From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

I was thinking about updating my current PC or having a new one built.
I read at Tom's Hardware Guide (I think) that a big cause is that
Google, and the AI companies like OpenAI are snatching up the high and mid-range video cards.

Rats, the 5090 and 5080s are hard to find and hard to fund!

What is everyone's guess as to when (if at all) the newer cards will
be available and more affordable? Who has the correct crystal ball
here?

I would consider an AMD CPU but not a GPU.
Oh well, I got excited for nothing. My GeForce RTX 4070 ti runs
eveything at max settings pretty much any way. Just playing around.
:-)

-pw
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

Go back to sniffing toddler's diapers as a hobby.
You're much better at it and there's little problem
with availability.
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On 9/10/2025 7:16 PM, PW wrote:

I was thinking about updating my current PC or having a new one built.
I read at Tom's Hardware Guide (I think) that a big cause is that
Google, and the AI companies like OpenAI are snatching up the high and mid-range video cards.

And before that it was the crypto-bros.

Rats, the 5090 and 5080s are hard to find and hard to fund!

You want to avoid the 5090 anyway as the power they eat is melting some
power cables.

https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/gpus/the-gpu-16-pin-melting-fiasco-is-getting-ridiculous-now-this-entire-nvidia-rtx-turns-into-a-red-ring-of-death-when-it-is-incorrectly-plugged-in

What is everyone's guess as to when (if at all) the newer cards will
be available and more affordable? Who has the correct crystal ball
here?

Once the next generation of cards come out.

I would consider an AMD CPU but not a GPU.
Oh well, I got excited for nothing. My GeForce RTX 4070 ti runs
eveything at max settings pretty much any way. Just playing around.

AMD GPUs were outperforming at the mid-range for the prices. My 3060Ti
is still running everything (except Starfield) very well too, I don't
see any reason to upgrade any time soon.
--
-Justisaur

ø-ø
(\_/)\
`-'\ `--.___,
¶¬'\( ,_.-'
\\
^'
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Wed, 10 Sep 2025 20:16:12 -0600, PW
<iamnotusingonewithAgent@notinuse.com> wrote:

I was thinking about updating my current PC or having a new one built.
I read at Tom's Hardware Guide (I think) that a big cause is that
Google, and the AI companies like OpenAI are snatching up the high and >mid-range video cards.

Yeah, nvidia has gone whole-hog into feeding the AI-bros (and before
them, the crypto-bros). The entire gaming market is pretty much an after-thought to them nowadays.

On the plus side, it is giving its competitors (Intel and AMD) a
chance to catch up in marketshare. Nvidia has dominated the market for
almost a decade, and that's not healthy. I'm not the biggest fan of
Radeons but I like competition in the market.

But as you point out, it's at the point where years-old video cards
are still capable of running modern games more than satisfactorally.

[This is changing a bit as ray-tracing functionality becomes
more prominent --I think we're even starting to see some
games that _require_ hardware ray-tracing support to even
run-- but the majority of games still run on older hardware.]

But aside from maintaining its lead, its understandable why Nvidia
corp doesn't put the same importance on the video-gaming market
anymore. There's much less imperative amongst gamers --other than the enthusiast market that Must Have The Bestest Of The Best-- to upgrade
these days.

But eventually the AI bubble will burst (just like the crypto- and NFT
bubbles) and then Nvidia is gonna have to scramble to reclaim their
position amongst gamers.

I would consider an AMD CPU but not a GPU.
Oh well, I got excited for nothing. My GeForce RTX 4070 ti runs
eveything at max settings pretty much any way. Just playing around.
:-)

-pw

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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Thu, 11 Sep 2025 11:05:02 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

But as you point out, it's at the point where years-old video cards
are still capable of running modern games more than satisfactorally.

And... having written that, I just fired up the back-up PC and
discovered its nvidia GPU (an EVGA 1080FTW 6GB) has up and died. So
now I have to decide if it's worth it to buy a replacement or just
stick in an even older card.

I guess that sometimes years-old video cards /aren't/ still capable of
running modern games. ;-)

I really don't want to go with a less powerful card, but 1080s are
still costing a pretty buck (considering their age). And on the
gripping hand, the age of the PC in question doesn't really have much
overhead for more powerful hardware. What to do, what to do, what to
do...?

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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Thu, 11 Sep 2025 08:02:38 -0700, Justisaur <justisaur@yahoo.com>
wrote:

On 9/10/2025 7:16 PM, PW wrote:

I was thinking about updating my current PC or having a new one built.
I read at Tom's Hardware Guide (I think) that a big cause is that
Google, and the AI companies like OpenAI are snatching up the high and
mid-range video cards.

And before that it was the crypto-bros.

Rats, the 5090 and 5080s are hard to find and hard to fund!

You want to avoid the 5090 anyway as the power they eat is melting some >power cables.

https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/gpus/the-gpu-16-pin-melting-fiasco-is-getting-ridiculous-now-this-entire-nvidia-rtx-turns-into-a-red-ring-of-death-when-it-is-incorrectly-plugged-in

What is everyone's guess as to when (if at all) the newer cards will
be available and more affordable? Who has the correct crystal ball
here?

Once the next generation of cards come out.

I would consider an AMD CPU but not a GPU.
Oh well, I got excited for nothing. My GeForce RTX 4070 ti runs
eveything at max settings pretty much any way. Just playing around.

AMD GPUs were outperforming at the mid-range for the prices. My 3060Ti
is still running everything (except Starfield) very well too, I don't
see any reason to upgrade any time soon.

*--

Thanks! I didn't know about the heat issue and I agree - need a next generation of cards to bring the prices down, and maybe availability.

-pw
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On 9/11/2025 10:05 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

On Thu, 11 Sep 2025 11:05:02 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

But as you point out, it's at the point where years-old video cards
are still capable of running modern games more than satisfactorally.

And... having written that, I just fired up the back-up PC and
discovered its nvidia GPU (an EVGA 1080FTW 6GB) has up and died. So
now I have to decide if it's worth it to buy a replacement or just
stick in an even older card.

I guess that sometimes years-old video cards /aren't/ still capable of running modern games. ;-)

Or any games at all....
--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

Dimensional Traveler <dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:

On 9/11/2025 10:05 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

On Thu, 11 Sep 2025 11:05:02 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

But as you point out, it's at the point where years-old video cards
are still capable of running modern games more than satisfactorally.

And... having written that, I just fired up the back-up PC and
discovered its nvidia GPU (an EVGA 1080FTW 6GB) has up and died. So
now I have to decide if it's worth it to buy a replacement or just
stick in an even older card.

I guess that sometimes years-old video cards /aren't/ still capable of running modern games. ;-)

Or any games at all....

Just stick with old games that are cheaper and free. Worry about the newer games later on. ;)
--
"In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires." --Romans 6:11-12. 9/11 is 24. :(
Note: A fixed width font (Courier, Monospace, etc.) is required to see this signature correctly.
/\___/\ Ant(Dude) @ http://aqfl.net & http://antfarm.home.dhs.org.
/ /\ /\ \ Please nuke ANT if replying by e-mail.
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Thu, 11 Sep 2025 13:55:33 -0700, Dimensional Traveler
<dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:

On 9/11/2025 10:05 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

On Thu, 11 Sep 2025 11:05:02 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson
<spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

But as you point out, it's at the point where years-old video cards
are still capable of running modern games more than satisfactorally.

And... having written that, I just fired up the back-up PC and
discovered its nvidia GPU (an EVGA 1080FTW 6GB) has up and died. So
now I have to decide if it's worth it to buy a replacement or just
stick in an even older card.

I guess that sometimes years-old video cards /aren't/ still capable of
running modern games. ;-)

Or any games at all....

Actually, that's not quite true.

The card works... just not at any resolution higher than 640x480.
(I'm fairly certain it's a VRAM issue. Unfortunately, my extremely
limited soldering skills aren't up to removing the RAM. I'm _maybe_
okay if there are visible legs, but when its sodered flush to the PCB
there's no chance.)

So technically I could probably boot to DOS and run a game at 320x200
@256 colors. The BIOS screen looks fine, after all. Doom would
probably run.

But anything more modern than that? It would become increasingly
chancy.

I'm thinking about getting a GeForce 1660. It's about 25% slower than
the 1080, but it costs ~$100 USD, and I really don't want to spend any
more than that on the computer.


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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Wed, 10 Sep 2025 20:16:12 -0600, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action, PW
wrote:

What is everyone's guess as to when (if at all) the newer cards will
be available and more affordable? Who has the correct crystal ball
here?

I would consider an AMD CPU but not a GPU.
Oh well, I got excited for nothing. My GeForce RTX 4070 ti runs
eveything at max settings pretty much any way. Just playing around.
:-)

Watch Intel. Nvidia is pretty much screwing gamers rn because only a
pro-gamer should be able to afford a 5090 that "melts in your system, not
in your hand."

I have a 4060Ti and I've ignored 4k. You can probably get by with a
5060Ti, even at 4k. Just make sure it's got 16GB. Some have 8GB.

I'm liking MSI right now. I used to be EVGA.

Example:

https://www.newegg.com/msi-rtx-5060-ti-16g-gaming-trio-oc-white-geforce-rtx-5060-ti-16gb-graphics-card-double-fans/p/N82E16814137953

It also matters that performance is now being shifted to frame generation rather than raw texels, and that has its drawbacks. Read up on it. The
50xx series is a disappointment to some because of this.

Stay away from Zotac. I got a 3060Ti from them and it sounded like a
bloody jet taking off at load. I called support and they said, "Nope.
That's normal ambient noise." Including the low whistle! So I traded it
in for an MSI 4060TI, and it's got the same kind of fan system, but runs
quiet as a mouse at load.

If you want to stick to Nvidia. I'd wait for the 60xx series if you have
a 4070Ti. That might actually be a *real* performance leap.
--
Zag

Give me the liberty to know, to think, to believe,
and to utter freely according to conscience, above
all other liberties. ~John Milton
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Thu, 11 Sep 2025 13:05:16 -0400, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

I really don't want to go with a less powerful card, but 1080s are
still costing a pretty buck (considering their age). And on the
gripping hand, the age of the PC in question doesn't really have much >overhead for more powerful hardware. What to do, what to do, what to
do...?

If you don't give a damn about RTX, a 1080 is still a pretty damned good
card. That's why it's expensive. I'm running one in my backup PC with
8GB. Sorry to hear about yours.

@)----->-- @)----->-- @)----->-- @)----->--
@)----->-- @)----->-- @)----->-- @)----->--
@)----->-- @)----->-- @)----->-- @)----->--

A dozen roses for your loss. ;^)

I find that it took the 40xx series before RTX was capable of doing
something I care about without a ridiculous power-hog piece of hardware.

20xx - RTX new. Fun new toy that barely cuts it. Must order a 2080+.
30xx - Refinement. Workable for cosmetic effects. xx60's are passable.
40xx - Chef's kiss. All down the line it's pretty good.
50xx - We have to sell cards to maintain revenue. Right? RIGHT?

I generally find this to be the typical Nvidia pattern over 4
generations.
--
Zag

Give me the liberty to know, to think, to believe,
and to utter freely according to conscience, above
all other liberties. ~John Milton
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Fri, 12 Sep 2025 12:00:55 -0500, Zaghadka <zaghadka@hotmail.com>
wrote:

On Wed, 10 Sep 2025 20:16:12 -0600, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action, PW >wrote:

What is everyone's guess as to when (if at all) the newer cards will
be available and more affordable? Who has the correct crystal ball
here?

I would consider an AMD CPU but not a GPU.
Oh well, I got excited for nothing. My GeForce RTX 4070 ti runs
eveything at max settings pretty much any way. Just playing around.
:-)

Watch Intel. Nvidia is pretty much screwing gamers rn because only a >pro-gamer should be able to afford a 5090 that "melts in your system, not
in your hand."

I have a 4060Ti and I've ignored 4k. You can probably get by with a
5060Ti, even at 4k. Just make sure it's got 16GB. Some have 8GB.

I'm liking MSI right now. I used to be EVGA.

Example:

https://www.newegg.com/msi-rtx-5060-ti-16g-gaming-trio-oc-white-geforce-rtx-5060-ti-16gb-graphics-card-double-fans/p/N82E16814137953

It also matters that performance is now being shifted to frame generation >rather than raw texels, and that has its drawbacks. Read up on it. The
50xx series is a disappointment to some because of this.

Stay away from Zotac. I got a 3060Ti from them and it sounded like a
bloody jet taking off at load. I called support and they said, "Nope.
That's normal ambient noise." Including the low whistle! So I traded it
in for an MSI 4060TI, and it's got the same kind of fan system, but runs >quiet as a mouse at load.

If you want to stick to Nvidia. I'd wait for the 60xx series if you have
a 4070Ti. That might actually be a *real* performance leap.

I used to be a fan of EVGA (and, in fact, the 1080 in question is one
of their cards) but I agree: the quality of their wares had gone down
over the years. But once-upon-a-time I swore by their cards; they were
fast, durable, decently priced and they had excellent service. But
slowly, that changed and it was only with reluctance (and an excellent
price!) that I picked them for the 1080.

[Of course, it's moot now, of course; EVGA is no longer
a player in the GPU business. MSI is reputed to be the
best brand now but I've a reluctance to go that way
(bad experiences in the past). Then again, what are
the real options? Gigabyte? PNY? ASUS?!?!?

(But I agree with your asssessment about Zotac... lowest
quality crap. They're cheap for a reason).]

Given the PC in question is my 'back-up' it doesn't really need to be
powerful; that's what the main PC is for! But I'm still reluctant to
go to anything less powerful. Still, I don't want to pay a premium for
it; it gets turned on maybe once every other month, mostly to apply
any updates. There are occassions when I actually _need_ it so I'd
like some performance... but not so often that I want to dump more
than $100 USD into it.

But I'm not so stuck on Nvidia that Radeon --and even Intel's ARC--
aren't options. I just don't have enough familiarity with those
brands. More research required!

But I'm in no rush. Yes, it's my back-up PC that's affected, but
--surprising nobody I'm sure-- I actually have a back-up to that
back-up... and then a bunch of laptops to supplement THAT. So I'm not
going offline anytime soon. (Sorry-not-sorry ;-)

But I am sort of annoyed I have to bother in the first place. Like you mentioned elsewhere, the 1080 still goes for premium prices because it
was /that good/ (and also crypto/AI-bros). I LIKED that card. It hirts
me to have to replace it.


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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Fri, 12 Sep 2025 14:40:56 -0400, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

[snip]

But I'm not so stuck on Nvidia that Radeon --and even Intel's ARC--
aren't options. I just don't have enough familiarity with those
brands. More research required!

But I'm in no rush. Yes, it's my back-up PC that's affected, but
--surprising nobody I'm sure-- I actually have a back-up to that
back-up... and then a bunch of laptops to supplement THAT. So I'm not
going offline anytime soon. (Sorry-not-sorry ;-)

But I am sort of annoyed I have to bother in the first place. Like you >mentioned elsewhere, the 1080 still goes for premium prices because it
was /that good/ (and also crypto/AI-bros). I LIKED that card. It hurts
me to have to replace it.

Yeah, if my EVGA 1080GTX-SC blows a gasket, I'm probably just plugging
the PC into on-die Intel video. Good enough! But the 16xx series sounds
like a pretty good middle ground, if that scares you.

I also have a bus powered 750Ti in an old, decommisioned machine that I
need to scavenge for parts. No 12v required! That's got a Gen1 i5 in it.
Not old enough for retrogaming; not new enough to be very useful. Time to
gut it.
--
Zag

Give me the liberty to know, to think, to believe,
and to utter freely according to conscience, above
all other liberties. ~John Milton
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