how do people justify prices on gaming desktops?

there are games that will only succed on the PC like WoW. but me, i've built a PC for Diablo 3, and Mass Effect (i dont have a x360).

[QUOTE="nintendog66"]And nobody hasn't mentioned exclusives yet? xD Crysis, STALKER series, Stacraft 2, Diablo 3, Team Fortress 2(any valve game for that matter), Sins of Solar Empire, etc etc 20+ years of back catalog that beat any console. Not to mention ithat it's impossible to play most games with a controller.boybrushdred

team fortress 2 is included in the orange box. which is also on the ps3 and x360.

[QUOTE="Roggirek"]Well, in today's world, you're going to need a PC at some point. Say this costs $500 or so. Then add the cost of a $300 console, and theres your gaming PC.kaitanuvax

This. Console fan boys do tend to forget a PC isn't just used for gaming..

can you use it for other things then gaming yes. But if you are just making a gaming machine you are paying extra for some thing you don't want .

^i dont think anyone in the world uses their gaming computer solely for gaming...

[QUOTE="kaitanuvax"]

[QUOTE="Roggirek"]Well, in today's world, you're going to need a PC at some point. Say this costs $500 or so. Then add the cost of a $300 console, and theres your gaming PC.dontshackzmii

This. Console fan boys do tend to forget a PC isn't just used for gaming..

can you use it for other things then gaming yes. But if you are just making a gaming machine you are paying extra for some thing you don't want .

Um..why would anyone not want to web surf, chat, watch videos, do their homework, edit videos/photos, etc. all on an already fast PC? You're speaking as if every minute not gaming on a gaming PC is a waste. You're speaking as if all those things I mentioned are gimmicks or something...they're everyday things a PC should be used for, regardless if it's a gaming PC or not. But all the better if it is, because it'd be that much faster.

[QUOTE="boybrushdred"]

there are games that will only succed on the PC like WoW. but me, i've built a PC for Diablo 3, and Mass Effect (i dont have a x360).

[QUOTE="nintendog66"]And nobody hasn't mentioned exclusives yet? xD Crysis, STALKER series, Stacraft 2, Diablo 3, Team Fortress 2(any valve game for that matter), Sins of Solar Empire, etc etc 20+ years of back catalog that beat any console. Not to mention ithat it's impossible to play most games with a controller.TheMistique

team fortress 2 is included in the orange box. which is also on the ps3 and x360.

i've been trying to convince myself to throw down money for a gaming PC but i can't seem to make sense of the math.

take for instance people who buy a radeon 5970, a $700 graphics card. for $100less i can buy an xbox360 and ps3. surely theres more value in 2 gaming systems than 1 graphics card which can't do much on its own.

now lets take a regular gaming machine that should cost around $800 given that you use an intel processor and not amd and you want to play on max. considering most people already have a computer for internet usage and other programs, you'd be spending all that money just to play games. i say to myself.. with $800 i can buy 13 new games for my consoles or 40 used games. or just a lot of new clothes, a lot of beer, who knows.

and dont say i can upgrade my existing computer because its a laptop which already does everything i need from a computer minus gaming.

so how do you convince someone who already owns a cheap desktop or laptop to spend that money on another one just for games? i really want to play starcraft2, diablo3, swtor, etc. but all that money just to play those games on max?

Decrate

So let me get this straight....you have at least one console, a laptop, and $800 or so to spend on games, clothes, beer, etc?

Then you proceed in the next post to say your a broke college student?

Sorry, we call that a paradox where I come from. If you've got money to blow on consoles, then you aren't a poor college student.

A gaming PC would've been a MUCH better investment than your laptop + consoles as you would still get entertainment value + all the other useful benefits of a PC.

I don't buy your argument at all.

I spend just about every second of my life on it.

For the same reason anyone spends money on anything?

Why do people buy $100,000 RVs when they can buy a tent for $200?

Why do people buy a $2,000,000 house when they could live just as comfortably in a $200,000 house?

Why do people spend $20,000 on a boat to fish when they can stand on the shore for free?

Why do people buy $3,000 guns and hundreds more in ammunition to hunt when they can buy the same meat at a store for $10?

Why do people buy a $50,000 car when there are $10,000 cars?

You act like someone has to invest their soul into a gaming PC...? And that it is required to update it at least 16 times a year for at least twice as much money...? Most people that buy $800 gaming computers don't add a single thing to that computer for years.

Hell a Core 2 Duo e6600, 4GB of PC6400, and an 8800GT from 3 years ago can still max out 95% of the PC games available today.

I built my rig for about $600 just over a year ago.

720BE X3

4GB of G.Skill 1033

HD4850

Not only does it play any game I throw at it but it is a great all around workstation. Better than any console.

Currently my 360 is sitting in a cardboard box where it has been for the last 8 months.

1. My rig, which is in my sig, cost me 1000 dollars, subtract that from the price of a regular computer, which is around 450-600, im paying 650 to play games.

2. Now add in the TV/monitor and i pay less than i would for a console.

3. Then add in the amount of games/price for each and the periphrials, and im paying much less than i would for a console.

My computer is by no means mid or low end, it is very high end. I pay less for it than i would ever pay for a console.

How do people justify prices on gaming desktops?

simple - my gaming desktop cost as much as my console setup.

I bought my 360 three years ago when it cost £300. I had it linked to an SDTV for a while, but didn't like that, so saved up and bought an HDTV for £500. The TV was bought for gaming, and apart from consoles, has no other HD input. So my cost of getting my 360 ready was £800 before games.

2 years ago I built my own desktop on a budget of £800. Quad core Q6600, HD4850, 4GB DDR2, 2 x 1TB HDDs and Windows 7 Ultimate. I use it pretty much everyday for internet, films or gaming.

So sure, if you only want to compare the cost of a console you can make claims they are massively different, but if you look at what you've spent, and why you spent it, they aren't all that different.

1. My rig, which is in my sig, cost me 1000 dollars, subtract that from the price of a regular computer, which is around 450-600, im paying 650 to play games.

2. Now add in the TV/monitor and i pay less than i would for a console.

3. Then add in the amount of games/price for each and the periphrials, and im paying much less than i would for a console.

My computer is by no means mid or low end, it is very high end. I pay less for it than i would ever pay for a console.

edinsftw

Not meaning to go off topic, but how did you get an i7 920 ~$200, 2 5870's ~$400, 12GB of DDR3 ~$250-$350 depending on brand all in a computer for a $1000... Those three alone are nearly $1300... And those are just 3 of the components needed...

1. My rig, which is in my sig, cost me 1000 dollars, subtract that from the price of a regular computer, which is around 450-600, im paying 650 to play games.

2. Now add in the TV/monitor and i pay less than i would for a console.

3. Then add in the amount of games/price for each and the periphrials, and im paying much less than i would for a console.

My computer is by no means mid or low end, it is very high end. I pay less for it than i would ever pay for a console.

edinsftw

Seems a little disingenuous. I see why your rig would cost a thousand but I've always had to add a monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, and OS. I've yet to get a decent PC under 1,500 and that's building them myself and without SLI or CF. Not complaining mind you it's a hobby and I like doing it.

To the TC, even when I didn't have money I never begrudged somebody having anything they wanted. Personal freedom and all that you see.

Seems a little disingenuous. I see why your rig would cost a thousand but I've always had to add a monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, and OS. I've yet to get a decent PC under 1,500 and that's building them myself and without SLI or CF. Not complaining mind you it's a hobby and I like doing it.

To the TC, even when I didn't have money I never begrudged somebody having anything they wanted. Personal freedom and all that you see.

Rickylee

If it's your very first time ever owning a PC, sure. But, many people already had several PCs. Unless people throw perfectly good parts away, I don't see why a keyboard, mouse, and speakers would be a requirement with every new PC.

With my current build, I used the keyboard, mouse, speakers, case, dvd writer, sound card, and monitor from my previous PC. Sometimes, I subbed a 32" 720p LCD TV which predated even my previous PC. Throughout this decade, I've accumulated a number of spare parts, a couple of PCI-E video cards, a tv tuner, several wired keyboards and optical mouse, retail versions of XP Home, XP Professional, and Vista Basic. Anyone who's been doing DIY should have a collection of parts. I do because I don't easily get rid of perfectly good parts. I'm not the wasteful type.

I blew around $1800 AU on a gaming/workstation rig. I do many things on it, I multi task alot, video/audio encoding. 3D Modelling, Photoshop, Unreal Development Kit etc. It's just counter productive to buy a machine that can 'ONLY' game. Now the question is if you want to buy a gaming PC only for gaming. Well in my opinion, nothing's wrong with blowing $1500 to $2000 on something you'll be using everyday for years. Doing heavy research on utilities that you'll be using for a long time helps (Car's, Houses, Fridge, PC, TV) etc.

PC games are also just must cheaper. It pays itself off if you buy ALOT of games.

So let me get this straight....you have at least one console, a laptop, and $800 or so to spend on games, clothes, beer, etc?

Then you proceed in the next post to say your a broke college student?

Sorry, we call that a paradox where I come from.

mudman91878

[QUOTE="edinsftw"]

1. My rig, which is in my sig, cost me 1000 dollars, subtract that from the price of a regular computer, which is around 450-600, im paying 650 to play games.

2. Now add in the TV/monitor and i pay less than i would for a console.

3. Then add in the amount of games/price for each and the periphrials, and im paying much less than i would for a console.

My computer is by no means mid or low end, it is very high end. I pay less for it than i would ever pay for a console.

Buttons1990

Not meaning to go off topic, but how did you get an i7 920 ~$200, 2 5870's ~$400, 12GB of DDR3 ~$250-$350 depending on brand all in a computer for a $1000... Those three alone are nearly $1300... And those are just 3 of the components needed...

I work at a tech store ;p. I get many a discounts.

[QUOTE="Rickylee"]

Seems a little disingenuous. I see why your rig would cost a thousand but I've always had to add a monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, and OS.I've yet to get a decent PC under 1,500 and that's building them myself and without SLI or CF. Not complaining mind you it's a hobby and I like doing it.

To the TC, even when I didn't have money I never begrudged somebody having anything they wanted. Personal freedom and all that you see.

jun_aka_pekto

If it's your very first time ever owning a PC, sure. But, many people already had several PCs. Unless people throw perfectly good parts away, I don't see why a keyboard, mouse, and speakers would be a requirement with every new PC.

With my current build, I used the keyboard, mouse, speakers, case, dvd writer, sound card, and monitor from my previous PC. Sometimes, I subbed a 32" 720p LCD TV which predated even my previous PC. Throughout this decade, I've accumulated a number of spare parts, a couple of PCI-E video cards, a tv tuner, several wired keyboards and optical mouse, retail versions of XP Home, XP Professional, and Vista Basic. Anyone who's been doing DIY should have a collection of parts. I do because I don't easily get rid of perfectly good parts. I'm not the wasteful type.

I understand. But when it get time to upgrade these old parts there is no other choice. Like going to LCD monitors from CRTs. New versions of 64bit OSs for three computers. Video cards do not age well for current games. I used a weaker video card in my wife's computer just cause I needed one that would only do the monitors native resolution. Yes some parts I used over like KBs and mice and speakers but really these are relatively inexpensive in the scheme of things. (Unless you bought the ones I did for my computer). Also the poster I quoted later admited he work in a tech store and was getting discounts. Just sayin'.

Because I do more with my desktop than gaming. It's my main PC, I do everything on it from typing up essays to editing photoshop files to gaming.

You can't do that with a PS3 or Xbox 360.

Instead of worrying about the prices, just buy it and enjoy the games. Don't let your economy stand in the way of something you want to do in your life.

What the heck is a "gaming PC" anyway? All it is is a fairly recent hardware setup with a competent video card. There is nothing speacial about a "gaming PC" and I don't even know why people are making that somesort of monikker.

If you guys think your setup is ancient - I have a PC with an integrated 9400 GS on the motherboard. My Gigabyte board has plenty of potential, but I haven't fulfilled it because of prices, and because I am having no major problems running games. The OP is talking about $700.00 being high - well $100.00 is the point where I'm going "nah, I can wait...". I just do not see what is on a video card that makes them worth paying so much for. Does it have platinum components? Deos it make my bed and bring me coffee??? What is so expensive on the card that we need to pat so much? If the justification is that they perform better - then that means people are willingly allowing themselves to get ripped off, whether you can afford it or not, based on a concept that has nothing to do with the actual costs of producing the card.

Same goes for cpus - I still have a 2.66ghz Dual Core, although I can drop a quad - bexause I can't see spending hundreds of dollars on a component based soley on it's performance. I just don't feel comfortable with that, and the fact that it costs no difference for Intel to make a higher end CPU than the lower ends. And again - what is in a CPU that's worth that much? NOTHING. It's mostly made out of silicate, which is a fancy term for a type of sand.

SO my "gaming rig" isn't all that - but I doen't have problems running games. Do I run them all maxxed out? No - but I don't need them maxxed out, either. I also have consoles, so if I can tolerate the graphics from a console then I can accept lower resolution or medium settings on my PC games (which still look amazing compared to console games). Even in the past when I did have machines that were at the edge of technology I didn't feel the need to max out games. It's just so much overkill.

I would suggest that you get what you need that satisfies you. If you feel you need a $700.00 video card, then go for it. Not something that I would do - but then I am a bargain builder. If your a broke student, then $700.00 would definitely be overkill, better to invest in a cheaper but competent video card, and put the savings towards a motherboard with potential to grow. A decent cpu, large hard drives and max out memory will last you a long time. And don't overclock if your planning to use your PC for a long time. Overclocking is for testing - I don't know why people are trying to use it to "speed up" their system. Stay within the manufacturer's settings and don't play around like that if you want a system to last. Any time you need extra cooling, your going down a bad path.

Well, I've got about $2000 just sitting there and I don't have any specific hobbies except gaming, so if a $700 graphic card is needed for awesome visuals with awesome framerate I'm going for it. No need to worry about lag or lowering graphic settings anymore, even badly optimized ports will get raped by such a card :D

so how do you convince someone who already owns a cheap desktop or laptop to spend that money on another one just for games? i really want to play starcraft2, diablo3, swtor, etc. but all that money just to play those games on max?Decrate

What the heck is a "gaming PC" anyway? All it is is a fairly recent hardware setup with a competent video card. There is nothing speacial about a "gaming PC" and I don't even know why people are making that somesort of monikker.

If you guys think your setup is ancient - I have a PC with an integrated 9400 GS on the motherboard. My Gigabyte board has plenty of potential, but I haven't fulfilled it because of prices, and because I am having no major problems running games. The OP is talking about $700.00 being high - well $100.00 is the point where I'm going "nah, I can wait...". I just do not see what is on a video card that makes them worth paying so much for. Does it have platinum components? Deos it make my bed and bring me coffee??? What is so expensive on the card that we need to pat so much? If the justification is that they perform better - then that means people are willingly allowing themselves to get ripped off, whether you can afford it or not, based on a concept that has nothing to do with the actual costs of producing the card.

Same goes for cpus - I still have a 2.66ghz Dual Core, although I can drop a quad - bexause I can't see spending hundreds of dollars on a component based soley on it's performance. I just don't feel comfortable with that, and the fact that it costs no difference for Intel to make a higher end CPU than the lower ends. And again - what is in a CPU that's worth that much? NOTHING. It's mostly made out of silicate, which is a fancy term for a type of sand.

SO my "gaming rig" isn't all that - but I doen't have problems running games. Do I run them all maxxed out? No - but I don't need them maxxed out, either. I also have consoles, so if I can tolerate the graphics from a console then I can accept lower resolution or medium settings on my PC games (which still look amazing compared to console games). Even in the past when I did have machines that were at the edge of technology I didn't feel the need to max out games. It's just so much overkill.

I would suggest that you get what you need that satisfies you. If you feel you need a $700.00 video card, then go for it. Not something that I would do - but then I am a bargain builder. If your a broke student, then $700.00 would definitely be overkill, better to invest in a cheaper but competent video card, and put the savings towards a motherboard with potential to grow. A decent cpu, large hard drives and max out memory will last you a long time. And don't overclock if your planning to use your PC for a long time. Overclocking is for testing - I don't know why people are trying to use it to "speed up" their system. Stay within the manufacturer's settings and don't play around like that if you want a system to last. Any time you need extra cooling, your going down a bad path.

magusat999

I just do not see what is on a video card that makes them worth paying so much for. Does it have platinum components? Deos it make my bed and bring me coffee???

magusat999

Intel and AMD also have their general admin and marketing costs. Also they both do a lot of general computation research in markets you wouldn't expect (actually pretty much all computer companies do this), i know that Intel is currently developing healthcare in the home equipment which includes very long term studies on 1000s of elderly people all over the world, AMD has large interests in the developing world (AMD Geode powers the OLPC), IBM develops lots of obscure systems management equipment such as managing traffic systems and there's also IBM labs, MS of course has MS labs and give lots of student discounts and gives away $1000s of enterprise software to 100,000s students via Dreamspark and MSAA. Most of these companies also run programming/innovation competitions giving away considerable cash prices. When you see an Intel or Nvidia logo during the start up of a game that's because that company sent out reps and offered support to help optimize the software for their hardware. Intel, MS, Nvidia, Cisco and IBM all offer educational programmes and MS and Cisco even offer full industry standard qualifications.

...not to mention the fact that in a two company oligopoly, you can charge whatever the hell you think people will fork out for a rapidly depreciating technology. :P

Well, I've got about $2000 just sitting there and I don't have any specific hobbies except gaming, so if a $700 graphic card is needed for awesome visuals with awesome framerate I'm going for it. No need to worry about lag or lowering graphic settings anymore, even badly optimized ports will get raped by such a card :D

FatSlasH

The only justification to get anything above a 5850 is if you have 2500x1600 rez (or higher o_O).

[QUOTE="magusat999"]

I just do not see what is on a video card that makes them worth paying so much for. Does it have platinum components? Deos it make my bed and bring me coffee???

markop2003

Intel and AMD also have their general admin and marketing costs. Also they both do a lot of general computation research in markets you wouldn't expect (actually pretty much all computer companies do this), i know that Intel is currently developing healthcare in the home equipment which includes very long term studies on 1000s of elderly people all over the world, AMD has large interests in the developing world (AMD Geode powers the OLPC), IBM develops lots of obscure systems management equipment such as managing traffic systems and there's also IBM labs, MS of course has MS labs and give lots of student discounts and gives away $1000s of enterprise software to 100,000s students via Dreamspark and MSAA. Most of these companies also run programming/innovation competitions giving away considerable cash prices. When you see an Intel or Nvidia logo during the start up of a game that's because that company sent out reps and offered support to help optimize the software for their hardware. Intel, MS, Nvidia, Cisco and IBM all offer educational programmes and MS and Cisco even offer full industry standard qualifications.

WHen I am purchasing something, I don't care how much your company has wasted money and it shouldn't be my responsibility to make up for that. Besides salary, most of what you speak of are re-useable processes - like a factory. They don't buy a new factory every time a chip comes out. All they do is adjust thier machines to make the chip. There are reasons to raise prices, but there also should be a reasonable ceiling - Nvidia, AMD and Intel has no such thing, they are raising prices because of hype and anticipation - not to raise a reasonable profit. You can list all of the cost involved, but when it's all broken down it still costs a fraction of the price to make these parts - and there is virtually no price difference in making a Geforce FX 5600 or a GTX 480, they are just different cards. It dosn't cost Intel any more to make an i7 than it does to make a Pentium III (actually a PIII costs more to make) - but since the marketing team can hype up the performance gains, people pay way more than they should be paying for the better processor. The manufacturing facilities hav been long paid for, so that's not even a consideration.

The way they calculate price has nothing to do with actual costs and value. They set a target return and divide that by units. They add expenses, of course, then they factor in how much people need it and want it. They mark the price upwards because it's new and according to the maximum they figure people will shell out. Much of the high pricing has to do with the fact that everyone has a credit card, so they will spend much more than they would with "real money". If credit cards were banned, I bet those prices would come way down - down to normal. There is no justification for charging hundreds of dollars for these components - except greed.

[QUOTE="FatSlasH"]

Well, I've got about $2000 just sitting there and I don't have any specific hobbies except gaming, so if a $700 graphic card is needed for awesome visuals with awesome framerate I'm going for it. No need to worry about lag or lowering graphic settings anymore, even badly optimized ports will get raped by such a card :D

tequilasunriser

I know but I want smooth framerate in even the most demanding games, with super sampling and everything.

like the old saying

once you go PC, you never go back to console

( in my opinion)

You can justify the price buy not spending that much money on parts. You don't need the latest and greatest parts. I bought my 512mb 8800gt for only $150, CPU

for the same, and I can max out crysis at 1440 by 900, also run all of today's games.