Why are video cards so expensive now?

[coldpower27]

Oh yeah I know that's the truth, but the Xbox 360 for example was initially sold at a loss, but the process got refined and over time it's become a product that earns money with every sold console. So initially it's difficult to create a product that can be dropped in price and still make the company money, so over time things get more refined and easier to make and prices drop or companies make more and are able in turn to drop the price to the consumer.

Of course I've been using consoles this whole time for examples and this is related to video cards, but in general it's just a market analysis.

You don't expect these companies to be selling at a loss do you though? And yes over time the prices do come down on the same performance level, look at the 6800 GT MSRP 399USD at launch compared to the 7600 GT 199USD at launch, the latter is slightly more powerful, and cheaper and cooler. It's just that new level is of performance is introduced each time at the high end. So there will always be something in that 599USD price bracket.

 

[LuminaryJanitor]

I've only been watching the video card market for about five years, but in that time, over here in Australia, I can't recall seeing a top-of-the-line card launch outside the AU$800-$1000 range. That's <20% difference - nowhere near the >130% you guys are reporting.

So perhaps someone up to speed on the US economy can tell me, are you sure it's that the value of video cards is up, and not that the value of your dollar is down? I get the feeling it's shifted more than the Aussie dollar in recent years.
(And by the way, Aussie is pronounced "Ozzy", you filthy seppo bastards )

 

[killster1]

I think the entire hardware and software industry completely sucks and has always sucked.

Did you all forget that this is about making money off retards like you and I?

Geez...

What about vehicles, why not complain about vehicle cost, and gasoline?

I -refuse- to own a vehicle. I was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana all my life until I turned 24 and moved to Portland, Oregon. I had owned vehicles and basically sold my soul to keep them running.

Most general computer related jobs don't pay that much. I'm sorry but 11-13bucks an hour equates to less than 20k a year. That's standard PC Tech wages, and that really isn't enough to get by on int his economy.

I moved to a city with public transportation so I would never have to own a car again... How is that for a paradigm shift?

So when I see someone complain about the cost of hardware in today's market It surprises someone like myself because of how expensive everything else is.

Remember when IBM PCs cost 2 grand back int he 80s and they couldn't do shit?

Dude.. I didn't own a computer until 1999 when I built my own, my parents couldn't afford to buy one.

I mean... why not complain about a 1000 dollar CPU. It's top of the line, does it give astonishing performance over a less expensive version... not an extra 700 dollars worth.

Just like you drive a honda and the rich guy drives a jaguar.

It's still a car, cars travel, and a jag. doesn't go 100 mph faster than your honda... it just what? That's right... looks a lot cooler.

Don't be mad at the companies be mad at the condition of being human and feeling the necessity to be envious of others.

Think of it this way... the douche who can afford 2 800gtxs that didn't win it or earn it in a competition, probably still wishes he had something better.

This is what companies exploit.

good for a funny read.. so no car? no wife kids or gf either? or do they all ride the bus with you!! i think most computer jobs aren't tech jobs but tech jobs should pay more than 14$ a hour.. i used to make 12+$ a hour to just play video games all day at sony with free soda and candy!

personally i own 4 cars and one truck.. its all about priority's, to one person its a pc to another its a car, another a house another vacations in Hawaii! save your penny's and buy a used card or wait for 8600 cards to come out and drop the prices

 

[larkin]

free candy FTW...!!!

 

[Hurin]

Don't be mad at the companies be mad at the condition of being human and feeling the necessity to be envious of others.

Think of it this way... the douche who can afford 2 800gtxs that didn't win it or earn it in a competition, probably still wishes he had something better.

This is what companies exploit.

Uh, irony, anyone?

This "douche" could afford two 8800gtxes and, I can assure you, right now, I have no desire to have anything better. I can further assure you that I've never been "jealous" of anyone here prior to buying any parts for my rig(s). There have been no posts from me calling others names because they have better rigs than me. Rather, I just had the desire to spend my money on the things I enjoy and I quietly went about my business.

Perhaps those that are "jealous" are those that feel the need to call others "douche" because others have worked harder and choose to spend their money differently? Or, perhaps those that are "jealous" are those who constantly feel the need to post about how "stupid" or "ridiculous" it is to spend so much on video cards. . . despite the fact that we'd all have them if we could.

And, if by "exploit," you mean "provide me with a good or service which I freely choose to purchase because I have decided that I can afford it". . . then you have a really f'ed up definition of exploitation.

 

[Hurin]

ok capitalism is the name of the game !! so that would mean that if we all were to live in a socialist society we all would have a 8800 GTX ?

No, if we lived in a purely socialist society. . . there would be no 8800 GTX. . . or Playstations. . . or iPods.

The U.S., Canada, Japan (etc.) are only capable of developing such "entertainment industries" because our societies are so wealthy that we can afford to divert resources to them. . . as dictated by the desires of the people through a free market.

Quick aside: In the U.S., even our "impoverished" have plentiful food, shelter, a car (sometimes two), cable television, and air conditioning in hot climates. No, they don't have much else. . . but it seems odd to me that we still consider that "impoverished" merely because others have more (since when is "poverty" relative?). Since the "War on Poverty" began in the 60s, despite huge gains in the quality of life for our poorest citizens, our "poverty" rate never changes because we keep "moving the goalposts" and redifining "poverty" up. . . so that "poverty" in this post-modern world is anything but what the word actually used to mean. Those who want to see real "poverty" should visit Cuba, North Korea, parts of Africa, Eastern Europe, etc.

But I digress (relevantly!). In a socialist society, the state would decide where to distribute its resources. Can you imagine a state deciding to spend its resources on developing an 8800gtx? Or a Playstation. Or even a Commodore 128? Pure socialist systems almost inevitably devolve into police states (Soviet-style Communism) and have trouble even feeding themselves. Not a lot of potential for even a digital watch out of those societies. The most the Communists ever did for "entertainment" was fund ballets or propoganda films about the glory of Mother Russia.

 

[Stereophile]

Too bad trying to apply sterile theoretical models to the real world isn't the point of economics.

No, I haven't had econ in a few years, so give me a break if I'm rusty. Above average profits maybe the norm in the industry but everything I said regarding duopoly and oligopoly markets is correct. It might be theoretical but it's good information and it answers someone's question. There is no need to be condescending.

The elasticity of videocards is obvious. If they were half price, I'd upgrade every 6 months. I'm not complaining about market segmentation. I'm not a child that crys if I can't have the latest X99900GTX every year. The point is people pay more for videocards when two behemoths have the market. They behave like monopolies. It would be healthier if there were more competitors. If you can fault that argument than be my guest.

 

[bigforearms]

I haven't read the thread, so maybe these have been covered but the three reasons why they're expensive are:

1. They're not. Market segmentation has just led to additional higher-end products coming out than before to serve a perceieved under-served market. There are plenty of fantastic $200 video cards out there still. You don't HAVE to buy an 8800gts, but some people will.

2. The ATI/Nvidia competition has gotten to a point where, for marketing reasons, they each feel the need to release the highest-performing consumer video card solution available. A similar thing happense in the car industry: Ford probably didn't make much money off of or sell many GT40s, but the bump to their brand caused by having all of them in the magazines helped sell mustangs. Anyway, ATI and Nvidia still need to sell the things, but only in very small numbers, so while there probably aren't more than a few hundred people running 8800gtxs in SLi right now, that's enough for Nvidia to say they're winning.

3. Computers are cheaper and video cards are generally the gaming bottleneck. In the mid 90s, when I got my first non-DOS PC, it ran me $3k, of which a small fraction was the crappy 4mb video card. I then had to upgrade the card with an extra $200-300 3dfx card to play Quake2 well. That config did not play the latest games for very long. Now, I can buy a $180 processor, $200 of RAM, a $150 mobo, etc., and blow more money on a video card because the other components have gotten so cheap for the performance that you're better off spending more on the card. As people have come to realize this, they've started to throw more money at higher-end offerings. Vid card manufacturers have responded by increasing their higher end offerings.

I doubt anything nefarious is going on.

 

[0ptional]

You don't expect these companies to be selling at a loss do you though? And yes over time the prices do come down on the same performance level, look at the 6800 GT MSRP 399USD at launch compared to the 7600 GT 199USD at launch, the latter is slightly more powerful, and cheaper and cooler. It's just that new level is of performance is introduced each time at the high end. So there will always be something in that 599USD price bracket.

Ok, my console analogy is bad because The companies expect to make money after selling the initial console through the games, be it a first party title, or the cost of the publisher to use the 360 or whatever console stuff to release.

Obviously companies like nVidia and ATI don't have other revenue that spawns from the purchase of their initial video card. So umm... nevermind...

It's umm, yeah I'm back to "because we still pay for them no matter what price they are" thing... I don't know where I'm going anymore.

 

[cerebrex]

I remember when RAM was $50 a meg..

prices are going DOWN, the technology and hardware IN the cards is what is going up.. a 8800GTX itself has more processing power than $2,500.00 computer in 1998.

 

[hfc]

I've only been watching the video card market for about five years, but in that time, over here in Australia, I can't recall seeing a top-of-the-line card launch outside the AU$800-$1000 range. That's <20&#37; difference - nowhere near the >130% you guys are reporting.

So perhaps someone up to speed on the US economy can tell me, are you sure it's that the value of video cards is up, and not that the value of your dollar is down? I get the feeling it's shifted more than the Aussie dollar in recent years.
(And by the way, Aussie is pronounced "Ozzy", you filthy seppo bastards )

Well, your Aussie dollar has appreciated re USD around 8% over the past year, and maintained parity to the USD over the last two. The USD has depreciated around 30% to most major currencies over the last few years.

The well seasoned American (worldwide) traveller would know about this, if there is such thing as a well seasoned American traveller.

If anyone watched the video I posted the link to previously in this thread, they would see that the USD has lost >90% of its purchasing power since the Fed started.

I like the post above about poverty and moving goalposts; that's exactly true. The reason why people are buying more is because it's easier to get money nowadays - there's more of it around because the government require the Fed to print more of it, and subsequently that's why prices inflate i.e. you get less for your money in most cases. The US is the world's largest debtor nation because Americans spend the most money, even if it ain't theirs. That's capitalism for you!

Luxury goods such as 'videocards' could survive even in an economy with limited money supply, if the currency was stable. What would happen is that pricing would find an equilibrium with all goods and services available, and consumers would continue to find that their purchasing power is maintained or pretty much constant. Of course, there's still going to be people who can't afford things, because that's the way people are: infinite wants and limited resources.

Unfortunately most people can't grasp this concept because they've grown up (or not yet grown up) without ever experiencing it and the idea of sound currency has been dead for so long.

So, in fact, videocards are getting cheaper, not more expensive. If it was getting more expensive, we'd be seeing $800 cards by now judging by inflation.

 

[wubbie412]

c'mon guys..
its not so bad.. $500 ~ 600 for 8800 gtx.
im not being sarcastic.. really.. its not bad..

i like the fact that its high priced because i would hate to see everyone w/ the same video cards in their rig... then there wont be any fun in trying to upgrade or make your system hit 22,000 benchmark on 3d06
plus it would be the end to bragging rights...

i can list more reasons.. but that would make me sound more like an ass... so ill stop..

so let me say one more thing:

having a bit of disparity between (yes once again.. the rich and the _____) is a wonderful thing.

 

[hfc]

c'mon guys..


i can list more reasons.. but that would make me sound more like an ass... so ill stop..

too late for that......

 

[__hollywood|meow]

blah blah blah..

um, personally, i would love to see every gamer (okay, maybe every WORKING gamer) who wanted a top of the line card with one. i view our hobby as a community, a resource, a bind.. not a competition. fuck e-penis..

 

[LordGardenGnome]

I've got a 6800 GT OC 256mb 1gb DDR 400, FX-55, with 2005FPW. I've not had a single problem playing any game at some of the highest settings. You complain about card prices being so high but the companies use some "high end" chips and top of the line parts the money to produce things at launch is expensive thus an expensive card. The original post talks about how you buy the top of the line card and 1 year later it's incredibly outdated. It's only outdated if you want to run the next game that comes out at insanely high frames with extremely high quality. Even then it's not outdated it's the feeling of "keeping up the the joneses" always have to have the greatest thing so that you can brag about. Sure I'd like to upgrade but even now I'm not having too much trouble playing Supreme Commander.

 

[pfunkman]

um, personally, i would love to see every gamer (okay, maybe every WORKING gamer) who wanted a top of the line card with one. i view our hobby as a community, a resource, a bind.. not a competition. fuck e-penis..

You must have a serious case of E-penis envy

 

[Kuyt]

Meh, video cards and hardware in general have always been expensive.

Its gotten cheaper imo, compared to the 80s and 90s.

The prices for high end cards are pretty much the same as each generation passes in the new millenium.

Anyone still remember 5950Ultras at like $550?

 

[WolfsBane]

um, personally, i would love to see every gamer (okay, maybe every WORKING gamer) who wanted a top of the line card with one. i view our hobby as a community, a resource, a bind.. not a competition. fuck e-penis..

Im a freelancer, i stuggle to get cash, that counts for a working gamer! =P
cant get a job anyplace else at the momment so you need alteratives. haha

 

[Frosteh]

We are seeing $500, $600, $700 launch video cards. Am I the only one who sees this as being ridiculous? In the good old days, you can get the highest end card like the 9800Pro for like $230. And I am sure that the launch price was probably around $350. Now it has doubled in 2 or 3 years.

Sure, the cards are faster but shit, $600 on a video card that becomes outdated in a year? Is it really worth it to have a game look a little better and lose a couple of hundred dollars? Buying 2 8800GTX's will put someone well over $1000... for what? Just to play one game(Crysis) in super high resolution? And then a year later, a game comes out that makes Crysis look like a 2D game and bam! Another grand out the door. Personally, I find that insane.

I feel like some people are too addicted to the graphics stuff; even the poorer people and the middle class.

I heard a while a go that ATi and Nvidia agreed to keep the prices high. How come I don't see people getting angry at this?

I, for one, can't wait to see Intel come into the game. At least there'll be more competition.

Some people play enough games to warrent spending money on high end kit, I play a lot of games and it takes up 90&#37; of my spare time so it's a very good investment for me. Hell and why shouldn't I, through choice I spend little money on anything else, I don't own a car because I decided to live only 15 mins from my workplace, I eat decent food, I dress well and I have money left over for goods that I genuinely want to buy, so why shouldn't I spend my spare cash on things that make me happy?

If you don't think its worth it because you dont play a lot of games, then go and get an xbox, if you don't have the funds for high end grapics cards but you do actually want to buy them, then divert funds from another thing in your life, dump your G/F, walk to work, scrap your car, move into a lower rent appartment, or simply get a better education and better paying job.

 

[Aix]

Man, when did cars get so expensive? Back in the good ole' days my grandpa could buy a top of the line Ford for $500, and it would smoke all the roads, but now we've got all these $300,000 Lamborghini's and Ferrari's, it's crazy!


$299 for an 8800gts 320mb that plays most demanding games at 1900x1200, all settings high, AA+AF. 9800pro didn't give you that.

Video cards are getting cheaper.

 

[leSLIe]

what is a super video card if you don´t have any money left to buy games? i´ve spent more money on software (video games) than in hardware. around 2500 US dollars a year !!!!!

 

[LazyBum]

This 8800GTX is the first time I have ever purchased the highest end card available, I have always been one to buy the next to highest card, ie Ti4400 instead of the 4600, 6800GT and 7800GT instead of GTX, 1900XT not XTX. I think I would have been satisfied with a GS but I have no regrets.

I can justify this now as a present to myself commemorating one year since I quit smoking I could buy a pair for SLI with what I saved on that rotten habit.

 

[wubbie412]

I can justify this now as a present to myself commemorating one year since I quit smoking I could buy a pair for SLI with what I saved on that rotten habit.

congrats. good for you man.

 

[Spazilton]

I could have sworn when the 9800 Pro's were just coming out it was $499 for the 256MB model and $399 for the 128 Model.. MSRP.

 

[WolfsBane]

Im not rich, far from owning the greatest name brand hardware, all my stuff was clearace, im also slowly confurting a factory PC to a gaming, Im pretty much a underdog of PC gaming.

Yet all the years i Gamed on the PC, lower settings done me good, I dont really understand why people get all freaky for 3D cards that can up the detail

Me, i rather have a 3D card that can allot me to play the game smothly, in low settings of course.

Freelancer has to do what they gotta do.

 

[wubbie412]

as many of you already have siad... as long as ppl are willing to pay high prices for them then the high prices would continue... end of story..
im one of those ppl who are willing to pay such price and im going to be ass about it. because to me theres no fun when everyone has a top of the line graphics card and other pc components.

 

[[A]MD-Fan]

c'mon guys..
its not so bad.. $500 ~ 600 for 8800 gtx.
im not being sarcastic.. really.. its not bad..

i like the fact that its high priced because i would hate to see everyone w/ the same video cards in their rig... then there wont be any fun in trying to upgrade or make your system hit 22,000 benchmark on 3d06
plus it would be the end to bragging rights...

i can list more reasons.. but that would make me sound more like an ass... so ill stop..

so let me say one more thing:

having a bit of disparity between (yes once again.. the rich and the _____) is a wonderful thing.

It's cool must be nice having parents with 6 fig incomes buying you the latest stuff (nobody that actually earned that money would have made a statement like you did in the last line)

 

[WolfsBane]

Nice, reminds me of why i despise the rich, then again most of the rich in my town are cocky _____ =) no offence but yeah, the envirment i grew up around the rich ruled while the poor or middle class struggled and then became ignored.

 

[Hurin]

as many of you already have siad... as long as ppl are willing to pay high prices for them then the high prices would continue... end of story..
im one of those ppl who are willing to pay such price and im going to be ass about it. because to me theres no fun when everyone has a top of the line graphics card and other pc components.

I'm willing to pay the high prices as well. But, of course, I do so because I want the best. But, I'd want it whether I could brag about it or compare it to others on the internets or not. To be honest, people who only want the best so that they feel superior to others have broken souls.

I buy the best so that I can experience the best. Not so that I'll be experiencing something better than some other poor slob.

Please, don't let this guy represent the other enthusiasts who merely choose to afford the high-end stuff. This guy sucks.

 

[Shottah_king]

Prices haven't really changed in last years. When teh 9700Pro 128MB Video Card was released it cost $399.99. So the prices haven't really changed. The 8800GTS costs around $389.99 minus about $35 in rebates which brings the price down to like $355. So whats the big deal. Computer equipment is expensive period. It always has I don't see why people should start complaining now.

 

[Cyrilix]

So, how about I summarize a part of this thread in the following manner:

Group A complains about the price of video cards. Group B says that humans made it this way because they are willing to pay for it. Group B also tells Group A that to understand why this is happening, all they have to do is take a look at economic theory and to stop their bitching.


What if we looked at this from a different perspective? Maybe the economic theory that Group B would like Group A to look at can benefit from the fact that Group A is complaining. The more Group A complainers we have, the more information hardware companies may have on people that would be willing to buy the hardware if the price were lower by X amount, X being an undetermined variable. If a company has a good idea and can make a good estimate, and if the company determines through their estimate that by lowering their price by X amount, more consumers will jump on the purchasing bandwagon, then both consumers and the company can benefit (more profits, lower prices). As such, would it necessarily be a bad idea to allow Group A to bitch?

In fact, Group C (those that would buy the hardware anyway given its current price) can benefit as well, as a lower price would make them a happier person, promoting company satisfaction.

In the end, my point is: for those telling whiners to look at economic theory, consider the fact that whiners may be part of the economic theory (if consumers are unhappy, complain both with voices and with the wallet).

 

[wubbie412]

I'm willing to pay the high prices as well. But, of course, I do so because I want the best. But, I'd want it whether I could brag about it or compare it to others on the internets or not. To be honest, people who only want the best so that they feel superior to others have broken souls.

I buy the best so that I can experience the best. Not so that I'll be experiencing something better than some other poor slob.

Please, don't let this guy represent the other enthusiasts who merely choose to afford the high-end stuff. This guy sucks

Nice, reminds me of why i despise the rich, then again most of the rich in my town are cocky _____ =) no offence but yeah, the envirment i grew up around the rich ruled while the poor or middle class struggled and then became ignored.

oh c'mon...

what fun would there be if everyone can drive a lexus and mercedez?
what joy would there be for those who ride or who are working to have such cars?
sure we all desire such things.. and yes, performance can also be an incentive for those who want them...
nevertheless for most, as pompous as this may sound, the reason they want to drive such car is not only performance but the desire to escape the redundancy in life (what they drive.. what they eat.. how they dress.. how they spend time.. etc etc).
So of course i would not want to be like the masses who drive camrys, accords, or altima.. etc etc... (and it is not because i have a broken soul.. lmao.. )
therefore why would i pass on a bmw for a Honda..??
and just because i reap the benefits of my parents i should be despised?

yes what i said may have made me sound like an ass but that is merely due to your view/perception.
I was only being honest and its human nature that some would feel bad since they are not able to afford it.. however what pisses me off is that all that suddenly turn into a blame game... " its the rich ppls fault.." suddenly the rich becomes the scapegoat for ppls anger and jealousy....

face it... the best things in life is what we all desire.. we desire the best and thats on the same plane of wanting things for performance because with that comes exclusion for the general population.. in the end its all the same..

so instead of pointing fingers and screaming how much you hate the upper class, how about you acknowledge their hardwork or status for they have started on a equal footing.. as we all have... as all our families have once started as an immigrant too (whether you can trace your lineage back to the pilgrims -as my gf can - it doenst matter)...

if all high end items were affordable in society.. whats the point of working for it? be idealistic as you like, but i think capitalism is a wonderful thing and disparity is the price we pay for embracing such idea.. however it leaves the door open for social mobility thus anyone can join the social elites if they like.. so stop complaining and whining how much you hate the rich...

it sucks that all cant have it.. but thats life

 

[wubbie412]

So, how about I summarize a part of this thread in the following manner:

Group A complains about the price of video cards. Group B says that humans made it this way because they are willing to pay for it. Group B also tells Group A that to understand why this is happening, all they have to do is take a look at economic theory and to stop their bitching.


What if we looked at this from a different perspective? Maybe the economic theory that Group B would like Group A to look at can benefit from the fact that Group A is complaining. The more Group A complainers we have, the more information hardware companies may have on people that would be willing to buy the hardware if the price were lower by X amount, X being an undetermined variable. If a company has a good idea and can make a good estimate, and if the company determines through their estimate that by lowering their price by X amount, more consumers will jump on the purchasing bandwagon, then both consumers and the company can benefit (more profits, lower prices). As such, would it necessarily be a bad idea to allow Group A to bitch?

In fact, Group C (those that would buy the hardware anyway given its current price) can benefit as well, as a lower price would make them a happier person, promoting company satisfaction.

In the end, my point is: for those telling whiners to look at economic theory, consider the fact that whiners may be part of the economic theory (if consumers are unhappy, complain both with voices and with the wallet).

maybe this is a smarter statement that would appease both sides.

 

[[A]MD-Fan]

oh c'mon...

what fun would there be if everyone can drive a lexus and mercedez?
what joy would there be for those who ride or who are working to have such cars?
sure we all desire such things.. and yes, performance can also be an incentive for those who want them...
nevertheless for most, as pompous as this may sound, the reason they want to drive such car is not only performance but the desire to escape the redundancy in life (what they drive.. what they eat.. how they dress.. how they spend time.. etc etc).
So of course i would not want to be like the masses who drive camrys, accords, or altima.. etc etc... (and it is not because i have a broken soul.. lmao.. )
therefore why would i pass on a bmw for a Honda..??
and just because i reap the benefits of my parents i should be despised?

yes what i said may have made me sound like an ass but that is merely due to your view/perception.
I was only being honest and its human nature that some would feel bad since they are not able to afford it.. however what pisses me off is that all that suddenly turn into a blame game... " its the rich ppls fault.." suddenly the rich becomes the scapegoat for ppls anger and jealousy....

face it... the best things in life is what we all desire.. we desire the best and thats on the same plane of wanting things for performance because with that comes exclusion for the general population.. in the end its all the same..

so instead of pointing fingers and screaming how much you hate the upper class, how about you acknowledge their hardwork or status for they have started on a equal footing.. as we all have... as all our families have once started as an immigrant too (whether you can trace your lineage back to the pilgrims -as my gf can - it doenst matter)...

if all high end items were affordable in society.. whats the point of working for it? be idealistic as you like, but i think capitalism is a wonderful thing and disparity is the price we pay for embracing such idea.. however it leaves the door open for social mobility thus anyone can join the social elites if they like.. so stop complaining and whining how much you hate the rich...

it sucks that all cant have it.. but thats life

I'm not going to lie to you when I'm finished with med school and residency I will be pushing a mid 6 figure salary. But thats no reason to look down on people that can't afford such luxuries. Doing so makes you a scumbug (IMO).

and just because i reap the benefits of my parents i should be despised?

Just as I suspected you're a rich spoiled brat, with everything handed to you on a silver platter

 

[leSLIe]

ok Mr. Economic Neo Liberalism, whatever you say

 

[wubbie412]

I'm not going to lie to you when I'm finished with med school and residency I will be pushing a mid 6 figure salary.

im sure you cant wait.. lol

 

[WolfsBane]

Look, no offence to the guys who have big checking accounts or fat payed mom and dad.

I grew up knowing sacrafices, being looked down by the rich, or treated like dirt becouse i had no Rich meaning last name, while some guy with the last name Moe or Johnson got big respects and even socety around them some what bent to there will.

I grew up in a small town that the rich had control, if you had a richie last name, and a large house with all the tech and latest things you where a danm celb!

Yeah i agrey that it be abit boring for everyone to have the same thing but not everyone has the same thing, even if it all was cheap, take computers.. some are the same, yeah i know. however others are modded, to the others persona. just like cars, houses and so on.. so your excuse of everything that could be the same is half there, the other half is people who love to custamize and stearing away from being the same.

 

[defaultluser]

Video cards are not expensive. HIGH-END video cards are expensive.

Entry-level performance cards (like the venerable 7600 GT) can be had for as little as $100. Now THAT's a deal!

Now, only a year ago you would have been expected to pay $100 for a crappy 6600 GT, but thanks to progress you can get almost double the performance (plus new features) only a year later!

This is all driven by the high-end of the market. Top-end cards come out with massive pricetags, and those prices fall within a year. Top-end card technology makes it's way down to mid-range, and within a year you can have new technology with decent performance for only $100. The best part is, the VALUE you get your your $100 (a measure of how long the card is usable) keeps increasing with each generation!

Let me put this in perspective for you:

My FIRST video card was a Rendition v2200 4MB card from Hercules, and I paid $100 for it. Within a year, it was outdated (less than 15fps in Half-Life, even on lowest settings). I had to upgrade, because my value-range card sucked. I bought another $100 card (Riva TNT), and ONCE AGAIN it only lasted me a year (could barely run Quake III at 640x480). I was getting THE WORST value out of my cards.

NOW, think back to just two years ago. The $100 price-point was filled by the 6600/x700, decent cards, but both lacking in memory bandwidth. Only two years later you get a $100 card that allows HDR or 4xAA at high resolutions in modern games! Yay for technology filtering down through the entire product line, it gives you greater value on the low-end. You know what else? Those $100 cards from two years ago are STILL supported by new games!

Who cares if the top-end cards cost an arm and a leg? Today, you don't have to spend more than $100 on a card, EVER. You don't have to buy SLI setups. So long as you spend at least $100, you're guaranteed a decent gaming experience...and even that number may drop in the future.

If you're crying about the fact that you have to buy a new video card every two to three years, well, that's just the cost of doing business. Computer games make an impressive attempt to support older hardware, but there's only so many features you can drop before the game looks like Doom. You have to buy a new $200-600 console every 4-5 years to keep up with the latest titles, what's a $100-200 video card ever few years?

 

[defaultluser]

im sure you cant wait.. lol

Yeah, I bet he'll have a whole 3 hours a month to play games on his new SLI 8800 GTX box!

I love you docs, you perform an invaluable service, but I wouldn't take your job for ANYTHING. You have to go through hell (80-hour+ weeks, spending an entire weekend sleepwalking through your rounds, etc) just to get your hands on that nice salary.

 

[[A]MD-Fan]

Yeah, I bet he'll have a whole 3 hours a month to play games on his new SLI 8800 GTX box!

I love you docs, you perform an invaluable service, but I wouldn't take your job for ANYTHING. You have to go through hell (80-hour+ weeks, spending an entire weekend sleepwalking through your rounds, etc) just to get your hands on that nice salary.

As a resident there is a hard limit of 80 hours per week (most programs take full advantage and push residents right up to the limit).

As an attending (fully qualified) you can pretty much make your own hours if you're in a good practice.

For the field I'm planning on going into/practice size I don't intend to work more than 40-45 hours a week.

The reason you see so many physicians working so hard is they're in hospital fields. And they're the ones you read (or see) getting burned out.

Private practice is the only way to go if you want the lifestyle and fat paychecks.

I'll leave this thread it has gotten way too OT

edit:

defaultuser: I think your post about getting mid/lower tier video cards for cheaper is an excellent point, and probably one of the best arguments in this thread for high end video cards. I would never buy a high end video card, but I know I'd be very comfortable with most of the mid tier ones, which pretty much use the same tech at a substantial discount. This wouldn't be possible without the high end.