Apple Arcade

[JDTAY]

https://www.apple.com/apple-arcade/

"Games that redefine games." Anyone else feel like they're trying to redefine the wheel a bit much? One of the games is literally called "Lego Arthouse".

It's a games subscription service for Apple devices that boasts over a hundred exclusive titles, with some actual names behind some of them. There's no streaming involved, so it'll actually work in the US. No ads, no microtransactions, just subscribe and play.

The reason I'm posting about this? I have a budget of $500 to spend on myself next month that they won't let me use on Pyra. I was considering an iPad. If you guys could talk me out of it, that'd be great.

 

[ClockworkCoder]

If money is a concern, never buy Apple:


Don't see anything groundbreaking about their service.

 

[TrashyMG]

Without getting into Apple/Android argument, I'll point out tablets make poor devices if you want to do anything more than browsing the internet. gaming is poor, you will want to have a controller, and in the case of Android which I'm familiar with it's possible to use them, but it's a mess to sync and it depends on the game how well it supports an external controller. Also for productivity you will want a keyboard and they're difficult to get working sometimes.... My tablet I bought for Kindle I use only for reading and maybe stream videos.. but mostly it just sits as my Phone usually handles everything I need, Occasionally I feel the need to use it when I get serious with a novel I'm reading, but then battery is usually dead for lack of use, if the Tablet cost me more than $35, then I'd be upset with my purchase...

A small laptop, or Handheld like the GPD WIN/Pocket may be a better all around choice if the Pyra is out of the question.

 

[JDTAY]

Yeah, I think they just want to see the Pyra release before letting me buy one, so I don't get ripped off. I do kind of want a laptop, but my last one got hacked, and that's why I got upset and got rid of it. At this point, I'm not even sure how to spend $500 on myself, which is kinda sad. Maybe I'll just get Switch stuff.

Man, I wish I had some on topic stuff to say...

 

[levi]

If you've got only got 500 pounds it would perhaps be seen as being more responsible if you held on to it, and maybe put it in some sort of interest paying account (although I assume you've kind of got those already, you just don't have direct access to them). But anyway, showing you're able to delay gratification will show you're capable of something that societies run on.

 

[JDTAY]

I talked to them yesterday, and they said the money was specifically set aside for me wanting a computer, so I guess that's what I'm getting, unless I call the whole thing off. At least that kills the iPad idea.

And yeah, $500 isn't a great computer budget, especially since they want me to buy in store at Best Buy. I was hoping for a laptop with four cores, 8 GB RAM, 2 GB dedicated graphics, and an SSD, but it looks like those start at $600. Maybe I can luck out with a good sale next month. July 4th is a holiday where I'm at.

 

[vcoleiro1]

I had a 17" Macbook Pro that Apple wanted more than it was worth to fix. I ended up doing a reflow in the oven. It worked luckily and surprisingly

 

[WizardStan]

I have a budget of $500 to spend on myself next month that they won't let me use on Pyra.

You could... not spend that on yourself and save it until August or even September, save a little bit more and get something better.

 

[kuru]

and get something better.

- maybe even a real PC

 

[JDTAY]

I browsed my local Best Buy's inventory online, and they had a Nitro 5 that fit my description for... $679. Ouch. And that was with $50 taken off.

Yeah, I may just ask them if I can spend more money a few months later. Part of why they chose July was my birthday, but my account hasn't fully recovered from when I got that furniture yet.

 

[Chip]

Best buy is a terrible place to buy a computer. You'll pay more than you have to, and you'll get garbage. If you have to buy retail, at least go to a microcenter or fry's.

Do you need something portable? $500 will buy you a fairly decent gaming PC if you build yourself:

PCPartPicker Part List

Motherboard: ASRock - B450M-HDV R4.0 Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($64.89 @ OutletPC)
Memory: GeIL - EVO POTENZA 8 GB (2 x 4 GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($37.43 @ Newegg)
Storage: Team - MS30 512 GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($55.62 @ Newegg)
Video Card: XFX - Radeon RX 570 4 GB XXX Edition Video Card ($136.96 @ Amazon)
Case: Rosewill - FBM-X1 MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($21.38 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Thermaltake - Smart 500 W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply ($37.90 @ Walmart)
Custom: Ryzen 5 3400G ($149.00)
Total: $503.18
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-06-18 11:01 EDT-0400

You'll need to wait a couple weeks for the 3400G to go on sale, but it's worth the short delay. That'll run rings around anything you can get pre-built in that price range, and it will certainly blow the doors off of any tablet.

 

[matzesu]

Whell, the last Smartphone i made a lot of Gaming on was my Galaxy Note 2, because its quite easy to put Roms on a Android Phone, at this time i also used a Ipod Touch only for my Musik as i ditnt want to use the Smartphone for Musik..

Then i bought me the Iphone 6s and later the XR, and both ditnt got used much for gaming, maybe a bit Solitär/Patience but not that much anymore.. , i rather use the IOS Phones for Musik Youtube Netflix and Browser etc (and somethings to phone)..

I have a Pandora in my Pocket for Gaming

 

[JDTAY]

Thought I'd revive this thread even though it went wildly off-topic. I did end up getting an iPad mini last year. Even tried out Apple Arcade for a month when I first got it. Thing is, they had a huge update for Apple Arcade just today. 30 new games. Looks kinda interesting, really.

Apparently, they sniped claphanz from Sony, so you can get Hot Shots Golf Everybody's Golf claphanz golf.

Edit: I'm planning on trying it, but I need to wait for my mini to update first. Also, I probably won't qualify for another free trial of Arcade, but I will have over five dollars on my card once a hold from GrubHub comes back, probably Monday.

 

[JDTAY]

I actually did qualify for a new free trial of Apple Arcade. As for Clap Hanz Golf, it's significantly less annoying to do a flicking motion than it is to hold two different buttons while pressing a third button and flinging your controller/Vita upwards to achieve perfect topspin. There are some drawbacks to this entry, but from what I've played so far, it might actually be the best yet. It's even less golf-y than before though, since you start out playing three holes at a time, and can only do up to 9, apparently. I'm gonna miss 18-hole courses where you choke on the 17th hole.

 

[JDTAY]

I've been back on Apple Arcade. Still mostly Clap Hanz Golf. My one gripe with this game is that the shape of the green matters on putts, but doesn't seem to be a factor during approach. I haven't been counting, but I'm fairly sure I've sunk more chip-ins than one-putts.

 

[levi]

Yeah, same for me playing Everybody's Golf. I can hit the hole in 8/10 chip ins even from the rough near the green, but if I don't get it in and have to use the putter I know I will waste a shot or two to get it finally in.