Path: ...!weretis.net!feeder9.news.weretis.net!news.quux.org!eternal-september.org!feeder3.eternal-september.org!news.eternal-september.org!.POSTED!not-for-mail From: JAB Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action Subject: Re: Computer Build Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2024 11:21:47 +0000 Organization: A noiseless patient Spider Lines: 64 Message-ID: References: <1bbbdb8a119347ddd1f418ad9bf9c5f563eeb9eb@i2pn2.org> <5f3d26e84d85b9455fddae3e2073ec07bafe9f81@i2pn2.org> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Injection-Date: Fri, 06 Dec 2024 12:21:49 +0100 (CET) Injection-Info: dont-email.me; posting-host="45a34e42169a89ae7e8d4f07ee64300a"; logging-data="2434622"; mail-complaints-to="abuse@eternal-september.org"; posting-account="U2FsdGVkX18puJImlIgxaqXD8mF5GVoY" User-Agent: Mozilla Thunderbird Cancel-Lock: sha1:c58j6N22bxyjK+yNjowZjGMddDA= In-Reply-To: <5f3d26e84d85b9455fddae3e2073ec07bafe9f81@i2pn2.org> Content-Language: en-GB Bytes: 4604 On 05/12/2024 20:47, Justisaur wrote: > On 12/4/2024 1:37 AM, JAB wrote: >> On 02/12/2024 21:23, Justisaur wrote: >>> My son expressed an interest in upgrading his computer, he's waffling >>> though, as I told him he needs to pay for it himself.  He has the >>> money, but doesn't want to use it.  I would pay local taxes to help out. >>> >>> My goal was to keep costs down, but make it at least as good as what >>> I have now. The one he has now is a handmedown from his grands, >>> unfortunately the case is a propriatary dell with a propriatary >>> motherboard, a normal ATX doesn't fit in it, so I can't use it.  I >>> may be able to use the PSU, but need to tear it apart to do so.  I'm >>> only planning on a 500W PSU as it seems power requirements have gone >>> down considerably. >> >> My not so helpfully advice is don't overthink it too much as the >> reality is unless you do something disastrous it's going to do the job >> for you. My last upgrade, instead of doing my customary spending ages >> trying to decide exactly what to get I went down the I don't need a >> 'god like' PC so let's just spend a little bit of time online looking >> for recommended budget gaming set-ups. Did I get the best value for >> money, almost definitely not but I also didn't waste hours upon hours >> of 'research' just to say feck it I'll go with that which I looked at >> two weeks ago. >> >> The other problem I found is that what would seem a good place for >> advice (real people online) turns out to be really problematic in that >> it ranges from at worst bad advice and at best this is the system I >> would want regardless of whether that would met your needs. Oh you >> want a new PC for general day-to-day stuff as some light gaming. Well >> clearly what you want is system built around a 4090! > > The adive I've gotten here has been far above anything I've found > elsewhere over the years :)  Hopefully I've given some too. > > I already ordered it, I probably made some mistakes (as Ross pointed > out) but it's still hundreds of dollars less than a branded gaming > computer of probably similar performance (or more like much higher > performance for the budget than one.) > All I really know about gaming PC's is that you are almost always going to overpay for what you actually get unless you really value a flash case and some 'cool' stickers! > I do have to put it together, which I've definitely lost a lot of my > interest for after my last one, but I'm willing to put in the time for > my family.  If I counted what I'm paid vs. the time put into it, I'm > sure I come out behind.  Part of it is just my hatred of getting stuck > with unupgradable proprietary junk.  Not that I usually upgrade anything > except the video card separately, but the PS & case can last many > generations of computer.  I know one can get the computer built to order > with the parts you want but that comes at a premium. > Similar to me as the time between refreshes means that I never really have a choice but to get at least MB + CPU + RAM, so much for the idea of future proofing a PC. As for putting it together, I cheated slightly with my last one in that I bought the MB + CPU + RAM pre-built. Can I have spent more time shopping around to get a better deal, probably but putting the CPU in is one of the parts I just don't like doing.