So, I have been questioning my sanity, er, considering upgrading my desktop. (Alienware Aurora R3, Intel i7 - 2600k, 8GB RAM, GTX 590 video card) I decided it was a bit too expensive to get a new one just now, so I attempted to trick mine out instead. I've already added 3 SSD drives, and I just recently replaced the X-Fi generic Alienware sound card with a new Soundblaster Z card. (Which is awesome.) So, the next logical part to go would be the video card. I've been reading all sorts of reviews of the new GeForce cards, and it seems like a single GTX 780 is a nice upgrade from the dual-chip GTX 590. So, I went ahead an ordered a new GTX 780.
I really should have looked up issues upgrading Aurora R3s before I did that. It seems that Alienware has pretty much abandoned upgrading the BIOS on the R3s since 2011. It also seems that, because of this, the new 700 series cards will not work in them. It pretty much just locks up on the boot screen, game over man. (Of course, the 780 I got seems to be broken anyway, since it won't work even on another desktop that is supposedly compatible.)
It's not that I can't play all the latest games that have been released, it's just that I have had this desktop for a little over two years now and would like to upgrade before I get a game that won't run well. I know it's coming, as the next gen consoles have games that will push the PC ports to the limit.
The sad part is, I can't even buy a new Alienware system to get the part I want. Right now the R4s only go up to GTX 690 cards. Those are nice, but I am a tad bit tired of the jet engine in my case when a game taxes the video card. I guess it's because a corporate giant now owns Alienware, but they are so slow to update technology. All of the other custom gaming system builders already have systems with the latest and greatest. Unfortunately, as much as people like to believe Alienware is super overpriced, anything by Origin, Falcon, or other gaming boutique manufacturers are REALLY overpriced.
I guess I get to wait. Oh well, the PS4 will be here in a few months.
