Discussion Are people still building their computer when there is no viable GPU available?

[ssal]

I went in B&H's website and search for "Nvidia Geforce graphic card" and every medium to high end card are out of stock. There are some low end cards available at a price at least 3x what it was a year ago. In Amazon.com there are some card available but the price are outrageous.

What was a $200 budget a year ago now is $500 to $1,000+ for the graphic card.

Are people still building their own computer at that price?

 

[hotaru.hino]

Sure, if said build doesn't require a new video card it's still viable to build a new computer. I built one last year by carrying over the video card I had in the PC I was coming from. Though I managed to get a GT 1030 for the old one before prices for that went stupid.

 

[LolaGT]

It is as good as any time to build a new system, good deals out there on storage, CPUs, especially CPUs like a 10600k-10700k that have video built in, they can be had for under $200.
If you are a gamer and have an old previous gen or even a couple gens back GPU that is still functional, then you can wait out the storm hopefully, because that storm is going to last at least another year. There aren't going to be any for black Friday or Christmas, so forget that.
Unless you think 800 dollars is a reasonable price for a mid level GPU.

 

[spentshells]

ugghhh I just saw a used 6700xt going for 1000cdn, just plain gross, wish I had mined with the 3060ti I bought, instead of selling it, I could have recouped my money then sold it for another 200 on top of what i got for it. Basically I could have doubled my money on top of the 50% profit made when I sold the 3060ti
(sold it because I had no system that would make use of it grabbed a furyx and a 1070ti) they were more fitting.

 

[JohnBonhamsGhost]

Are people still building their own computer at that price?

yes, but not necessarily paying the scalper's prices or the jerks that have followed their lead.

many already had decent gaming cards around or got lucky and received their "auto-notify" from a retailer\manufacturer or won some sort of online raffle for a chance to purchase.

this year i've built a new 11th gen Z590 system just planning on using my GTX 1080 Ti until something better was available.
ended up finding an RX 6700 XT for MSRP and will be stuck using that until something better is available again.

 

[punkncat]

One of the main factors in my latest build was having an iGPU. That condition along with prices for GPU and particularly Ryzen G models, along with availability helped me choose to go with Intel this round.
I have probably around a grand in it, if everything was new. The CPU/Mobo/SSD are all new. The PSU was essentially new, and I reused some RAM I had on hand since it's not so critical for Intel to be on fast RAM speed as opposed to the Ryzen builds I have been doing. I utilized an old case, and for the time being have a repurposed GPU that I am actively looking to replace with a 30 series when/if this madness ends.

The unseen aspect being that if it takes a long time there will be other considerations for that system to be, at that point...so there is a drawback to it. Just the same, I enjoy building and the Intel is getting great use and fun factor as an HTPC/game system.

At the moment I actually wish I could find a lower end card like a 7/1050ti at a price that made sense. I have a wonderful office build ready for use on a 1700 platform I stepped out of the above slot but the 210 GPU isn't up to the work needed. It was good enough to install OS and that's about it.

 

[rolli59]

Still building but keeping they same old GPU´s. Just to much progress on the CPU front in the last 3 years.

 

[ssal]

I don't know about you guys. For me, a built needs to be balanced. The MB/CPU/GPU/RAM/Storage has to be in the general area of compatibility without one way more advanced or behind the rest.

If you can you can use an old GPU for a new built that means you were out of balance. That assures you to be in that spiral of constantly upgrading, which I try to avoid.

 

[Lycogala]

I'm still running my old 1060. Plan on a build hopefully next year, I refuse to pay these prices. If I laid a grand down on something now, knowing it would be worth pennies (relatively) in potentially just a few months, I wouldn't be able to live with myself. Picking away at other stuff in the meantime.

And ssal, 100% with you.

 

[hotaru.hino]

If you can you can use an old GPU for a new built that means you were out of balance. That assures you to be in that spiral of constantly upgrading, which I try to avoid.

I would argue that trying to balance hardware isn't the best way to go about it. Rather, set a performance goal and buy the best hardware you can afford that can meet or exceed it, but adjust accordingly based on what you value. For example, an e-sports gamer isn't going to care about having a RTX 3090 because it's wasted on the games they play. They may be perfectly fine with even a RTX 2060 but they'll pair it up with a really high performance CPU because that determines the high frame rates they crave and they'll likely be playing on lower details. In a different scenario, someone may want a solid 4K 60 FPS, maximum details with ray tracing. They don't need a top of the line CPU, they just need something that can guarantee them 60 FPS which isn't much, but they do need a beefy GPU to get all of that.

Also in my case, the video card in my last computer was an RTX 2070 Super. And I tend to alternate between video card and CPU upgrades at even intervals.