For many gamers, receiving a gaming PC as a present is the ultimate dream. However, one father’s initial thrill turned to frustration when he realised that the €1,200 gaming rig he purchased for his son was shockingly outdated. The hardware inside the machine was so obsolete that it was worth considerably less than half the amount he paid.
An Allegedly “Custom” PC That Disappointed
This father had his sights set on gifting his son a PC that could handle modern games with high graphics fidelity. He believed he had struck gold with a deal claiming to offer a custom-built, high-performance gaming machine for €1,200. Typically, that budget would land you a reliable gaming PC—one capable of effortlessly running AAA titles on high settings, possibly boasting an RTX 4060 Ti graphics card and a contemporary i5 13400F processor designed for ray-tracing and fluid gameplay.
Unfortunately, the father’s hopes were dashed when the delivered machine came with a GTX 1660 Ti and an Intel i5 2500 processor. These components are now considered over a decade old. Adding insult to injury, the i5 2500, which debuted in 2011, hasn’t received a security update since 2019 and is paired with antiquated DDR3 RAM. This setup was clearly ill-equipped to run today’s demanding games, particularly when paired with a more recent graphics card like the GTX 1660 Ti, which, while serviceable, simply cannot meet contemporary gaming requirements.
The Pitfalls of Outdated Equipment
This father, hoping he was securing a quality high-end gaming rig, found himself with a machine that struggled to run current titles, let alone the more resource-intensive games on the market. Naturally, he took to Reddit to share his disappointment, where fellow gamers quickly called out the situation as a glaring scam. His loss wasn’t just financial—it was the heartache of presenting his son with what he thought would be an upgrade, only to discover it was an underwhelming relic.
Though situations like these may seem isolated, they occur more frequently than one might expect. Some buyers, in a bid to save a few bucks, opt for older PCs or components, a gamble that can backfire. Acquiring outdated gear can leave you with equipment that struggles with new software, and attempting to upgrade later can often surpass the cost of investing in a modern, robust setup right off the bat.
Tips to Sidestep a “Bargain” Trap
Always inspect the individual components within the PC, particularly the graphics card, processor, and RAM, to ensure they meet your gaming demands. Resist the allure of flashy marketing or seemingly too-good-to-be-true pricing—confirm that the PC can genuinely handle the titles you wish to play.
The Verdict
The takeaway is clear: when investing in a gaming PC, never sacrifice quality for a minor savings. Outdated components may appear to be a steal, but they can result in a machine that fails to deliver. By investing a little more effort into research and ensuring you choose modern hardware, you can secure a smoother, more enjoyable gaming experience for years ahead.
