Is the PC argument moot if GPU prices stay this high?

There used to be a lot of comparisons between PC and console hardware. It seemed like the one advantage PC had was getting the best specs at an affordable price. Now that GPU prices have skyrocketed thanks to cryptominers, is the argument still valid? It would be hard to make the argument if you can't afford it lol.

GTX 1050 price is unaffected and will give you console performance. So yes, the argument is still valid

In my experience, all PC parts are more expensive than it used to be.

dont think the price per performance argument has ever been too great, you pay more to get better results

The problem with GPU's isn't the pricing, if you look properly, it's availability and the speed they are going out of stock as soon as they do become available.

I know of several places in the UK that are selling GPU's for MSRP + VAT as normal. Fortunately not all retailers are greedy scumbags.

The price comparison itself is moot because I would have to buy other devices to match all the tasks a gaming PC can do if all I had was a console.

I'd still choose the PC despite the high GPU prices. Unlike a console in the living room, my primary PC rarely ever collects dust because it's constantly being used.

Quad core i3 available for 130$...only needs cheap motherboards and DDR4 ram!

This.

If you're building a PC but targeting console price points, you're very stupid.

Watch how cheap GPUs get when the Bitcoin scam ends. Be patient

Maybe it's just me, but building a PC should always be mid to high parts, don't see the point otherwise.

If I'd build a PC it had to be a BEAST, so yes.

Why? Do you really think consoles have premium parts?

What? No.

@MonsieurX: the 1050 will usually not touch a X1X.

Let's suddenly forget the X1 and PS4

@MonsieurX: lol well i play on a Pro/X1x.

I think most people who care about visuals will to and the price to performance ratio on those consoles is better then you can get on PC.

At least, we agree on that. ;)

But, I think budget parts have been okay, especially since most motherboard makers replaced electrolytic capacitors with solid state ones. The only issue I might see with budget parts is with overclocking. But, there is no rule saying the PC must be overclocked.

Although hardly anyone mentioned it, the move to solid state capacitors is one of the biggest things that passed almost unnoticed under everyone's radar.

Budget parts are also more susceptible to coil whine.

Another altcoin will take over. Cryptocurrency is the future.

I don't think that's every been true - you get the best specs at a higher price. Or you can get similar specs at a similar-ish price (but I've never been a fan of that road - you're setting yourself up for heartache when you build a toaster. Consoles get away with their specs because devs develop for those specs to make sure it looks and works ok). The real benefit of PC, IMO, is the openness of the platform - decades of games that you can play any way you want to, for the most part. Visual settings, interface, mods - you choose your experience for a library that dwarfs any given console generation. And then, yeah - if you want to pay more for higher fidelity than consoles can offer that's 100% open to you as an option. Of course, free online with the exception of paid subscription MMO-type games is a huge thing too. In general, it's just a substantially more open and flexible platform.

That being said, this GPU price thing is absolute arse - I do resent the miners, and I resent the market for increasing prices to hit their demand. I can't fault them for it - we're all out to make a buck on some level - but as a hobbyist it blows chunks

Looking at YT videos, it seems to me high-end parts are just as susceptible to coil whine. My current FX-8350 PC is almost 5 years old although the PSU is now a newer, year-old $60 EVGA, the video card is a year-old $220 Zaton GTX 1060 (6 GB) Mini. No discernible coil whine although the single-fan GTX 1060 should be working harder than a 2-fan one.

I even opened up the side of my Silencio 352 case so I can hear the components inside. It has sound-deadening materials which makes it very quiet when the case is closed.

Fair enough.

Pc are so expensive now anyone with 200-300 can get xone s or 4 slim with game and controller (got my one s 2 games 1 controller at 179 november).

Or 400-500 for ps4 pro or one X (got my ps4 pro for 350. they make sales few times every year)

So Getting a pc is crazy expensive if all you want is game and netflix

@MonsieurX: GTX 1050tis you can still find some that don't cost too much more than their MSRP, I can still find some that are only $50 more than MSRP. Also the AMD Ryzens are a bit cheaper and offer better performance.

I hope. But not likely as long as there's lazy people that don't want to work that get enough from mom and dad to buy GPUs, it's looking dire. Everybody wants to get a slice of that play money.

All I know is when Volta is released you should spam the store page button and buy quick to be able to land yourself a decent priced video card.

I have set up a program to tell me when my store of choice gets a product in. I even made it play an annoyingly loud alarm to alert me.

I am so tempted to sell my almost year old Zotac amp extreme 1080ti for 1300USD. I find that hilarious since I bought that 1080ti for 750USD.

PC gaming being inexpensive hasn't been a viable argument in many years.

It seems like that was often the only argument against PC gaming, not in favor of it. PC has pretty much all other advantages in its favor, from game selection, online communities, diversity in the game library, backwards compatibility for effectively every game ever made, less expensive games overall, and so on.

And, to answer your question, all of those above reasons and more is why the PC argument is not moot. Because it is the only electronic device I need for recreation, and worth it.

And honestly, if you can't afford a modest PC rig and that is your excuse, you probably should have a less expensive hobby than gaming in the first place. Like...rock collecting, or reading books. Console gaming might be less expensive than PC gaming, but it's not cheap by any stretch.

If you live by a Microcenter, you're in luck as far as building a new system goes.

http://www.pcgamer.com/micro-center-will-sell-you-a-graphics-card-at-msrp-if-its-for-gaming-instead-of-mining/

"We called three different Micro Center stores across the country and they all said the same thing. First, you must purchase the graphics card along with several other core components: CPU, motherboard, RAM, and power supply. Second, you must have an approval from an in-store manager."

EDIT: Welp, the Microcenter near me is completely out of 1070+, so there goes that. Of course, it could vary for other Microcenters.

They overcharge too

I think it's all up to the individual just like anything.

Nope, you want the best you pay for it.

Did we throw out all the arguments for the Switch when it was in short supply and being price gauged?

Of course it it. What are you trying to say i dont get it.

@SolidGame_basic: You can still get prebuilt PCs at normal prices, a lot of newcomers are turning that route

Is a ford focus the fastest car in the world because you can't afford anything more than that?...

That's your logic here.

@NoodleFighter: a 200 dollar 1050ti is a tragedy. Some are going for more.

Seriously guys, lets be real, the crypto bs has broken the diy pc market. Gpu prices are absurd, and ram prices are high.

There is no such animal as a "solid state capacitor", you must mean SMD or polymer.

If GPU and DDR4 prices stay this high by next gen consoles I'll probably be gaming more on consoles...

I could see the future console prices go up as well because of the mining, but I rather think they'll have specialized cards for miners at some point that are actually way better at mining than gaming.

dont think the mining affects console prices, but surprisingly enough consoles use RAM as well, be it ddr, gddr or hbm,

They would also only have a console

Yeah I mean future prices. Like the next console iterations for which they have not yet signed contracts. I bet Nvidia/AMD/ are looking at these price hikes thinking they can get better deals for the next tier of consoles. Hope not. I really hope that they get to manufacture mining oriented hardware to off load their gaming products.

Maybe I'm looking at it the wrong way. I do know that Nvidia is getting worried that the GPU's are not being used by gamers... not sure why though? Maybe they see more long term gains from gamers as customers. So maybe they don't want to risk upping prices of the next consoles, and selling components through consoles is the number one way to sure sell to gamers.

@KungfuKitten: Much easier for Nvidia to bank on the steady growing pc gaming market than highly volatile cryptocurrency

There's still the prebuilt option, so nope.

My mistake. I should have used non-liquid electrolytic instead.

I got caught up looking at the box of my old Gigabyte motherboard (solid capacitors). It de-evolved from there. ;)

@goldenelementxl:

It could take years for the Bitcoin scam to end.

i don't care

no way i play on Something else than my PC

If PC gaming gives their gamers what they want then I don't think affordability is as crucial an argument, it's just one layer of many arguments for people to prefer PC over consoles. That being said, just how bad has crypto-mining effected prices? Is it just in top of the line stuff? Is mid-range stuff still affordable? Is there a balance there?