Mod or the Computer

[sXenoG]

Although I do know this is a mod site. I noticed that the game section in here is paid attention to very little. And since the computer is the only device I game on, computer parts are very imporntant to me, enough that I havent begun my first mod.

So my question is do you care more about the mod or about the computer itself?

[Aero]

I have to say this is a very odd poll. IMO the too can't be compared. Mainly because a mod is something the person does, it describes their personality and who they are. Its an extension of them, showing thier willingness to create something from scratch. The Computer/components, while important yes, are all prefabricated so unless if you do something to them to make them your own, I don't see how they can be compared to a mod. Its like asking which is more important, the painting or the canvas.

But I'll say mod.

But if you have to decide on spending $ on the mod or the computer I would say...mod, you'll have more fun building the mod than you will just screwing down a mobo:p.

[Zeus]

I think the point that is to be maid by this poll is valid.

It's like car modding. I have seen some cars out on the road that look like a million $$. They have more modding and aftermarket visuals than you can shake a stick at. But then you take them for a drive and they have the get up and go of a Galapagos Tortoise (http://www.discovergalapagos.com/tortoise.html). They have no performance at all.

On the other hand, I have seen cars that look like crap, all primered and banged up but run like greased lightning. The owners simply value the performance more than the looks.

That is the question asked here. Are you more into the modding of your computer case for the sake of the modding. Or are you more interested in the performance and the modding is only to make it a little different.

[sXenoG]

Zeus got the point i was making. Ive also as well seen a modder dont remmeber who but uses tons of crap parts so he can make mods all the time i swear he had 50 computers but the components were are old and cost him 100$ or something not sure on that.

With all that said my point is whats more imporntant form or function.

[Aero]

ahh I see. I still say the mod :D


and I have a bunch of old computers. ATI RAGE 128 all the way.

[weirdguy]

well, alot of people do mods that can't affored/don't care about the componts.

[R/C Pilot]

I have to say the computer. I game in my spare time and gaming as we all know needs the the power.

[Malatory]

I say the computer is the 1st thing to spend the money on.. then when you can MOD the Computer so it doesnt fit the cookie cutter mold that is the in thing today.

[sXenoG]

well, alot of people do mods that can't affored/don't care about the componts.

Good point wierd guy ive actually been thinking of doing the same and just fill them with good components as money permits. Specially since I have quite a few ideas that i want to get out of my head.

[Rankenphile]

This is an interesting conversation...

IMO, they are both. A mod with a poopy computer is just a sculpture. Sure it looks nice, but if you can only run Oregon Trail on it, it's not exactly as impressive as it could be.

On the other hand, a computer that looks like a giant putty-colored box is just that - a giant putty-colored box.

Actually, this gives me an idea... lol. How cool would it be to build a badass gaming rig inside the shell of an old Apple 2, or a Tandy or something?

Lol.

[NeroZero]

I'd have to say whats inside is more important that the looks as well. Like some of the other posters have said.

You could have a hoopty looking case or no case at all but if the mobo and cpu are kicking you can still do your thing, work, play games what ever, but if you only spend all your time on the case well it would be pretty and make a nice shelf piece...

I also feel like the modding of a case is a expression of self, like a piece of art. Its something that shows your creative ablities and what you like. I don't know thats just my 2 cents.

[[DGN]Nexus]

IMHO the computer is good and can be better with modding, but its still just a computer. When you have a mod, it is no longer a computer, it IS THE MOD, depending of course on the extent of the modding done. The components of the computer modded may greatly enhance the capability of the computer as far as gaming, but the artwork that is the mod is only enhanced by further modding. Blood, sweat, and tears go into modding, while only blood and tears go into building that computer, and thats only if you dont groud yourself properly. :)

I vote Mod 100%

[montmorency]

i think that both of them are important



i dont want an awsome rig but a crap case.
but then again i dont want an awsome case with no capabilities.

everyone just has to find a balance, find what fits your needs best

[GregoryJ]

i think that one relies on the other. how can you create a mod if you dont know what type of components are going to be used. And you have to have some idea of the total finished concept and how all of the parts and all of the "flash" are going to work together to create the art that is PC Modding

[DickNervous]

It all depends on what the purpose of the machine is.

An HTPC, the mod. It has to look good in the Living Room.
A Gaming Rig for the non-LAN party folks: the computer.
A Gaming Rig for the LAN Party folks: the mod, but the computer needs to still be pretty good.
A "Work" machine: the computer.

[Shroomie]

Well, with cars, it's the performance, but with computers, my yardstick is whether it can run San Andreas. If it can, it's fine, let's mod it.:)

[SurfingGeek]

i think that both of them are important



i dont want an awsome rig but a crap case.
but then again i dont want an awsome case with no capabilities.

everyone just has to find a balance, find what fits your needs best

I am with him.

[Spawn-Inc]

i gotta say, i see all this hard work go into these wicked computers everyone does here and theres only like a friggin' P3 1.8GHz in there or similar. why work that hard for a computer that can do internet only.

[widefault]

For what I currently do with my PC, I don't need a lot of horsepower, so I've been focusing more on the cases. That's not to say I have crappy systems in fancy cases, either, but if I get an idea I'm going to see what hardware I currently have instead of running out to buy the latest and greatest.

[Luke122]

I think the point that is to be maid by this poll is valid.

It's like car modding. I have seen some cars out on the road that look like a million $$. They have more modding and aftermarket visuals than you can shake a stick at. But then you take them for a drive and they have the get up and go of a Galapagos Tortoise (http://www.discovergalapagos.com/tortoise.html). They have no performance at all.

On the other hand, I have seen cars that look like crap, all primered and banged up but run like greased lightning. The owners simply value the performance more than the looks.

That would be me.. I never spent anything on the looks of my cars, but they were always tuned right up, well maintained, and man could they go. I suprised more than a few Mudstain GT's with my little Dodge Shadow. :)

[Scotty]

Wow Spawn, super-uber-necro-postage or what!

[.Maleficus.]

Wow Spawn, super-uber-necro-postage or what!
Is that what we're calling it for 2-year old threads now?

[Luke122]

HAHAHAHA... I didnt even notice the thread age!

THat would explain all the usernames I dont recognize!

[Quakken]

Even at 2 years old, when everything else is obsolete, this question remains completely valid.

I'm repping the OP. It seems so... strange to do so to someone who will probably never see it, but that's what service is supposed to be like, isn't it?

[TraitorJackKnives]

I think the mod is great and all but if you don't have good parts you can't use it for anything.

[NightrainSrt4]

Ya, old thread hehe.

But I think it really comes down to the person. Modding is an art form. To say that if it doesn't have a nice computer in it or it takes away from the mod is pretty...idk, just doesn't feel right to say, just feels like modding blasphemy. To me, yes nice hardware is a plus, but a great mod stands on its own.

To those that say modding is way cheaper than upgrading hardware haven't taken the time to build a really top notch mod, or at least talk to some of the heroes who have. Yes, mods can be built with whatever you have around, but not all people have those things just lying around. Tools for one are a huge expense, even just basic tools. Just the plexiglass for my mod comes to the price of a nice Raptor hdd. When you add up all the little things for a mod it really adds up. $2 here, $3.50 there really adds up over the time of the mods progression. And mods that are thrown together with whatever, if you tried to price out the stuff you used that you just had around so someone could do something similar, you would be surprised what it adds up to. People don't mod because its cheap, in fact many of the people I have talked to that have done basic mods have spent the kind of money that could have bought an amazing retail case.

And what happens when you mod one real nice mod with great hardware. For many modders it isn't about just making one case. Modding is like a fever, it starts off with that little burning sensation and soon blasts its way through your body until it consumes you. What happens once you've done a mod with great hardware? Are you supposed to feel obligated to get amazing hardware for your second or third or fourth etc. ? That is usually when many modders move on to the crappier hardware, or go the other way. Do a mod on a crappier computer to gain confidence for a big one.


Either way, to me, its all for the love of the mod.

[twhited]

I agree, the age of this thread is unimportant, it is a timeless debate.

My first mod was a "proof-of-concept" before I started digging into a case a buddy bought for his daughter. I eventually tossed it, but I learned from it.

The next case became a Christmas present. For a couple of old guys who had never done this, it came out pretty cool and the kid LOVED it. (It certainly isn't worth posting on this prestigious site.)

My second (official) effort went to a 4 year old for a birthday present. IT professionals where I work were awed bye it. (Again, much to rookie to post here.)

Those were crappy machines with cases that WAY outclassed the hardware. I did it for the love of modding.

I also happen to love building PC's from scratch, and I hope my new machine will see the inside of my latest concept, but I cannot guarantee it.

[Durrthock]

Has no one noticed it says im-porn-tant in the poll? This is like from the month I joined lol.

[halcyonforever]

Currently it is all about the Mod. I have 2 gaming rigs (gotta have one for the wife) and I don't feel like modding on my game rig directly. My plan is for the mod to be completely independant of the hardware so I am building it with spares. (also because the concept has a pretty strong chance of toasting some hardware on failure) But to be honest it really is a mix of both. When I get this done and it is working at spec, I will move the expensive hardware into the system with ease. I really think this is a valid question but I think the answer is both, as many have pointed out. The mod is nothing without guts, and a fast computer that you want to hide behind a file cabinet is not desireable.

I think there are definately different levels to each, you can have a Mod that serves to highlight specific gear, or a mod that exists to hide the gear in an un-obtrusive way. My mod for example is a proof of concept on cooling, so I could put an electric heater in there to prove my point and it would still work, but it will ultimately get better gear treatment once I know it works and isn't going to burn down several hundred dollars worth of hardware.

[Crazy Buddhist]

I don't ever game however I always keep a reasonably quick machine on the go. My own mods are to make computers less ugly and fit in with the feel of the room they are gong in. Deskpooter for example? It's a mod, but it doesn't look much like a computer any more. It's quite fast, though if I had £500 to spend on parts right now for her she would have a new absolutely top end Mobo, CPU, Ram and SATA HDD installed by this evening.

Interesting poll but the question you are asking is very subtle in some ways. Perhaps because it's not all about gaming - and I think putting one against the other hides a lot of the subtlety.

In short, everything in life is a compromise, except death - no room for negotiation there.

CrazyB

[Aud1073cH]

I'd say the mod.

Hardware can always be upgraded (or downgraded) to suit the application.

I'd rather see a really awesome looking PIII firewall or printserver box than a top-notch gaming rig in a beige box that someone has "modded" with only a sticker.
Your mod will still be amazingly cool three years later, where as your graphics card and liquid-cooled USB ports will be old news.

Just my two cents.

[Zeus]

It's the classic argument of form and function. Do you prefer form over function? If so, then you are probably more likely to spend your time and money on the mod. If you prefer function over form, then you will spend you money on the hardware.

BUT...for that rare breed with genius and divine inspiration, they two are not mutually exclusive. Not all mods have to cost a fortune. You can spend you money on the hardware, and develop a beautiful mod on the cheap. If you don't believe me, just look at some of the worklogs. Not everyone can afford to buy expensive modding supplies.

[SXRguyinMA]

strange poll but I voted for mod

[Vexxx_2007]

Obviously, it varies on the person...
but in my opinion, it's kinda both..
you can have a totally sweet Core 2 Extreme, 4x 9800GX2 gamer rig, but like said before, it just isn't done justice if it's in some lame, beige stock POS box
for those curious, i voted for the mod...

If you really wanna make it stand you, you'll probably wanna mod the case a little bit too, so it catches someone's eye and they'd see just how deep your creativity gets as well

With my opinion voiced, i'm gonna go make some noodles.
:)

[FuzzyPlushroom]

I'm actually a big fan of "sleeper" PCs. My friend's got a C2D, 8800GT, four gigs of RAM, etc. in a beige Antec midtower - and you'd never know what was in there.

On the other hand, if you're gonna mod it, you gotta be unique about it.

[nevermind1534]

I guess that, if it is just in a beige case, and looks like it's really old, the chance of getting it ripped off (as in stolen) goes way down. Mine was in just an older beige server case, until I sanded it down to bear metal and put windows in it a few weeks ago.

[garzzar]

i say its better to have a computer that looks like its from the early 90's than have a computer that runs like its from the 90's

[nevermind1534]

i say its better to have a computer that looks like its from the early 90's than have a computer that runs like its from the 90's

agreed. That's what mine looked like, until recently.

[chaksq]

I say the mod, the hardware will become obsolete, however good art is timeless. Not to mention I grow increasingly fed up with computers as components are always breaking. Then it becomes a hassle, did I have everything important backed up or did I lose something I needed, how soon do I need this back online can I wait or will I need to overnight parts. Whereas with a mod if a part of the case is damaged or worn with time it still can be fun to replace, upgrade, modify, and make better. I have used out of date hardware for years. Only now do I have current machines and both have been giving me more headaches with far less abuse than any of my older machines ever did.

[PartyLikeARockstar]

definitely the mod. especially for the pc i work on at home. i don't want to hate looking at the thing :D

[Spidy88]

I voted Computer components only because I think the computer is only as good as its mods. Because even the coolest modded computer can run like a slug and be useless, while the fastest computer can be the most basic and boring. I think modding is an extension of the computers abilities. When you have a tricked out, top of the line, slammin-jammin computer, it deserves a mod that shows that. Otherwise anyone who looks at it will say, its just another computer. By modding it to its extreme potential, your telling others "come on, ask me how awesome this thing is". Only when you can balance the two do I think its The Best Case Scenario

[The Great Destroyer]

hmm. i didnt play much newer games, so my first budget PC was good enough to run BF2142, Oblivion, and NFS:C. after that died, i put another $500 into making a PC that will last a while. if you don't go all out on your case modding, you can build an awesome case for a fraction of that. and really, unless you're a very active LAN gamer, no one else will see your case mod unless they come to your house. i guess this comes down to performance vs. looks, just like cars, paintball guns, etc. that said, i'd much rather have something that can outperform others than something thats just for show and looks cool.

[modgodtanvir]

Whereas the computer is the most important part of the erm... computer :p anyone can make or buy a computer. What you do to make it your own however, is what I personally consider to be the most important. Whether it be your Widgets or WindowBlinds skin, or your choice of case, the computer should be a reflection of yourself, and how you choose to spend your leisure time.

Everyone can buy a 8800GT, but not everyone can create a masterpiece.

[Cymae]

while that's true modgodtanvir, It doesn't matter if my rig has belles and whistles or is sitting in a cardboard box, if i dont have the specs I need, I can't run the programs I want. And personally, *I* spend more time USING my computer than reminiscing about how pretty it looks ;)

[x06jsp]

Mod :D gotta make it look nice :D i mean yer it needs to run well too but i like to mod more than keeping up to date with hardware (plus i cant afford the hardware :D)

Josh

[moon111]

I'd rather have an old stationwagon then a sports car. But either one could have custom paint, etc. It doesn't need to go fast or play the latest computer games, but that doesn't mean one can't have a nice looking rig.

[FuzzyPlushroom]

I'd rather have an old stationwagon then a sports car. But either one could have custom paint, etc. It doesn't need to go fast or play the latest computer games, but that doesn't mean one can't have a nice looking rig.

I'd rather have a primered Fox-body Fairmont wagon with a 302 and thick swaybars (though this one has neither, it's my picture)...

http://xs232.xs.to/xs232/08403/dscf0677__custom___medium_323.jpg

...than a new four-cylinder/automatic Eclipse.

Of course, I also like old station wagons, so perhaps my viewpoint's not exactly neutral. Besides, that one's got dog-dish hubcaps. That's my excuse and I'm sticking with it.

[Twigsoffury]

I bought my Chassis to last.

guess thats a good thing about a vento 36 never looks "dated"

[edit]

people who say station wagons are more fun then a sports car just haven't driven a sports car as fast as it can go.

i'll be damned if 1920x1080x120hz at 120fps with 8xaa and 16xaf won't make your pants a lil wet.

(120hz =plasma)

[FuzzyPlushroom]

I still say that driving a slow car fast is more fun than driving a fast car slow - because in the real world, how often are you going to take your car to the track?

[Jabyaeye]

I voted Computer since I prefer more meat to my machine...and THEN dress it up. Otherwise if you dress it up and it is wimpy, then you might as well take the racing stripes OFF the '68 Camaro and put them on a Ford Pinto or a Dodge Neon...

If there is no substance to the meat of the computer, then it just becomes art for art's sake, and shouldn't be a computer at all. Instead, just spend your time and energy tricking out some of those cardboard inserts that they put into furniture at the showroom for crying out loud. Or maybe spend your time making some cool trick wrought iron rails for your grandma's potty chair.

Ok, maybe the potty seat rails comment was a bit over the top... :D

[TheGreatSatan]

I was thinking that it's comforting knowing how close the current results are.