A few weeks ago I posted a question looking for advice to help me decide if I should purchase a new video card. I was chosing between an ATI-based video card (3870 & 3870x2) and Nvidia (take your pick).
I still haven't moved for several reasons but one in particular.
What's the point? In my opinion the PC gaming industry is in such bad straights I can't see the point in plunking down more than $250 for a video card.
Does it really matter anymore who makes the fastest/best video card if there aren't any good games to play on them? I [play Civilization IV, Civilization Betyond the Sword, Battlefield 2; Company of Heroes, Rome: Total War. I'm using an ATI 850 XT.
Don't get me wrong. I'm going to upgrade my video card. But I'm not going to go high end like I planned.
Why?
What games are worth a $300 plus video card? I've read the reviews of Crysis. That games isn't worth paying out the big bucks. Vista blows as a platform, why pay for Direct X 10 or 10.1 when you don't plan on upgrading for a long time.
Does anyone else out there see the death of PC Gaming and question why are all of us spending so much $$$ for top of the line equipment if there's nothing worth it to run it on?
Kind of a midless rant here, I realize that. But does anyone else out there think we're being played for a bunch of chumps?
Absolutely, but I am not trying to follow the herd with a few more FPS here and there.
If I did, I would bin my current mobo & RAM and go with an Intel system.
My second GTX was an extravagance I didn't need, but I bought it for a relative song on eBay and I thought, why the hell not! I was planning on going to 3870X2's so the difference was a large amount of £.
I'm quite happy to wait until ATi & Nvidia have settled down before I upgrade my graphics! There isn't much out there that is better than what I have graphically, so why bother changing for a few more FPS?
I have my system exactly how I want it with graphics and HD's (there is nothing I would change with them!) but I would like a Phenom and that would be the icing on the cake! If it runs what you want, why bother upgrading?
Yeah well, I was thinking about pulling a Jeff Bridges in The Big Labowski and just **** it all because I think the world is coming to an end, but I still don't for some reason. I still get up in the morning and go to work, and then I come home and do school work to hope someday I have a better paying job that I actually enjoy doing. Hey, life's about choices, right? but it's getting harder and harder for us ****-kickers to make them for ourselves.
Pc gaming is getting a little cheaper. The companies are seeing people go to consoles alot more. Cheaper cards are coming out like no tomorrow and hardware is going down in cost.
When it comes down to it, forget Vista (unless you have a new system build) It works fine on all new hardware the old components are what it has issues with. DX10, sure its there and you can use it but you can turn it on or off. Crysis, well that's all I have to say, you can't count that toward anything. It's really not a great game, Call of Duty 4 blows its pants off and it will run on almost any moderate system.
You can get an 8800GT that play almost every game on high settings for $200 and you can get 2GB of DDR2 800 memory for $50.
Message edited by jay2tall on 03-03-2008 at 08:58:23 PM
I prefer PC gaming infinitely over the Consoles. You cannot beat the precision of a mouse in a FPS... and that's all I play.
But its fair point, not alot of good games to choose right now, and the ones I have got run 'poo' on my 7950GT and didnt run much better on an 8800GT (Gears of War, Crysis etc)
I'd pay £500 for a card if it played the games how I wanted them to play.
But its fair point, not alot of good games to choose right now, and the ones I have got run 'poo' on my 7950GT and didnt run much better on an 8800GT (Gears of War, Crysis etc)
I played Gear of War on my last card which was a x1900xtx (OCed of course) and it played and looked great. Crysis on the other hand.... well it just doesn't count. I think the only way a 8800GT wouldn't be enough is at higher resolutions.
It's as if this is the first time there's been a price premium that's not worth it. I wouldn't buy three 8800Ultra Black Pearl Editions and run them in 3-way SLI, but why would my desire to do so be heightened in any way by the release of exciting PC games? whatever comes out in the next year, I'm going to be running it on an EVGA 8800GT or maybe two, and that's about it.
It's not the end of the world, and if you think about it, the situation the market is in right now is no different than the same exact thing that's been happening since PC gaming has been around.
Hi Gino,
If you don't wish to pay alot for a video card, as none of us want to... I would strongly recommend the Nvida 9600 GT 512 MB. It retails for about $179 - $199. It is very compareable to the 8800 GT, but cheaper.
Hi Gino,
If you don't wish to pay alot for a video card, as none of us want to... I would strongly recommend the Nvida 9600 GT 512 MB. It retails for about $179 - $199. It is very compareable to the 8800 GT, but cheaper.
Check out some reviews. THG have a great review.
Also Agreed
MSI has a pretty decent 8800GT with a better cooler as well and I believe it is $200 with an additional rebate that puts it lower.
It's amazing how much cheaper PC components are in the states.
jay2tall, you mention an 8800GT @ $200. Which is approx £100 (it's a touch less, but I'll say £100 for ease)
On a popular UK component website (I get free delivery with them, so I use them as my preference) the cheapest 512mb 8800GT is a Palit @ stock speeds @ £139.19 or in USD $278.38.
And you guys moan components are expensive (Tongue-in-cheek!)
It's amazing how much cheaper PC components are in the states.
jay2tall, you mention an 8800GT @ $200. Which is approx £100 (it's a touch less, but I'll say £100 for ease)
On a popular UK component website (I get free delivery with them, so I use them as my preference) the cheapest 512mb 8800GT is a Palit @ stock speeds @ £139.19 or in USD $278.38.
And you guys moan components are expensive (Tongue-in-cheek!)
It's probably taxes on importing products, etc, etc. My paycheck gets taxed to all crap though I can tell you that much.
It's probably taxes on importing products, etc, etc. My paycheck gets taxed to all crap though I can tell you that much.
Yeah, I'd love to know where the mark up comes from!
Oh well, what do I care, after my recent expense of another GTX, I shall not be upgrading for a while!
Some of you have missed the point. Perahps I wasn't too clear.
I could throw down big $$$ for a high end video card. The question I was trying to raise is, why?
When was the last time a really good game came out for the PC? I like flight sims, military sims, RTS, etc. There aren't too may flight/military sims anymore. That market's dead.
Maybe I'm not seeing it, but in my opinion there aren't very many good PC games anymore. Not enough good games to support spending big $$$ for high end equipment.
Most of the people who read Tom's Hardware and enthusiast, correct? They look the fastest and the best in their rigs.
Most readers of Tom's Hardware most likely play games. Not all, but the majority I would bet.
So what's the point of spending big $$$ for high end systems when there's nothing but crap games to play on them? What do you guys think? Am I alone out here or does anyone else see the PC Gaming industry dying?
So what's the point of spending big $$$ for high end systems when there's nothing but crap games to play on them? What do you guys think? Am I alone out here or does anyone else see the PC Gaming industry dying?
Because it's more than just gaming it is also a hobby. And you don't need a HIGH end system to play most games. And as far as crap games? What games have you been looking at lately. COD4 is awesome, World in Conflict is awesome, Company of Heroes is awesome, Team Fortress 2 is fun, UT4 is fun. There are TONS! of great games out there. It all depends on taste. My buddies girlfriend is all about the SIMS.
The PC game industry will not dye as long as people are still into it. I don't like the game, but how many people play WOW? MILLIONS..
So please take no offense when I say this, but "shut your pie hole". and don't bash the computer games. Buy and Xbox and quit whinning. You don't have to upgrade one of those.
Message edited by jay2tall on 03-04-2008 at 08:43:39 PM
I agree the PC gaming industry is loosing ground to console gaming.
I agree it is not necessary to pay a premium for discrete graphics.
I'm happy with the Sapphire Radeon HD3870.
I don't plan on upgrading my graphics card for a long time.
In general I don't upgrade components very often. I build an entire new PC.
--------------- Doctor Hooter
Boobs Boobs Boobs...who loves boobs?...I do I do
I started playing computer games back when the first Zork was just a text based game. I've been around for too long.
I don't own an X-Box or a PlayStation. That's for my kids.
I used to be in the newspaper business and I used to write reviews on games and hardware in addition to covering murders and trials. The PC stuff was for fun.
So excuse me, I won't shut my pie-hole. PC Gaming is in bad shape. It's getting the snot kicked out of it by the console industry. I remember when there were hundreds of PC titles to chose from.
Remember Microprose? Spectrum Holobyte? Gilman Louie? Computer Gaming World Magazine when it really mattered before it went belly up? Origin Sytems? SSI? Bullfrog? Digital Integration?
I guess I pinning for the good old days and feel sorry for you youngsters who missed out on the Golden Age.
I still haven't moved for several reasons but one in particular.
What's the point? In my opinion the PC gaming industry is in such bad straights I can't see the point in plunking down more than $250 for a video card.
snip!
What games are worth a $300 plus video card? I've read the reviews of Crysis. That games isn't worth paying out the big bucks. Vista blows as a platform, why pay for Direct X 10 or 10.1 when you don't plan on upgrading for a long time.
Yes, thought provoking argument. In the last year PC gaming lost a lot of ground to console gaming. I think that two major factors are in play here; Vista causes performance lags and game consoles have increased performance. So, I agree; Do you spend $250 for a video card that has an uncertain future, or a $350 dedicated game console that will give you 4 years?
If the popularity of PC gaming continues to slide, ultra powerful GPU's will be irrelavent giving credence to AMD's 780 chipset ga
and don't bash the computer games. Buy and Xbox and quit whinning. You don't have to upgrade one of those.