I just put a new system together. I got an eVGA 8800gts 640meg for $390 canadian. Now I just rounded that off. Not looking for where it might be more/less. But in todays market, this is an average card.
Here me out. I've been playing games on the pc since there was games on the pc. I'm 39 years old. Commodore 64, had it, and up, been there, done that. I've seen the change, but here is what I don't get, video cards. They don't go with the times.
I know times change and all that, but I remember when 3d was the thing, when it really took off. The popular card to have was the Diamond Monster Voodoo 4meg. It cost $220 here in Canada, pretty much equal anywhere shopping around give or take a few bucks. Nothing else touched it, it was (at the time) the best any consumer could wish to have.
The point is not that is was 4megs, the point is, it was the Best money could buy, at that time.
As everyone here knows, CPU's/ram/disk space/ ;... gets larger cheaper as the years go on.
But not video, it just goes up. Just for the hell of it, I looked up the most expensive card I could find for a "comsumer", playing games. Believe me, there are more expensive than this.
BFG 8800 Ultra Water Cooled 768mb
It is $923 dollars.
In the Monster voodoo days, I could afford the Best graphics card on the market. I was a happy pc gamer. Many others could too.
Today, ya maybe some can put out this kind of cash for a video card only, but I don't see many doing so. There was no such thing as a $900 video card then. Video does not marry up with the times.
If anyone were to argue part by part, i.e. CPU, RAM, HD,... price per size per performance from yesterday to today, you already know you've lost the arguement. Please don't.
PC gaming is turning into a game for the mainsteam only.
I paid near $400 for a video card. Do I feel taken, no, this is where there at today. Can there prices continue as they have for the past 5 years. No. Majority will be pushed to consoles (xbox / playstation/...)
Anyhow, thanks for hearing my bitching :/
Here me out. I've been playing games on the pc since there was games on the pc. I'm 39 years old. Commodore 64, had it, and up, been there, done that. I've seen the change, but here is what I don't get, video cards. They don't go with the times.
I know times change and all that, but I remember when 3d was the thing, when it really took off. The popular card to have was the Diamond Monster Voodoo 4meg. It cost $220 here in Canada, pretty much equal anywhere shopping around give or take a few bucks. Nothing else touched it, it was (at the time) the best any consumer could wish to have.
The point is not that is was 4megs, the point is, it was the Best money could buy, at that time.
As everyone here knows, CPU's/ram/disk space/ ;... gets larger cheaper as the years go on.
But not video, it just goes up. Just for the hell of it, I looked up the most expensive card I could find for a "comsumer", playing games. Believe me, there are more expensive than this.
BFG 8800 Ultra Water Cooled 768mb
It is $923 dollars.
In the Monster voodoo days, I could afford the Best graphics card on the market. I was a happy pc gamer. Many others could too.
Today, ya maybe some can put out this kind of cash for a video card only, but I don't see many doing so. There was no such thing as a $900 video card then. Video does not marry up with the times.
If anyone were to argue part by part, i.e. CPU, RAM, HD,... price per size per performance from yesterday to today, you already know you've lost the arguement. Please don't.
PC gaming is turning into a game for the mainsteam only.
I paid near $400 for a video card. Do I feel taken, no, this is where there at today. Can there prices continue as they have for the past 5 years. No. Majority will be pushed to consoles (xbox / playstation/...)
Anyhow, thanks for hearing my bitching :/