Video Game Consoles : A Definition

970 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Game consoles throughout the years

Video Game Consoles: A Definition
At its core, a video game console is a highly specialized computer. In fact, most systems are based on the same central processing units (CPUs) used in many desktop computers. To keep the cost of the video game system within reasonable limits, most manufacturers use a CPU that has been widely available for long enough to undergo a significant decrease in cost
Why would people buy a game console instead of a computer? There are several reasons
A video game console is less expensive than a tricked-out computer designed to run video games. Current generation consoles cost between $200 to $500, whereas a fully-loaded gaming computer can cost more than $10,000.
Consoles tend to load games faster than most PCs -- expensive gaming computer rigs are the exception, of course.
Video game systems are designed to be part of your entertainment system. This means that they are easy to connect to your TV and stereo.
There are no compatibility issues, such as operating system, DirectX drivers, correct audio card, supported game controller, resolution and so on.
Game developers know exactly what components are in each system, so games are written to take full advantage of the hardware.
The degree of technical knowledge required to set up and use it is much lower. Most game consoles are truly "plug and play."
Most video game systems have games that allow multiple players. This is a difficult process with a typical home computer.
Home video game systems, also known as consoles, are a popular form of entertainment. In 2000, Sony estimated that one out of every four households in the United States had a Sony PlayStation. Since then the numbers have only increased, with systems like the Nintendo Wii luring the H...

... middle of paper ...

...lized mapping, texturing and geometric functions, in addition to controlling video output. Another dedicated chip typically handles the audio processing chores and outputs stereo sound or, in some cases, digital surround sound!
The software used on these dedicated computer systems has evolved amazingly from the simple rectangular blips used in Pong. Games today feature richly textured, full-color graphics, awesome sound and complex interaction between player and system. The increased storage capacity of the cartridges and discs allows game developers to include incredibly detailed graphics and CD-quality soundtracks. Several of the video game systems have built-in special effects that add features like unique lighting or texture mapping in real-time.
There is a huge variety of games available. Here are just a few of the games you can play on the most popular consoles

Show More
Related

  • Nintendo Persuasive Speech

    825 Words  | 2 Pages

    Hello gamers! I'm Andrew McNeil, and today, there are a few facts you should know. With a new generation of video game consoles, I’m sure you are all eager to buy the best system. The problem is, (point towards crowd) you can’t decide which one to actually buy. That’s why reviews were invented: to let people know what the best game system is.

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay: Persuasive Video Games

    1047 Words  | 3 Pages

    Video games started as arcade machines with simple graphics and even simpler stories, soon evolving into home gaming with The Magnavox Odyssey, the world’s first home-gaming console. It invaded living rooms in 1972, selling 300,000 units. Since then there has been many consoles and games released, some have been huge commercial successes which

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Essay On Xbox One Vs Pstation 4

    1606 Words  | 4 Pages

    Do you or any of your friends play video games on a console? If you ask gamers the question, “gaming console you like the most?” they will probably say Xbox One or PlayStation 4. Xbox and PlayStation are known as the most popular gaming consoles of all the time. These two consoles have been competing for a very long time for the throne of the best game console since 2001 until now. In this article, we are going to find out which console has the best advertisement, We are going to determine this not by the console’s hardware, not by its cool features, and not by what exclusive games they have. It is because to grade the games and features are good or bad is kind of difficult because everyone can has different games

    Read More

  • How the 1970’s Sparked the Video Game Industry

    2193 Words  | 5 Pages

    ...nsoles, gaming hardware, and the uses of video game that were conceived in the 1970s. These innovative concepts have allowed the video game industry to improve to where it is today. The design of the gaming consoles from the 1970s have lead to the sleek, lightweight, video game consoles of today that act as home entertainment systems. The way computer hardware was first used in video game consoles from the ‘70s has paved the way for the small, powerful components we have today that allow better graphics, more interaction, and more complex controllers. Video games have been used for health treatment, education, and training all around the world thanks to the branching out of its uses in the 1970s. These events in video game history has dramatically shaped the way our world is today. A world where we can be ordinary people by day and orc slaying sorcerers by night.

    Read More

  • Cultural Artifact Project

    1010 Words  | 3 Pages

    Before moving into the dorms at Michigan State, I had to do a lot of shopping in preparation for the transition. Prior to moving in I knew my room needed at least one console for the four of us (I live in a quad). Since none of my three roommates had one I decided to get one off amazon. It was nice in the summer having one, but now it was more of a necessity. Recently, the price of a new PS$ dropped to $300. It is an e...

    Read More

  • Ossic300 Unit 3 Gamers

    473 Words  | 1 Pages

    Gamers play primarily on smartphones, tablets, and computers (Gamers and Gaming - US - 2014). Following “Gamers and Gaming US” in Mintel, gamers often play different platform: 59% any platform, 25% mobile devices, and 17% gaming console, 11% computers. Console gamers spend more than 10 hours a week playing. The older millennial age group (25-44 years old) will explore new brands and are willing to update to newer technologies.

    Read More

  • Key Changes in the Video Game Industry

    1672 Words  | 4 Pages

    The result is a new breed of fresh and exciting game genres that people in the early 1980s could only dream about. Video games is a huge industry and it is estimated that 70% of U.S homes will own a Video game system by the year 2005 (Cassandra, 2002). The idea of making a video game first appeared in 1949 when a young engineer named Ralph Baer was given an assignment to build the absolute, best of all televisions. He wanted to go beyond his original assignment and incorporate some kind of game into the set but it would take another 20 years for his idea to become a reality.

    Read More

  • Microsoft Xbox

    1645 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Microsoft Xbox has powerful components within that overpower any other console, including its CPU or it’s Central Processing Unit. The Xbox runs an Intel Pentium III 733-megahertz (MHz) processor. This is a lot more powerful than Nintendo Gamecube’s IBM Power PC 485-megahertz Gekko chip processor and even lower the Sony Playstation 2’s 128 bit “Emotion Engine” which is clocked around 294-megahertz. A few more components that make this console far superior to any other is its graphics processor, or GPU, which stands for Graphic Processing Unit. Microsoft had teamed up with Nvidia to create a chip that was made especially for the Xbox. The computer-based company ‘s 250-megahertz chip gives the console an amazing resolution of 1920x1080 pixels and 125 Million Polygons per Second. Sixty four- (64) megabytes (Mb) of DDRam back all this up, for great non-glitch games and smooth running. Nintendo also has a computer-based company teaming up with them to create the 162-megahertz ATI Flipper GPU Chip. This chip can only handle around 6-12 Million polygons a second and is only backed up by 43-megabytes of DDRam.

    Read More

  • Nintendo

    1712 Words  | 4 Pages

    Nintendo is an entertainment company; not an electronics company. Console sales are inextricably intertwined with games sales. Hardware sales account for a large portion of Nintendo's total sales; however, hardware sales don't drive a large portion of Nintendo's total sales. At Nintendo, the games sell the consoles. Of course, the console itself can affect the game play experience in its role as a

    Read More

  • Computer Graphics Card Comparison Essay

    1500 Words  | 3 Pages

    In today’s world of advanced computer games, the requirements that computers must meet to run these games are very, very steep ones. A major requirement of almost all high tech computer games is a decent graphics card. With most of the games today being developed in 3-D, unlike the games a decade ago which were almost always 2-D, an advanced graphics card is a must to get any amount of fun from these games. Two companies that are heavyweights in the ring of computer graphics are ATI and NVIDIA.

    Read More

  • Video Games Informative Essay

    1222 Words  | 3 Pages

    Video games have come a long way. They have evolved from the simple game of Pong into a complex, multi-platform, multi-genre, multi-billion dollar industry.

    Read More

  • Xbox One Vs Ps4 Comparison Essay

    512 Words  | 2 Pages

    The first thing to think about when choosing to buy a console is the type of hardware is used for that console. Both the Xbox One and PlayStation4 both have some similarities in their hardware like their HDD, Audio/Visual output, and Wi-Fi. The differences in hardware of the Xbox One and PlayStation4 are the GPU and CPU. The PlayStation4’s GPU has 1.84 TFLOPS, AMD Radeion Graphics Core Next Engine which is better than the Xbox One, the PlayStation4’s CPU is a Low Power x86-64 AM “Jaguar” , 8 Cores which is slightly better than

    Read More

  • Advantages Of A Gaming Computer

    1335 Words  | 3 Pages

    Owning a gaming computer is one of the best investments a person can make in their life. Having a gaming computer can greatly influence one’s entertainment ranges and personal hobbies. Every gamer or anyone who occasionally games should have a gaming computer instead of a gaming console. A gaming console only provides people with basic programs and simple user interface while a gaming computer can be used for any needs one need. A gaming computer is one’s own cable box but better. Having a gaming computer you can have it fully customized to fit whatever theme you would like it to fit, can run many programs and other applications faster than a console, and can be loaded with a plethora of multiple useful programs one can use.

    Read More

  • Violence in Video Games

    2484 Words  | 5 Pages

    Video games first appeared in the early 1970's. It all started with a simple white ball bouncing back and forth on the screen. In 1986, Nintendo introduced its first line of home video game consoles. With the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) on the market, the home video gaming industry surged and immediately became popular among children. Since then, not only have video games increased in popularity, but there have been vast improvements in graphics, game play, and forms of gaming.

    Read More

  • Benefits of Gaming: The Handheld Debate

    515 Words  | 2 Pages

    “There are plenty of skills I’ve learned from playing video games. It’s more interactive then watching TV, because there are problems to solve as you’re using your brain.” This quote was said by the famous US athlete Shaun White. (Quote 1) Video games started in the late sixties and early seventies. (History 1) Later down the road, companies such as Sony and Nintendo came out with bigger and better consoles. “Sixty-three percent of parents believe that games are a positive part of their children’s lives.” (GCP 1) While video games can promote violence and cause adolescents to be lazy, video games are beneficial to adolescents because they help reduce stress and anxiety, they provide a fun way to learn, and they make exercise more appealing.

    Read More

More about Video Game Consoles : A Definition

Open Document