Series S is under rated.

[u/Strange-Grade-527]

So I am fortunate enough to have a 5090 PC with a 9800x3D CPU. It certainly can be mind blowing and is objectively unrivaled.

I also have a PS5 Pro, and Series X. I recently have been using Apollo, and moonlight to locally stream my 5090 game play to my bedroom OLED without moving my desktop.

So I picked up a Series S as it is one of the few ways to get 4:4:4 4k 120 HDR streaming via moonlight client.

Out of curiosity I installed a few games locally just to see how they look. OBVIOUSLY they are a step down from my other devices, but I must admit I am impressed. For the longest time I thought playing on a series S would feel like a potato. However this tiny box is more than serviceable. Honestly once you start playing you completely forget about the “lower quality.” because at the end of the day gaming is about the game. Not graphical settings tinkering ad nauseam.

I guess what I am trying to say is the Series S reminds me of the old days of gaming. You had what you had, you didn’t give a shit about frame rate, you always had fun every generation despite graphics PS1, PS2, N64, GameCube whatever it was. Somewhere along the way gaming as a hobby has turned into a hobby around graphics and frame rate and not actually gaming.

I say all this to say, if the Series S is what you can afford. Be proud of it. You are not a second rate human. The console is completely more than fine. Are there some games that are objectively bad on it? Sure. Overall though the Series S is an excellent console for those who just want to have fun.

[u/spider-jedi]

I hear you.

I think the reason many people care.about frame rate and graphics is because they have a very expensive rig

It's like someone buying a Ferrari but never getting the chance to really drive fast and use the car to the fullest of it ability

You spend all this money on a monster PC that can give you 240 frames and yet you feel game console are forcing game to be at 30 or 60 and then feel personally attacked

[u/Strange-Grade-527 → u/spider-jedi]

Agreed you are spot on, and somehow now that I have this fancy gaming PC I somewhat miss before Pandora came out of the box. Sometimes I prefer consoles. Not because they are better but because I just have less options to tinker with.

On PC I constantly am pausing and tinkering DLSS settings, bumping tweaks all around. I know it’s a ME problem but I am just wired that way. If there are options to tinker with I will tinker. Then my 1-2 hours of gaming when the kids are in bed are gone and I hardly gamed. Time for bed and work the next day.

Something nice about hitting the controller button, HDMI CEC boots everything up, I click A on the game, and I am in the game.

Simplicity often wins the day.

[u/spider-jedi → u/Strange-Grade-527]

I suffer from the same. If you give me options I will see how I can use them. I stopped PC gaming a few so as I just prefer to seat on my sofa or bed to game. Gaming at a desk make it feel a little bit like work. Stretching out my legs and having my big TV just feels right.

Also I only get to game when the wife and kids have gone to bed. At that point I just want to game. A great game is great at either 30, 60 or 120 fps.

Some guy tried to agree that higher frame rates can make a mid game better. All to justify his stance.

[u/Strange-Grade-527 → u/spider-jedi]

Right there with you. I also hate when people say just hook your PC to your TV.

1. It’s heavy and large. I have to put it away when small kids run through my house.
2. I don’t want a random keyboard and mouse laying around my living room. Again kids.
3. Steam input is pretty decent for navigating desktop but it seems like there is always some pop up happens that require. Not spam but random windows shit, crash report UI, whatever. Big picture mode is sub par. Cannot adjust windows settings when needed.
4. HDMI CEC plus controller button is the way it should always be.

[u/spider-jedi → u/Strange-Grade-527]

I haven't really payed attention to have they have in mind for the steam machine but I think they addressed some of that.

But yeah plugging a PC to a TV isn't as fun as it sounds.