A Father Buys a New €1,200 Gaming PC for His Son, Only to Discover That the Hardware Is over 10 Years Old

A father’s attempt to surprise his son with a high-performance gaming PC turned into a frustrating lesson in tech shopping. Believing he had found a powerful machine, he paid 1,200 euros for what was supposed to be a solid gaming setup.

But once the PC arrived, the ugly truth came out: the hardware was more than ten years old, making the purchase a colossal rip-off. When this story was shared on Reddit, the reaction was immediate—outrage, sympathy, and a flood of comments calling it a blatant scam.

Old Hardware at a Premium Price

The father wanted to ensure his son could play modern AAA games smoothly. Expecting cutting-edge components for the price, he was shocked to find that the PC came with an Intel i5 2500 processor, first released in 2011, and an Nvidia GTX 1660 Ti graphics card from 2019.

While the graphics card is still functional for certain games, the aging processor and DDR3 RAM severely limit performance. Modern games demand significantly more processing power, and a CPU that is over a decade old struggles to keep up.

When they tested the setup, the gaming experience fell short of expectations. The GTX 1660 Ti is capable of running some games at 1080p with decent settings, but the outdated Intel i5 2500 bottlenecked the performance, creating severe limitations.

It became evident that this configuration could not handle demanding titles smoothly, and ray tracing was entirely out of the question. The processor itself had received its last update in 2019, making it not only slow but also potentially vulnerable to security risks.

The father’s disappointment quickly spread online when his friend posted the situation on Reddit, seeking advice on how to break the bad news. Users immediately pointed out that the PC was massively overpriced, calling it an outright scam.

Many agreed that, in 2024, 1,200 euros should buy a gaming PC that can handle modern games effortlessly, not one assembled with decade-old hardware.

How Did This Happen?

The gaming PC market can be a minefield for inexperienced buyers, particularly when it comes to pre-built setups. Many sellers take advantage of customers who lack technical knowledge, disguising outdated components with misleading marketing language.

The father in this case trusted the seller’s description without verifying the actual hardware specifications. Since PC components evolve quickly, a machine that was top-tier in 2011 is now completely obsolete for modern gaming.

One of the most common pitfalls in PC shopping is assuming a high price guarantees high performance. In reality, sellers sometimes inflate prices on old stock, targeting uninformed buyers who might not recognize the hardware’s true value.

Even though 1,200 euros is a reasonable budget for a gaming PC, without proper research, it’s easy to fall into a trap like this one.

Lessons Learned: Awareness Is Key

This case highlights a major issue in PC gaming and consumer electronics: the risk of falling for misleading sales tactics. The father’s mistake, while unfortunate, serves as a valuable lesson for all buyers—never assume a high price guarantees quality.

In today’s gaming market, knowledge is the best defense against scams. By understanding current technology, checking reviews, and comparing components, buyers can ensure they’re getting a PC that matches its price tag. For those who don’t have extensive tech knowledge, turning to trusted experts and communities can make all the difference.