Mostly I have just gotten a new top end system every 5-6 years and that has been okay. My current system should last a long time unless the next console generation has utterly ridiculous abilities.
PC gamers, what do you do when you hit the limits of your system?
- Thread starter ResonanceSD
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I'm waiting for the graphics to cost-effectiveness ratio to plateau (and it will barring some wonder technology) before I even consider another gaming PC. I come from the mid to late 90s and I got burned on a graphical jump rendering my new PC useless in a year (more or less) I upgraded it once and said screw it.
I play consoles, I don't care about the platform, but I just haven't got the cash to drop on another platform right now so I somehow manage. It helps not playing games for sheer graphicallity.
I play consoles, I don't care about the platform, but I just haven't got the cash to drop on another platform right now so I somehow manage. It helps not playing games for sheer graphicallity.
Just live with it and keep playing old games until something comes along that won't run and I absolutely, positively can't live without playing it.
Bizarrely, with my current setup, it was Need For Speed: Pro Street that was the catalyst for the upgrade. That, and my old computer was having power issues so it kept resetting itself at random intervals, which was costing me a bomb at online poker
I sort of expected Mass Effect 3 to be the game that caused the next upgrade, but much to my pleasant surprise it actually runs fine
Bizarrely, with my current setup, it was Need For Speed: Pro Street that was the catalyst for the upgrade. That, and my old computer was having power issues so it kept resetting itself at random intervals, which was costing me a bomb at online poker
I sort of expected Mass Effect 3 to be the game that caused the next upgrade, but much to my pleasant surprise it actually runs fine
Then why bother getting a graphics card in the first place? go with the new integrated gems from intel.loa said:
Integrated graphics are pretty much crap, and are better off in laptops. A cheap graphics card is preferable for something so simple as watching videos.ResonanceSD said:
*topic* Just recently made a major upgrade to my CPU, motherboard and RAM, so I'm good. If my GPU can't handle max settings, I'm gonna turn them down. After that, I'll consider getting a new GPU (which I will do early next year).
I upgrade. It's just going to cost a ton. I have done some pricing on a new processor and it's about $800. It will be $1000 after I get a new motherboard for it too. I'm running 6 year old hardware and it's time I bring it up to speed with the rest of the computer.
Usually get a new rig, when and if I got money, not saving much else than peripherals. My self-built PC's usually last long enough for the socket to become old news, or it's otherwise a better idea to get almost all new than just upgrade a bit.
My current PC is very well capable on running everything on ultra or high. But My next move will be to get another graphics card and go SLI, though.
My current PC is very well capable on running everything on ultra or high. But My next move will be to get another graphics card and go SLI, though.
Blasphemers!
I can't stand to see noticeable stuttering in the framerates, it irks me soooooo much I lose all immersion.
That being said, I plan well ahead & save up in order to afford high-end cards. e.g. I used to have 2xGTX 460 in SLI then I saved for the upcoming GTX 680, grabbed one at launch(I sold one of the old cards to recoup a bit of the cost...) for £400 so I got that doin the main rendering with one of the 460s for physX (you can tweak the drivers in order to achieve this!) So I'm happy I won't have to upgrade for a long time now, rockin everything in 1080p with antialiasing at 60 FPS. Plus no more endless fiddling with Nvidia Inspector.
They call us enthusiasts for a reason, right?
I can't stand to see noticeable stuttering in the framerates, it irks me soooooo much I lose all immersion.
That being said, I plan well ahead & save up in order to afford high-end cards. e.g. I used to have 2xGTX 460 in SLI then I saved for the upcoming GTX 680, grabbed one at launch(I sold one of the old cards to recoup a bit of the cost...) for £400 so I got that doin the main rendering with one of the 460s for physX (you can tweak the drivers in order to achieve this!) So I'm happy I won't have to upgrade for a long time now, rockin everything in 1080p with antialiasing at 60 FPS. Plus no more endless fiddling with Nvidia Inspector.
They call us enthusiasts for a reason, right?
Built my current computer about a year and a half ago, and it was about mid-high end-ish then, and I always run everything on all medium settings because anything over that doesn't have any really noticeable benefits most of the time, for me anyway, so might be a while until it's properly outdated.
I guess when it is though, I'd probably just look into buying a complete new system. With my previous computer I waited until parts broke before I replaced them, then once it started becoming too costly to replace things I started looking into a new computer.
I guess when it is though, I'd probably just look into buying a complete new system. With my previous computer I waited until parts broke before I replaced them, then once it started becoming too costly to replace things I started looking into a new computer.
The computer I use now I just built a few months ago with pretty good stuff, so I don't see it collecting any hiccups any time soon, but I'm not afraid to turn down the settings if it gets bad. It's hilarious. I have a few friends who NEED to play their games at the highest settings possible at all cost to playability. I saw one playing The Old Republic at an average of 8 frames per second but the graphics were 'totally awesome'. In a group situation, he couldn't even look at his party to heal because it would bog him down so much. I've always preferred a stable framerate over pretty graphics.
To be honest, I build systems that stand the test of time for at least two years. At the moment, no PC game has "rocked" my system because it just doesn't exist (yet), even though the GFX Cards (plural...2) are 8 months old, and the CPU is 12 months old. The Dual-card setup is working amazingly. Alone, a single card probably could be killed by all the HD Patches I put on Skyrim, but together, the cards are working in tandem which mean my framerate with all HD at Maximum on Skyrim is operating at 76 FPS inside, 49 FPS outside in full view.
When I hit the "limits" of my system, I start researching for a new setup. I find the weakest link (slow RAM, slow CPU, slow GPU) and aim to replace only that component (unless old components are incompatible with new components). If I find that the computer is still underperforming, I perform further upgrades.
When I hit the "limits" of my system, I start researching for a new setup. I find the weakest link (slow RAM, slow CPU, slow GPU) and aim to replace only that component (unless old components are incompatible with new components). If I find that the computer is still underperforming, I perform further upgrades.
I get a new console.
OT: I weep because I can't afford any new parts. I just have to live with what I got. But since I just started PC gaming, there are still plenty of PC games that I can try from the past 10 years. I just recently grew an addiction to Mount & Blade, Killing Floor, and Warhammer 40,000.
OT: I weep because I can't afford any new parts. I just have to live with what I got. But since I just started PC gaming, there are still plenty of PC games that I can try from the past 10 years. I just recently grew an addiction to Mount & Blade, Killing Floor, and Warhammer 40,000.
I turn into this.
http://mdb11.ibibo.com/07953616c7465645f5f85901de412314762a0f8b63669325a210673cbbfdd887aeb74e6860a2be08b099a188f51877fd03822bf0c.gif
Then I wait around until I have money burning a hole in my pocket/have skipped three component generations, then get something new. In GPUs, I went from a Geforce 8800 GTX to a 280 GTX to a 570 GTX, I imagine the next card I get will be a 700/800 generation one.
http://mdb11.ibibo.com/07953616c7465645f5f85901de412314762a0f8b63669325a210673cbbfdd887aeb74e6860a2be08b099a188f51877fd03822bf0c.gif
Then I wait around until I have money burning a hole in my pocket/have skipped three component generations, then get something new. In GPUs, I went from a Geforce 8800 GTX to a 280 GTX to a 570 GTX, I imagine the next card I get will be a 700/800 generation one.
I live with it and lower the graphic settings. I only upgrade once things become absolutely, unbearably shit to look at. Clone PCs might be fairly cheap, that's still money I'd rather put elsewhere, like tuition fees and food and such.
I just don't get the mentality of some PC gamers where "bleeding edge or nothing" becomes some sort of mantra. If you're playing a game, aren't you playing it for the experience it provides? If so, you surely could be able to survive playing Skyrim at its shittiest settings. The eye candy really is just that. Eye candy.
I just don't get the mentality of some PC gamers where "bleeding edge or nothing" becomes some sort of mantra. If you're playing a game, aren't you playing it for the experience it provides? If so, you surely could be able to survive playing Skyrim at its shittiest settings. The eye candy really is just that. Eye candy.