Anyone into gaming PCs? Maybe a nice Mac setup? What you got?

[Kruel J]

I was wondering how many out there are into gaming PCs or maybe a have a nice Mac setup they like? I was really in to gaming PCs in the early 2000s and built several along the way. I'm definitely not a kid any more but I still really like PC gaming and even benchmarking/overclocking tweaks. I also use a Mac at work by choice so obviously I like both.
I currently have an Alienware Aurora R15. First prebuilt for me ever but with the sale price and some rewards points I had it was cheaper than building it myself (thanks NVidia). I've been nothing but happy with it so far. It runs any game I play at 4k Ultra 120+ FPS. My TV screen is 120hz so it works well.

What you got?

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[Nosferatu]

The 286 I built in 1987 still plays pong just dandily.

 

[Kruel J]

The 286 I built in 1987 still plays pong just dandily.

My dad had one. I remember him liking it.

 

[Kruel J]

My first PC was a hand-me-down Compaq. It had a Pentium 100mhz chip, 8MB of RAM and a 700MB HDD.

 

[Mikej]

I'd like to play games on my computer. But it seems everything is on-line now? The HP we got when my old (brother built) computer went TU, just something in the motherboard, I was able to recover everything I wanted from the hard drive.
My Electronic Engineer brother built my past computers. I started playing at my parents house with him while he was still at home working on his masters. Wolfenstein, on two computers together. Played DOOM for ever. Then Bio Shock. A;so had several of the Call of Duty games that I liked. Now it seems there's none of the older games that will work on this so-call "Gaming" computer any more. I just want to play a damned first-shooter game by myself. None of this online competition bubblegum.

Oh yeah, I'm as dumb as a box of rocks with this computer stuff. I'm lucky if I can figure out how to answer Wifey's phone if it rings.

 

[Kruel J]

I'd like to play games on my computer. But it seems everything is on-line now? The HP we got when my old (brother built) computer went TU, just something in the motherboard, I was able to recover everything I wanted from the hard drive.
My Electronic Engineer brother built my past computers. I started playing at my parents house with him while he was still at home working on his masters. Wolfenstein, on two computers together. Played DOOM for ever. Then Bio Shock. A;so had several of the Call of Duty games that I liked. Now it seems there's none of the older games that will work on this so-call "Gaming" computer any more. I just want to play a damned first-shooter game by myself. None of this online competition bubblegum.

Oh yeah, I'm as dumb as a box of rocks with this computer stuff. I'm lucky if I can figure out how to answer Wifey's phone if it rings.

There's lots of good campaigns still out there. COD and Doom both still do actually. And Half Life 2 will always be one of my favorites.

 

[Mikej]

There's lots of good campaigns still out there. COD and Doom both still do actually. And Half Life 2 will always be one of my favorites.

I don't remember if I'd tried Half-Life. Some popular games I tried were either to hard or didn't interest me. And I was playing them because they were cheap and newer versions/other games had come out. I'd go back and play bio Shock and Bio Shock2 if they'd run on this computer. And there's other bio shock's put there, but I don't think they will run on this PC.

 

[Kruel J]

I don't remember if I'd tried Half-Life. Some popular games I tried were either too hard or didn't interest me. And I was playing them because they were cheap and newer versions/other games had come out. I'd go back and play bio Shock and Bio Shock2 if they'd run on this computer.

The Bioshock games are great too. Your machine is probably too old to play them. It seems not too many members are into this thread idea but I appreciate your responses!

 

[Mikej]

The Bioshock games are great too. Your machine is probably too old to play them. It seems not too many members are into this thread idea but I appreciate your responses!

Had this PC only a couple of years. It was billed as a "Gaming Computer". None of the games I had would play on it. Games in on disc, not downloads. I don't even know how to get the specs for this system. Hell, I clicked something some time ago that pops up from time to time, that has to do with games, and don't even know how to find it to delete it! I have the Steam app. for some reason.

 

[jackrv]

I have a home built, initially, PC that I use to do web surfing and the only game I play regularly is Everquest. It has been upgraded by a shop periodically. The machine does that well enough.

 

[Kruel J]

I have a home built, initially, PC that I use to do web surfing and the only game I play regularly is Everquest. It has been upgraded by a shop periodically. The machine does that well enough.

That's one thing I like about PCs, they can generally be upgraded unlike Apple. And I'm an Apple fan.

 

[tlfreek]

The 286 I built in 1987 still plays pong just dandily.

I remember playing pong in the early 70s and some weird gaming console - something so weak now was so epic then. Yes I thought I was the man when I upgraded my 286 to a 386 and shoved dos 5.0 in there.

OP - I have several gaming rigs - better question is what games do you play?

 

[Kruel J]

I like shooters and open world racing games. I built my first gaming PC to play Half Life 2 on high settings. Now you can play it on a watch almost haha. I like COD campaigns, TitanFall 2, BO3 Zombies with my wife in split screen. She also really likes several of the Need For Speed series and I really like Dirt Rally 2.0 and Forza H5 as well.

 

[Kruel J]

I really like keyboard/mouse but since my system is hooked up to my TV I've been using Xbox Elite S2 controllers and the USB wifi dongle for low latency.

 

[gmerkt]

I've wondered before how most people post here on NWFA. Meaning, by PC or some kind of hand-held thing.

Re. the initial question, I'm not a gamer but I have a gamer PC or so I'm told. Our son Robert is my IT guy, I'm nearly helpless with such problems. So when something goes wonky, he takes care of it. Over the years, one issue or another has required replacement of the PC "box" a few times. The last few are surplus items that Robert came up with and work fine (until they don't) for my modest purposes.

So my present PC box is a rather huge, tower-like configuration with a window in one side. No name on the front. You can see various operating lights working. It's a rig that Robert put together himself for the fun of it, like some people build AR's, but he's not a gamer. Also, he buys stuff on sale or close-out. When one of our grandchildren (the adopted one) came over for the first time and saw it, he said, "Wow, you've got a gamer PC." He'd know, he's a gamer.

This big PC gamer box I think has advantages. Size, for one thing. Because all of the components are more spaced apart inside. Which means that heat cannot concentrate as easily, and maybe the dust the fans take in won't concentrate as much either. Our previous PC was very small, and flat. About the size of a 1972 car radio. It was a device that Robert got on sale somewhere, but it didn't last long, even with periodic vacuuming out. It started quitting for no reason; for a while I ran it with the hinged cover open, but that didn't last long.

 

[Mikej]

I've wondered before how most people post here on NWFA. Meaning, by PC or some kind of hand-held thing.

Re. the initial question, I'm not a gamer but I have a gamer PC or so I'm told. Our son Robert is my IT guy, I'm nearly helpless with such problems. So when something goes wonky, he takes care of it. Over the years, one issue or another has required replacement of the PC "box" a few times. The last few are surplus items that Robert came up with and work fine (until they don't) for my modest purposes.

So my present PC box is a rather huge, tower-like configuration with a window in one side. No name on the front. You can see various operating lights working. It's a rig that Robert put together himself for the fun of it, like some people build AR's, but he's not a gamer. Also, he buys stuff on sale or close-out. When one of our grandchildren (the adopted one) came over for the first time and saw it, he said, "Wow, you've got a gamer PC." He'd know, he's a gamer.

This big PC gamer box I think has advantages. Size, for one thing. Because all of the components are more spaced apart inside. Which means that heat cannot concentrate as easily, and maybe the dust the fans take in won't concentrate as much either. Our previous PC was very small, and flat. About the size of a 1972 car radio. It was a device that Robert got on sale somewhere, but it didn't last long, even with periodic vacuuming out. It started quitting for no reason; for a while I ran it with the hinged cover open, but that didn't last long.

Beautiful man! You sound just as computer stoopid as ME! My brother, before the falling out, built my computers. First computer we had was a 486, I think, that my father-in-law gave us. The first one brother built had a BIG case. With blue lights inside. And cooling fanS! Sounded like a jet engine on warm-up. All the time. I don't have anyone to help now, if anything goes wrong. When the older one gave up I was lucky that a member (Geek) of the forum took my hard drive and transferred my pics and documents to a stick.
I still thank that member.

 

[gmerkt]

You sound just as computer stoopid as ME!

That point I freely concede. It's the Elder Problem, falling behind technologically. When it comes to cyber stuff, I play the helpless Elder Card. When I have some tech issue in retail, I get that doleful, helpless look on my face, and ask for assistance because I'm old and incapable. It usually works, but I find that I have to pay attention to what I'm told because even some younger people can steer you wrong. Or when I go somewhere that requires smart phone access, QR, kiosk, blah blah blah, I stand there and look helpless, then find an employee to do it for me. It's partly an act, but partly real.

These days, most things I was trained to do or learned how to do, are obsolete. The printing trade, analogue photography, automobile repair. I can still do my own construction trade stuff, mostly. Splitting, carrying and stacking firewood is still on my list of doables. Landscaping and gardening work, mostly. I just did some terracing with natural rock walls, that hasn't yet become obsolete.

It took me about 30 years to learn working on 1960's and 70's Ford product vehicles. That era was bad enough, as starting around 1966, there were annual changes that involved emissions control devices. Then in the early 1980's, fuel injection and computers came along, etc. I still have one old Ford, a 1972,. so my knowledge will work on it but otherwise is mostly worthless because the market for the labor is now too narrow. At the local Ford dealer, not long ago I was told their last tune-up guy who knew carburetors had retired. So because of knowledge loss, there are some procedures that you can't even pay the dealer exorbitant amounts of money to perform.

I've just been reading that the advent of electric cars into mainstream ownership will be very tough on non-brand franchise mechanics (now "technicians"). Supposedly, electric cars won't take as much maintenance. But when they do, it will typically be high tech requiring the use of specialized equipment. One other small problem, some manufacturers will not publish or release technical information for making repairs. They intend on keeping repairs proprietary so they can do all the work. Just another aspect of the "Bid Up" mentality in the economy that has developed.

 

[Mikej]

That point I freely concede. It's the Elder Problem, falling behind technologically. When it comes to cyber stuff, I play the helpless Elder Card. When I have some tech issue in retail, I get that doleful, helpless look on my face, and ask for assistance because I'm old and incapable. It usually works, but I find that I have to pay attention to what I'm told because even some younger people can steer you wrong. Or when I go somewhere that requires smart phone access, QR, kiosk, blah blah blah, I stand there and look helpless, then find an employee to do it for me. It's partly an act, but partly real.

These days, most things I was trained to do or learned how to do, are obsolete. The printing trade, analogue photography, automobile repair. I can still do my own construction trade stuff, mostly. Splitting, carrying and stacking firewood is still on my list of doables. Landscaping and gardening work, mostly. I just did some terracing with natural rock walls, that hasn't yet become obsolete.

It took me about 30 years to learn working on 1960's and 70's Ford product vehicles. That era was bad enough, as starting around 1966, there were annual changes that involved emissions control devices. Then in the early 1980's, fuel injection and computers came along, etc. I still have one old Ford, a 1972,. so my knowledge will work on it but otherwise is mostly worthless because the market for the labor is now too narrow. At the local Ford dealer, not long ago I was told their last tune-up guy who knew carburetors had retired. So because of knowledge loss, there are some procedures that you can't even pay the dealer exorbitant amounts of money to perform.

I've just been reading that the advent of electric cars into mainstream ownership will be very tough on non-brand franchise mechanics (now "technicians"). Supposedly, electric cars won't take as much maintenance. But when they do, it will typically be high tech requiring the use of specialized equipment. One other small problem, some manufacturers will not publish or release technical information for making repairs. They intend on keeping repairs proprietary so they can do all the work. Just another aspect of the "Bid Up" mentality in the economy that has developed.

I guess all I can say is I feel very lucky I grew up in the era I did. And I will be happy to leave this earth when the time comes knowing I was here during incredible times.
As far as old tech goes, I have an '84 GMC 1500 bought new. I had a GM crate performance motor put in it 13 years ago at 130,000. The shop that did this works on special interest cars. they know their way around those carbs.

 

[Kruel J]

LOL carburetors are pretty close to computer setups. They both can be finicky as all get out.

 

[Hawaiian]

My son's hot rod. All I know about it is it looks pretty.