I mean, I already have good. I just don’t need to waste money on something I don’t need if it’s not worth it.

Previous gen is going for 1.5-2x as much as current gen due to shortages, even for used cards. They are at least available if someone has a dire need for a replacement GPU, but I am patient, not willing to pay current gen prices for older hardware, and not willing to pay more than MSRP at that.

I expanded elsewhere in this post, but basically it’s a combination of:

1. I do own a laptop I bought in the pandemic which has a 2070 mobile GPU, and between that and my PS5, I am not truly in a rush.

2. Older hardware is also being price gouged. If I do buy something, I don’t want it to be more than 1 gen old, but at current prices I’d be paying more than the new stuff goes for at MSRP.

3. I budgeted to be able to buy something good, not just good enough. Since I’m not in a rush, I’m willing to wait and keep trying to buy something closer to top-of-the-line. I can afford scalper prices, but I just refuse to support scalping out of principle.

Absolutely, I have been. I was looking at some last-gen AMD cards, but used 7900 GREs and XTs are going for almost as much as an MSRP 5080, and unopened ones are going for the same or more.

If I had an immediate need for a card, I’d likely settle for that, but I’m still willing to be patient while keeping an eye on in-stock listings. I’m fortunate enough to at least have a PS5 and a decent laptop that can run newer PC games on modest settings, so I’m not in a rush.

To add a bit to the story, I did spring for a gaming laptop in 2021 because my 2013 MacBook was starting to show its age, and the model I bought came with a 2070 mobile GPU which has been fine playing newer games at modest settings at 1080p.

Laptops and prebuilts were basically the only affordable option in the pandemic, and I had a laptop need at the time. But for a while now it has still been a goal of mine to put together a good desktop. The last desktop I built was in 2010 (I snagged a GTX 580 GPU and felt like such hot shit then).

It is very tempting. Would definitely recommend for anyone who needs something.

My current laptop that I bought during the pandemic shortages has a 2070 mobile chip which still works fine-ish for newer games. I’m tempted to look at basically anything better, but I’m not truly in a rush to upgrade just yet and want to make sure whatever I upgrade to is worth the price.

The main reason for my impetus at present was to try to get ahead of the Trump tariff price hikes, but I’ve basically accepted that as unavoidable at this point.

I actually had thought of that too, but see my reply to someone else further below:

https://lemmy.world/comment/15537041

I had thought of that, but the 4080’s/4090’s were going for significantly more than the next gen cards were going for at MSRP.

I mean, look at this, the 5080 is MSRP $999 but here’s Newegg’s 4080s:

And looking at the “Buy it Now” prices for used models on eBay isn’t much better:

Yep, this basically sums up my experiences a couple months ago. I’ve been telling myself since about 2016 that I would save up to go all in and build a solid gaming desktop.

But then there were floods in southeast Asia hindering supplies where I lived. No biggie, they’d recover quick.

Then crypto took off and GPUs and some other hardware tripled or quadrupled in price. No biggie, it’s a fad that will go away quick.

Then COVID destroyed production and distribution of computer hardware. No biggie, gives me time to save up more to afford these new crazy prices.

Then everyone needs GPUs for the AI craze, and prices went up even more. No biggie, I’ll just…cope?

Finally, I was at the point of “Fuck it, I’m tired of waiting. I’m buying a 5080, even if it costs as much as 2 PS5s.”

So I planned it out, made sure I had everything lined up to immediately snag one once they were available. And then day of:

• Nvidia’s store: Never had any in stock at any point.

• Microcenter: In-store purchases only, and stores were given single-digit stock while hundreds of people queued up for days.

• Newegg: Never loaded until their stock was all gone.

• Best Buy: Had a very attractive “Add to Cart” button display for a period of about 10 minutes at random intervals throughout the day, which placed me into queues that all ended with me getting kicked out after a few minutes.

• Amazon: Well, fuck Amazon, but they didn’t have any either.

So then I thought, forget Nvidia. Just because their cards are dropping earlier in the year doesn’t mean it’s them or nothing. I’ll just get an AMD card if Nvidia doesn’t have stock by then.

And, well…here we are in this article.

PC gaming is the best deal, eh?

I think the previous user is speaking out of emotion more than logic, but I would say they are correct at least about the hypocrisy. China has been supplying Russia with arms and intelligence all throughout their invasion of Ukraine.

On its surface I think the statement in this article is good but I can’t help but wonder if the underlying meaning is that China just doesn’t want to be left out of the conversation, since they have basically been doing for Russia what the US was doing for Ukraine.

That’s basically his entire stance on Ukraine, at least. He parrots the Russian stance that the war is Ukraine’s fault, because they could have just rolled over and given up after a few days.

Man, we’re going to have people in 100 years cursing Putin this way too, huh?

Fuck it, here’s my hot takes:

1. Short, but feels just the right length, I appreciate how it seems to borrow more strongly from the D&D roots the series developed from (e.g. spell slots instead of MP)

2. First game with defined characters. Enjoyed it but the Elder Scrolls style of leveling through ability use made it feel like you have to play a certain way and I probably grinded more than I needed to by the end.

3. It’s aight. First game with jobs. Eternal Wind is a good track.

4. First game with an ambitious story. Thought it was good, but a bit overhyped.

5. The best of the 2D games and I won’t hear anyone say otherwise.

6. I liked the large cast of characters in the first half. I didn’t like having to re-get the cast of characters in the second half. Good, but also overhyped.

7. Most ambitious transition between games, going from 2D to 3D. I know it’s the darling of the franchise, and it is undoubtably good and packed with content, but I feel it has aged the worst of all of them.

8. I can see why it is some people’s favorite and a lot of other people’s least favorite. Unbelievably charming cast. Good ideas with the combat but could have used another pass.

9. The first FF game I played. Amazing cast of characters and an amazing story. Tetra Master is bullshit. Debatably not a JRPG by some definitions.

10. Love the game to death, yet hate Tidus so much. I couldn’t get into Blitzball.

11. Does the current Alliance Raid series in 14 count?

12. The Gambit System ruined the rest of the franchise for a lot of people (interpret that however you like).

13. Better than people give it credit for. Not without flaws but a lot of the hate feels more like folks never got out of the tutorial. Also, the tutorial is two thirds of the entire game.

14. Best story of the entire FF series, but also the one that you’ll need to work the hardest to get through. Also, did you know that thereisafreetrialuptolevel70withnorestrictionsonplaytimeincludingtheawardwinningHeavenswardandStormbloodexpansions?

15. A fun game with a good story and cast of characters, but the missing chunks of the game that it was supposed to be are apparent.

16. Didn’t like it as much as I thought I would but still found it to be overall enjoyable. Heaviest story an FF game has ever told (including Tactics). Wish there was more of a “party” but Clive and Ben Starr’s voice work are too good not to love.

Bonus 7R hot takes:

• Remake: Somehow they turned a 4-hour chunk of the original game into an enjoyable 40-hour story without it feeling too drawn out. Great gameplay. Plot changes actually helped me appreciate the sequel more. Anyone worried about the game being a money grab sold in 3 parts doesn’t know what they’re missing.

• Rebirth: Despite people’s apprehensions about plot changes, it manages to continue being incredibly faithful to the original story, with some tasteful additions. Probably the most uncompromising AAA game I’ve ever played. Can’t help but love it, and am really interested to see where part 3 goes.

I’ve played and beat every single numbered FF title except for 11.

The new ones are good, just different. No one likes every single FF game, everyone has a favorite they associate with the time they jumped into the series, and then all others end up colored by how similar or different they seem to that ideal one.

Even the people in this thread bashing FF13 would probably be surprised to know how many people out there think it’s the best (I know, a shock).

I can share my own opinions on which games are good or bad, but it’s ultimately meaningless unless your tastes happen to coincide identically to my own.

And besides, everybody knows 9 is the best, without question.

Expected this when Fable was absent from their developer direct last month.

Not happy, but that’s gamedev these days.