediately, and with the big bastions of Apple/Samsung dominance overtaken, they'd quickly finish dominating global market shares. The Xiaomi stores are a bit like the Apple stores in the US, except there's more of them, and they are now selling products across a far wider range of markets. The quality isn't quite there, but it's 80% there, at like 20-40% the price. As a souvenir, I got myself their $15 hair drier that performs 80% of the way of a $500 Dyson. Also, for an increasing number of product categories (like air purifiers), Xiaomi is becoming a leader with some of the best products around, still at a fraction of the price of old market leaders.

Xiaomi's latest foldable phone looks MUCH better than Samsung's, even if the software polish is also a bit behind. It's slim, light, and overall feels really sleek, and costs quite a bit less than Samsung's, while also including a periscope camera that Samsung said they can't fit in their (thicker) folds. If I were Samsung, I'd feel a massive pressure to do much better ASAP, as Xiaomi suddenly released a device that feels like they're two generations ahead in hardware design. Seriously, the Galaxy fold feels like an old brick next to it. I hear that this made Samsung panic and rush out some sort of a "Fold Slim" to ready and launch asap.

I've got the S23 Ultra, and while it's a very reliable phone that I like, I can't help but feel that it symbolizes a frustrating lack of innovation from the big established brands like Samsung that once excelled at innovating. And I really can't help but see the Chinese brands as an inevitable breath of fresh air and rapid change, while the western brands are stagnating, and charging way too much for too little improvement. I don't think it's going to take long until tariffs and sales bans are no longer enough to contain the flood of simply cooler products at better prices coming from hundreds of companies that aren't bound by the same self-imposed boundaries, red tape and restrictions that we've got in the West.

This is because while we've still got the more skilled talent, we're regulating ourselves out of progress and cool things, while someone out there in China is quickly pushing cool products out unrestricted by anything but the laws of physics and their current ability to their will. And we can't compete with that for long.

And it's not just technology. With products, businesses, events and cool things in general popping up the moment an idea crops up in Asia, it's so clear that western countries are regulating and red-taping themselves out of having new cool things anymore. And things that take a few weeks to get done in China, take months or years of costly work just to get the paperwork cleared over here.
 
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