In the doldrums of pubescence, of course.
My absolute ceiling was $500.
It was a paltry sum, but I made every part count.
This 16-year-old PC has survived two moves with me. I promised myself I’d find a use for its parts. For some reason, I just can’t seem to let it go.Photo: Kyle Barr / Vicky Leta / Gizmodo
I had to acquaint myself with technical terms I had never heard before.
I decided on the ATI Radeon 4850 graphics card for my GPU.
It was a strong, quality mid-to-high-end graphics processor whose red outer shell is implanted in my memory.
Gif: Kyle Barr / Gizmodo
Even then, I screwed up quite a bit.
I had to reorient the motherboard to get it squared up with my cases pegs.
Oh yeah, the first operating system I forced onto my new PC was none other than Windows Vista.
Photo: Kyle Barr / Gizmodo
Oh, the memories of getting programs to run on thatmuch-maligned OS.
I had designed it from the ground up to be upgradable.
Eventually, I doubled my RAM from a mere 4 GB to a whopping 8 GB.
you’ve got the option to see pics from my old PC through the following slides.
I moved on from that tower.
By the time college came around, my old PC was already beyond its years despite the upgrades.
What finally helped me move on was my friend who was finally ditching our hometown.
He gifted me his hand-me-down desktop, the same tower I use today.
Can People Still Build PCs for Under $500?
Ive aged and changed along with that original, dust-ridden mid-range tower.
I have more hobbies than gaming that constantly beg for my dwindling paycheck.
I satisfy my gaming needs with a PlayStation 5 and Steam Deck.
The inevitable march of Moores Law will mandate more expensive components.
News from the future, delivered to your present.
