PC gaming is considered by many to be the “better” alternative to the PS5 and Xbox. However, one player explains that he has played on PC his whole life, but now he feels pushed out of the “market”.
The player reports: A user reports on Reddit that he has remained loyal to his gaming PC for years. But now he says he is afraid that he will soon have to give up his hobby. This is mainly due to the high prices. He writes on Reddit.com:
As a lifelong PC user, I am afraid that with these ridiculous GPU prices, I will eventually be pushed out of the market as a PC gamer.
When I see how these mid-range GPUs get more expensive with each release, I feel that it simply makes no financial sense to spend so much on something that only has a lifespan of 3-5 years. It makes me sad as a lifelong PC gamer.
Hardware prices increased significantly during Corona, but AI hype and Bitcoins keep prices high
What exactly is the problem?
- During the Corona pandemic, hardware prices rose sharply. This was mainly due to the shortage of semiconductors. Gamers hoped that prices would drop again afterward.
- At the same time, and shortly thereafter, cryptocurrencies boomed: Many so-called miners bought graphics cards to equip their mining rigs. Graphics cards and processors became expensive again.
- The third factor was the AI hype that began with the introduction of Chat-GPT: Many companies and users bought graphics cards to keep up with AI calculations. This also negatively impacted prices.
PC gamers had to bear the brunt during this time, and a real improvement is still not in sight. Nvidia now prices its new graphics cards very high, and AMD follows suit, albeit not as robustly as Nvidia. And the problem that arises from this: Even for a mid-range graphics card, you now pay between 500 and 700 euros.
Moreover: In the beginner segment, there are no real alternatives anymore. So graphics cards that cost 200 euros or less:
- Nvidia operates almost exclusively in the high-end and upper mid-range sectors.
- AMD also focuses primarily on the mid-range, as this promises the biggest profits and can score points against Nvidia mainly on price.
- Intel’s graphics cards are often seen as budget options but cannot quite compete with AMD and Nvidia models yet. This is mainly due to problematic drivers.
Players have been discussing for some time whether PC gaming is still affordable or if one must buy a console in the long run. The prospect of having to buy a new graphics card for at least 500 euros every 3-5 years just to keep up is unsettling many players.
Many features, including DLSS 4.0 and the new FSR 4.0, can only be used with new graphics cards: Anyone who wants to use new technologies is almost forced to always buy the latest hardware.
Users criticize the high consumption of players for ever newer and better games
However, there are also players who do not see it as dramatically. The biggest argument against this is mainly criticism of the players’ consumption: If one does not have to play the latest games in the best graphics, then an older graphics card is completely sufficient. Someone writes that he has been playing on his old graphics card for 7 years (via Reddit.com):
I still have an RTX 2080 Ti and it has been working for 7 years and is still strong. And I do not plan to upgrade in the next few years.
But he also admits: An RTX 2080 Ti is not really a mid-range card, but an earlier high-end GPU. Another adds that many players always fear that their PC will be worthless after 3 years and that they absolutely must upgrade. But that is not the case (via Reddit.com):
People really need to learn that PCs do not just become paperweights after a few years. Yes, it would be ideal if you upgraded your graphics processor every 5 years. But it is absolutely not necessary.
The PS5 Pro has been officially announced and the price and release date have been named. But especially the high price of 800 euros is making many players angry. Because many say, “For that money, you could just buy a gaming PC!” We explain for whom which purchase is still the most worthwhile and how much “gaming PC” is actually in it for you: PS5 Pro or gaming PC: What should you buy for 800 euros?
