He buys his son a €1,200 gaming PC… and discovers the gear is over 10 years old

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Receiving a gaming PC as a gift is a dream for many, especially for avid gamers. But one father’s excitement quickly turned to disappointment when he discovered that the €1,200 gaming PC he bought for his son was anything but up-to-date. In fact, the gear inside the machine was so outdated that it wasn’t worth even half of what he paid for it.

A “Custom” PC That Was Anything But

This father had a simple goal: he wanted to get his son a PC capable of playing modern games at great quality. He thought he had found the perfect deal, spending €1,200 on what was advertised as a custom-built, high-performance gaming machine. Normally, that price point would get you a solid gaming PC—one that could easily run AAA titles with high settings, possibly featuring a RTX 4060 Ti graphics card and a recent i5 13400F processor, ideal for ray-tracing and smooth gameplay.

However, what the father received was far from what he had expected. Instead of modern components, the machine came equipped with a GTX 1660 Ti and an Intel i5 2500 processor—two pieces of hardware that are now more than a decade old. To make matters worse, the i5 2500, first released in 2011, last received a security update in 2019 and is paired with outdated DDR3 RAM. This setup is clearly incapable of handling the latest games efficiently, especially when paired with a more recent graphics card like the GTX 1660 Ti, which, while not terrible, is no match for current gaming demands.

The Risks of Buying Outdated Gear

The father, who thought he was investing in a solid, high-end gaming rig, was left with a machine that could barely handle current games, let alone the more demanding ones. Naturally, he took to Reddit to share his experience, where fellow gamers immediately flagged the situation as a clear scam. It wasn’t just the money he lost—it was the disappointment of giving his son something he thought would be an upgrade, only to find it outdated and underpowered.

Cases like this might seem rare, but they do happen. Sometimes, people opt for older PCs or components to save a bit of money, but this can be a dangerous gamble. Buying outdated equipment means you might end up with gear that can’t make the most of new software, and upgrading later can often end up being even more expensive than just buying a better, more modern machine in the first place.

How to Avoid Falling for a “Deal”

If you’re in the market for a gaming PC, it’s crucial to do your research and ensure that you’re getting the best value for your money. Stick to trusted online retailers or specialized stores that allow you to view detailed specs and verify the components’ ages. Websites like Rue du Commerce or Cybertek are great resources where you can find gaming desktops with up-to-date specs at reasonable prices. For instance, for about €899, you could get a gaming tower equipped with a Nvidia RTX 4060, 16 GB of RAM, and an Intel Core i5-12400F—a much more modern setup that will future-proof your gaming experience.

Before purchasing, always check the individual parts inside the PC, especially the graphics card, processor, and RAM, to ensure they align with your needs. Don’t be swayed by flashy marketing or a price tag that seems too good to be true—make sure the PC is truly built to handle the games you want to play.

The Bottom Line

The lesson here is simple: when buying a gaming PC, don’t compromise on quality just to save a few bucks. Outdated components may look like a bargain, but they can leave you with a machine that doesn’t deliver on its promises. By doing a little extra research and investing in modern hardware, you can ensure a smoother, more enjoyable gaming experience for years to come.

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Sarah Jensen

Meet Sarah Jensen, a dynamic 30-year-old American web content writer, whose expertise shines in the realms of entertainment including film, TV series, technology, and logic games. Based in the creative hub of Austin, Texas, Sarah’s passion for all things entertainment and tech is matched only by her skill in conveying that enthusiasm through her writing.