PC Gaming: How tough is it actually, or is it just a matter of luck?
PC Gaming: How tough is it actually, or is it just a matter of luck?
!UPDATE! My new CPU has arrived today and I installed it. ARE YOU AWARE OF THE SITUATION??? It didn’t boot the motherboard at all. I’m giving up trying to fix my computer—I’ll just send it off to a repair shop to see what they can do... what a waste of $3600 (this is for the tower) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ So here’s why I wrote this: My desktop has been offline for about a month, and my dad’s too. In 2010 I wanted to dive into PC gaming because my brother had a build with an I5-2500K, Gigabyte-z68x GTX 560, 16GB DDR3 at 1600Mhz—it was incredible. By 2012 I bought an Alienware M14XR2 for roughly $1500 (that’s what I’m using now) and loved it, but it started to fail. Then I switched to a GT 740 around $2000, which had an I7-4820K and Gigabyte x79-UD3. It worked just fine at first. But after about seven to eight months the motherboard gave out, I had to return it via RMA (the shipping cost was $80). They replaced it. When I got it back in summer 2015, my dad bought it from me so I could build again—especially for 4K gaming. I gathered all the parts and eventually got a defective motherboard, which wasn’t too upsetting but a bit frustrating. I received a replacement, and then the build lasted two months. Then the RAM failed, followed by the CPU dying, forcing another RMA (which came with a $80 shipping fee). By October the 6th or 7th my dad’s CPU also broke down, and they refused to process the return because it was purchased through iBuyPower, whose warranty expired in August. My dad is understanding and plans to buy a new I7-4820K. This whole experience has made me rethink going back to consoles. It’s clear that plugging in and having fun is better than console play. All I’m saying is that thinking about returning to a console now feels less appealing given how much easier it is to just enjoy the experience at home.
All my PC build (that’s finished) is now in the past. The CPU: I7-5820K (3.3GHz). Cooler: Corsair H100i. RAM: Crucial Balistix Sports DDR4 2400MHz 16GB (4x4). GPU: GTX 980 Ti 2 Way SLI (reference). PSU: Corsair Hx100i 80 Plus Platinum. Motherboard: Gigabyte x99 UD4 SSD. SSDs: 120GB Sandisk Extreme, 1.0TB, 2.0TB, 3.0TB. Case: NZXT Phantom 530 (white). Keyboard: Corsair K70 RGB Cherry MX Brown. Mouse: Razor Death Adder with Chroma pad. RMA info: 6th–7th of October. My dad’s build is still going strong—he’ll buy another I7-4820K if needed. This journey has left a lasting impression, especially about the convenience and fun of gaming on my own machine. If you’re facing similar issues, maybe consider sharing your story—it could help others!
Lesson from the tale: Avoid pre-made builds, particularly those from alienware. EDIT: It seems you had some unfortunate outcomes. You also picked up a Corsair PSU instead of SeaSonic. Truly sorry for that!
For your upcoming build, consider options that are still solid rather than the very latest. A 4690k with 16GB RAM and GTX 970 works great with three monitors. You’re happy now, but you’ll need extra storage—both HDD and SSD—and a comfortable chair that won’t cause discomfort.