Well yeah, sensible people just look at what's available for their budget and do some research to make an informed decision. I think really the OP is just describing what happens if you hang out in tech forums too much.
When did the PC hardware scene get so crazy and stressful?
- Thread starter Richdog
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Well yeah, sensible people just look at what's available for their budget and do some research to make an informed decision. I think really the OP is just describing what happens if you hang out in tech forums too much.
Yeah it's really interesting how PC's have gone from something kept out of sight and mind under your desk, to a bedroom ornament. The last thing I want to see in my peripheral vision while gaming or working is a load of multi-coloured lights from any other source than my monitor.
Hah yes... basically this.
Caporegime
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Soldato
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1. Everyone is at home and bored - less pub / travel / meals out / holidays / cinema etc
2. Mining craze jacked prices up to stupid amounts for ages, putting people off upgrading
3. Monitors, lots more lower priced (sub £500) good IPS 1440p 144hz monitors, and cheaper 4k 60+ fps monitors (these were £2k each only a couple of years ago)
4. New console generation means new games with more HP needed to run them
2. Mining craze jacked prices up to stupid amounts for ages, putting people off upgrading
3. Monitors, lots more lower priced (sub £500) good IPS 1440p 144hz monitors, and cheaper 4k 60+ fps monitors (these were £2k each only a couple of years ago)
4. New console generation means new games with more HP needed to run them
I specifically meant with waiting for and buying things... thought that would be obvious from the context.Errrr...you reckon?!
Soldato
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whilst i realise yes we're on a tech forum, is it really that bad to turn down a couple of graphics settings and just enjoy the game?
it's not like not having the latest graphics card means you can't run brand new games unless you have the settings dialed back to the point you might as well be playing minecraft.......
it's not like not having the latest graphics card means you can't run brand new games unless you have the settings dialed back to the point you might as well be playing minecraft.......
Soldato
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What I found "stressful" (again probably the wrong word like the OP said), is the way CPUs went from around 2005 onwards. Before then, people chased the megahertz and you'd know that a PIII 600MHz would be faster than a PIII 450MHz. In the P4 era, Intel hit around the 3.8GHz mark and then it was no longer straightforward. Hyperthreading got introduced, more cache, cores got added and then cores+hyperthreading. Now that we are in 2020, some 15 years later, most CPUs are actually under 3.8GHz. It makes it impossible to understand what you're shopping for without hours of research.
As for GPUs though, I'm still happy with my 1660 Ti. An RTX will be a few years away for me.
As for GPUs though, I'm still happy with my 1660 Ti. An RTX will be a few years away for me.
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fomo?
Caporegime
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It's only crazy and stressful if you allow it to be.
I still look at hardware reviews like a did 20-25 years ago and pick what I want based on my budget and benchmarks.
I still look at hardware reviews like a did 20-25 years ago and pick what I want based on my budget and benchmarks.
I think part of it is due to a large majority of people being stuck at home and not spending much money due to the current situation (I’m talking about those who are fortunate enough to still have a job) and therefore now have more disposable income as all the latest tech appears to be snapped up very quickly this year.
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Having seen the furore about getting new cards, it's pretty clear that nothing beats buying genuinely in stock items and getting them next day delivery.
Pre ordering expensive new tech seems to cause genuine anguish when not getting it for weeks, there's something to be said for only buying a GPU when in stock and a few months after release when technical issues have been resolved like the power connector issues some of the 3000 series had.
Only stressful if chasing new things all the time, being totally happy with a modest to good PC setup is possible.
Pre ordering expensive new tech seems to cause genuine anguish when not getting it for weeks, there's something to be said for only buying a GPU when in stock and a few months after release when technical issues have been resolved like the power connector issues some of the 3000 series had.
Only stressful if chasing new things all the time, being totally happy with a modest to good PC setup is possible.
you used to be able to build a top spec pc including the case for like 1k with spending like a 100 on a case.
I think it was about 7 years ago that everything suddenly got covered in RGB leds and tripled in price,
even motherboards are ridiculous prices these days.
if ram went up in price as much as everything else we would be spending like 300-400 on decent ram.
barely any games come out to even make it worth upgrading for me as well.
I'm still on a i5 4670k @ 4ghz and a 980ti..
I'll probably just wait until next year or so
I think it was about 7 years ago that everything suddenly got covered in RGB leds and tripled in price,
even motherboards are ridiculous prices these days.
if ram went up in price as much as everything else we would be spending like 300-400 on decent ram.
barely any games come out to even make it worth upgrading for me as well.
I'm still on a i5 4670k @ 4ghz and a 980ti..
I'll probably just wait until next year or so
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Fear Of Missing Out
This is what I find hilarious.
My Vega 56 struggles to play some games at 1440p high/ultra settings and maintaining a smooth 144hz. So instead of dropping the best part of a grand on new hardware, I just play on medium. The hilarious part is that at no point can I tell the difference between medium and ultra when I'm engrossed in the game itself.
Too many people fussing over benchmark figures rather than enjoying the game.
There was a time when Ultra settings genuinely made you go 'wow'. But I've not really had this with a game recently, all the settings are generally excellent.
Yeah it’s deffo a ‘shiny new’ thing. I’m intending on spending some fair cash in the new year on the basis that it’s a trophy-toy and also a fun project as I’ve never built one before.
A lot of stuff seems to have got aggressively more expensive in recent years, cashing in in the ‘enthusiast’ markets.
A lot of stuff seems to have got aggressively more expensive in recent years, cashing in in the ‘enthusiast’ markets.
Soldato
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As @Cooper said, what I find annoying about the whole situation is that people are so desperate to have the latest and greatest that they don't seem to care or mind that they're paying way over the MSRP for certain products. I wish consumers would take a stand against retailer gouging, every person who buys a massively marked up card is giving retailers the green light to keep on going with that business practice and I personally think that's really irresponsible consumer behaviour. People seem to have taken a stand against the £14.95 PPV football matches, it's a shame they don't appear to be willing to do the same thing when PC retailers take the micky.
Yeah it's easy not to get sucked in.
It's the whole FOMO thing. Epeen etc etc.
I also find it more stressful than ever.
Then question if I even need an upgrade? I mean I'm happy enough at the moment do I even need to spend 600 on a new gpu.
I've never spent 600 on a gpu! No where near.
It's very easy to justify that when people are talking about it, getting it etc.
Even asking 'should I just get a 1080?' gets lots of nos because why wouldn't you get that 3080
I think just stepping back brought some perspective.
600 is 3/4 of my months mortgage
600 is a holiday abroad - this is going to be much more worth it!
600 is more than a new xbox
That's what a little less graphic beauty gets you
Besides some of my favourite games don't even have complex graphics.
So I've decided to not bother going in that forum now and just getting a decent 200ish gpu like I did when I got the 1070. Ignorance is bliss is very very true with social media.
Same goes for ads in Facebook etc. If you're not careful you get sucked into keeping up.its a bit scary when I look round my office room at things that cost a lot but now I no longer use
It's the whole FOMO thing. Epeen etc etc.
I also find it more stressful than ever.
Then question if I even need an upgrade? I mean I'm happy enough at the moment do I even need to spend 600 on a new gpu.
I've never spent 600 on a gpu! No where near.
It's very easy to justify that when people are talking about it, getting it etc.
Even asking 'should I just get a 1080?' gets lots of nos because why wouldn't you get that 3080
I think just stepping back brought some perspective.
600 is 3/4 of my months mortgage
600 is a holiday abroad - this is going to be much more worth it!
600 is more than a new xbox
That's what a little less graphic beauty gets you
Besides some of my favourite games don't even have complex graphics.
So I've decided to not bother going in that forum now and just getting a decent 200ish gpu like I did when I got the 1070. Ignorance is bliss is very very true with social media.
Same goes for ads in Facebook etc. If you're not careful you get sucked into keeping up.its a bit scary when I look round my office room at things that cost a lot but now I no longer use