Re: Buying a new Gaming PC
 

This I can do easily, and in fact when I researched my PC I compared it to a self-build with parts I chose on new egg. Also, I tend to upgrade my own machines (GPU, PSU, RAM), which is why my old one lasted as long as it did.

This I can do to a point, mainly if the issue is with the GPU, RAM or PSU. :D

Now we're starting to come off the rails... this does not compute with my definition of fun. To me, this is an economic equation.

Right here is where I check out. Once the BIOS, setting, etc. all get involved my face turns bright red and I go into a blind beserker rage. When I come to, the house is destroyed and there is a slaughtered goat with teeth marks in my living room.

This I've handled in the past as well.

Time is really the issue. It all comes down to how much time will it take, and how much money will I save by doing it myself. I fully expect to lose an entire day to putting a PC together myself, especially if I've never done it before. It only costs me $100 to pay someone else to put it together for me, and I pay myself WAY more than $100 a day. (That translates to $26,000 a year for a 5 day work week.)

When I compare that to my salary, and the value I place on my "free" time, I've losing well over $100 in opportunity cost if I do it myself.

This, my friends, is the basis of our economy and wealth creation.

For more on opportunity cost:

Re: Buying a new Gaming PC
 

First off, oh please. :) That argument only holds up if you had spent the time you would have spent building the computer making money by working instead. By your own admission you wouldn't have. You would have done, what? Fixed a leak in bathroom sink, or painted your house, or cleaned up, or some other household chore? Talk about useless knowledge and skills, yet I bet you don't pay someone to do most or any of your housework, am I right?

Now, playing with your kid, fine, that's lost opportunity. But I'm sure not even the majority of that time would have been spent playing with your kid.

Secondly, I think you're still arguing the wrong point. Computers rule the work world. It's not like you're learning how to change the brakes in your car, which for most people does not supplement their work knowledge. Instead you have just lost a great opportunity to pull yourself ahead of everyone else in the market doing your job. I don't know the economic term for it, but I know the worth of that knowledge is far more than $100.

Thus, laziness. It's ok, call it opportunity cost if it makes you feel better. :p

Re: Buying a new Gaming PC
 

Absolutely not. If you're not applying a dollar value to your non-work time, you basically consider it worthless. My non-work time is the most valuable time I have. Its the time I spend with my wife and child, and maintaining my home (my single largest investment).

And if you don't think you spend the majority of your free time with a 1 year old, then you've never had a 1 year old... :D

Re: Buying a new Gaming PC
 

Again, we're talking about opportunity cost. It would cost me about $300 to pay a plumber clear a clogged drain line (not a sink, a main line). Takes me about an hour or less to do it myself.

Having someone build my PC costs me $100, and saves me 6-8 hours (likely).

Economically, it makes sense for me to clear my own drain AND pay someone to build my PC. Then again, if I needed to replace plumbing it may pay me to hire someone. It all depends on the cost vs. time equation. We make these tradeoffs everyday (and it keeps McDonalds in business).

What I know is that every time I even think about "fixing" a PC at work the OPs department smacks me on the back of the head and tells me to "cut the shit". Tech people don't want me to fix a computer. That's what they're paid to do. I'm paid to teach and provide consultation. This is another important economic concept called "specialization" that creates efficiencies and wealth.

Re: Buying a new Gaming PC
 

This is the most boring internet argument I've ever seen. :\

Re: Buying a new Gaming PC
 

Does this mean we are old people now?

Re: Buying a new Gaming PC
 

We are getting there.

I was like 16 when I started posting here. Jesus...

Re: Buying a new Gaming PC
 

You were sixteen? Jeez, I was in the 6th grade. I'm 23 now. Time flies.

Re: Buying a new Gaming PC
 

And we've been posting here forever and look at all the new kids who have larger post counts than us!!!

Shame.

I'm 25 now.

Re: Buying a new Gaming PC
 

Been here since I was 15. :) Was a "writer" for gamingnow.net.

Re: Buying a new Gaming PC
 

I attribute my low post count to my years of absence.

It happens.

Re: Buying a new Gaming PC
 

I'm only 103 away from 5,000. It has been a long time coming.

Re: Buying a new Gaming PC
 

Holy fuck....2001. Hahaha. I weathered the AGB/MM storm too. I guess that means 10 years? Christ. If we measured time in loads, I'd be pushing probably 4000. :lol:

Re: Buying a new Gaming PC
 

Time flys when you're slowly dying of old age :O

Re: Buying a new Gaming PC
 

Forget if I was 14 or 15. First year of high school I know. 1999. Jeez. Nintendodolphin.net > Nintendose > GameTavern...and in between most of gekko's sites. No idea how many posts I should have. Went through numerous accounts.

And I don't even really play video games anymore. Just stay for the atmosphere.

Re: Buying a new Gaming PC
 

Okay well it is time for me to upgrade my RAM, I would like to add another 2 Gig stick to bump my total RAM from 4 Gig to 6. I really dont feel like researching which type of RAM will work with my current RAM. So here is what I did: I peeked into my case and read the side of my current RAM. It reads as follows:

Corsair CM3X2G1600C9NX
XMS3 1600 1600 mhz
9-9-9-24

What does this all mean and which cheap RAM can I buy off of Newegg that will be compatable? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Re: Buying a new Gaming PC
 

The four numbers on the bottom are CAS latency, which you shouldn't have to worry about. They say lower is better but the RAM is so fast it technically shouldn't matter.

The only thing you really need to be looking for is make sure that the RAM is specced at DDR3 1600.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...PC3%2012800%29

That link up there is a customized search on Newegg that gives you all of their options for a single 2 GB stick of RAM that will work with yours. Also, make sure that your version of Windows is actually 64-bit Windows cause if you get more than 4 gigs of RAM, anything above that on 32-bit Windows is actually useless. Unfortunately this requires formatting your computer if you don't already have it because I don't think you can do upgrades from 32-bit to 64-bit, but I've been wrong before.

Re: Buying a new Gaming PC
 

Awesome, thanks a lot! And yes, I am positive I have the 64 bit version of Windows 7, so I assume it will be worth it to make the jump to 6 gigs. I know I wont see any huge major improvements, but I figure when you can guy a stick of RAM for 15 dollars, why not?

Re: Buying a new Gaming PC
 

For that you might as well go all out and buy two for 30. 8 jiggers of massive COMPUTING POWER

Re: Buying a new Gaming PC
 

Oh, the new PC is awesome by the way... :D