why do video cards cost more than the whole computer?

[keakar]

why do video cards cost more than the whole computer?


it's pure price fixing to rip us off!

[DanTheBanjoman]

They don't. Unless you're comparing a high end video card with a budget computer. Compare it to a high end system in which it should be and the price seems a lot more acceptable.

[Ravenas]

Your video card isn't going to cost more than your computer, and if it does, your wasting your money on your video card. If your CPU/mobo isn't good enough, your video card will be bottlenecked.

[Mussels]

Originally Posted by keakar

why do video cards cost more than the whole computer?

Because you bought a really cheap PC?

In aussie prices
My video card: 8800GTX - $750
my CPU $375 (Q6600)
Keyboard $115 (Saitek Eclipse II)
Mouse $95 (MX518/Logitech G5 - have both)
Mouse pad $39 (Func archetype)
LCD monitor $425

oh damn, i went past my viddies price already. Guess i'll go home now.

[Kammster]

Originally Posted by keakar

why do video cards cost more than the whole computer?


it's pure price fixing to rip us off!

depends, gpu core cost like $40(if i remember right), with the,pcb and other stuff, like 120 for a high end card, the packaging games and OEM sofware to make the user feel good, staff, research. but not like $400US is near manufacturing cost.

evidence: why else would a company sell lazer cut cores withe the same pcb? for half price.

[DaMulta]

Because the engineer cost is huge and they don't sell as many video cards as they do with CPUSs. It is better to have a low end CPU with a high end video card. Than to have a low end video card with a high end CPU.

[error_f0rce]

I wonder if it also has to do with the cost of RAM. If you think about it, your high-end RAM costs as much as some high-end CPU's.... so if you get a vid card that uses high-end GDDR, you've got to be paying for that somehow right?

Just a thought....

[TXcharger]

whenever i finish my computer engineering degree in hopefully four years and get a job with some huge company... i wont need to worry about prices anymore... ahhh

but until them... if you really think about it your getting a good deal, for the amount of work that went into these components your generally getting a good deal

[keakar]

Originally Posted by DaMulta

Because the engineer cost is huge and they don't sell as many video cards as they do with CPUSs. It is better to have a low end CPU with a high end video card. Than to have a low end video card with a high end CPU.

with all due respect "damulta" your comment "they don't sell as many video cards as they do with CPUSs" is IMO a load of BS, i believe it is just the opposite.

just look around this site to see people talking about changing video cards out like they were changing socks or something lol. but i agree there are somewhat reasonable choices that can be found out there if you research it well and shop wisely.

but all the $500+ cards out there are just $250 cards they are overcharging us for when you think about the cost of manufacturing them is not that high.

[Sasqui]

I agree with Damulta, but would qualify it by saying they don't sell as many HIGH END video cards. Average rigs usually have average video cards - it's the demending FPS gamers (usually a younger crowd) that go for the $200+ cards.

I'm OLD... but spent $400 on an X1950XTX (now around $250) - soley for gaming.

[DaMulta]

Originally Posted by keakar

with all due respect "damulta" your comment "they don't sell as many video cards as they do with CPUSs" is IMO a load of BS, i believe it is just the opposite.

just look around this site to see people talking about changing video cards out like they were changing socks or something lol. but i agree there are somewhat reasonable choices that can be found out there if you research it well and shop wisely.

but all the $500+ cards out there are just $250 cards they are overcharging us for when you think about the cost of manufacturing them is not that high.

Your reading with PC enthusiast. This market is very small. Most PCs get the standered small onboard video chipset. This is why Intel owns the market with video cards. They do not sell very many 500 dollar cards, what they sell the most of is the cheap 100USD card. Those are there money makers. The 500USD cards are more than show to the public of who makes the best of the best when no one really buys them. The GPUs used for them are the best of the wafer the center. The outer edges not as good are sold off for cheaper. The engineer cost is very very high. Just think 100 engineers at 100 grand a year is 10,000,000 alone in salary. This doesn't include all of the other things it takes before the release.

[keakar]

Originally Posted by Mussels

Because you bought a really cheap PC?

In aussie prices
My video card: 8800GTX - $750
my CPU $375 (Q6600)
Keyboard $115 (Saitek Eclipse II)
Mouse $95 (MX518/Logitech G5 - have both)
Mouse pad $39 (Func archetype)
LCD monitor $425

oh damn, i went past my viddies price already. Guess i'll go home now.

ok lets break it down for you then, you said you paid $750 for the video card so......

lets see what the rest of the system cost you:

keyboard, mouse and monitor are left out because they are not actually the computer hardware and for this reason they are excluded from my example.

$375 CPU (Q6600)
$125 Asus P5-E motherboard
$150 computer case
$150 power supply

Total comes to $800 for all the rest of it and you paid $750 just for the video card.

thank you for giving us a good example to proove my point.

[keakar]

Originally Posted by DaMulta

Your reading with PC enthusiast. This market is very small. Most PCs get the standered small onboard video chipset. This is why Intel owns the market with video cards. They do not sell very many 500 dollar cards, what they sell the most of is the cheap 100USD card. Those are there money makers. The 500USD cards are more than show to the public of who makes the best of the best when no one really buys them. The GPUs used for them are the best of the wafer the center. The outer edges not as good are sold off for cheaper. The engineer cost is very very high. Just think 100 engineers at 100 grand a year is 10,000,000 alone in salary. This doesn't include all of the other things it takes before the release.

good point

[Sasqui]

Originally Posted by keakar

Total comes to $800 for all the rest of it and you paid $750 just for the video card.
thank you for giving us a good example to proove my point.

$750 gets the BEST "consumer" video card. Price the same system with an Extreme edition CPU (~$1000), better motherboard ($200+), better RAM ($200+), Sound card, etc. etc. All that costs more than twice the video card.

Because it's the most advanced and complicated thing in your computer, and the market moves so quickly that R&D costs are ten-fold what they are for other component manufacturers.
The prices are high, but only if you don't think about what the mid-range can offer.

[HAL7000]

bottom line is you get what you are willing to pay for

[Kreij]

Bah ... My pair of x1950s were approximately 18% of the total cost of my system.

[Pinchy]

Originally Posted by keakar

ok lets break it down for you then, you said you paid $750 for the video card so......

lets see what the rest of the system cost you:

keyboard, mouse and monitor are left out because they are not actually the computer hardware and for this reason they are excluded from my example.

$375 CPU (Q6600)
$125 Asus P5-E motherboard
$150 computer case
$150 power supply

Total comes to $800 for all the rest of it and you paid $750 just for the video card.

thank you for giving us a good example to proove my point.

Lol....you forgot about RAM, HDD, DVD drive, cooling, additional PCI cards... .

[niko084]

Video cards should not cost more than the rest of your computer.... Otherwise you are wasting money....

Beyond that, yes video cards are overpriced, but thats because of fan boys and only 2 companies really being in the market.

[keakar]

ok you have convinced me that it is really only 20-25% of the cost of computer, but still way too much $ all together for a good system when you add monitor into it your talking $2000 which IMO is getting out of hand. a good top end system should only have to cost you $1000 but now you just get a basic average system for that price.

it's the same way with gas, as long as we keep buying it the prices will never go back down to reasonable levels.

computer components only become reasonably priced when they are having trouble selling them. thats why the brand new quads are so cheap, nobody was buying them.

[keakar]

Originally Posted by Pinchy

Lol....you forgot about RAM, HDD, DVD drive, cooling, additional PCI cards... .

lol very true "and" i forgot the vista OS for another $150

i just dont want to have to sell my truck to get a new computer lol.

[niko084]

Originally Posted by keakar

ok you have convinced me that it is really only 20-25% of the cost of computer, but still way too much $ all together for a good system when you add monitor into it your talking $2000 which IMO is getting out of hand. a good top end system should only have to cost you $1000 but now you just get a basic average system for that price.

it's the same way with gas, as long as we keep buying it the prices will never go back down to reasonable levels.

computer components only become reasonably priced when they are having trouble selling them. thats why the brand new quads are so cheap, nobody was buying them.

People complain about the cost of a hot computer so they expect sub $1000 systems and then throw a fit when stuff breaks under normal everyday use.

Just be glad you know how to build one, because a HOT alienware costs $3000 by the time its worth half a crap and you still get some not top line parts.

Yes its expensive but thats technology... Top line audio equipment isn't cheap, a Ferrari isn't cheap, nothing when you want the best is going to be cheap.

[cdawall]

my 7800GS cost about the same as the whole system

mobo $25 after MIRs
cpu $30 after MIRs
RAM $50 total after MIRs
HDD carry overs form old systems
PSU cost $35 after MIRs
BFG 7800GS OC $130 after MIRs

but my system was built ona uber budget to say the least

[keakar]

IF I WERE KING.......


low end video cards would sell for $25-50

middle end video cards would sell for $50-100

good high end video cards would sell for $100-200

best top end video cards would sell for $200-300 nothing higher

and the cpu's would also be priced about the same as above

[DaMulta]

PCs are cheap these days