You would think that after eight years of constant use, my gaming PC would be in the grave, but it shows no signs of giving up. Other than the new CPU fan I installed in 2019, I haven’t felt the need to upgrade, and ultimately it depends on how I use the machine on a daily basis. What I learned from playing on an older PC.
The indie scene is a treasure trove of fun
Although my gaming PC is geared towards senior living, it hasn’t really hindered the games I play and enjoy – not even when the indie scene is growing rapidly. For me, indie has been my best bet, as they often mimic the types of games I grew up playing.
Not surprisingly, these smaller experiences have been a lot of fun, like Vampire Survivors and Terraria, as indie games tend to be more experimental. I’m having a lot more fun than I expected, but haven’t noticed any drop in quality. It’s like I turned the speedometer on my car backwards!
The best part is that indie games rarely recommend more hardware than what I have. For example, Stardew Valley doesn’t come with a specific GPU or CPU requirement – just a minimum limit of 2GB of RAM and 256MB of video memory. I have plenty of that, so am I really losing anything if I can’t play AAA games on PC?
My wallet is pretty fat
Despite the flood of indie games hitting my wallet, I’ve noticed that it’s no longer on life support. Sure, a big reason for that is indie games being cheaper, but more of it is due to my computer’s old hardware acting as a harsh filter.
My computer is basically a time capsule from 2015, so most games released then and before run just fine. In fact, I’m still fulfilling my wishlist that predates my PC. And because of that, I don’t need any upgrades. When it’s good enough, why bother, right?
As far as new releases go, I buy them on console. Any money I saved actually went towards my Xbox Series S and PS5, where I prefer to play most of my games anyway. But despite having this option available to me, I haven’t seen an increase in the number of console games I buy. In fact, quite the opposite.
The way I approach PC gaming has completely influenced my spending habits. I create wishlists more often, buy games when they’re on sale, and I don’t think much about hardware upgrades. In other words, my aging PC has made me a frugal spender.
My computer still has a chance for a second life
E-waste is a constant worry of mine. I love gizmos and gadgets, and I’ve made a habit of using these technologies until they break. That includes my gaming PC. I hate knowing that if I throw the computer away now, I’ll just be making the problem worse without at least using it.
Considering its old hardware, it would be the perfect candidate for a second life as a Linux machine. Linux is very lightweight and ultimately helps me in my own e-waste reduction efforts. I can still play games, work, or use it for a fun project.
I’m always looking for opportunities to advance my skills. I’ve built computers for my kids before, but my intention was to use the machines. The components had to be handled with care. My old computer? Not so much.
Maybe someday I’ll replace my computer, but right now it’s showing no signs of stopping. I play retro, AA, and indie games frequently, so it’s never pushed beyond its capabilities. It does everything I need, and then some. I’ll keep it running as best as I can until my PC one day decides to stop booting again.