In tech limbo...

[Wingfan]

Who doesnt like buying new hardware? Ive finally gotten my rig to the point where any worthy upgrade wouldn't be worth it (for me anyways) It took me a few years but ive gotten to the point where my core system should last me another 2 years. Might replace GPU in the Fall depending on what is available, but other than that im stuck in limbo. Ive been itching to buy something, the anticipation of waiting for the new hardware to be delivered, opening the box, installing (maybe shedding some blood), benching and comparing to previous part....best part of PC master race. You would think i could just enjoy what i have created but creating is more satisfying than the actual end result. Anyone else with this crazy problem?

[btdog]

You would think i could just enjoy what i have created but creating is more satisfying than the actual end result. Anyone else with this crazy problem?

Absolutely. It's like going on vacation: the anticipation and planning of the vacation often yields more joy and excitement than the trip itself.

For me, the best part of a build is when you hit that power button and everything whirs on and you hear that single POST beep, or you see the screen light up. It's even better when it happens on the first try. I look around and see a smattering of empty boxes and I realize I took half a dozen pieces, assembled them, wired appropriately, and now I have a machine that I built.

Conversely, one of the worst feelings is when you hit that power button and you get nothing. "Was a part defective?" "Did I wire incorrectly?" "Did I miss something?" or even worse, "Did I break/fry something?" "Did I just waste $1000 bucks for nothing?"

Often, my first reaction is to panic and that is the worst thing to do in that situation. And I've seen/read that same desperation in posts on this forum and others, so I believe I'm not alone. At those moments, a cool head and patience are needed most, and yet it's so hard to do.

[joe_momma]

I understand the feeling. I am not a computer expert by any means, but building a rig was something I've wanted to do for most of my life. I just went slow, researched stuff, and followed directions. That feeling when I finally put everything together, hit the power button, and it actually turned on was amazing. I was about 90% sure smoke would come out because I fried something. Still running strong (even with my so awful it hurts first thermal paste application) 2 years later.