Opinion: Powerful Tablets Can Mean an End for Gaming PCs

If you ever want to engage with an endangered species, boot up a notebook computer and start using it. Even full desktops, with their imposing sizes, are starting to take on a certain dinosaur-like quality. Gartner (a technology analysis company) reported last July that, after two years of losses, the PC hardware market experienced a flat growth rate. The reasons for the decline in computer sales varies, with some speculating that consumers are now waiting longer before upgrading to faster systems. However, it's no secret that low-cost tablets and smart phones, which are ideal for consuming media and doing everyday tasks like email, web-browsing, and social media, have eaten up a huge portion of potential buyers. Powerful computer systems are still needed by professionals, content creators, and most especially PC gamers, but even the days of the last group may be numbered, especially when it comes to gaming notebooks.

A decade ago, mobile PC gaming was still a distant dream. A number of companies tried to stuff desktop components into notebook casings, which resulted in oversized computers that might as well have been desktop systems, since they were hot, heavy, and had embarrassingly short battery lives. The goal for a truly mobile PC gaming platform was still a goal, but the race to slim down didn't really step up until Apple first iPad released in 2010. In its announcement, Steve Jobs compared computers to cars. He stated that back when the nation was largely farmland, everyone drove trucks, because that was what was needed. However, trucks didn't necessarily fit into city life, so came smaller sedans, and sales of smaller cars eventually overtook truck sales. His prophetic analogy held true. People who value easy access and portability over power use tablets. Those that need performance still need their trucks. PC gaming enthusiasts in particular need big, powerful trucks. Or do they?

Many professionals have taken to carrying both a tablet and a notebook, using whichever best fits their needs. The first Macbook Air was released in January of 2008, and its popularity kicked off the race to design the best ultrabook - a thin and light notebook that still has enough power to get work done. Not enough to do any serious gaming, but it was a start. Then, on January 6, 2011 Razer revealed the Razer Switchblade design concept, which eventually evolved into the Razer Blade computer system. A gaming notebook that measures less than an inch thick and weighs about 4.5 pounds seems like the dream of portable PC gaming had finally been realized. Except, with a starting price tag that exceed $2,000, the dream remains a distant one for many people. Although competing systems like the recently released Alienware 13 aren't quite as expensive, its compact size still comes at the cost of power, as evidenced by the optional Graphics Amplifier, which lets you hook a full sized desktop graphics card to the notebook.

Yet, even the smallest gaming laptop can hardly stand against the ease and portability of a tablet. Razer announced the Razer Edge in 2013, a Windows 8 tablet designed with PC gaming in mind. It can even run Steam. Technically, so can the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 tablet computer, but it is considerably more expensive. Then, last July, Nvidia took a decidedly unique approach with the announcement and subsequent release of the Nvidia Shield Tablet. Not only can it play high-end Android games, but PC games can be streamed to it from a qualifying desktop system, a notebook, or the Nvidia Grid game streaming service. Taking for granted for a moment that you need a strong Wi-Fi or cellular LTE connection for the streaming to work, the idea seems like the perfect compromise for gamers. You can leave the truck at home and still have access to its horsepower whenever you need it using a small, light, and low cost tablet.

However, this approach is starting to look like a stopgap solution. Apple coincidentally announced Metal last summer, which allows game developers more direct access to the iPad's hardware, with initial results that rival PC games. Not one to slow down, Nvidia revealed the Tegra X1 "mobile superchip" a few days ago in its lead up to CES 2015. With more than double the power of any mobile chip on the market today, the processor is a little ahead of Moore's Law, depending on when we start seeing it used in tablets, smartphones, and smart cars. With tablets already starting to rival PC capabilities, it might not be long before they can fully match them. When that happens, it will mark the beginning of the end for gaming notebooks, which is a fairly niche market to begin with. All you would need is a portable keyboard and mouse, similar to the ones you can get for the Surface Pro 3, except with more gaming grade performance.

I don't mean to say that the end of gaming notebooks, and the potential decline of high-end gaming desktops, would mark an end to PC gaming. On the contrary, I think the increased accessibility of quality, high-end, games would make PC gaming more popular than ever. Sony has already acknowledged the importance of mobile gaming by making it possible to stream PS4 games to a Vita or Xperia devices. However, those are tied specifically to the Sony brand. The broader tablet market, on the other hand, has a potentially longer reach.

I once heard it said that PCs were the most popular gaming platform that nobody recognized. The majority of people in the United States had one, but few were of high-end gaming quality. But if the majority of people pick up powerful, but affordable gaming tablets, then we could be entering a new age of PC gaming. One that's not defined by the image of a three-foot desktop computer, a seven pound gaming notebook, or a two thousand dollar luxury system. It'll be one where gamers are playing games like Far Cry 4 and Dragon Age: Inquisition on devices that fit neatly in a backpack. When that happens, there will be no distinction between PC gaming and mobile gaming. They could be one and the same.