Tablet computers and gaming

[Kahroo]

So since more of these tablet PCs are coming out like Windows Surface RT/Pro, I want to know if anyone has gotten one and how good are they? And are they good for gaming?

Cause I like how the Surface looks. Very portable (I'm guessing) and nice looking. And I like how it has a detachable keyboard. I mean I know i could get a laptop if I want portable gaming but a tablet PC just seems more easier to carry around with you. Also I guess it would be lighter too.

Also some of the games I'm hoping to play are:
Skyrim
WoW
Minecraft
Second Life
Sims City
Sims 3

 

[mikedt]

If it's Windows Surface Pro, it should be able to run all of them. Because that's meant to run pretty much anything that works on Vista and 7. Although how well a particular game works with a touch screen might be a bit variable, i.e. it might be better to use a mouse with some of them.

Second Life might be a problem, because I believe the Surface Pro only has low-performance Intel shared memory graphics. Same with any other game that relies on having a high-performance GPU, like Nvidia or ATI.

For Surface RT, it would require RT versions of those games. You'd have to check if there are RT versions of the games you listed.

 

[Kahroo]

If it's Windows Surface Pro, it should be able to run all of them. Because that's meant to run pretty much anything that works on Vista and 7. Although how well a particular game works with a touch screen might be a bit variable, i.e. it might be better to use a mouse with some of them.

Second Life might be a problem, because I believe the Surface Pro only has low-performance Intel shared memory graphics. Same with any other game that relies on having a high-performance GPU, like Nvidia or ATI.

For Surface RT, it would require RT versions of those games. You'd have to check if there are RT versions of the games you listed.

I'm looking at the Pro only or Pro like tablet PCs. And I would certainly get a wireless mouse. I would like to play games at High Graphics but I'm not so sure I'll be able to with a Tablet PC. Are there any Gaming Tablet PCs out atm? I heard Razor is making a gaming tablet PC.

 

[mikedt]

I've not seen many Pro tablets yet, they've only just started to appear. But I think many of them are designed to be slim and lightweight, probably why the one's I've seen so far use Intel GMA graphics. If Razer is doing a gaming tablet, that that would certainly be OK, but I bet it's going to be on the heavy side and not quite so slimline, just like with gaming class laptops.

 

[Jerryada]

I'm looking at the Pro only or Pro like tablet PCs. And I would certainly get a wireless mouse. I would like to play games at High Graphics but I'm not so sure I'll be able to with a Tablet PC. Are there any Gaming Tablet PCs out atm? I heard Razor is making a gaming tablet PC.

Yes，Razer has made a win 8 tablet called Razer Edge.It is a special gaming tablet and you can see the Cnet' review. Razer Edge - Laptops - CNET Reviews

 

[nickdalzell]

since they lack CD-ROM drives i would expect that the Windows it uses is locked into their rather limited Windows Store so games would be hit and miss. a game like Flight Simulator X or Xplane may not be possible on such a device due to hardware limits. if the Windows was meant to be a PC-compatible system then people would be playing PC Games on Windows Phones. i doubt that *.exe is even supported.

 

[mikedt]

since they lack CD-ROM drives

Who buys PC software and games on CDs and DVDs these days? Most software purchases are done via the internet aren't they? Even if you do have an older game that comes on CD or DVD, you can always use something like Alcohol 120% to back them up. So that they don't actually required the discs in a drive to play them. There's many laptops now that don't come with optical drives, and things like ultrabooks don't have DVD drives either. You can always plug an inexpensive USB external drive in to install an older CD or DVD game, if you want, or to make an ISO image of it.

I don't even buy movies or TV shows on optical media (unless I just want to watch Kung Fu movies )... I haven't bought a CD or DVD for almost ten years now.

i would expect that the Windows it uses is locked into their rather limited Windows Store

Limited at the moment, but I bet it will soon change once it's more established....early days yet. Anyway that's only for Windows RT, not Pro. Pro can install and use software from anywhere.

so games would be hit and miss.

Only for RT probably. Steam is very successful of course.
Welcome to Steam

a game like Flight Simulator X or Xplane may not be possible on such a device due to hardware limits. if the Windows was meant to be a PC-compatible system then people would be playing PC Games on Windows Phones. i doubt that *.exe is even supported.

Should be OK on Pro though, provided the CPU and GPU are up to it. And something like a Razer gaming tablet would almost certainly be able to handle things like that no problems. Windows RT will have its own games of course. Probably more along the lines of what you already see other mobile devices, like the iPad, etc.

 

[nickdalzell]

Window's mobile store is more empty than RIM's App World. and RIM still has hardly the apps compared with Android and iOS. i've declared RIM dead already...i don't expect Windows Mobile to capture even 5% of the market these days. people are avoiding Windows-anything a lot. the devices cost more than an iPad around here (cheapest is $699)

the best PC games and apps still come on DVD-ROM, at least that is what Gamestop seems to carry still. i doubt everyone is blessed with a fast enough internet connection to be entirely non-dependent on CDs/DVDs. i happen to be one of them. multiple-gig downloads will not happen in my home. i only get 1.5Mbps down

 

[mikedt]

Window's mobile store is more empty than RIM's App World. and RIM still has hardly the apps compared with Android and iOS. i've declared RIM dead already...i don't expect Windows Mobile to capture even 5% of the market these days. people are avoiding Windows-anything a lot. the devices cost more than an iPad around here (cheapest is $699)

RIM is dying a rapid death, that's for sure. It still think it's early days yet for Windows Phone and RT. But it does indeed have a real uphill struggle against Android and Apple. Prices on Windows devices might come down if the Chinese take it on board. But at the moment they're almost totally Android.

the best PC games and apps still come on DVD-ROM, at least that is what Gamestop seems to carry still.

That's not the sort of games that one is going to be running on a low powered ARM CPU tablet anyway, e.g. Windows RT. One would require quite a powerful PC gaming rig to make the best of them, and usually those do have DVD drives.

Even if a game is delivered via physical optical media, they often still require a solid internet connection and remote servers to play them...ahem the Sim City debacle...
http://cinekatz.com/sim-city-2013-d...-the-future-could-affect-industry-as-a-whole/

i doubt everyone is blessed with a fast enough internet connection to be entirely non-dependent on CDs/DVDs. i happen to be one of them. multiple-gig downloads will not happen in my home. i only get 1.5Mbps down

The iPad is dependant on an internet connection for software delivery. But then that's not downloading huge multi-gigabyte games and apps. Presumably your 1.5Mbps download speed is more than enough for any iTunes Store game and app purchases you might wish to make for your iPad.

Apple Macs no longer come with DVD drives. I'm sure Apple's intention is that all OS X software is delivered over the internet, via the App Store, including OS X itself.

 

[nickdalzell]

actually the largest games i downloaded to my iPad (real racing 3 is one of them) i had to go to a public wifi if i didn't want to wait a couple hours

PCs are also going the Mac route. there's a few new laptops today sold with Windows 8 that are so thin you can't even fit a optical drive into them. they're not netbooks, either, they are at least 15" screens.

my point is that tablets are not going to replace a dedicated computer for gaming...yet. no matter what OS it runs. they're not powerful enough, don't have the proper hardware to accept different media, many are even being released without external storage (Android seems to be following Apple on that one along with non-removable batteries). while many nice console-level games exist, they still lack essential gamer ideals like anti-aliasing or only have limited functions. in sim games like flying simulators, many functions are left out to make up for the limited control of a multi-touch screen, lack of RAM, and limits placed on space on the App Store or Play Store. my iPad may have replaced my laptop for the basics and most of my mobile use, but my laptop usually stays at home at the ready for any heavy games i choose to play on it.

For tablets to finally replace desktops and laptops for gaming, they first must offer at the least, some way to upgrade the RAM, or, like some special gaming laptops, the ability to swap video adapters, storage, and RAM.

 

[sfbloodbrother]

The Surface Pro can play them, but not at a playable or high performance. With the device only having a on board graphics Intel HD 4000, it's not going to be playing Battlefield 4 at Ultra settings at 120 frames a second. Nothing like that. The Pro is not a gaming machine, but is just a basic ultrabook. It would be nice to have a better graphics card, or even somehow have a dedicated graphics on the pro, then it may be able to handle everything I need.
But until then, my custom rig is the powerhourse.

 

[Kahroo]

I know I'm just mentioning the Pro because I like its portable size. It's not to heavy to carry around like a laptop or a desktop.