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How do you/we afford such extravagant computer systems?

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I've always used mid-range parts to build my systems, and I never upgrade everything all at once. I think the last true total build I did was back in 2002, when I had a Duron 950 rig built for me. Since they I've been adding onto it. I replace the mobo every three years, once it gets maxed out. Mind you, computing has sort of plateaued as of late. My current mobo is due for replacement but the system has tones of life left in it as a gaming rig.

The first computer that was "mine" cost about $2000 back in 1998, IIRC. Pentium II 233, 64mb of RAM, standard VGA, Windows 95, 56k modem, generic sound card, CD-ROM and a 6gb Quantum Fireball HDD.
 
Some people have a $30k car which they pay off via a loan.
Some people have a $5k car which works, no loan, and can easily afford $3k on some high end computer parts.
 
Top end of the mid-range is my target area. Get the best bang/buck system that'll last awhile. For portables I buy as cheap as possible. I consider them disposable.
 
High-end computers are anything but extravagant. I live in a country where salaries are 3x lower than in the US and I don't consider my computer "extravagant." I don't consider something that can be afforded by anyone extravagant. 10-milion dollar 3000 sq2 mansion, 20 million dollar yacht, 2 million dollar bathtub. Those things I can call extravagant.
 
Lepton87 said:
High-end computers are anything but extravagant. I live in a country where salaries are 3x lower than in the US and I don't consider my computer "extravagant." I don't consider something that can be afforded by anyone extravagant. 10-milion dollar 3000 sq2 mansion, 20 million dollar yacht, 2 million dollar bathtub. Those things I can call extravagant.
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So a $30 cup of coffee wouldn't be extravagant?
 
it jsut happens to be thier vice. everyone has one. it could be nice cars, stereo/home theaters, coffee, hookers, or blow.. everyone has something they are willing to spend money on. look at the wine or skotch buffs. maybe you like traveling.

shoot, even the people that are uber frugal and save like crazy are essentially "spending" thier money on saving.
 
To each his own.



I dabble with boats, stereo equipment (but nowhere like I used to when I was younger), computers, and fishing equipment.

I used to, decades ago, put lots of $$ into cars....now I just buy something nice enough which serves the purpose I need it to do and only do maintenance on it after purchase. No longer spend days upon days upgrading/hot rodding.


Boats, on the other hand, take much more of my disposable income.


Computers.....while my main rig is not comparable to the one the OP posted about, it isn't a Dell, either. I did buy a 7970 for it when they came out. Have way too much memory in it, too. But I'm happy with it and I don't constantly tinker with it, either.


I understand the ones who do. And I used to myself. Just priorities and interests change over time.
 
A guy in my office dumps $5000 in laptops and gaming PC's a year. He also drives a 1992 Oldsmobile, is 30 and lives with his parents, and complains about his credit card bills.

So...people that do this stuff may be pouring all of their resources into it.
.
 
I've overpaid for video cards but I usually go for med-high end when looking to upgrade. It usually ends up being around 2k.

I always thought people overpaid for pre-built PC's because parts are labelled as "generic" and you get the cheaper stuff even though specs seem ok.
 
Um, I don't. My PC cost about $700, including a monitor, 3 years ago. Still serves me fine and runs most games I've thrown at it, albeit not always at max detail, and I haven't tried to do BF3 on it.

When I do upgrade, I'll probably do it in stages, get a video card first for maybe $150, then eventually do mobo/CPU/ram.

I don't spend extravagantly on anything really.
 
Red Squirrel said:
Yeah it is. Salt does that. If you are fortunate to live in a place where they don't salt the roads, then maybe cars do last longer. They don't make cars like they used to. They are purposely made to rust so you can buy a new one faster. You can get undercoating etc to try to make it last longer though, but I'm talking about if you don't do anything special to it.
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I lived in northern NH for 20+ years. If you need "lots of repairs" after two years, you're doing it wrong.
 
DominionSeraph said:
You sure you have the date right? The 386 was old by '93. 1993 was the year the Tandy Sensation came out with a 486SX-33, 4MB RAM, a 212MB HDD, Soundblaster 16, and a double-speed CD-ROM, for around $2000.
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I was thinking the same thing. My dad bought an AST (remember them?) with a CD Rom and Windows in 94 much cheaper than that. I think less than $2000.
 
DominionSeraph said:
You sure you have the date right? The 386 was old by '93. 1993 was the year the Tandy Sensation came out with a 486SX-33, 4MB RAM, a 212MB HDD, Soundblaster 16, and a double-speed CD-ROM, for around $2000.
Click to expand...

His date and prices are completely wrong. I remember buying 386dx-40 machine back when I was in high school. I paid $1,600 or so. My dad and I camped out at CompUSA because they had buy a computer, get one free promotion for the first 10 people in line. I got a free 386sx-16 machine which was worth about $500-600 back then. I bought the computer I think back in either '91 or '92. And CD drives were definitely on the market then. My dad bought me the Soundblaster card and CD player bundle for me for Christmas and I think he paid $550 or so. I think that was back in '92. The first game I bought was Wing Commander 2 on CD-ROM. I think that game came out in '91 or '92. And I bought 7th Guest and Rebel Assault on CD and those games came out in '93 I think.
 
I got a 486DX50 in 1991 if I remember right. At the time I got it, I think they topped out at 66mhz. I payed $1,700 for the system.
 
mmntech said:
I've always used mid-range parts to build my systems, and I never upgrade everything all at once. I think the last true total build I did was back in 2002, when I had a Duron 950 rig built for me. Since they I've been adding onto it. I replace the mobo every three years, once it gets maxed out. Mind you, computing has sort of plateaued as of late. My current mobo is due for replacement but the system has tones of life left in it as a gaming rig.

The first computer that was "mine" cost about $2000 back in 1998, IIRC. Pentium II 233, 64mb of RAM, standard VGA, Windows 95, 56k modem, generic sound card, CD-ROM and a 6gb Quantum Fireball HDD.
Click to expand...

I'm at the point where my next computer won't cost over $500-600.

I just bought my dad a cheap Dell for $400 and it has nearly the same specs as the $1200 computer I built 3-4 years ago. I'm still completely content with the speed of this computer.
 
Red Squirrel said:
Yeah it is. Salt does that. If you are fortunate to live in a place where they don't salt the roads, then maybe cars do last longer. They don't make cars like they used to. They are purposely made to rust so you can buy a new one faster. You can get undercoating etc to try to make it last longer though, but I'm talking about if you don't do anything special to it.
Click to expand...

Are you kidding? Cars last YEARS longer than they used to. I think I just read the average car is over 10 years old today.
 
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