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LelouchZero · Dec 30, 2016

The Potato Masher is a $375 budget PC build from late 2014, designed to compete with the PS4 for the rest of its lifecycle. The Potato Masher Pro is a side-series where I drop in a new GPU and compare it against the Playstation 4 Pro.

A new video from JERMGaming which provides an interesting look at how the Potato Masher Pro fares in Battlefield 1 with the PS4 Pro.

He's using the same Potato Masher he built but with a new GPU.

The build features a GTX 1060 6GB GPU at 2GHz and a i5 750 at 3.7GHz which is a CPU that launched in September 2009.

Here are the Potato Masher Pro's specs:
i5 750 overclocked to 3.7 ghz
Asus P7H55 LGA 1156 motherboard
8GB DDR3 memory
Gigabyte GTX 1060 6GB G1 Gaming
320GB Samsung Spinpoint HDD
Cooler Master Wavemaster Case
Arctic Alpine 11 GT cpu cooler
EVGA 430 watt PSU
Logitech KB+M combo
Windows 10 64-bit

These are the settings he used at 2880x1620p.

With these settings the game features better ambient occlusion and effects, slightly better anisotropic filtering and also more foliage and ground detail.

He mentions that the frame-rate is almost locked at 60 fps the entire time and the lowest drop he observed was 58 fps.

He also tested 1440p on "Very High" settings, native 4K on Low and 4K with 80% resolution scaling.

4K with 80% resolution scaling provides a native 4K UI with the settings he used for 1620p, he mentions that it performs roughly the same as it did at 1620p with these settings but with higher GPU usage.

Let me eat Potatos and Cheese if old.

icecold1983 · Dec 30, 2016

he fails to mention the seriously worse aa coverage as he does in most of his comparison videos. the shimmer is awful without the taa option

Mr Swine · Dec 30, 2016

Looks like the PS4 Pro version has much less normal mapping or parallax mapping on the ground at 03:00 in the video compared to the PC version

Inuhanyou · Dec 30, 2016

The jaguar CPU is still a mobile chip low power chip, and the 1060 is still much stronger than the Pro's GPU, which is a downclocked version of the 480 which was already weaker than the 1060

Basically, these results are in line with expectations

Consoles can only go up from here, atleast in terms of CPU power

Blinck · Dec 31, 2016

It's impossible to build that PC on europe for that price. The GPU Alone is around 300...

Seriously, where does he buy the PC parts?

Dreams-Visions · Dec 31, 2016

Blinck said:
It's impossible to build that PC on europe for that price. The GPU Alone is around 300€...

300€ for a 1060? Really?

Is that because of Brexit?

Enter the Dragon Punch · Dec 31, 2016

Blinck said:
It's impossible to build that PC on europe for that price. The GPU Alone is around 300...

Seriously, where does he buy the PC parts?

He has an entire video about it. Watch it

johancruijff · Dec 31, 2016

Dreams-Visions said:
300 for a 1060? Really?

Is that because of Brexit?

the 6GB version? yup

just check amazon.de/fr/es/it

icecold1983 · Dec 31, 2016

Blinck said:
It's impossible to build that PC on europe for that price. The GPU Alone is around 300...

Seriously, where does he buy the PC parts?

he built the original system from used and gifted parts upgraded the gpu to the 1060 for $270 or whatever

Blinck · Dec 31, 2016

Dreams-Visions said:
300 for a 1060? Really?

Is that because of Brexit?

No, its always been like that. Here in Portugal its closer to 400.

These budget PC's arguments are obsolete in many countries. It's impossible for me to build a PC like this for the price of a PS4. Even if I ordered from the US the ports would be extremely high and not worth it.

icecold1983 said:
he built the original system from used and gifted parts upgraded the gpu to the 1060 for $270 or whatever

Gifted and used parts? Whats the point then? I could be gifted a lot of PC parts and then buy a used CPU for 50, and I wouldnt say that I built a PC that can compete with a PS4 for 50.

I honestly think these vídeos are very misleading.

kvn · Dec 31, 2016

Dreams-Visions said:
300 for a 1060? Really?

Is that because of Brexit?

Has barely anything to do with the Brexit. Electronics have been WAY cheaper in the US since forever.

Cmerrill · Dec 31, 2016

The GTX 1060 6gb is basically a $400 card here in Canada after tax. The ps4 pro is a $100 more and obviously a cheaper/better option.

Caayn · Dec 31, 2016

Blinck said:
Gifted and used parts? Whats the point then? I could be gifted a lot of PC parts and then buy a used CPU for 50, and I wouldnt say that I built a PC that can compete with a PS4 for 50.

I honestly think these vídeos are very misleading.

As Enter the Dragon Punch already mentioned before me. Watch this video https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcrotHUVFN0 he explains it from a financial perspective as well.

Hellgardia · Dec 31, 2016

Blinck said:
No, its always been like that. Here in Portugal its closer to 400.

These budget PC's arguments are obsolete in many countries. It's impossible for me to build a PC like this for the price of a PS4. Even if I ordered from the US the ports would be extremely high and not worth it.

Gifted and used parts? Whats the point then? I could be gifted a lot of PC parts and then buy a used CPU for 50, and I wouldnt say that I built a PC that can compete with a PS4 for 50.

I honestly think these vídeos are very misleading.

Hmm, Portugal has at least two models of the gtx1060 6gb below 300... (Windforce from Gigabyte and armor from msi)

RichiRamjag · Dec 31, 2016

Good video, I play on all, but it's always good to see people being educated on what's involved in PC gaming.

hardcastlemccormick · Dec 31, 2016

The Potato Masher series is one of my favorites. I also really like Oafah's Shitbox series, where he tests games an ever changing PC that's under $100. I like that both channels are very honest - they're willing to point out when the PC is losing to the console and break down why.

Blinck said:
Gifted and used parts? Whats the point then? I could be gifted a lot of PC parts and then buy a used CPU for 50€, and I wouldnt say that I built a PC that can compete with a PS4 for 50€.

I honestly think these vídeos are very misleading.

The parts weren't gifted, JERMGaming broke down the cost of everything they put into the PC. They're not misleading in the slightest - it's very possible to make a PC at the exact cost that he does.

Obviously you wouldn't want to make the exact Potato Masher specs today, he made the PC back in 2014 and prices have fluctuated since then.

leeh · Dec 31, 2016

Inuhanyou said:
The jaguar CPU is still a mobile chip low power chip, and the 1060 is still much stronger than the Pro's GPU, which is a downclocked version of the 480 which was already weaker than the 1060

Basically, these results are in line with expectations Consoles can only go up from here, atleast in terms of CPU power

Welcome to the 7th generation, where the CPU's can't outclass midrange CPU's 5 years prior to their launch.

Sigh..

icecold1983 · Dec 31, 2016

Blinck said:
No, its always been like that. Here in Portugal its closer to 400.

These budget PC's arguments are obsolete in many countries. It's impossible for me to build a PC like this for the price of a PS4. Even if I ordered from the US the ports would be extremely high and not worth it.

Gifted and used parts? Whats the point then? I could be gifted a lot of PC parts and then buy a used CPU for 50, and I wouldnt say that I built a PC that can compete with a PS4 for 50.

I honestly think these vídeos are very misleading.

his channel is very misleading and his analysis isnt very objective at all

Renekton · Dec 31, 2016

Sorry for derail, but imho the listed price should be full part costs.

crazy monkey · Dec 31, 2016

Renekton said:
Sorry for derail, but imho the listed price should be full part costs.

yes. They always cheat and assume you have everything and all you do is replace gpu. I have laptops not desktops. If you actually buy brand new the cost goes much higher. Then they will ignore OS cost to save the money.

FarFromAnyGame · Dec 31, 2016

Renekton said:
Sorry for derail, but imho the listed price should be full part costs.

But they won't get them clicks if they list the actual full price.

Vipu · Dec 31, 2016

crazy monkey said:
yes. They always cheat and assume you have everything and all you do is replace gpu. I have laptops not desktops. If you actually buy brand new the cost goes much higher. Then they will ignore OS cost to save the money.

Oh noes the OS!!!!!!!
You can get win10 for 10$ if thats what ruins this whole thing.

hardcastlemccormick · Dec 31, 2016

Renekton said:
Sorry for derail, but imho the listed price should be full part costs.

I'm not seeing how they didn't list all of the costs of the PC parts? They justified the cost of the GPU so that it's compared to the PS4 Pro in cost, but to make that exact PC you'd pay the exact same they did.

farisr · Dec 31, 2016

Just saw the first minutes of them building the first one.

Used parts, refurbished, rebates are fair game. OS costs don't count etc etc.

If they do shit like that, then they've got to factor in sales, resales, and bundles for consoles where you can sell off the games that come with it as well.

Not really a "same cost" comparison at all in the end.

LilJoka · Dec 31, 2016

Dreams-Visions said:
300 for a 1060? Really?

Is that because of Brexit?

1060 6gb can be had for £240 in the uk.
Brexit did push prices up as I had a build configured in April which was way over budget by August

hardcastlemccormick · Dec 31, 2016

farisr said:
Just saw the first minutes of them building the first one.

Used parts, refurbished, rebates are fair game. OS costs don't count etc etc.

If they do shit like that, then they've got to factor in sales, resales, and bundles for consoles where you can sell off the games that come with it as well.

Not really a "same cost" comparison at all in the end.

They started the comparison at the beginning of the generation when there weren't any sales, resales and bundles for consoles.

But that's beside the point. The point of the video series isn't to do an exact 1:1 creation of the PS4 or PS4 Pro. It's just to see how far your money takes you on PC and use the consoles as a baseline. Everybody has this idea that to build a new PC you need to spend a lot of money and continuously upgrade, and that's not really true. Video series like these are educational and show the benefits of PC, while also showing the negatives as well when some games don't run as well. Quite a few games last year ran poorly on the Potato Masher, and that's good info.

Vipu · Dec 31, 2016

hardcastlemccormick said:
They started the comparison at the beginning of the generation when there weren't any sales, resales and bundles for consoles.

But that's beside the point. The point of the video series isn't to do an exact 1:1 creation of the PS4 or PS4 Pro. It's just to see how far your money takes you on PC and use the consoles as a baseline. Everybody has this idea that to build a new PC you need to spend a lot of money and continuously upgrade, and that's not really true. Video series like these are educational and show the benefits of PC, while also showing the negatives as well when some games don't run as well. Quite a few games last year ran poorly on the Potato Masher, and that's good info.

Are you saying you dont have to throw 2000$ once per year to get new pc?!?!

MUnited83 · Dec 31, 2016

Blinck said:
No, its always been like that. Here in Portugal its closer to 400.

These budget PC's arguments are obsolete in many countries. It's impossible for me to build a PC like this for the price of a PS4. Even if I ordered from the US the ports would be extremely high and not worth it.

Gifted and used parts? Whats the point then? I could be gifted a lot of PC parts and then buy a used CPU for 50, and I wouldnt say that I built a PC that can compete with a PS4 for 50.

I honestly think these vídeos are very misleading.

You can import from another EU countries at better prices than you usually get in Portugal, even with shipping added.

icecold1983 · Dec 31, 2016

hardcastlemccormick said:
They started the comparison at the beginning of the generation when there weren't any sales, resales and bundles for consoles.

But that's beside the point. The point of the video series isn't to do an exact 1:1 creation of the PS4 or PS4 Pro. It's just to see how far your money takes you on PC and use the consoles as a baseline. Everybody has this idea that to build a new PC you need to spend a lot of money and continuously upgrade, and that's not really true. Video series like these are educational and show the benefits of PC, while also showing the negatives as well when some games don't run as well. Quite a few games last year ran poorly on the Potato Masher, and that's good info.

they built the potato mashed in early 2015, over a year after the consoles launched.

FalsettoVibe · Dec 31, 2016

Even if the Pro was $100 dollars more, I'd pay that just to not have to bargain hunt parts and build a budget PC. The difference in graphics is not worth it to me.

Vipu · Dec 31, 2016

Dizastah said:
Even if the Pro was $100 dollars more, I'd pay that just to not have to bargain hunt parts and build a budget PC. The difference in graphics is not worth it to me.

Even if PC costed 500$ more I would never get closed & limited console

hardcastlemccormick · Dec 31, 2016

Vipu said:
Are you saying you dont have to throw 2000$ once per year to get new pc?!?!

You don't even have to spend $1000 like some people are fond of saying. That's why I like these kinds of videos - they really put that sort of mentality next to a lot of different ways of thinking about how to game on PC.

Or even Oafah's or Nerd on a Budget's PC builds where they'll build a decent gaming PC out of used parts (or sometimes new). Both channels have made $250 PC's that are surprisingly still relevant. It just shows the huge variety of PC's out there and how you don't have to stick to a single narrow path. PC gamers often like to trumpet how you should only bother with the highest of the high end, and that's only true depending on what you want to play.

icecold1983 said:
they built the potato mashed in early 2015, over a year after the consoles launched.

Ah, you're right, mea culpa on that.

adamsapple · Dec 31, 2016

icecold1983 said:
he built the original system from used and gifted parts upgraded the gpu to the 1060 for $270 or whatever

That defeats the point of 'building' something to compete with the $399 price point.

Vipu · Dec 31, 2016

chandoog said:
That defeats the point of 'building' something to compete with the $399 price point.

Why, building is building.
Thats what you can (and should) do with PC:s, upgrade gpu every 1-3 years to keep having high end experience, no need to buy whole system every time.

Movalpolos · Dec 31, 2016

farisr said:
Just saw the first minutes of them building the first one.

Used parts, refurbished, rebates are fair game. OS costs don't count etc etc.

If they do shit like that, then they've got to factor in sales, resales, and bundles for consoles where you can sell off the games that come with it as well.

Not really a "same cost" comparison at all in the end.

Yup.

adamsapple · Dec 31, 2016

Vipu said:
Why, building is building.
Thats what you can do with PC:s, upgrade gpu every 1-3 years to keep having high end experience, no need to buy whole system every time.

You missed my point. Unless he actually counts the retail value of the 'gifted' parts in the package as well, if the gifted parts are neglected and the potato masher price only includes the things he bought himself .. it defeats the whole point.

I could just as well gift someone a PS4 Pro and then they're experience is a better value than any potato masher you can come up with.

farisr said:
Just saw the first minutes of them building the first one.

Used parts, refurbished, rebates are fair game. OS costs don't count etc etc.

If they do shit like that, then they've got to factor in sales, resales, and bundles for consoles where you can sell off the games that come with it as well.

Not really a "same cost" comparison at all in the end.

lol, there we go ...

people were able to buy PS4 Pro's for as low as $319.99 over black friday factoring in various deals, discounts etc, let's build a potato masher that beats that price and then revisit this.

Vipu · Dec 31, 2016

chandoog said:
You missed my point. Unless he actually counts the retail value of the 'gifted' parts in the package as well, if the gifted parts are neglected and the potato masher price only includes the things he bought himself .. it defeats the whole point.

I could just as well gift someone a PS4 Pro and then they're experience is a better value than any potato masher you can come up with.

I have not checked the whole series so im not sure how it went but here is my guess what is their idea with this.

They built pc to compare with ps4, now its time to upgrade to NEXTGEN.
So they have to buy whole ps4pro to get that experience, while they can upgrade only gpu to have the same experience on pc.

hardcastlemccormick · Dec 31, 2016

chandoog said:
You missed my point. Unless he actually counts the retail value of the 'gifted' parts in the package as well, if the gifted parts are neglected and the potato masher price only includes the things he bought himself .. it defeats the whole point.

I could just as well gift someone a PS4 Pro and then they're experience is a better value than any potato masher you can come up with.

There were not gifted parts. They included the cost of every component in the Potato Masher in the cost of the system.

chandoog said:
lol, there we go ...

people were able to buy PS4 Pro's for as low as $319.99 over black friday, let's build a potato masher that beats that price.

PC components were also on sale during Black Friday. You could get GPUs comparable to what's in the PM Pro for around $170. With prices like that it'd be easy to make a $320-ish PC.

Alucrid · Dec 31, 2016

even $450 seems expensive to build a computer to match a ps4 pro. i just dumpster dive outside my nearest electronic store and built a rig that runs games at 4k 60 fps so i don't even know why anyone would waste money on a ps4 pro when you can get a pc out of the trash for free

belvedere · Dec 31, 2016

And a $399 PC, how does that do?

FIREKNIGHT2029 · Dec 31, 2016

This comparison is worthless since he's using "gifted parts". That's not the real cost of his PC. If you're gonna compare a PC to a PS4 Pro you have to the real total price of the PC's components, since not everyone is lucky enough to have people gift them PC parts. Lord knows if I had people gifting me parts when I built my PC last year it would have come out as cheap or cheaper than my PS4 Pro is.

Edit: Never mind I see it was clarified he's using used parts. My point still sort of stands since you can also get a used console for cheaper.

Can Crusher · Dec 31, 2016

The gpu alone is well over 300 EUR. Fail.

PeterLegend · Dec 31, 2016

But i cant play Uncharted or God of War on PC.

If it wasnt so Sony Exclusives id own a midrange pc

adamsapple · Dec 31, 2016

hardcastlemccormick said:
There were not gifted parts. They included the cost of every component in the Potato Masher in the cost of the system.

Fair enough then, though as the post I quoted in my last reply mentions, seems to be a healthy amount of second hand, refurbished parts. Again, that's something you can do with consoles too, including routine deals and discounts like you said in the second half of your post.

There's plenty of nitpicks that can be made about this comparison, this is definitely not a like-for-like or anywhere close comparison IMO.

hardcastlemccormick · Dec 31, 2016

belvedere said:
And a $399 PC, how does that do?

Battlefield 1 - $375 PC vs PS4 - Battlefield 1 on the Potato Masher

chandoog said:
Fair enough then, though as the post I quoted in my last reply mentions, seems to be a healthy amount of second hand, refurbished parts. Again, that's something you can do with consoles too, including routine deals and discounts like you said in the second half of your post.

There's plenty of nitpicks that can be made about this comparison, this is definitely not a like-for-like or anywhere close comparison IMO.

Indeed. I got my WiiU reburb from Nintendo at $200 and it was great. Perfect price.

If there's anything to take away from these videos, it's that you can play games on a budget on any platform. Nitpicking over the price misses the point.

ByWatterson · Dec 31, 2016

In 2013, I spent $400 to guarantee I could play just about every major release for the next 6-7 years, plus exclusives.

So, yeah, I like my console.

SuperBanana · Dec 31, 2016

I can't even run BF1 properly at 1080p on my $1000 machine. No matter what setting I put it on it's a super erratic fucked up frame rate.

Frozone · Dec 31, 2016

Inuhanyou said:
The jaguar CPU is still a mobile chip low power chip, and the 1060 is still much stronger than the Pro's GPU, which is a downclocked version of the 480 which was already weaker than the 1060

Basically, these results are in line with expectations Consoles can only go up from here, atleast in terms of CPU power

Yep. I didn't even read the article and saw the settings and knew his PC config would win out.

icecold1983 · Dec 31, 2016

hardcastlemccormick said:
There were not gifted parts. They included the cost of every component in the Potato Masher in the cost of the system.

PC components were also on sale during Black Friday. You could get GPUs comparable to what's in the PM Pro for around $170. With prices like that it'd be easy to make a $320-ish PC.

he assigned some arbitrary "used" price for the gifted parts. in fact the only thing he didnt buy used was the psu, he said he found a special slick deals type of coupon

chromatic9 · Dec 31, 2016

2880x1620 native is a bit much. PS4 Pro is doing 1440p checkerboarded hence why no-one could tell it was patched when the Ps4 vs PS4 Pro comparison videos went up and were quite adamant about it. Only handful noticed some slight terrain changes some slightly cleaner bits when someone uploaded some screens. where as Uncharted 4 Pro mode is native 1440p and is easily detectable over 1080p PS4 even on a youtube video, same for Titanfall 2. More damming is how BF1 PS4 is less than 1080p. 1440p checkerboard isn't probably going to hold up.

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