Weekend Question: What's the next upgrade you've got planned?

[PCG Jody]

I ask the PCG staff a regular Weekend Question and post the answers on the site. If you'd like to throw in an answer here, I'll squeeze the best into the finished article!

This week's question is: What's the next upgrade you've got planned?

Have you got your eye on an Alder Lake CPU? A VR headset? A gaming mouse that looks like a Transformer got stuck halfway through transforming and now lives in agony? Maybe you're holding out for an affordable GPU, in which case you have my sympathies. Or maybe you're not planning to fork out for any fancy hardware, but instead you're thinking about making the leap to Windows 11—though you should probably hold off for a bit longer. At least until they bring back the blue screen of death.

 

[ZedClampet]

There are a couple of things I want, but nothing that I need, which is a good place to be. I wouldn't mind upgrading to the latest Quest or getting a ridiculously expensive headset, but maybe I should just save my money for the next time I actually have a real need for something. With one kid in college and one about to start, I'm not as carefree with the cash as I used to be. Then again, sometimes I get New Tech Derangement Syndrome and just can't help myself.

 

[Alm]

I'm in a similar boat to Zed (minus the kids). I have a rig I like and a huge backlog of games. And VR.

I think the only thing I want is more games for my VR headset.

I could do with a third monitor or maybe an ultrawide but that's not happening this year.

 

[McStabStab]

Right now the lowliest component in my rig is my CPU, but it's still an i7-7700K so even if I get to the point where I feel like it's not pulling its weight it'll be overclocking time. I'll likely stick with Intel but will need to swap out the motherboard. Since I'm going through all that trouble I may upgrade the NVMe M.2 SSD storage from 500gb to 1tb as well.

 

[COLGeek]

I would like to upgrade the GPU in my backup rig:

Ryzen 7 5800X, Quadro P2200 5GB, Gigabyte X570 I Aorus Pro WiFi,32GB, 2TB SSD, Win 11 Pro, 1080P

Would like a RTX 3070 or better or Radeon RX 6800 or better. Just don't want to sell a kidney to get it.

Regarding Win 11, I have on several systems and have suffered no issues whatsoever with the released version. It is really Win 10 with a new GUI and a couple minor bells and whistles.

 

[Brian Boru]

making the leap to Windows 11—though you should probably hold off for a bit longer

My fav long-time tech guy agrees with PCG's view—hold off on 11 for a while. That's been a good policy for all Windows versions for 30+ years, takes a while to solve the teething problems.

maybe you're not planning to fork out for any fancy hardware

That's me. I think now isn't a great time. Apart from the GPU problem, there are new gens of CPU out [Intel] or nearly out [AMD]. DDR5 RAM has just launched, and that's definitely a must-have—but again, only once the kinks have been ironed out. By then the next gen of GPUs should also be out… and on it goes.

So it's likely to be a year or more before I look at new hardware, and of course my current 2017 rig won't be compatible then, so it'll be an almost new build—just bringing forward peripherals and spare drives.

 

[DXCHASE]

In the middle of a new build. Just need to grab a new intel cpu/600 series mobo.

 

[Pifanjr]

My PC is good enough to play the huge backlog of games I have, but I would really like an extra SSD. Total War: Warhammer 2 now takes up over 120 GB of the 256 GB available on my current SSD: 60 GB for the game itself and 60 GB so it can copy itself entirely when it patches. No idea why anyone thought it was a good idea to require the entire game to be copied in order to patch it, but here we are. Every time there's a patch I need to uninstall/delete a bunch of stuff to make room.

I'm hoping to get a new one for my birthday in a couple of months.

I will probably have to upgrade the rest of my hardware if I want to play Warhammer 3, but I'm not planning on getting it on launch anyway.

 

[ZedClampet]

I will probably have to upgrade the rest of my hardware if I want to play Warhammer 3, but I'm not planning on getting it on launch anyway.

I could be wrong, but I don't think the recommended specs will be far off of 2, so unless you are barely running 2, I would think you'll be okay.

 

[Pifanjr]

I could be wrong, but I don't think the recommended specs will be far off of 2, so unless you are barely running 2, I would think you'll be okay.

I hope so. It's really the only game I'm really looking forward to that I'm not sure my PC will be able to run.

 

[mainer]

I don't really "need" anything (PC-wise) at the moment, as I'm happy with the performance I get in games, and with my monitor and associated peripherals. One thing I would like to try is a VR headset, as I really, really would like to play Half-Life: Alyx. I would love to buy a Valve Index (if I could even get one), but I can't justify that $1000 price tag.

I've considered the Oculus Quest 2 now that the Facebook requirement has supposedly been dropped, or I guess I should say "Meta" now instead (same cow, different name, as my grandfather used to say). But I still consider VR as a luxury gaming peripheral as it's doubtful that I would use it on a daily basis like I would my PC.

 

[Ryzengang]

On a PC front I'm really happy with my setup. The only piece of tech I'm considering at the moment is a VR headset. I've been wanting to try VR for a long time. With news that the Oculus Quest 2 is going to be dropping the FB requirement eventually I've been intrigued. Still monitoring the situation, though. It is not clear when the FB requirement will actually be removed and what it'll be replaced with. Still, the Quest 2 is clearly the best entry into VR in the current market. The more expensive headsets seem hard to justify.

 

[Sarafan]

It's still too early to make definitive statements about the next upgrade, because I did the previous one in the last quarter of 2020. But I won't lie to you, I have some plans for the future. A lot depends on the prices and availability of hardware. I'll probably stick with my RTX 2070 Super until the next generation shows up. I'm thinking about something from the future RTX 4000 family, but if the prices remain so steep as they are now, my plans will have to wait.

Also in a year or two my Ryzen 5 3600 probably won't be enough to play newer titles comfortably. So the upgrade will be more complex than a GPU change. We'll see how the requirements will go up in the upcoming two years. We also have to keep in mind that I like to play older titles which don't have massive requirements, so I can be patient with the next upgrade.

 

[Brian Boru]

Oculus Quest 2 now that the Facebook requirement has supposedly been dropped

when the FB requirement will actually be removed and what it'll be replaced with

Keep in mind Fakebook's history, and how likely it is that they'll keep the requirement dropped.
Requirement drops;
Millions buy Quest;
Requirement re-added for updates etc.

Don't forget that Facebook is not a hardware company, not a software company, not a gaming company. It's an advertising company, that's where it makes most of its money. So we're dealing with the ethics of an advertising company, not hardware, software or gaming companies.

 

[mainer]

Keep in mind Fakebook's history, and how likely it is that they'll keep the requirement dropped.
Requirement drops;
Millions buy Quest;
Requirement re-added for updates etc.

Don't forget that Facebook is not a hardware company, not a software company, not a gaming company. It's an advertising company, that's where it makes most of its money. So we're dealing with the ethics of an advertising company, not hardware, software or gaming companies.

Those are the main reasons that I haven't actually splurged for a Quest 2. The hardware itself, the features, and the price have tempted me; but I don't trust this whole "fakebook or metaverse" thing, and I certainly don't trust Zuckerberg.

 

[Ryzengang]

Keep in mind Fakebook's history, and how likely it is that they'll keep the requirement dropped.
Requirement drops;
Millions buy Quest;
Requirement re-added for updates etc.

Don't forget that Facebook is not a hardware company, not a software company, not a gaming company. It's an advertising company, that's where it makes most of its money. So we're dealing with the ethics of an advertising company, not hardware, software or gaming companies.

Those are the main reasons that I haven't actually splurged for a Quest 2. The hardware itself, the features, and the price have tempted me; but I don't trust this whole "fakebook or metaverse" thing, and I certainly don't trust Zuckerberg.

Yea it is definitely a concern of mine. My issue is: what's the alternative? There's a significant barrier to entry for VR and the Quest 2 is the best option by a large margin. I've looked into it an nothing is even close. I like what I've seen from the Valve Index but we're talking about a $700 difference. I have concerns about FB (I deleted my account years ago) and I don't really trust them. I just don't know that there is any other reasonable entry into the VR space.

 

[ZedClampet]

Keep in mind Fakebook's history, and how likely it is that they'll keep the requirement dropped.
Requirement drops;
Millions buy Quest;
Requirement re-added for updates etc.

Don't forget that Facebook is not a hardware company, not a software company, not a gaming company. It's an advertising company, that's where it makes most of its money. So we're dealing with the ethics of an advertising company, not hardware, software or gaming companies.

Meh, I like my Quest and will probably get the new version. It's a great headset.

 

[Colif]

I got a new PC last year, it still feels new (I don't believe its 15 months old already)... so upgrades? Probably a new GPU in a few years, but about only thing I should buy are replacement exhaust fans for my case, but I don't need them, its just something I had planned on doing by now.

I have replaced everything (including 5.1 speakers) in the last 4 years. I shouldn't need anything (fingers crossed)... which makes it harder for people who may want to buy me something for xmas.

I been on win 11 for 3 months. I jumped long ago... its not really a purchase since (if pc can run it) its a free upgrade now but I know how people think about it so I leave it there. Its so much like 10 I only remember I am on 11 when answering questions like this

I don't want anything which is fun as its also my Bday before Xmas so family are confounded as to what to get me... as usual.

 

[Brian Boru]

I don't want anything which is fun as its also my Bday before Xmas so family are confounded as to what to get me

What to get the man who has everything:

For quality alone time:

https://www.amazon.com/Prank-Funny-Belly-Button-Brush/dp/B08PKYC2Z5/

For social occasions:

https://www.amazon.com/Subtle-Butt-disposable-neutralizers-saving/dp/B001KYVJSC/

Now those are what I call upgrades!

 

[Krud]

The next upgrade I had planned, I already did, and that's a long overdue switch from a 1080p monitor to a 1440p monitor. It's considerably smaller (my 1080p was 41", my 1440p is 25"), so I can't use it like a living room TV like I did with my last one, and I think I might already be getting eyestrain from it, I'm not sure. But it's the only upgrade I'm doing for a while. Once I've paid it off and become spoiled with higher resolutions, maybe i'll look into a better video card again (if the supply and pricing have settled down by then.)

 

[Krud]

On a PC front I'm really happy with my setup. The only piece of tech I'm considering at the moment is a VR headset. I've been wanting to try VR for a long time. With news that the Oculus Quest 2 is going to be dropping the FB requirement eventually I've been intrigued. Still monitoring the situation, though. It is not clear when the FB requirement will actually be removed and what it'll be replaced with. Still, the Quest 2 is clearly the best entry into VR in the current market. The more expensive headsets seem hard to justify.

If you can and haven't already, I would find someone you know who has a VR setup and see if you can try it before taking the plunge. Some people really like it, while others regret dropping hundreds of dollars on it. (I lucked out and got mine during a ridiculously good sale [paid less than $200 in 2017], so I've gotten my money's worth out of it at this point, but I can't bring myself to invest in the pricier options, and really don't want to be attached to Facebook. (Mine is a Windows Mixed Reality, which is compatible with most Steam options, though it can fake its way through some Oculus titles [with some control problems here and there].)

My biggest issue is still with motion sickness, though that might just be my age. I throw up on rollercoasters now, too.

 

[JCgames]

I need a couple of web cameras and a mic for my new cooking channel

I'm also grabbing a wireless trackball mouse to help stream when i'm laying in bed so i don't need to drag my keyboard with me.

 

[Colif]

i didn't say i have everything, I just can't think of anything I want

For quality alone time:
https://www.amazon.com/Prank-Funny-Belly-Button-Brush/dp/B08PKYC2Z5/

i think i have something like that now though it was bought to clean PC fans. its bristles aren't strong enough.

 

[Withywarlock]

The most reasonable upgrade I could make (and may yet) is storage. I already have a 1TB HDD and NVME drive (Intel Optane 660p; it was cheap and I didn't want to wait 40+ seconds for TWW battles to load), as well as a 256GB boot drive SSD. So I wouldn't say no to another SSD so I've got somewhere seperate to store CoD. I daren't open up Battlenet to find out how big the Judge Dredd update and whatever else is in the game will be...

I wouldn't say no to upgrading to 32GB RAM, but honestly that's just me being greedy on Black Friday. The biggest upgrade I could make right now is my GPU, but I'm not playing many GPU-intensive games and I'm only playing on a 1080p monitor (and would trade the lower resolution for the 144 FPS I have now). I say "could" make "now," but that's rather unrealistic. Finding a replacement for my GTX 1070 is proving difficult for my budget. I'll need to save up or simply wait for an upgrade to come about later. Or should I? I'm perfectly satisfied, I'm just buying too much into hype methinks.

 

[Brian Boru]

wait for an upgrade to come about later

That's my advice, see post #6 above.