Is it really worth buying a high end gaming rig any more?

I posted it was worth it for me and I'll tell you why.

Back in the day, late 80's early 90's when I saw a game at the store I wanted I would have to look at the game requirements to see if my PC could play it. If it could I was golden, not and dissapointment ensued.:(

Over the years I decided that I would not go through that again, so .... My PC will always be powerfull enough to run anything I desire on it from games to anything else, without having to ever again check the box to see if I meet the hardware requirements.

That makes me happy so that's how I roll with my PC.
 
The 800D is the shit.

I wouldn't have thought that the piece of PC kit that I'd get the most excited about in years would be a frigging case, but here we are. :)

Earlier this month I built a helluva system in an 800D, 980EX, filled all the hard drive bays, and four 1920x1200 monitors, made a super video editing machine.

Best assembling / cable organization I've seen. What really got me is, although the motherboard tray isn't removable, there is a door behind the CPU socket for mounting your heatsink without removing the motherboard. The hot swap drive bays are very high quality, and the ample mounting placements for the H50 was a dream. The air filter on the bottom of the case is genius. Cases really don't get much better.

Sadly, I wasn't building this computer for myself. :(
 
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. Yes playing high resolution, high AA, high AF, and 3D over the low-res, upscaled, 2D games on a console was worth $2,000 to me. I'm currently playing Batman AA in 3D and it is phenomenal.





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Ahhh, yes..the high levels of AA... except many games now days are ports of console games, without ANY graphics options & do not support AA at all.
I could not force AA on many games I tried, such as Mass Effect, GTA, Bioshock, Assassins Creed, Dark Sector, Gears of War, Stranglehold, Saboteur, BIA: Hells Highway. Sure, I "could" try renaming the .exe, but should I have to? I mean, didn't I just spend over 2 grand on an uber gaming machine?
 
My computer has lasted several years already and with a few upgrades here and there is still pushing games at high settings at 5870x1080 eyefinity resolution! You no longer have to upgrade every 6 months to be able to play the latest games. I really enjoy being able to pick up games on steam for less than the price of an xbox live arcade game during their weekends deals as well. Also, my computer is great for productivity because I have four screens (tons of space!) and is constantly in use ripping dvd's, encoding blurays into mkv's, processing photos, recording music, mixing recordings, etc. My computer is constantly loading media onto my server, htpc, etc. and is the central hub for all digital entertainment served throughout my house.

In reality you can drop $100-200 into a modern quad-core computer to put in a last gen video card and enjoy any game out there. Totally worth it in my book.
 
(y) I don't know which display you went with, but the good news is that games still look great when scaled down to 1920x1200 on my 3008WFP. Much better than I expected actually, and it came in very handy when I was playing Crysis with a GTX 260 as there were very noticeable slowdowns at 2560x1600. I probably could have just reduced the detail but I'd rather sacrifice resolution in most cases where performance could use a boost.

L4D2 runs between 60-50 with max setting and NO AA. Put AA to 2x - 4x and it drops to 60-40 which is where is starts to become noticeable. 6aa and more it takes a big hit.

Fallout 3 runs on high with no AA flawlessly 60fps constant except for VATS which is a game issue, and I'm guessing New Vegas will do the same but could be wrong.

the only game in future that might kill my rig is probably BF3 but that won't be coming out for a long time.

2560x1600 is like heaven and it dwarfs my 24".

so this is what I have paid on my PC.

CM590 - $50 newegg deal free shipping
Case fans + controller - $60 - 4 x 140 mm + controller
MB - P5n-D $70 - openbox newegg.
PSU - antec EA 650 - $40 newegg deal.
CPU - q6700 - $120 - Zipzoom or MC I can't remember.
GPU - $100 for the first added a second for $60
Ram - 8gig gskil $80 - newegg back when ram was cheap.
intel 80g SSD - $180 - Newegg deal.
1tb drive - $80 - Newegg.
Old monitor Westing house 24" - &220 openbox newegg
New monitor -NEC 305t referbished $530 tting.com

total - $1530

Subtract 30" & 24", SSD, casefans and controller, makes for $540

most of the PC is about 2-3 years old.
 
I find that offensive
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This system, in its entirety, cost much more than $2,000. :D

Seriously, though. You have your hobbies, I have mine.
I respect that. Sometimes I fail to look at a PC as a hobby. I always try to find the efficient path.
 
Meh, my current rig appears to hold its own at 1920x1200 and it is relatively old. I haven't met a game which has made me want to upgrade yet.
 
Certainly, the days of games coming out that make you want to upgrade are pretty much in the past. Sure, there will invariably be one or two such games here and there - Crysis and Metro, for instance - but it's few and far between.

In a strange way, I miss the days of reading about Quake 2 or Doom 3 in a print magazine and wondering whether my machine could run it, and then upgrading accordingly. It gave the hobby an air of semi-necessity.

Now it's just like, "well can I run this at 16xCSAA, or with TRAA and SS?" or "what hoops will I have to go through to get this yet-another-console-engine game to do antialiasing?"
 
wait.. so its not worth it to you to have 9 games at one time to play? are days longer than 24 hours where you live?


and now that i think of it, theres plenty of other good games for pc also... he didnt mention the racing titles, team fortress, counterstrike, or other old games that have modded content to make them way better, such as oblivion or fallout (not 3d of course) but still..




Not, $2000 superior to play a handful of games.

Yes, it's worth building a high end rig.

3D Vision is the exclusive reason I came back to PC gaming. The visuals on the PC blow console out of the water... and then there is the 3D. :)

Batman: Arkham Asylum
Bioshock 2
Half Life 2
World of Warcraft
Borderlands
Dragon Age: Origins
FarCry 2
Mass Effect
Battlefield Bad Company 2
and... others that don't come to mind right now. The PC versions are vastly superior to the console versions of all of these games. Aaaaaaaand then there is the 3D, which is perfect or so-close-to-perfect-you-don't-really-care in all of these games.
 
No buy a console anything!!!! The DRM bullshit you have to go through to play a PC game is totally ridiculous !!! Don't pay to upgrade your PC to play any games. F the hardware & software makers for making you jump through hoops to play a game that you paid for !!! Plus you upgraded your hardware & software to play the freaking game & some DRM makes playing your game a pain in the ass instead of fun !!!
 
Just get a medium grade build every 2 years. No sense in going $2000 on a build that'll be outdated in a year. Just split up what you were thinking of spending on a single machine into 2 machines.. even a new one each year if you really wish but 2 years seems to be the real way to go - if you get antsy go for a videocard upgrade a year later.
 
Just get a medium grade build every 2 years. No sense in going $2000 on a build that'll be outdated in a year. Just split up what you were thinking of spending on a single machine into 2 machines.. even a new one each year if you really wish but 2 years seems to be the real way to go - if you get antsy go for a videocard upgrade a year later.

yeah if anything go medium build on components other than video card and psu.
 
I'm a long term PC gamer (1988) and I use my PC for a lot more than gaming.
- I really look forward to Eyefinity - when I decide I need an upgrade

I don't think game devs will EVER give PC gamers the attention we want EVER again!
- a few hundred thousand PC gamers vs. millions of console gamers = PC gamers FTL

I hate to say it, but it is true...

However, I'd try the dark side (consoles) if they supported KB, mouse, wheels, sticks, etc.
- 1920x1080 HD TV @ max visuals & 60 FPS min. is pretty nice @ 37, 47 & 50+ inches.
+ all players have equal hardware, FPS & ping matched games - so no whiners!

I've played several console ports to PC & they are pretty sad...
- they play badly because the the KB & mouse are treated as an after thought.
- I've tried maxi-pads - errr - game-pads but those are really for women & children.

My .02
 
My system is going to hit 3 years old as of this December and with Bad Company 2, I was prepared for the fact I might not be able to enjoy this game with my system. The beta (and then retail) proved to me that my system can hold its ground very well at 1680x1050. Granted, I want to turn full settings for Bad Company 2, but with where I left it, I'm satisfied for 45-55 FPS constant. I just found out I can push more FPS if I just simply OC, so time to experiment this weekend :D

With other games I still play (L4D2, WoW, Tropico 3, maybe MW2 with some friends), I am still pushing full settings, sans maybe full AA - at 1680x1050, I'm finding little reason to push beyond 4x AA. Maybe I'm getting too old to notice the difference.

If I had to overhaul, I think 1000-1100 USD + state tax/shipping should do the trick, but check on what's up before pulling the trigger. I wanted to go Core i5, but with what I got, I think I'll wait a little longer and see what happens in 2011...

(I should update my sig: I no longer use a 8800GT, but rather a 50 dollar 9800GTX from a friend that's far quieter)
 
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It was never worth it to buy high end, but I think it's actually worth it more nowadays than say 15 years ago. Back then HW got outdated so quickly that if you bought a flagship GPU you still had to upgrade 6 months later. Now if you buy a high end GPU you can play games until the end of this console generation at least. But I was never an frames / sec freak, if a game pushes out 20-25 frames I can happily play. I'd rather have better graphics than more fps. That's why I switched to 4k.

Oops i only noticed that this is an old thread.
 
The push for faster CPUs has finally started to withdraw and now its much more about optimization and core count. The good thing about that is that 4 cores is pretty much the standard for most configurations so as long as you have a quad core you can still enjoy much of what's out there.

I think GPU's have also slowed a bit in their pacing. We use to get a pretty steady path of upgrades every 6 months to a year but people are holding off more than they use to. Nvidia is also saving all of its fastest tech for GPU's that frankly are way beyond the average consumers willingness ($1,000+ Titans and such) so its probably more common to see people buying lesser cards and simply running them in SLI configurations or upgrading whenever a newer generation is released.

My current i7 930 has lasted me very well and still pairs well with my Titan. I don't really see that changing anytime soon and now with both new consoles being heavily crippled PC's I think more than ever now there is even less reason to upgrade for pure performance unless you are trying to run 4k or 1440p at 144hz. Most people are very happy with a 1080p 60hz monitor that runs a wide range of games perfectly.

I'm sure this trend scares manufacturers which have been use to shorter upgrade cycles. One to note is the increased interest in PC gaming since the launch of the next gen consoles. People see that neither console can really do games justice compared to even a lower end PC. The PS4 is a good system but it needs quite a bit of firmware improvement and exclusive game titles to make it a worthy investment for the PC gamer.

There will also always be people who prefer to buy prebuilt rigs simply because they don't want to fiddle with the process and they better warranty coverage. Building a gaming rig is easier than ever though.
 
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I couldn't be bothered reading all the posts, but I call attention troll on this one, no offence.

Seriously, it's like going to an automotive forum and telling everyone their toys/hobby/time-waster babies (i.e. cars) are dumb, because the bus is easier and cheaper and more eco-friendly. I mean, really - what kind of response were you expecting...?

1st dude got it right. At [H] it's give me high-end rig, or give me death. Or go read Reddit instead.
 
My computer is now about 4 years old - may be older.

I can still play games fine though not as well as I used to.

It almost make sense with fewer PC titles being made to have a non-gaming PC for surfing/email and then a console like a PS3 for gaming.

What do you think?

I think the pc world slipped from the position it held in the past. Consoles bridged the gap while pc sat still. It stinks, I have wondered myself why I am paying 1K+ for new rigs ever so
often when the industry seems to be fading out or replaced with Indie games that look like something from the Super nintendo era.

Edit: fwiw, I am and will forever be Pro PC. The potential there has never waned but maybe interest has. I do not want to game on a cellphone.
This does not wow me like zoning into my first dungeon in EQ or fragging people online in UT99.
I think the good leaders of the industry died off or were purchased and changed.. Idk.

I am willing to pay money 50 or 60 for good games, I am willing to pay a service charge for a good MMO game that deserves it.
I am willing to purchase pricey pc parts in order to make my machine handle more.
I am not willing to suffer FTP/cheap indie nonsense because its easy and put up with substandard games for a PC that is capable of doing so much more.
I hate this new generation.
Or maybe things have just changed this much.
 
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Parting out my machine now using laptop android phone and wii for gaming tired of cost
 
I think the pc world slipped from the position it held in the past. Consoles bridged the gap while pc sat still. It stinks, I have wondered myself why I am paying 1K+ for new rigs ever so
often when the industry seems to be fading out or replaced with Indie games that look like something from the Super nintendo era.

That's strictly bs (bad science). Consoles are on an all time low. When the previous generations of consoles came out they were on par or even beat the current PCs in terms of hw capabilities for a while. But these new ones are equals only of lower-middle class gaming computers.

The problem is that the industry sees more money in consoles. So they focus on those. There are hardly any games left that are developed strictly for the PC. Even independent developers go multiplatfrom games because they think that's the only way to be profitable. I know only of one A+ game being developed strictly for the PC, Star Citizen, but that's already paid for by the community. Which is still beyond my beliefs, how they managed to get so many people on board, and paying that much. Because they didn't pay $60 each, they reached deep in their pockets. And I thought flight simulators were a small niche.
 
I think GPU's have also slowed a bit in their pacing. We use to get a pretty steady path of upgrades every 6 months to a year but people are holding off more than they use to. Nvidia is also saving all of its fastest tech for GPU's that frankly are way beyond the average consumers willingness ($1,000+ Titans and such) so its probably more common to see people buying lesser cards and simply running them in SLI configurations or upgrading whenever a newer generation is released

it's 2 fold- GPU's have slowed a lot in terms of overall performance as have hardware breaking games...used to be that every 6 months to a year would bring amazing new features on a hardware level but now all you get is increased frame-rates...probably has to do with DirectX not being updated as often...DirectX 9 seemed to be the plateau and things have slowed considerably in terms of innovation since...DX11 brought some nice features such as tessellation but developers have been slow to implement it

new video cards get you 75 fps versus 65 fps which is not that big of a deal to me...my GTX 580 is still running strong at 1200p...even Watch Dogs was fine with it (but Witcher 3 and The Division most certainly will require an upgrade)...the majority of gamers still run at 1200p or lower

latest Steam Hardware Survey (July 2014)
http://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey/
 
I've been surprisingly satisfied with my purchase of a GTX 780 almost a year ago after the price drop. Being able to max out all settings on current games and still get 100+ fps is great (and something a single card used to never get you). I was a bit hesitant at first because that was the most I've ever spent on a card but I have the feeling I'll be getting a lot of use out of it.

Honestly I was expecting something better to have been released by now but the 780 remixes are just a few percent better and not worth the markup to me.
 
That's strictly bs (bad science). Consoles are on an all time low. When the previous generations of consoles came out they were on par or even beat the current PCs in terms of hw capabilities for a while. But these new ones are equals only of lower-middle class gaming computers.

The problem is that the industry sees more money in consoles. So they focus on those. There are hardly any games left that are developed strictly for the PC. Even independent developers go multiplatfrom games because they think that's the only way to be profitable. I know only of one A+ game being developed strictly for the PC, Star Citizen, but that's already paid for by the community. Which is still beyond my beliefs, how they managed to get so many people on board, and paying that much. Because they didn't pay $60 each, they reached deep in their pockets. And I thought flight simulators were a small niche.

It's my opinion and I am ok if its wrong.

Followed SC and was amazed by that myself. People being able to outright fund game in order to get what they want is good.

I do however dislike the turn the pc gaming world took that you describe. People blame piracy, going mulitplatform etc.
 
My computer is now about 4 years old - may be older.

I can still play games fine though not as well as I used to.

It almost make sense with fewer PC titles being made to have a non-gaming PC for surfing/email and then a console like a PS3 for gaming.

What do you think?

You sound really out of touch with PC Gaming. Also it is rarely worth buying a gaming PC, but very worth it to build one.
 
Also it is rarely worth buying a gaming PC, but very worth it to build one.

I agree with you, I remember it taking years to convince my roommates that building them was better but they didn't want the hassle if there were any problems.

Some people like that turn-key HQ experience, others like to put that money to better parts and do the work themselves. This site is an example.
 
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Other than the GTX 680 I haven't really upgraded my PC in like 5+ years, and I haven't seen much reason to. That may change with Maxwell/DDR4, though.
 
I used to build many computers but now a decent laptop plays everything just fine for me.
 
BTW just to clear things up it wasn't me. Someone revived the topic with a one-liner, that's how I found it. But the guy deleted the post after I posted my comment.
 
You sound really out of touch with PC Gaming. Also it is rarely worth buying a gaming PC, but very worth it to build one.

This thread was from 2010. ;)

Edit: Oh, and I should learn to read the most recent posts before responding. :D
 
BTW just to clear things up it wasn't me. Someone revived the topic with a one-liner, that's how I found it. But the guy deleted the post after I posted my comment.
Users can't delete their own posts. Was it a moderator?

In any case, the question is probably still as relevant today as it was back then. So, whatever.
 
The only thing I've upgraded recent was the video card, went from an EVGA GTX 580 to a GTX 780.

I still feel no need to upgrade the processor, the i5 2500K is still running strong, what an great chip.
 
The question was whether it's worth getting a high end gaming machine, not a gaming machine.

The answer is no. A $800 Core i5 rig will run every single game on the market other than Crysis fully maxed out with 8x AA at 1920x1200 resolution. Bump it up to $900 if you want to max out a 2560x1600 display.

Case - $50
Core i5 - $150
4GB ram - $100
Gigabyte P55M-UD2 - $100
1TB hard drive - $70
Radeon 5850 - $260
Corsair Power Supply - $100

$830 for a system that will rape pretty much any game even on 2560x1600.

You are not going to "rape" anything at 2560x1600 other than your own eyes. That card is horribly under powered to even achieve 30 fps at that frame rate in modern games..

I don't know where you get that idea frankly that it could.
 
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