PC gaming hardware makers sacrifice comfort, efficiency for flash (and it's paying off)

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

I don't think it's a generational thing, it's just bad taste!

Could be a factor. I remember not so long ago my PC was also lit up like Times Square but I'm over that 'delinquency' now. I don't hate RGB lighting, it's just that it's been rammed down my throat so much that I'm starting to gag on it.

 

[matrix86]

I really do like all the lights and stuff, it's that for me they are really distraction and when sitting in a dark room they start hurting my eyes after a while. I've covered up the power light on my monitor, speakers, and tower. I just find them so distracting. I really want it all because it all looks so cool but the second I sit down at the computer it would bother the hell out of me, lol.

 

[ct1615]

Cases have been going downhill for a long time, gone are the days of Antec's three and six hundred. More and more of cases are just plastic junk that easily gets beat up and comes with fan placement everywhere. Too many ***** fan boys are bamboozled with marketing thinking you need 6+ fans in a case (really the case manufacture also sells overpriced fans for the case? how convenient!); otherwise your CPU & GPU might just reach "operational temperature" under load and you can't have that. They don't realize all they are doing is creating a huge dust magnet especially when half the fans are just impeding each others air flow.

Then don't get me started on all in one liquid cooling. Worse performance then air coolers for twice the cost and...twice the noise. How do people still think liquid coolers are silent? The fans all run at 2000rpm+ and you have a pump.

These are the same people who bought 480p DVD players with HDMI out so that it could "up convert" the image to 720p...

 

[captaincranky]

Well, I have 3 "gaming cases". One is an Antec 900, and the other 2 are the original Cooler Master Storm "Scout". All 3 cases have fan lighting, and clear side panels. The Storm Scouts are the "better design", simply because of the very sturdy handles on top, so you can lug them around. For all the world, I would swear the design was inspired by the famous army "jerry can":

In any event, it has mildly lit red fans, (I do like red best), which are actually helpful to see it the computer has gone into standby mode from another room. (These cases are fairly quiet). In any event, I think the mild lighting and quasi military styling is quite pleasant.

Keep in mind I haven't added any additional light bars, dragon heads, or decals to the case. When somebody gives me decals with a product, I expect a check along with them for my advertising their junk. Needless to say, there's never a check, and the decals go straight to the trash.

So how do I keep all these "gaudy LEDs" from spoiling my perennial joy of arguing politics day and night here at Techspot you ask? Well it's very simple really. I sit the case on the left side of the desk, so there's nothing but a blank black side panel facing the keyboard and monitor. Problem solved!

If you ask me, the new crop of black cases are a huge improvement over the "fence paint beige" depressing junk of the past!

I do have to say though, I wouldn't even allow someone within 50 yards of my house with a monumental piece a tacky garbage like this:

 

[Tanstar]

But I don't think cars sacrifice performance, comfort and efficiency for looks. They just look modern or futuristic. Tech is just flashy, riddled with LEDs while the actual product is a piece of **** in many cases.

2005 Toyota Corolla XRS 0-60 mph 7.1 | Quarter mile 15.8
2016 Toyota Corolla S Plus 0-60 mph 8.5 | Quarter mile 16.7

Both of these results are from Car and Driver.

Then you describe new cars pretty good, they're flashy, riddled with LEDs and feel like pieces of crap in many cases, but futuristic right?

Now, can you post the gas mileage of those two vehicles?

 

[Slappy McPhee]

They aren't the same model. And the 2016 model is probably better overall since it has better technology inside it. Speed definetly isn't the only thing you are looking for in a car. Meanwhile in tech world a keyboard is a keyboard and you can't improve but add LEDs and charge it double. It will also break after warranty expires while older products were much more durable in my experience.

Both cars represent the top of the line sporty model, both use the same engine, one got loaded with gizmos that make it heavy and slower, the other is simple and because of this faster. Speed may not be the only thing YOU look for in a car, but don't generalize and say it's not important because it fits better with your argument.

No, a keyboard isn't a keyboard as a matter of fact, LEDSs aside, a standard bundled keyboard vs a mechanical gaming keyboard are two very different things, one is cheap and flimsy, no rollover, the other has tactile feedback, the ability to press multiple keys simultaneously that all register and in general provides a better experience. To then say it will break after warranty is more BS, do you have any numbers to back this up? I've NEVER broken a keyboard, I've accidentally spilled stuff on them, dropped them, abused them in general and they all still work to this day. Someone ragging out and smashing one doesn't count against the manufacturer either.

You apparently aren't an auto enthusiast and probably should stay away from the subject. The XRS was equipped with the 2zz engine which had over 6k rpm. The transmission was also a manual. Lastly the Head was designed as a high performance head by Yamaha. The new S model is lightyears different in design and IS NOT a performance model. No S model from Toyota has been a performance model in decades. The latest iteration not only had the additional gadgets, but also heavier due to safety equipment and COLA fuel economy equipment requirements. Now if you wanted to make another stab at it then you could compare the Camry v6 models however they are only .1 different AND have similar differences as the Corollas you chose to compare. But, wait, there's more....The 2016 Camry v6 is pretty much the same weight however they are able to deliver roughly 80hp/40tq more AND better fuel economy at only a .1 second hit on the quarter mile.

Stick to electronics because you obviously have no grasp on automotives.

 

[Slappy McPhee]

They aren't the same model. And the 2016 model is probably better overall since it has better technology inside it. Speed definetly isn't the only thing you are looking for in a car. Meanwhile in tech world a keyboard is a keyboard and you can't improve but add LEDs and charge it double. It will also break after warranty expires while older products were much more durable in my experience.

Both cars represent the top of the line sporty model, both use the same engine, one got loaded with gizmos that make it heavy and slower, the other is simple and because of this faster. Speed may not be the only thing YOU look for in a car, but don't generalize and say it's not important because it fits better with your argument.

No, a keyboard isn't a keyboard as a matter of fact, LEDSs aside, a standard bundled keyboard vs a mechanical gaming keyboard are two very different things, one is cheap and flimsy, no rollover, the other has tactile feedback, the ability to press multiple keys simultaneously that all register and in general provides a better experience. To then say it will break after warranty is more BS, do you have any numbers to back this up? I've NEVER broken a keyboard, I've accidentally spilled stuff on them, dropped them, abused them in general and they all still work to this day. Someone ragging out and smashing one doesn't count against the manufacturer either.

You apparently aren't an auto enthusiast and probably should stay away from the subject. The XRS was equipped with the 2zz engine which had over 6k rpm. The transmission was also a manual. Lastly the Head was designed as a high performance head by Yamaha. The new S model is lightyears different in design and IS NOT a performance model. No S model from Toyota has been a performance model in decades. The latest iteration not only had the additional gadgets, but also heavier due to safety equipment and COLA fuel economy equipment requirements. Now if you wanted to make another stab at it then you could compare the Camry v6 models however they are only .1 different AND have similar differences as the Corollas you chose to compare. But, wait, there's more....The 2016 Camry v6 is pretty much the same weight however they are able to deliver roughly 80hp/40tq more AND better fuel economy at only a .1 second hit on the quarter mile.

Stick to electronics because you obviously have no grasp on automotives.

Proofreading correction: The 2zz had lift over 6k rpm.

 

[Nobina]

Both cars represent the top of the line sporty model, both use the same engine, one got loaded with gizmos that make it heavy and slower, the other is simple and because of this faster. Speed may not be the only thing YOU look for in a car, but don't generalize and say it's not important because it fits better with your argument.

No, a keyboard isn't a keyboard as a matter of fact, LEDSs aside, a standard bundled keyboard vs a mechanical gaming keyboard are two very different things, one is cheap and flimsy, no rollover, the other has tactile feedback, the ability to press multiple keys simultaneously that all register and in general provides a better experience. To then say it will break after warranty is more BS, do you have any numbers to back this up? I've NEVER broken a keyboard, I've accidentally spilled stuff on them, dropped them, abused them in general and they all still work to this day. Someone ragging out and smashing one doesn't count against the manufacturer either.

I never said speed isn't important, just not everything. I bet majority of people would sacrifice some speed for new features even when buying a sporty car.

Why are you comparing mechanical vs standard keyboards? They are different types of keyboards you said it yourself. You should compare 2 of the same type like 2 mechanical kbs. Difference is minimal and mostly cosmetic but they keep releasing new ones like the old ones lack something. I know 2 friends that bought kbs and they started ghost typing after a couple of months. But I'm talking about tech in general, it tends to break early, just saying this from experience.

 

[captaincranky]

...[ ]....Why are you comparing mechanical vs standard keyboards? They are different types of keyboards you said it yourself.

Since when is a "mechanical keyboard", not a "standard keyboard", I didn't think pressure film garbage was standard on anything. Really, if it has separate keys, and they push a switch, that's standard, and also, "mechanical". Dragonsoft, "Naturally Speaking" is just cheating, plain and simple...

 

[Nobina]

Since when is a "mechanical keyboard", not a "standard keyboard", I didn't think pressure film garbage was standard on anything. Really, if it has separate keys, and they push a switch, that's standard, and also, "mechanical". Dragonsoft, "Naturally Speaking" is just cheating, plain and simple...

Standard bundled keyboard is what I meant because that's what he called it. I know there's couple of different switches and springs but I don't know to name them all.

 

[captaincranky]

Standard bundled keyboard is what I meant because that's what he called it. I know there's couple of different switches and springs but I don't know to name them all.

OK, that deserves a "once upon a time story". Way back when, even before Bill Gates said, "I can't imagine anyone ever needing more than 640KB of memory", we had "mechanical typewriters", and "electric typewriters". Mechanical typewriters were exactly that, a bunch of levers and some music wire which transferred the movement of your fingers, (eventually) to a key, through a cotton ink impregnated ribbon, and again eventually to a piece of paper. "Electric typewriters", were sort of like adding "power steering" to a similar mechanical arrangement. Today, we'd likely call them, "hybrid devices".

I'll grant you that quality can vary wildly from one mechanical to another. Still, today's (supposed "mechanicals"), are all, "sisters under the skin".

 

[That Dude There]

For some reason the lighting is not a thrill to me. I'm guessing it goes back to the 90's with people putting it under their vehicles. I hated it then and I still hate it.

I liked neon under the fast and furious cars. It was big in high school and early 20s years, but I never had it. They banned it here, so I couldn't do it...plus I would look ridiculous now that I'm 40 something. LOL

 

[That Dude There]

RGB is a nice touch for modders, I get that not everyone appreciates it, but it also adds a lot of aesthetics to the rig. Not to mention people pay a premium to have the RGB option.

I am all for it.

And that's exactly what knots my butt hair. The fact that I'm forced to have it and pay that premium and just being able to disable it is light years from a satisfactory solution. RGB has it's place with a lot and that's perfectly fine, but don't foist it down my throat and tell me to cough up. I'm far from alone with those sentiments. There are a lot of other things that every soul on this earth doesn't like but has no option other than to pay up for, RGB not being one of them.

Do I really have to tell you that you are not forced to buy it. The only thing you are buying is the premise of the article that suggests that it is all available.

 

[JReinaldo]

I agree with most of the points from the article. When I built my gaming PC +4yrs ago, most people were expecting one of those over the top designs, with LEDs everywhere. I don't normally like flashy designs, so I went with a modest case with no LEDs other than a power light within the power button, and no side window:
The front door is completely black except for the Corsair logo. That white strip is reflection from the camera flash.

I still play most modern games on this same machine. When the time come to upgrade, I'll probably use an even smaller case.

I did end up buying a gaming mechanical keyboard though (Razer BlackWidow Ultimate), which I keep the light setting at the lowest setting possible. Other than gaming I also type a lot on a daily basis, and I feel the mechanical keyboard feels a lot more comfortable than other keyboards I've owned so far when typing for long periods of time, so at least it works for both work and gaming for me and I will probably keep it for as long as it keeps working fine.

 

[Adhmuz]

You apparently aren't an auto enthusiast and probably should stay away from the subject.

Cool story bro.

Also you can edit your post by clicking the "edit" button below it.

 

[Jennax1985]

I loved the flashy stuff when I was younger a decade ago and still have my great Cooler Master Stacker 830 Nvidia Edition tower that has had many builds since the Nforce 680i/QX6700 and SLI 8800 GTX days.... It currently has a modest i7 4790k, ASUS Z97 Sabertooth Mark 1, 8GB Corsair Dominator GT @ 2400, two GTX 980 Ti G1 in SLI. I'm hoping the GTX 1080 Ti if it ever comes out is a nice improvement over my 980 Ti's. But I care more about system performance these days than flashiness now. If I didn't have that great tower, I would not really care what tower I get today as long as it has great airflow, space and ease of use since I love the removable tray of the Stacker 830 that makes swapping mobos a snap. I could care less about how the cards look for the most part since the tower sits on the floor, so I'm not looking at it nor do my guest while gaming. I only care about if the cards overclock good and have good cooling since I'm still on air cooling.

 

[CortyDK]

I'm just about 41. I never modded my cases with flashy lights or anything. Started in the 90's where you were the bomb if you had more than one floppy drive in your beige case. Recently, though, I swapped my H110 mobo for a Asus Z170 Pro Gaming (mainly for the m.2 connector). This motherboard has a couple of red LEDs, which from Bios can be controlled in breathing, still, or off mode. I quite like the faint red glow from those LED's in my Fractal Design R5 Blackout Window case. But not breathing. They are just constanly on (still mode). I just changed my 140mm rear case fan from Noctua to a Corsair ML140 Pro LED red fan. I think the fan is gorgeous abd the red glow inside the case is perfect with the LEDs on the ASUS mobo. Not too fancy but just a warm glow.