Most expensive part?

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What is the most expensive single computer part you've ever purchased, and how much did you pay for it? Mine would have to be ... a monitor. Dell P991 Trinitron 19" flat CRT. In 1999 I think it was right around $600. Three years later I bought two more for $330 a piece - almost half the price!
 
My video card. It was $220. Radeon 9800Pro 120MB. My 17" CRT was $159 + $20 rebate.
 
Well here's my thing. It doesn't matter how bad ass your video card is, if your monitor can't keep up. That's one reason why I've stayed away from LCD so far. The performance isn't there yet.

Also, a major complaint I've had with cheap CRTs (and I've seen a lot of them) is that the display area changes depending on how much light it is emmitting. Example: The more light space you have versus the amount of dark space will cause the image to expand. Try minimizing and maximizing a window while watching the corner of the displayed screen. With almost all Trinitrons I've used, excluding really old ones, I can go from complete black to complete white and back to black without seeing any movement in the display area. A full on to a full off without any distortion.
 
LoudMusic
Well here's my thing. It doesn't matter how bad ass your video card is, if your monitor can't keep up. That's one reason why I've stayed away from LCD so far. The performance isn't there yet.

Also, a major complaint I've had with cheap CRTs (and I've seen a lot of them) is that the display area changes depending on how much light it is emmitting. Example: The more light space you have versus the amount of dark space will cause the image to expand. Try minimizing and maximizing a window while watching the corner of the displayed screen. With almost all Trinitrons I've used, excluding really old ones, I can go from complete black to complete white and back to black without seeing any movement in the display area. A full on to a full off without any distortion.
I know about that screen size, thing. I can see it. I'm not spending $400 on a monitor, though...
 
Well, the non Trinitrons I've used in the past have all given me headaches. I can only use them for a short while.

I stand by my opinion that the most important parts of personal computers are the monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Those are the parts that the user interfaces with constantly and should be of the highest quality. Everything else is not much more than perception.
 
I didn't buy it but my dad's 17" Flatscreen Monitor that costed $500. My 15" is $400 I think.
 
Pre-built 'puter. So total cost of about $1600 + $200 17" CRT monitor = $1900.

I regret it specs wise, but what I've learned on this is by far priceless.
 
LoudMusic
Yikes, nearly $550 for a video card. But I bet it's like a sugar IV into your brain (:


You betcha! It's capable of handling DOOM 3, Far Cry, and UT2k4 all at their maximum video outputs. 1600x1200 baby, yeah. :D
 
Haven't bought a single part ('cept for my cheap TV card) the 6 years I've been in my current employment....

Sucks to be me...
 
Flerbizky
Haven't bought a single part ('cept for my cheap TV card) the 6 years I've been in my current employment....

Sucks to be me...
Didn't you just spend $900 on an Athlon 64 FX-53? Or was that free, for some reason?
 
LoudMusic
Do you have a monitor that can keep up?

The one I had mentioned definitely gives it justice. :D Believe me, I've had better response from the Apple flatscreen, then I did with a 19" CRT. It's just so much more brilliant.
 
Hmm. I just paid £427.08 for an Athlon 3800+ processor. And £417.45 for a 19" TFT monitor.

But the most expensive single part was £540 for a 21" CRT monitor in 2000. And that was as an upgrade from a 15" CRT! :eek:

And I bought a Nikon Coolscan IV ED film scanner in 2001, but I can't remember if that was £499 or £599.
 
Film scanners will definitely set you back.

What surprises me is how much people pay for processing power. When current prices see 100mhz increases costing $150 a click, I'm happy with the slowest new processor in a range of three or four.
 
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