It’s just frustrating because I don't feel like I have the freedom to spend my own money how I see fit. I keep hearing all this advice about saving every penny and being frugal, blah blah blah, but then suddenly when my dad needs something, the rules change. Honestly, I know what I'm going to do. Since he paid for the laptop, I'll basically treat it like a loan and pay him back $1500 so I can officially own it. But I'm not selling it; I'm keeping it. That way, I can quietly save up, grab some parts, and upgrade my rig piece by piece. No one will even notice, and I'll finally have a setup I actually control. I'm leaning towards that last configuration we discussed—I don't think I'll need anything beefier, even if there's only a $333 difference. The only catch is I might have to swap out the case to get better cooling.
And honestly, if I can manage to tuck away about $167 from my paycheck every month, I’ll start putting it aside. If things go according to plan, I might have enough saved up by mid-next year to build a decent gaming rig, maybe even one featuring an Intelov processor. I'd be thrilled if I could at least run GTA V on low settings. Otherwise, I’m going to lose my mind. I waited over a year just for the game to finally hit PC, and now I feel like I'm stuck waiting another full year just to put together a computer capable of actually playing it.
I don't even know anymore. I’ve somehow ended up in this spot where I’m not allowed to sell my laptop, yet I'm also told I can't spend my own paycheck on anything worthwhile. Meanwhile, the old man gets to sit there and map out how he’s going to use my income to pay off his own debts...
So, my plan is to just save up some cash and grab this cheaper, lower-spec option instead. I'm actually thinking about selling my laptop for $1167, assuming I can even get anything for it. To give you some context, I picked it up two years ago for $1500. I might chip in a little extra from my paycheck, too. Honestly, I’m also considering picking up a more breathable mid-tower case and a 120GB SSD right away. For gaming, that should be plenty.
Sure thing, thanks. I’m going to take some time to weigh my options—deciding whether it makes sense to go for the high-end setup or just stick with a budget-friendly version. It really comes down to the math for me. Since I'm a total newbie and will probably only have a handful of viewers at first, I need to figure out if investing this much upfront actually makes any sense.
Can I just see the temps without the Cooler? It won't fit in my case—I already checked the dimensions.
I mean, if I could pull off playing JC on low settings with a mediocre laptop and record 720p video without any issues, then this beefier rig should handle it just fine.
I actually thought about diving into that side of things, but looking at it now, it just doesn't seem worth the investment right away. I think I’ll just stick strictly to gaming for the time being. That way, I can probably hunt down some cheaper components that can still handle games at mid-to-high settings without breaking the bank. That’s exactly why I’m hanging out here to get some advice. 🙂 Basically, investing in a streaming setup right now just isn't a smart move for me.
So, here's the deal. I wasn't really planning on buying new parts right now, but since Grand Theft Auto V is coming out soon, I'm looking at an upgrade specifically to handle that game and maybe some other newer titles around that level of intensity.
Besides just playing, I want to stream on YouTube in 720p, which is going to put some extra strain on both my CPU and GPU.
I’ve already put together a list of potential components, provided the total doesn't go over $1667.
CPU: AMD x4 A10 7700 k FM2 $325 Motherboard definitely needs to be ASUS; I picked out the A88X-PRO FM2+ $290, though I haven't double-checked if it perfectly matches the processor—it says it supports A-series, though. RAM: Kingston 8GB 1600 MHz 517 GPU: XFX Radeon R7 260 x 2 2GB $338 PSU: Corsair RM650 $341 I’ll probably grab a cheaper aftermarket vertical CPU cooler, something up to 120mm, just to make sure it fits in my current case.
Basically, this is what I'd get to start. My case and HDD will stay as they are for now, and later down the road, I'll pick up an SSD and a larger case—maybe even a full tower with good airflow. I don't plan on playing at anything higher than 720p, and the same goes for the stream, even if I run the game settings at mid-high.
All these parts and prices are pulled from Newegg.
I'd love to hear your thoughts, advice, or any comments you might have. 🙂
I’m not entirely sure if this counts as an external hemorrhoid, but basically, I woke up one morning with this little pea-sized lump right by the opening. It feels like the skin surrounding the area has just swollen up in one specific spot, and it's been itchy since it showed up overnight. Ever since I noticed it, I haven't been able to stop checking it, but there hasn't been any blood or actual pain. Every once in a while, the tissue seems to soften up, making the bump look like it’s shrinking a bit. I won't be able to make it to my doctor's office for a checkup until sometime next week, so I'm just sitting here feeling a bit uneasy about what this might actually be. 🤷