Today’s technology and the laws of diminishing return. We come upon my first "rant". This rant will be about the ever-increasing cost of technology and the returns on your monetary investment. I will speak specifically to PC graphics. I will cut to the chase and make my point: Have we all lost our ever lovin' mind spending $1,000 to upwards of $3,000 for SLi video cards and motherboards? (SLi is technology that can use 2 or 4 video cards together. More info here http://www.slizone.com/page/slizone_learn.html)
I mean really now, that is more than my first car had cost. Don't forget I am just talking about the video cards and supporting motherboard...nothing else. A really top end "pimped" out gaming system is around $5,000 to $6,000.
Where does this all stop? Currently, you can run 4 video cards together at a time, what’s next...6, 8, 10 video cards? At that point I believe Lucas Arts would be placing a call to you, and ask if they could borrow your PC while they re-create reality with it.
The power of a system like this is all well and fine, the problem is 90% or more of the gaming world won't be able to afford such an animal. Only the gaming "elite" (read: filthy rich) will have these systems and never use them to the full potential. The gaming community websites have done reviews on these systems versus single card set-ups. What is found is at lower resolutions less than 1900 x 1200 the benefit is not so obvious, above that resolution is where SLi takes over. Great, if you have a 30" monitor. So, the majority of us (Non-Filthy Rich and not using gigantic monitors) will not buy into SLi.
There is real potential for this technology to backfire. What if it never gains wide acceptance? What if it doesn't become a standard? Don’t forget running video cards in tandem are nothing new. It has been tried once before and never gained acceptance, therefore dieing off.
Don't even get me started about the AgeiaPhysX cards....
-Eric
I mean really now, that is more than my first car had cost. Don't forget I am just talking about the video cards and supporting motherboard...nothing else. A really top end "pimped" out gaming system is around $5,000 to $6,000.
Where does this all stop? Currently, you can run 4 video cards together at a time, what’s next...6, 8, 10 video cards? At that point I believe Lucas Arts would be placing a call to you, and ask if they could borrow your PC while they re-create reality with it.
The power of a system like this is all well and fine, the problem is 90% or more of the gaming world won't be able to afford such an animal. Only the gaming "elite" (read: filthy rich) will have these systems and never use them to the full potential. The gaming community websites have done reviews on these systems versus single card set-ups. What is found is at lower resolutions less than 1900 x 1200 the benefit is not so obvious, above that resolution is where SLi takes over. Great, if you have a 30" monitor. So, the majority of us (Non-Filthy Rich and not using gigantic monitors) will not buy into SLi.
There is real potential for this technology to backfire. What if it never gains wide acceptance? What if it doesn't become a standard? Don’t forget running video cards in tandem are nothing new. It has been tried once before and never gained acceptance, therefore dieing off.
Don't even get me started about the AgeiaPhysX cards....
-Eric
posted by 3DCOOL.COM at
5:38 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home