How do you justify such an upgrade??

[GuileVsGuile]

It seems very common that people will drop $400 - $500 to get an upgrade so they can play the latest game. I mean I've heard of "killer appz", but that's kinda ridiculous.
I think most people don't really realize how obsurd it is to do this. I dunno..not hating on hardcore gamers or anything, but the employment of a piece of harware solely for a single hot game just doesnt make too much sense. Anyone agree?

 

[FlyBono24]

No, but whenever I build a new rig (like I'm doing right now) I make sure to NOT be cheap about it... I always get either the 2nd highest component (the 1st is ALWAYS overpriced) I can get in each category. Ex: Athlon FX-55 vs. Athlon San Diego.... GeForce 6800GTOC vs. 7800

But spending money just to play ONE game is ridiculous.

I decided to build a new system when I realized my current one wouldn't play the games I want to play.... like SWAT 4, Half Life 2, Far Cry, etc. Another key is to make your new rig EXPANDABLE... so down the road, when I realize that THIS new system won't play the newest games, I'll just pop in a new video card in SLI mode, or another 2 sticks of RAM, or whatever...

 

[So]

No. I ejnoy buding my computer as much as I do gaming, so it's a nonissue. Besides, what benefits one game will benefit them all.

How can people justify spending $500 to watch a movie at home? To go fast on one boring oval circle of asphalt?

 

[Mirko]

Any more dumb than pay $30,000 for car to drive 30 minute to work every day? I'm pretty sure $3,000 used Honda can do the same. So they waste $26,500 more than someone that spend $500 computer upgrade. Maybe you should hang out at vwvortex or bimmerforums and let everyone know how stupid and wasteful they are.

 

[FlyBono24]

Originally posted by: So
No. I ejnoy buding my computer as much as I do gaming, so it's a nonissue. Besides, what benefits one game will benefit them all.

How can people justify spending $500 to watch a movie at home? To go fast on one boring oval circle of asphalt?

Yup... It's great that the new hardware is compatible with all the games out there.... I remember back in the day of the Voodoo cards, that some games were not compatible with 3dfx cards, and some were not compatible with the other manufacturers. Nowadays it's all standard, so we don't have to worry about all that. There may be slight differences in quality, but the compatibility issues are all but extinct.

 

[Moonsabie]

yea my mazda 626 pawns.. Manual obcorse automatics was of money there just junk. bought it for $800 dollars put almost 100,000 miles on it so far.. going over 320,000 miles.

great point Mirko... that way if your $1,000 car goes down just buy a new one no skin off your teeth you lose more then $1,000 pulling a new car just off the lot.

 

[d2arcturus]

If you like Disney movies, you're going to pay $65 a head to go to Disneyworld, not to mention the travel expenses. If you like to build PCs, you're going to plop down $500-1000 a year to engage in your hobby. If you want to judge someone, take the pressure off us nerds and go look at the guy with the neon lights under their cars, the 20,000W sub in the trunk, and the engine-killing nitrous in their cars. I don't even know why they bother with the "NOS"... it's not like you're going to be moving as quickly as you could without the 50lb sub and 40lb chrome rims - or "spinners"... ladeeda.

 

[Jassi]

In conclusion: Do whatever floats your boat

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

Originally posted by: Mirko
Any more dumb than pay $30,000 for car to drive 30 minute to work every day? I'm pretty sure $3,000 used Honda can do the same. So they waste $26,500 more than someone that spend $500 computer upgrade. Maybe you should hang out at vwvortex or bimmerforums and let everyone know how stupid and wasteful they are.

~QFT~!!!!!!!
Tas.

 

[djnsmith7]

I think a lot of it has to do with timing. Take my most recent upgrades, for example. It just happened to be a weekend where I really wanted to buy BF2. I played the heck out of the demo on my 9800 Pro 128 card on Low settings & it just wasn't cutting it. I had been wanting to upgrade from 512 Megs to a gig for a while, so I started looking around & pricing things out. I was able to get a 1 GB stick for a decent price.

When I started adding everything up, I realized that HL2, BF2 & several other games would play a lot better on an X800XL with 1.5 gigs. So for me, the cost of upgrading was easily justified. My 9800 Pro ran like a champ, but it was time to move on.

Next is my CPU & at this point, I'm thinking a Venice 3700+, but that's not for another several months & it will depend heavily on where the pricing is.

 

[daniel49]

when I see a $500.00 cutting edge video card, I just chuckle and keep browsing no game is that important to me.

It is after all just a game.

 

[Gigantopithecus]

If you can afford it, why not? Different people place different priorities on different things.

I would also assume that many people who go out and lay down $500-$1,000 on bleeding edge hardware most likely also turn around and sell their now 2nd tier gear, meaning they're recouping a significant portion of their initial expenditure. (Not that computer hardware holds its value comparatively well, hehe.)

 

Originally posted by: Gigantopithecus
If you can afford it, why not? Different people place different priorities on different things.

 

[crizzar]

It's like asking why your girlfriend dumps you for not holding the door for her last night... sometimes there's just something that pushes you over the edge; to think an upgrade is only of benefit to just one game is silly but there has to be some sort of trigger.

 

[BOLt]

Originally posted by: FlyBono24
No, but whenever I build a new rig (like I'm doing right now) I make sure to NOT be cheap about it... I always get either the 2nd highest component (the 1st is ALWAYS overpriced) I can get in each category. Ex: Athlon FX-55 vs. Athlon San Diego.... GeForce 6800GTOC vs. 7800

But spending money just to play ONE game is ridiculous.

I decided to build a new system when I realized my current one wouldn't play the games I want to play.... like SWAT 4, Half Life 2, Far Cry, etc. Another key is to make your new rig EXPANDABLE... so down the road, when I realize that THIS new system won't play the newest games, I'll just pop in a new video card in SLI mode, or another 2 sticks of RAM, or whatever...

Exactly. Very well put.

 

[Treyshadow]

Well that is a good question.

Some like to upgrade because their e-penis grows with each upgrade. Just like the guys who go for fancy cars, huge houses, tags and breitling watches, etc.

Also if your one game is something like World of Warcraft, Guild Wars, or Star Wars Galaxies, then a machine to go with that addiction is often a "need". Hey I guess its better than smoking 2 packs a day, but not much. I say keep everything in moderation, but I like gaming just as much as the next geek though MMORPG's aren't my bag. Just make sure the other people, the real kind, in your life understand you, and you respect them along with your hobby. It makes every geek that much easier to deal with.

 

[knothead34]

your missing the point no one way upgrades to play one game. they are upgrading to play the new games that come out. why buy last gen card? in other words they are upgrading to play the newest games not a new game.

 

[CrimsonCutie]

when you make post like this, you have to take into context that everyone spends on different levels, and also everyone has different passions. I spend money on clothes. Every year i update my wardrobe to the tune of 15 to 20 grand. Thats what i invest in. Quality fashion items. Some people invest in the lastest GPU for 2 extra FPS, some invest in a new amp for the car to get 5 dB lower on the sub frequece at add 100watts.

I think its mad to spend 699 on a new GPU every 60days to stay on top of the lastest thing. At the same time people say i am daft for paying 400 for a shirt or 2800 for a suit. Its all about each persons passions/likes.

 

[NokiaDude]

Cause we're americans and we need the latest and greatest.

 

[l Xes l]

videocard is the king of games! =)

 

[Polish3d]

Because I love super new hardware as much as I love sex

 

[suklee]

Originally posted by: Frackal
Because I love super new hardware as much as I love sex

:laugh:!

 

[suklee]

Originally posted by: knothead34
your missing the point no one way upgrades to play one game. they are upgrading to play the new games that come out. why buy last gen card? in other words they are upgrading to play the newest games not a new game.

Err I guess I'm in the minority, I'm thinking about upgrading just for BF2

I guess with a new video card I could also dust off HL2 and play through the single player...