Skip to main content

Close to the Metal Ep. 24: What can you do about a bad console-to-PC port?

Close to the Metal Ep. 24: What can you do about a bad console-to-PC port?
‘Tis the season to game. The past few months have been packed with high-profile releases, from Battlefield 1 to FIFA 2017. Many of these major games will be available on not only multiple consoles but also the PC. And that…can cause a problem.

Technically, even a modest gaming PC should be able to outperform at least the Xbox One S and PlayStation 4, if not the PS4 Pro. Yet that doesn’t always end up proving true. Differences between the consoles and the PC can hold the latter version back, sometimes with abysmal results. In the worst cases, even gamers who’ve spent thousands on a gaming computer can’t run a title at the proper settings.

Get your weekly teardown of the tech behind PC gaming
Check your inbox!

That’s obviously frustrating, especially given that modern PC games usually sell for the same $60 price-tag as on consoles. And many gamers are wondering if there’s anything that can be done about it. Will certain upgrades mitigate the chance of a bug, glitch, or poor optimization dragging down performance? And even if so, would the upgrade be worth the trouble?

We take a close look at the issue on this week’s Close to the Metal, drawing on not only classic examples like Batman Arkham Knight, but also on new games with questionable performance, such as Dishonored 2. These games are beautiful, and look great on the PC — but poor performance, numerous glitches, and lackluster patching has sullied the reputation of these titles on the computer. Which is a shame, because these franchises are favorites among gamers on every platform.

Close to the Metalis a podcast from Digital Trends that focuses on the geekier side of life. It tackles the topics PC enthusiasts argue over in language everyone can understand. Please subscribe, share, and send your questions to podcast@digitaltrends.com. We broadcast the show live on YouTube every Tuesday at 1pm EST/10am PST.

Editors' Recommendations

Matthew S. Smith
Matthew S. Smith is the former Lead Editor, Reviews at Digital Trends. He previously guided the Products Team, which dives…
What PC hardware do you need for 4K games and movies?
LG 32UD99-W review full

Whether you're watching movies, playing games, or merely working at 4K resolution, it all looks fantastic. Everything is crisp, tack-sharp, and impossibly clear. Colors are vivid and lush, blacks are as deep as the night sky. But details are not without their cost. If you’re looking to get into 4K PC gaming or movie watching, you’re in for a bit of a journey.

Getting your system up to spec for 4K isn’t as straightforward as it is for 1080p, or even 1440p. Worry not, though: We've rounded up everything you need to play 4K games and movies.
A powerful graphics card is a must

Read more
This diorama is the meta gaming PC of my dreams — and you can win it
Gaming PC that looks like an office.

You've seen this setup before. A TV mounted on the wall with mock Joy-Cons on the sides, triple monitors next to a hefty battle station, and enough Nanoleaf triangles for an official "content creator" badge. Now imagine if you could take that iconic gaming room of all of our dreams, shrink it down, and stick a gaming PC inside. That's exactly what Suchao Modding & Design did.

As part of Intel Gamer Days, the Thailand-based outfit stuffed a high-spec gaming PC into a diorama of a gaming battle station. The room comes fit with triple monitors --  set atop an RTX 3060 Ti desk -- a mock PlayStation 5, a Pac-Man arcade cabinet, and a water-cooling reservoir disguised as a fish tank. Plus, of course, enough RGB to make a pony puke.

Read more
TWB Podcast: SpaceX triumph, Spotify vs. Apple Music, Apple Watch health
trends with benefits spacex tesla spotify apple watch twb full

SpaceX has reinvigorated space exploration: There can be no doubt that putting a cherry red Tesla Roadster into space, as part of the Falcon Heavy X rocket launch on 2/ 5/18, captured the world's attention. It showcased what vision, ability, talent and a whole lot of money, can accomplish. The question now is what will Elon Musk do next? One would imagine that investors are clamoring to pour more money into future projects. This was also the world's greatest ad campaign for Tesla, for which there are some pretty bold plans in their own right. A letter was sent to shareholders stating that they are planning to send an autonomous Tesla car on a coast-to-coast trip in 2018.

Spotify vs. Apple: When it comes to overall users, there is no question that Spotify is the current leader in streaming music services. They have millions more subscribers (approximately 70 million total) than their closest rivals. However, Apple Music is now claiming to have 36 million of their own and according to the Wall Street Journal, is growing at nearly double the rate of Spotify. So, who do you use for streaming music and why?

Read more