2010 - built PC - ~$500 - Phenom II X4 + onboard graphics
2015 - added GTX 960 to play games - <$300
2017 - replaced w/ Ryzen 1700 build - ~$800 - new mobo, CPU, RAM, PSU - kept boot drive from OG build
2018 - upgraded to NVMe drive - $200 - repurpose old Phenom II x4 build as NAS w/ older drive (SSD) - ~$200 (doesn’t count NAS drives)
2022 - upgrade CPU to 5600, GPU to 6650XT - $430
2024 - moved to ITX case - ~$400 - new mobo and case, kept same PSU - upgraded NAS to old 1700 CPU, better case, etc
So, in 14 years, I’ve done 5 upgrades, each of which took something like 30 min. Total spent, $2700, so <$200/year. That’s less than many pre-builts, which are often replaced after 5 years. Idk about you, but this is a really good tradeoff for time vs money.
So I went back and found some receipts, and it turns out that we’re pretty much on the same page. This thing was actually about $900 of hardware, which was basically a higher end mid tier build. I remember looking for high quality components but I wasn’t grabbing high performance ones. I’ve probably spent $300 on drives and RAM so cost per year is under $100.
As far as how much I value my time - one does not spend a mere 30 minutes swapping a mainboard out of the everything-box that runs all your shit, so I value hardware stability quite a bit. I moved most of the time-consuming compatibility hacks into docker containers the last time around so hopefully it’s a lot easier next time. I have to deal with this stuff all day long at work so my appetite for PC projects at home is very low. If I can throw some more cash at it to stave off the need to swap out a drive or even the whole PC for a couple more years I’ll gladly do it.
Makes sense. I do software dev, so dealing with hardware is different enough to be kind of relaxing. If you’re dealing with IT stuff all day, I can see how that would feel like work.
I do find myself putting it off sometimes though. I need to be in the right mood to tear everything apart.
so many other hobbies have costs that sneak up on you too. You know what you’re getting into when you build a computer. When I first started getting into photography I learned lenses can be significantly more expensive than the actual body.
And how much do you value your time?
Here’s the history of my PC:
So, in 14 years, I’ve done 5 upgrades, each of which took something like 30 min. Total spent, $2700, so <$200/year. That’s less than many pre-builts, which are often replaced after 5 years. Idk about you, but this is a really good tradeoff for time vs money.
So I went back and found some receipts, and it turns out that we’re pretty much on the same page. This thing was actually about $900 of hardware, which was basically a higher end mid tier build. I remember looking for high quality components but I wasn’t grabbing high performance ones. I’ve probably spent $300 on drives and RAM so cost per year is under $100.
As far as how much I value my time - one does not spend a mere 30 minutes swapping a mainboard out of the everything-box that runs all your shit, so I value hardware stability quite a bit. I moved most of the time-consuming compatibility hacks into docker containers the last time around so hopefully it’s a lot easier next time. I have to deal with this stuff all day long at work so my appetite for PC projects at home is very low. If I can throw some more cash at it to stave off the need to swap out a drive or even the whole PC for a couple more years I’ll gladly do it.
Makes sense. I do software dev, so dealing with hardware is different enough to be kind of relaxing. If you’re dealing with IT stuff all day, I can see how that would feel like work.
I do find myself putting it off sometimes though. I need to be in the right mood to tear everything apart.
PC gaming is a really cheap hobby as far as hobbies go. A good experience is only a few thousand dollar a decade
so many other hobbies have costs that sneak up on you too. You know what you’re getting into when you build a computer. When I first started getting into photography I learned lenses can be significantly more expensive than the actual body.