I am skeptical

[Schuesseled]

50 years a go a "serious" computer was as big as a room. Now a "serious" computer fits in your lap and can run far more powerful programs, Computers are not just getting more powerful, they are also getting smaller.

laptops aren't as good as pc's for the same reason as notebooks. PC rigs have been the staple of gaming, until all that extra space becomes unnecessary then it still will be

 

[Me,myself,and,I]

Computers have been becoming faster AND more compact since they were invented.

 

[Schuesseled]

Yes but there still big chunky things for the post parts, with lots of space for fans and cables and wahtnot

 

[StStutter]

Computers have been becoming faster AND more compact since they were invented.

Yes, but let me explain why we won't ever be gaming on littlephone sized computers. A large part of why parts are getting more powerful is BECAUSE they are getting more compact.

We can now fit more than 8 cores on one cpu because they are smaller and produce less heat. On modern cpus, the individual cores are no longer greatly increasing in speed but rather we are concentrating more of these cpus on the same job.

Graphics cards are getting faster because we can fit more pixel shaders on them, more processors, whatever (I'm not an expert and can't remember the names of the actual parts off the top of my head).

The more space it takes up, the more powerful a computer can be.

The reason why they won't shrink is because we can very easily develop software to take advantage of faster hardware compared to how difficult it is to develop new hardware.

We will always need that extra space to take advantage of the most current software. They will continue to fit the most powerful hardware possible in the size and price range that consumers will accept.

That is, until we develop quantum computing.

 

[Schuesseled]

exaclty, anyone ever watch startrek they a little handheld computers that a super duper, but thier ships main computers is the size of neigbourhood

 

[timtofly]

Yes, but let me explain why we won't ever be gaming on littlephone sized computers. A large part of why parts are getting more powerful is BECAUSE they are getting more compact.

We can now fit more than 8 cores on one cpu because they are smaller and produce less heat. On modern cpus, the individual cores are no longer greatly increasing in speed but rather we are concentrating more of these cpus on the same job.

Graphics cards are getting faster because we can fit more pixel shaders on them, more processors, whatever (I'm not an expert and can't remember the names of the actual parts off the top of my head).

The more space it takes up, the more powerful a computer can be.

The reason why they won't shrink is because we can very easily develop software to take advantage of faster hardware compared to how difficult it is to develop new hardware.

We will always need that extra space to take advantage of the most current software. They will continue to fit the most powerful hardware possible in the size and price range that consumers will accept.

That is, until we develop quantum computing.

People like larger views, but will settle for smaller ones.

 

[PeterWimsey]

exaclty, anyone ever watch startrek they a little handheld computers that a super duper, but thier ships main computers is the size of neigbourhood

But that's only for the graphics card they need to run the holodeck.

 

[Schuesseled]

yes exactly crazy software requires crazy hardware (i assume the weapons enginges life support and all the other stuff require a lot of computing power too.)

I wouldn't be suprised if naval ships had a rather large computer (not quite a super one) on board to handle thier computer functions nowadays.

 

[Me,myself,and,I]

Yes but a gaming computer what, 20 years ago was considerably larger (bulky monitor, large box full for the actual computer, that we could fit a terrabyte into now). My theory is that in the future we'll use computers much like in Ender's game, where everyone has "Desk" a little bugger than an Ipad that is used for everything we use computers for today and then some.

 

[astrognash]

Yes, but Ender's Game is set at least a hundred years into the future, by which point I doubt we could recognize the descendants of the PC Game, considering how much technology can leap forward in a century.

 

[Schuesseled]

Yes but a gaming computer what, 20 years ago was considerably larger (bulky monitor, large box full for the actual computer, that we could fit a terrabyte into now). My theory is that in the future we'll use computers much like in Ender's game, where everyone has "Desk" a little bugger than an Ipad that is used for everything we use computers for today and then some.

pc tower blocks are ruthly the same size, perhaps a litle smaller, definetly lighter, but there still great big things, yopu can't put it in your pcoket when you leave the house.

 

[StStutter]

Yes but a gaming computer what, 20 years ago was considerably larger (bulky monitor, large box full for the actual computer, that we could fit a terrabyte into now). My theory is that in the future we'll use computers much like in Ender's game, where everyone has "Desk" a little bugger than an Ipad that is used for everything we use computers for today and then some.

No, because software will advance so fast that we will not be able to compromise our hardware.

You may be able to do this if you didn't care about playing the most advanced games at that point, but if you did, you'd have to buy the bigger, more powerful option.