There's something about building a new machine that is exhilarating and exciting...and when I dream, I dream BIG! I've wanted a new machine for the past 3 years when my current machine started showing signs of aging. Don't get me wrong, my current machine worked just fine, it just wasn't top of the line anymore. While my husband sits and plays with options for his dream car (aBMW, M5 series), I sit and price out different PC components. It's a strange dynamic but it works. It's been a dream to get an amazing new machine for awhile, but now it's imperative.
You see, my current gaming machine died recently. It's not only sad because I now can't game, but now I'm scrambling to figure out exactly how to do my PhD research (as it involves gaming). Realistically I could buy something with a decent graphics card, enough RAM, and good processor for a fraction of the cost and still be okay. But it would just be a stop gap to me. Kinda like putting your finger in the hole that developed in the dam. I would resent my machine for not giving me goosebumps when I turned it on and heard the hum of perfection. Since me and my PC need to have a close relationship, that sort of resentment just won't do. However, the reality of the situation is that I just don't have 10k (hence the dream part).
When I giddily bounce up and down, practically foaming at the mouth talking about the specs of my dream machine, my husband just looks at me and says, "No ONE needs a 10k gaming machine". He's right. I know he is. However, no on NEEDS a 100K car either. I could probably tone down my machine to a more responsible 6k or so...after all, who needs 4, 120 GB solid state hard drives in one machine? My position stands though, if you're going to spend 6K on something, why not spend the extra money and make it what you really want. It's a lot like him getting his BMW and not putting in the heated leather seats. What's the point? A Honda Civic will get you as easily from point A to point B and a prebuilt Dell would also allow me to game. The point though is that it doesn't give me the excitement, the status and the feeling of pure unadulterated joy that I'm looking for. He wants performance and power packed in a sleek package under the hood of a car and I want performance and power packed in the sleek case of a PC tower. Getting my dream machine would also make me feel at geeky peace with the world knowing that I had something so amazing. To me it would be the ultimate status symbol of my girl geekery. It would scream, "I'M NOT JUST ANY GAMER GIRL...I'M SO HARDCORE I HAVE A MACHINE YOU FANBOYS CAN ONLY DREAM ABOUT". After all, this is the type of machine that you consider trading your kids for or maybe selling a kidney...it's the type of machine you keep a picture of in your wallet next to a picture of your kids so you can show them both off like the proud parent you are.
So, I shall continue dreaming and scheming of my 10K machine. Maybe I can pick up a teaching job or two to fund the dream. Maybe it will just have to continue to be a dream for now. One day though...one day I'll have my dream machine.
And oh...did I mentioned I can get it in PINK?!
(My dream machine comes from Origins PC...check out their site at http://www.originpc.com/index_us.asp)
