How much do you spend on PC desktop hardware every year?

[Haserath]

Spent about 2k on this system over 4 years.

So around $500. This was my first system and I don't know how long I will make it last. That average will go down if I can resist Haswell.

 

[Termie]

I've maintained two systems for the past two years, which provides lots of opportunity to spend, even though I originally meant for the HTPC to just reuse old parts.

With my main cpu platform being upgraded every two years and my main gpu being upgraded every 18 months, plus an SSD (or two) per year, I'm at about $1000/yr...

...plus a $500-600 monitor every four years.

 

[Greenlepricon]

I usually make one big upgrade to my rig a year, meaning a new cpu/mobo, gpu, RAM, monitor, cooling parts, etc. and make my upgrades slowly. It comes out to maybe $300 a year?

 

[CHADBOGA]

I try to spend as little as possible, but the last few years has seen me spend about $1500 per year, but I now hope to reduce that to $500 per year going forward, but will probably blow the budget late this year on a Haswell Ultrabook.

 

[AdamK47]

I spend enough for people to judge me. It's duck off a waters back.

 

[LoneNinja]

From 05-11 I spent any where from around $500-$2000 a year on upgrades/new computers. I got into the habit of having multiple systems for various reasons and bought and played with new hardware just because I could. In 2012 I don't think I spent a single penny on my computer, and I won't be any time soon.

My drop in spending has been a combination of financial and just lack of new exciting things in the desktop space.

 

[Haserath]

I spend enough for people to judge me. It's duck off a waters back.

*looks at credit card bill total*

So... How's your new car?

I meant computer, sorry.()

 

[AdamK47]

*looks at credit card bill total*

So... How's your new car?

I meant computer, sorry.()

My newest car is from 2007. 6,500 miles and payed off.

As for computer, nothing was paid with credit.

 

[AdamK47]

Oh, and the computer is OK, I guess.

 

[Haserath]

Oh, and the computer is OK, I guess.

Lol^_^

 

[Bill Brasky]

Oh, and the computer is OK, I guess.

Six 512GB Vertex 4 SSDs in RAID-0. That's pretty crazy! Do you notice the difference between the raid and a single ssd drive?

 

[lakedude]

I'm in a similar boat to LoneNinja. Spent a lot in the past but will be slowing down for a number of reasons including having been recently married. Also running out of room plus NewEgg pissed me off so it isn't as fun anymore.

Up to now I've been getting a new system with every new tick or tock. Got 22nm i7 IVB, 32nm i5 SB, 45nm i5 Lynnfield, 45nm C2D, 65nm C2D, plus a 45nm Regor and a 45nm 1055t. That pace is just silly and will not be maintained into the future...

 

[Markfw]

About $5000 per year. I just got a dual 5234 Opteron box.

 

[AdamK47]

Six 512GB Vertex 4 SSDs in RAID-0. That's pretty crazy! Do you notice the difference between the raid and a single ssd drive?

No

I do notice the difference between 512GB and 3TB though.

 

[BrightCandle]

In summary then most people are firmly in the entry end of computer hardware, 53% of people are below $500 a year, which is well below what is enough to have a decent CPU and GPU every 2-3 years.

These are results I am surprised by. Not surprised that the overall market is skewed this way (much more so actually I suspect if we compare to the Steam hardware survey) but surprised that Anandtech's forums are not skewed more towards expensive and faster hardware.

Thanks for voting.

 

[mikeymikec]

I usually make one big upgrade to my rig a year, meaning a new cpu/mobo, gpu, RAM, monitor, cooling parts, etc. and make my upgrades slowly. It comes out to maybe $300 a year?

Presumably the poll means "your desktop's hardware" rather than "how much do you spend on PC desktop hardware"? If the former, I'm picking the lowest option on the poll.

Since I built my 2010 set-up, due to a fortunate set of circumstances involving a customer, I sold my Athlon II X4 to him and got the PhII 960T X6 without spending very much at all, one everything was factored in. Otherwise it would have remained unaltered.

 

[StrangerGuy]

2006
E6300 + Gigabyte P965 mobo + 2GB DDR2 + 320GB HDD = $700
CM 550W PSU = $50
Lian Li case = $80
X1800XT = $300
7600GS = $150

2007/2008/2009:
CM 212+ = $50
9600GT = $150
LG 22" LCD = $270

2010:
PhII 555 BE + Gigabyte mobo = $230
DDR2 2GB x2 = $50
Samsung F3 1TB HDD = $60

2011/2012:
2500K + Biostar P57 = $300
DDR3 2GB x2 = $30
DDR3 4GB x2 = $30
Samsung F3 1TB HDD = $60
HD5850 = $150
Antec 450W = $50
Dell U2311H = $220

Grand total = $2930 / 7 = $420

I
In summary then most people are firmly in the entry end of computer hardware, 53% of people are below $500 a year, which is well below what is enough to have a decent CPU and GPU every 2-3 years.

Bullshit. There was no game I couldn't play well enough from 2006 to now with my hardware progression, and please non of those "maxed out Crysis" crap. Heck I didn't even include the stuff I sold (minus ~$200) and there were 2 bad decisions I made that raised the cost unnecessarily, switching to C2D too soon and the Phenom II was totally unneeded.

 

[bgt]

To be fair though all my hardware is bought with the intent of being dual-purpose. Business and pleasure. Well...I guess it is mostly for pleasure, but still

In the same situation:biggrin:

 

[T_Yamamoto]

I still have my first computer. Got it in 2006 I believe.

Upgraded with all free stuff

 

[Charlie98]

My wife says "Too darned much!" But she sure likes a fast desktop and she's digging the new HTPC...

If I didn't spend it on computers, I'd just waste it on beer, guns and motorcycles.

 

[Dribble]

I was spending more but not so much to spend it on these days. No cpu or gpu significantly faster then my i2500k or GF570 without spending a fortune. About the only things I bought in the last year or two were peripherals and SSD's.

Pace of change has definitely slowed down.

 

[ShintaiDK]

In terms of future:

2013:
i5 4670(K)+DH87FB+480GB M500+16GB DDR3+SG08B. Maybe an extra SSD for the GF as well. In that case the HTPC would be transformed to SSD only with 2x300GB in RAID/Spanning. Possible a second Dell U2713HM for the GF.

Rest is recycle. Old DP55SB+i7 860+8GB will be given away, plus 1 or 2 80GB SSDs. And perhaps the last U2407fpw and the last 1½TB HD in the household.

2014:
Broadwell+mobo+memory. Upgrade of discrete graphics is a wildcard. Rest is recycle again.

Current HTPC with i5 661+DH57JG+4GB will be retired, given away and replaced with my current IB.

Having the GF gaming basicly gave me an excuse to upgrade every year instead of every second year.

 

[Termie]

Just for kicks, I ran an analysis in Quicken, where I have a record of all my purchases for the past 15 years. Here's the damage since 2006, when I built my first rig:

$1,487/year (net sales of used gear)

The good news is that I haven't spent a penny in 2013...yet!

By the way, I voted $500-$1000 because that's what I estimated, so to BrightCandle's point, my hunch is that just about everyone here is underestimating unless they actually have a method for totaling all purchases.

 

[Idontcare]

By the way, I voted $500-$1000 because that's what I estimated, so to BrightCandle's point, my hunch is that just about everyone here is underestimating unless they actually have a method for totaling all purchases.

I suspect this is true, and for good psychological reason.

It is rare the ego that wants to flaunt its avariciousness.

 

[blastingcap]

OP does this include things like home servers and DIY NASes (built on hardware that can easily be converted into desktop/workstation PCs)???? ...because that makes a HUGE difference in my case....