"If it's not the best, it's the worst." and other dangerous thoughts.

[SafetySkull]

So I'm building a PC for the first time. Originally I'd planned to get a GTX 970 graphics card. Then I thought "Oh well... the GTX 980 gives a slightly better experience and it's not that much more expensive" but then I've gone and had a similar thought "Oh the GTX Titan X is only $500 or so more. I can save up for a few weeks and then I'll have the best consumer GPU money can buy."

 

Does anyone else have these "best or bust" feelings? How do you cope? Do you convince yourself that you really don't need it or do you give in to the temptation (4 Titan Xs in SLI!)? What examples of this have you experienced?

 

Also, what are some other mind-viruses to watch out for when you're building a PC?

[SafetySkull]

I should also mention that one of my house-mates has warned me that after I've built mine he will try to build and even better PC because he wants the best rig in the house. So there's a competition aspect to my thinking as well.

[nhatduy1611]

i always want the best thing possible but then i look into my wallet and proceed on buying the best thing in my budget. I have a little bit of a superiority complex but it's a waste of time really.

[ShadowCaptain]

SNIP

 

All the time, I generally try and buy literally the best thing I can afford at all times, I try not to compromise and settle for less unless its seriously out of reach

 

That said, for example I have no use for 4x titan X in sli - my  780ti plays everything at Max (or at least very high) at 60fps .. so it does the job perfectly meaning I can use my money to support other hobbies

 

Eventually you DO have to settle - but I do hate compromising, really it just comes down to have much can you literally spend

[SafetySkull]

All the time, I generally try and buy literally the best thing I can afford at all times, I try not to compromise and settle for less unless its seriously out of reach

 

That said, for example I have no use for 4x titan X in sli - my  780ti plays everything at Max (or at least very high) at 60fps .. so it does the job perfectly meaning I can use my money to support other hobbies

 

Eventually you DO have to settle - but I do hate compromising, really it just comes down to have much can you literally spend

That's the thing, though. I don't really have a "budget". I'm just saving up. I have around $1200 at the moment and my system looks like it's going to be just under $3000.

I mean what's $500 to me? A little less than a month more of saving.

[ShadowCaptain]

That's the thing, though. I don't really have a "budget". I'm just saving up. I have around $1200 at the moment and my system looks like it's going to be just under $3000.

I mean what's $500 to me? A little less than a month more of saving.

 

Then just go for the best, if money is no object then just why would you settle for less

[IMPERIUS]

I buy the best things my wallet can handle

[Sauron]

Look at it this way, you can buy a 295x2 for the price of a 980 and beat both the 980 and the titan x.

[RevoltTrain]

I've not always been able to have the nicest stuff, having a sister and for a long time my mother having the only income in the house, but next year a few friends and I are getting a house together, I'm getting a new PC then, and buying my dream car. 

[Dzzope]

I always try get the best performance for my needs on a certain budget / res / game.. There is no point in going better as by the time you need the extra performance there will be a cheaper way to get better... Take the 970 SLI vs 980 to 980 SLI to titan X.. 970 SLI makes sense (if it's whats needed and in budget) vs a 980.. But a 980 SLI doesn't make sense over a TitanX.. My reasoning being that a single 970 is so close to a 980 but the price difference is near double.. You could say the same about a TitanX BUT it's performance is so much better than a 980's at double the cost that the single card is worth it as you never have to worry about SLI scaling.

 

For the buy what you need now thing.. a 970 is plenty for 1080.. a TitanX is overkill... But some say that it's future-proofing... Not really because by the time you need the performance of a TitanX in 1080, for 99% of games at least, there will be cheaper cards that beat it..

 

Buy what you need for you usage in the next yr - 2 yrs then upgrade again.

[Sylvanar]

at the time of buying stuff get the best of each component u can afford and try to stretch ur budget as much as u can at that instant of time and u will have better rig than what u were hoping for...after that its not like u could have done anything to improve ur rig so be satisfied with that

 

OR

 

what I am gonna advice you to combat ur "Dangerous Thoughts" is that get the best stuff and leave room for improvement...such as if u were gonna get 980 sli get a Titan X instead and after few months when u have the cash get another titan X and viola u have an OP rig...same with RAM get high end 2 sticks then add 2 sticks later on...after that u can add custom loop, water cool and OC ur components to higher degree and u know keep on improving upgrading and what not...alas there are limits and dont go bankrupt

[ace101.]

I settle for what my wallet can buy without compromising. I just upgrade when funds comes in. No matter if the R9 300's will be out after a few months but if I have the money today to buy something I want, I will go for it.

[Str_Mape]

This mentality is exactly why I'm going X99 very soon 1-2 weeks (possibly less).

[slightlyjaded]

I'm going to play devils advocate here....

 

Any computer component you can buy is already outclassed by whatever is coming out of the factory.

Buy what your wallet can afford, that will do the job you want it too.

 

Having said that I was brought up to buy quality because you won't have to replace it in a few months time.

 

Basically, buy what you  want, noone here is going to give you an unbiased opinion. (I run a 5960x, and a 980 for 1080p gaming, I'm definitely not biased)

[DotoreN]

Look at what's best for you, not what's best on the market.

 

If you play on 1080p, why the hell do you need the titan X's?

 

You won't see a huge difference between the titan x and 970 in that case tbh..

[spwath]

Yes. I cope because I can't afford the others

[simson0606]

yes, i know this feeling as well... especially when i'm looking for parts, but luckily i come to my senses when i open my wallet and rip out my debit card (often i just wait, i always think i'll have some more money down the line)

[orcinhell]

I was like this, when i bought my first computer it was from a local store and cost me 1500, it was decent I probably got a little ripped off to be honest but it served me well enough for counter strike source. Over the years my computer has remained in a constant upgrade state. I think you will find your rig will naturally grow over time. Replacing parts at different points allow you too spend more. Right now however its a bit tougher as your trying to buy everything at once.

 

I honestly think anything around the 1500ish (AUD) price point and your going to have a fantastic experience in terms of performance as long as you buy from reputable brands. I love spending money on my computer and recently forked out for a new case, new fans, PSU as mine was getting loud and old, braided cords, new ssds..... basically everything bar the main components. If a person who only builds for performance sees how I spent my money they would roll over in their grave.

 

As you progress and get comfortable and understand more, you find your own comfort zone. I think spending 1000 dollars on a screen is nuts yet someone with a 1000 dollar screen will roll their eyes when i tell them i spend 200 dollars on fans and another 100 on braided cables. When I still have just a single 7970.

 

The paper stage of the build is really fun, enjoy it! I think most people start out with the best, then when the realize they do not want to spend 4000, or cant afford it then they make changes. Items move around you spend more here and less there. I can bet my left testicle what you have on paper now will be almost nothing like what you will buy.

 

You will have a system you love by the end of it because all the pro's and con's have been weight up in your head. What ever your budget ends up being its going to be kick ass for that price point.... Just have fun bro.

[SafetySkull]

I can bet my left testicle what you have on paper now will be almost nothing like what you will buy.

Well, the realisation that the case I really want doesn't have a side panel window certainly meant I was spending less on LEDs. lol

[Suika]

Don't try to fight the urge, it only gets worse. Two years ago I had an FX-8350, HD 7870GHz, a 970 motherboard and a 212 EVO. My plans were a second HD 7870 GHz, new power supply, more RAM, and maybe an SSD.

 

Now I have an i7-4790k, a GTX 970, an MSI Z97 PC Mate (soon to be Krait SLI), and be quiet! Dark Rock 3. My current plan is to focus on getting new monitors, a second 970, and the Krait SLI. I'm also talking to a guy about buying 8-10 SSDs, because yolo.

[orcinhell]

Don't try to fight the urge, it only gets worse. Two years ago I had an FX-8350, HD 7870GHz, a 970 motherboard and a 212 EVO. My plans were a second HD 7870 GHz, new power supply, more RAM, and maybe an SSD.

 

Now I have an i7-4790k, a GTX 970, an MSI Z97 PC Mate (soon to be Krait SLI), and be quiet! Dark Rock 3. My current plan is to focus on getting new monitors, a second 970, and the Krait SLI. I'm also talking to a guy about buying 8-10 SSDs, because yolo.

 

Thats another good point, when i first started I thought spending 200 dollars on a graphics card was expensive, now I drop 500 no problem. I think over time it slowly climbs lol.

[Briggsy]

I always follow the 90/10 rule personally, in that the first 90% takes 10% of the effort, while the last 10% takes 90% of the effort. This rule is true for most aspects of life, and it's why I have a couple R9 290's. For the price of a single 780, I was able to get twice the performance of a 780 (almost) with more frame buffer and 6 free games. Trying to go for 100% in an industry that is improving constantly is just silly, especially if the increased price makes no sense. The feeling you get when you imagine having the best will disappear once you have it, while the feeling you get when you are being  smart with your money doesn't disappear after you make a purchase. 

[Suika]

Thats another good point, when i first started I thought spending 200 dollars on a graphics card was expensive, now I drop 500 no problem. I think over time it slowly climbs lol.

My original "limit" was $200 for a single GPU at a time, but when the GTX 770's price dropped with the R9 280X, I decided it was $350. Then I realized that EVGA had refurbished 780s for over $100 off, so I decided what's a budget.

 

My original goal was a gaming computer, now I just have a computer that just so happens to be capable of gaming lol. I'm an enthusiast first, gamer second.

[orcinhell]

My original goal was a gaming computer, now I just have a computer that just so happens to be capable of gaming lol. I'm an enthusiast first, gamer second.

 

Couldn't of said it better.

[Pony080905]

I say get the best you can ONLY IF YOU HAVE THE MONEY TO