If you shop black friday you are dead to me.

[Nique]

Does anyone else remember a time when this gross display of over-consumption and uncomfortable population density was generally regarded negatively? Hence the name 'Black Friday'?

Now commercials literally SING about Black Friday as if this is a Holiday in it's own right.

Like, fuck dudes, you don't need socks this bad. And, like, I'm fine with severely lowered prices, especially if you are in a financial position which makes this a great time for you to get necessary stuff - but can retailers just, fuckin', spread it out so you're not treated like cattle?

[Daimo Mac, The Blue Light of Hope]

Does that include us Canadians?

[Solid Snake]

What if I can't spend Thanksgiving with my family this year so Black Friday shopping is like the only thing I can do this weekend?

[Krylo]

Snake, you have Inquisition and I know you aren't done with it yet because it is STUPIDLY massive.

Just play video games.

[Solid Snake]

It's last-gen Inquisition, though.
What if there's a Black Friday sale for a PS4 and current-gen Inquisition?!?!?!

[Krylo]

https://www.cyberpowerpc.com/LandingPages/MegaSpecial/

+

https://www.origin.com/en-us/store/?utm_campaign=origin-search-us-pbm-g-origin&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_term=origins&sourceid=origin-search-us-pbm-g-origin

You may now enjoy current gen Inquisition with black friday prices on a new computer without ever leaving your home.

[Solid Snake]

Hmm. I wonder how this graphics card compares with my current Radeon 6870.

EDIT: Honestly what I really should just do instead is buy a new graphics card, a new Hard Disc Drive and keep my current rig, as it's a very well-built set up.

[Krylo]

If you mean the one they're offering a free upgrade to, your answer is very favorably (http://www.hwcompare.com/18105/geforce-gtx-970-vs-radeon-hd-6870/).

Slightly lower power consumption, much better performance.

[BB]

This is the first year Black Friday has hit the UK's high street shopping. We don't even celebrate bloody Thanksgiving!

[Solid Snake]

Well, an Intel i5-2500K CPU at 3.30 GHz is still an altogether decent processor, right? And I got 8 GB RAM for installed memory which seems to be more than enough, and a state of the art cooling system on this rig. 700 Watts for power.

Hell, I really should just ditch my Sony fanboyism and upgrade the graphics card on my PC. Problem is I only got 500 GB space on my hard drive too, and upgrading that is what I'm more afraid of.

[Krylo]

EDIT: Honestly what I really should just do instead is buy a new graphics card, a new Hard Disc Drive and keep my current rig, as it's a very well-built set up.

To be fair, my computer is really good and pretty new, but if I had the money I'd probably buy one of those rigs. Like, Cyberpower has good prices already vis a vis buying the components vs buying from them, and with five hundred off a 1.5k machine AND free shipping?

Damn.

---------- Post added at 03:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:46 PM ----------

Also, on upgrading your HD: Just keep your old one. Add a new one with a terabyte or whatever, move files to the new larger one and keep the old smaller one primarily for your operating system. It's just plug and play that way, and you don't have to deal with installing an OS.

[Solid Snake]

To be fair, my computer is really good and pretty new, but if I had the money I'd probably buy one of those rigs. Like, Cyberpower has good prices already vis a vis buying the components vs buying from them, and with five hundred off a 1.5k machine AND free shipping?


My current rig's a Cyberpower, actually.
I just don't feel like buying a brand new computer less than 3 years after buying the last one, particularly when I paid so much to customize certain aspects of this rig.

EDIT: So I'd have a C drive and a D drive and I'd just transfer everything aside from the OS onto the new card?
...That...actually makes a lot of sense.

[Ryong]

Black friday, on physical stores?

What's that?

[Solid Snake]

So, computer geek folks.
Any recommendations for solid graphics cards? I'd just want it to outperform a PS4.

[Nique]

Black friday, on physical stores?

What's that?

Here there be monsters

[Solid Snake]

I'm hijacking this thread, it's all about upgrading my PC now.

[Nique]

Fucker

[Ryong]

I've got a XFX radeon HD 6850. It does okay.

[Solid Snake]

My current's a Radeon 6870. It plays Shadows of Mordor fine on Medium but struggles a bit on High. Skyrim's fine on Ultra without Mods, but with aesthetic Mods it can fall a tad below 30fps. I imagine with a game like Inquisition, it'd easily outperform a PS3 but not quite match a PS4's performance.

I'm either buying a PS4 or upgrading the graphics card in the next few months, and if Black Friday deals are bargains it'd make sense to act now.

[Aerozord]

I'm either buying a PS4 or upgrading the graphics card in the next few months, and if Black Friday deals are bargains it'd make sense to act now.

Black Friday? BLACK FRIDAY!? I haven't had a thanksgiving off in years. If I'm lucky I get a shift where I get an hour to cram food down my throat with the family.

Then I get to listen to people whining because we sold out of toasters. Guess what, its thanks to you dicks that I don't get to spend quality time enjoying a nice meal with my family. You think I'm gonna complain because you wont be coming back next year?

So no I don't care about your reasons or anything like that. Fact is you shopping on Black Friday to save a couple bucks is forcing overworked underpaid employees away from their families. You are saying YOU saving money is more important than a child getting to spend the holiday with their parent.

[Solid Snake]

Owch, I was just gonna order online. =/

[Krylo]

I'm currently running a GTX 660 on mostly high settings and max resolution and my frame rate only very rarely dips enough to be noticeable (and that can generally be fixed by just closing firefox, so I kinda feel like maybe I should have more than 8 gigs or RAM or maybe just switch over to Chrome).

You can get it for around 150 right now on New Egg so not too bad for a video card.

I'm much too lazy to research everything right now, though, so the best you're getting from me is "Mine works really well."

Also: Aero, calm yo tits. If you want to blame someone, blame corporate who run these deals as limited (per the hour) flash sales and do everything in their power to convince people to shop.

Plus, like, I'm pretty sure we've got Snake buying online now, anyway.

[Aerozord]

I

Also: Aero, calm yo tits. If you want to blame someone, blame corporate who run these deals as limited (per the hour) flash sales and do everything in their power to convince people to shop.
The deals exist because consumers choose that day to shop not the other way around. Black Friday existed before Black Friday sales. Regardless it doesn't change the fact these people are putting saving money over the health and happiness of employees. These companies aren't forcing you to shop, they aren't jacking up the prices (just returning them to normal). This horrible event is due to consumer greed.

Corporate greed is why I get horrible hours, no benefits, and little pay. Which is its own issue.

---------- Post added at 05:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:32 PM ----------

And I dont mean to be snappy but, we are kinda big on the whole family thing and its gotten to the point family is bummed out. This is a very stressful time of the year

[Krylo]

The deals exist because consumers choose that day to shop not the other way around.It's both. It spirals. Would Snake be choosing today to start looking for himself if there wasn't a good chance of seeing 30-50% off items that usually don't even go on sale for 10%?

Or which he could buy something for $200 and get $150 in rebates ( http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&Depa=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=gtx%20760&IsRelated=1&cm_sp=KeywordRelated-_-GTX_660-_-gtx%20760 )?

I'd guess not.

On the other hand, you're right that the sales started because the day after thanksgiving is the unofficial start of holiday shopping, and, thus, one of the biggest shopping days of the year either way.

However, Corporate Greed is 110% the reason that these sales are starting to extend into Thanksgiving day. I worked retail for years and have had to work multiple Thanksgivings. Well, had to, is a misnomer--I'd generally take the day because I kinda don't like spending too much time with people (family or not) and it gave people like you more of a chance to have the day off.

But my point is: Thanksgiving Day is normally dead as fuck with not a customer to be seen, and there's no excuse for extending sales into it and asking people to work on Thanksgiving other than flat out corporate greed.

And I dont mean to be snappy but, we are kinda big on the whole family thing and its gotten to the point family is bummed out. This is a very stressful time of the yearI get it. Like I said, I've been there, and seen it in action. Just try not to be so snappy at people on the forums over it. We're all pretty powerless to stop them from extending Black Friday sales and forcing people to come in on Thanksgiving Day.

[Daimo Mac, The Blue Light of Hope]

So Nique, does your statement extend to Canadians who simply see this weekend as Grey Cup weekend? Or will you hate me if I go to the local store to grab some snacks?

[pochercoaster]

I thought Canada had boxing day. Have things changed that much since I immigrated? :X

[Daimo Mac, The Blue Light of Hope]

I thought Canada had boxing day. Have things changed that much since I immigrated? :X

Yeah we still have Boxing Day.

[Aldurin]

Yeah we still have Boxing Day.

I thought Canadians were about hockey, you guys are so confusing. Pick a damn sport and consolidate your maniac obsession to it.

[Nikose Tyris]

I thought Canadians were about hockey, you guys are so confusing. Pick a damn sport and consolidate your maniac obsession to it.

Just because we have hockey doesn't mean we can't kick your ass at football too.

[RobinStarwing]

I actually found the worst place in existence to be on Black Friday...

It is in the Mall of America on the first floor. The Apple Store and Microsoft Store are RIGHT ACROSS FROM EACH OTHER.

[Nique]

I actually found the worst place in existence to be on Black Friday...

It is in the Mall of America on the first floor. The Apple Store and Microsoft Store are RIGHT ACROSS FROM EACH OTHER.

BUY ME A SURFACE PRO 3.

As for you Canadians: If Canada is the land of magic as I've heard, then I imagine a Canadian 'Black Friday' would just be huge crowds of people apologizing to each other? So, you guys are fine I guess!

[Nikose Tyris]

BUY ME A SURFACE PRO 3.

As for you Canadians: If Canada is the land of magic as I've heard, then I imagine a Canadian 'Black Friday' would just be huge crowds of people apologizing to each other? So, you guys are fine I guess!

[Serious Voice]
Canada has a thanksgiving and Canada has just as much to answer for in terms of the genocide of native americans, supporting incredibly unjust worker situations, etc. on Thanksgiving. [/ serious voice]

Plus we've pretty much adopted black friday up here too so.

#BoycotBigBox fellow Canadians.

Unless you can't afford to. Cause I know that feeling. Keep yourselves fed and looked after man.

[RobinStarwing]

BUY ME A SURFACE PRO 3.

As for you Canadians: If Canada is the land of magic as I've heard, then I imagine a Canadian 'Black Friday' would just be huge crowds of people apologizing to each other? So, you guys are fine I guess!

No. I am avoiding Black Friday like the plaque. Besides...that's a 5 and a half hour drive for me from the Bemidji area. Do I look insane?

[Nique]

Do I look insane?



http://i.imgur.com/3ohOcyS.gif?1

[Daimo Mac, The Blue Light of Hope]

No. I am avoiding Black Friday like the plaque. Besides...that's a 5 and a half hour drive for me from the Bemidji area. Do I look insane?

Yes.

[Azisien]

Black Friday used to be one shopping day but then it became a Weekend Sale and then over the years it became two weeks in either direction of Black Friday...

...And basically the same thing happens with Boxing Day so that's Black Friday having CRAAAZY deals from like November 15th to December 10th and Boxing Day sales happening from December 20th to Janaury 14th so...

November 15th to January 15th is now known as Sales Blob. Everybody come get some Sales Blob.

[Ryong]

It is in the Mall of America on the first floor. The Apple Store and Microsoft Store are RIGHT ACROSS FROM EACH OTHER.

The mall here has a Samsung store and an Apple store literally next to eachother.

[rpgdemon]

I am on an airplane waiting to leave, and on my phone, so I did not read all this. But re:black friday's name, it wasn't because it was bad that it was named that, it was the day that stores put their ledger in black ink, or "in the black" (making profit) as opposed to in red (red is debt).

It was always celebrated by the stores.

[RickZarber]

Thank you. I was scanning all four pages of this waiting for someone to settle my pedantic need to have that corrected. :P

Since I'm still on medical leave, this is the first Thanksgiving week (ie Hell Week) I haven't had to work in years. It's glorious. But because I worked at Costco, generally the days leading up to Thanksgiving are worse than Black Friday anyway. Pity your grocery store employees, tonight is their hell.

[Loyal]

I am grateful to be working in a fast food joint which will be dead enough on thanksgiving for us to be closed for the day.

[Kyanbu The Legend]

Wow I picked a wonderful time to be unemployed.

Anyway we rarely take advantage of black friday. At least now adays. When we do go, we're at least calm and sensible about it.

Was going to go but...buying a 3DS or at least a 2DS on sale isn't worth it. Besides I'm sure it'll be sold out in 3 seconds.

[Amake]

http://i696.photobucket.com/albums/vv324/immortalpictures/helmsmart.png

[Satan's Onion]

http://i696.photobucket.com/albums/vv324/immortalpictures/helmsmart.png

That's...eerily accurate, at least in a metaphorical sense.

[Solid Snake]

Looking into this graphics card (http://www.amazon.com/MSI-Computer-Corp-290-GAMING/dp/B00HPS4AFG) and this HDD, (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008YAHW6I/ref=s9_dcbhz_bw_g147_i2_sh?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-5&pf_rd_r=1J7D6CY9JH91H42A2K1A&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1737619962&pf_rd_i=7586091011) both of which have pretty good reviews. And that Radeon definitely outclasses the PS4. Should cost less.

A Cyberpower rig built in 2011 would definitely be compatible with this hardware, right?

[Azisien]

R9 290 is a great graphics card. Green drives are kinda slow and shitty sometimes, you're better off going for a similarly (or exactly) priced Blue or Black, unless it's for pure storage.

Can't really confirm compatibility with vagueness of "a rig built in 2011." But it probably is? Name your mobo/psu and we can confirm, or do it yourself on PCPartPicker, it'll find incompatibilities.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk]

That's...eerily accurate, at least in a metaphorical sense.

I dunno, I expected more assault rifles and attack helicopters.

[Solid Snake]

Can't really confirm compatibility with vagueness of "a rig built in 2011." But it probably is? Name your mobo/psu and we can confirm, or do it yourself on PCPartPicker, it'll find incompatibilities.

What is a Mobo?
I'm assuming PSU is power supply unit? If so, mine is 700W.

[Karrrrrrrrrrrresche]

What is a Mobo?
I'm assuming PSU is power supply unit? If so, mine is 700W.

Motherboard.

[Solid Snake]

On the receipt of my order, here's what listed:

OEM Intel I5-2500K 3.30 GHZ GM LGA 1155
500 GB SATA III 6GB/S 7200 RPM 16MB CACHE HD
2 4 GB DDR3/ 1600 MHZ MEMORY (8 GB total)
SILVER/BLACK AZZA ORION BLUE LED NO POWER
ASUS P8Z68-V LX INTEL Z68 CROSSFIRE DDR3 SATA 3 USB 3.0 LGA 1155
AMD RADEON 6870 1GB DDR5 PICE

XTREME GEAR 700 WATT POWER SUPPLY
(As an aside, I had the PSU replaced about two years ago, on recommendation of many of you here, as XtremeGear's apparently crap)


...And the rest is just fans and keyboards and accessories and the operating system.

[Shyria Dracnoir]

If the only reason I'm shopping on Friday is because I stupidly ran out of cat food the day before and I'd prefer not to be smothered in my sleep by an exceptionally grumpy cat, can I at least pick the manner of my death?

---------- Post added at 03:57 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:52 PM ----------

Does THIS look like a face you want to risk disappointing? HUH?!

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc230/Shyria_Dracnoir/IMG_20141127_135445_4061_zps4947bde4.jpg

[Amake]

That looks like the face of someone you should bring with you to help fend of the shopping hordes.

[Nikose Tyris]

Does THIS look like a face you want to risk disappointing? HUH?!

Your cat has had it too good for too long. They've been mooching off you for years. It's about time that cat went out, got a job and started paying for their own food and helping out with bills.

[Flarecobra]

That doesn't sound like something cats do, Nik.

[Azisien]

On the receipt of my order, here's what listed:

OEM Intel I5-2500K 3.30 GHZ GM LGA 1155
500 GB SATA III 6GB/S 7200 RPM 16MB CACHE HD
2 4 GB DDR3/ 1600 MHZ MEMORY (8 GB total)
SILVER/BLACK AZZA ORION BLUE LED NO POWER
ASUS P8Z68-V LX INTEL Z68 CROSSFIRE DDR3 SATA 3 USB 3.0 LGA 1155
AMD RADEON 6870 1GB DDR5 PICE

XTREME GEAR 700 WATT POWER SUPPLY
(As an aside, I had the PSU replaced about two years ago, on recommendation of many of you here, as XtremeGear's apparently crap)


...And the rest is just fans and keyboards and accessories and the operating system.

The R9 290 should fit fine, and is a significant upgrade.

[Solid Snake]

Thanks.
(Now to hope it goes on sale for under $250 on Amazon again...now the price is significantly higher than it was.)
Is the 280/280X also a decent upgrade? I imagine it's worse than the 290 but saw one on sale for $189.99 earlier today.

[Aerozord]

It was surprisingly dead, I mean not like devoid of customers but more like your usual weekend load.

[Kyanbu The Legend]

It was surprisingly dead, I mean not like devoid of customers but more like your usual weekend load.

Sales being extended through out the week might be part of the cause of that.

[Solid Snake]

...Damn.
I really thought I could wait until Cyber Monday to pull the trigger, but so far all the graphics cards are becoming more expensive and/or sold out on Amazon and Newegg.

[Grandmaster_Skweeb]

Sales being extended through out the week might be part of the cause of that.

Online marketers like amazon and thr like are taking large chunks out of the black friday crowds. Mix with with the rising trend of opening on thanksgiving evening, andlimited supplies of 'hot buys' to encourage online sales are also contributing factors.

The last three black fridays have been lessening in severity exponentially. There was only four people waiting yesterday morning at my store since all the good stuff was sold thursday night.

[Azisien]

Thanks.
(Now to hope it goes on sale for under $250 on Amazon again...now the price is significantly higher than it was.)
Is the 280/280X also a decent upgrade? I imagine it's worse than the 290 but saw one on sale for $189.99 earlier today.

Sure, it's still a decent upgrade. Each tier of GPU is typically a 10-15% performance difference. I would go with the 280X between the two though. Nothing worse than a graphics upgrade that costs you a few hundred and the upgrade feels marginal.

The prices probably went up as the doorcrasher stock dwindled, my bad I guess for not replying in time. However, Monday is typically known as CYBER Monday, so there MAY be a whole bunch of new deals there if any vendors are holding back supply. One hopes, at least. I would jump for the R9 290 then, and maybe research a couple of the non-generics so you know what to look for. By non-generic I mean factory overclocked models, since they are still warrantied but easily get you 5-10% more performance over the generic version of the video card.

With 700W of power I think you might be able to manage the R9 290X, and you don't seem to be particularly put on on the monetary side of things given your hardware. It's a hell of a nice card. Models I'd look out for:

MSI Radeon R9 290 TWIN FROZR
MSI Radeon R9 290X TWIN FROZR
Gigabyte Radeon R9 290 WINDFORCE
Gigabyte Radeon R9 290X WINDFORCE

[synkr0nized]

Ditch the Radeon and get a GeForce 900 series. ;)

[Solid Snake]

Yeah, the MSI R9 290 model was on sale for $250 Thursday night but I was hella stupid and uninformed at that time and actually thought prices would drop over the next few days. Instead, it's now sold out at TigerDirect.

The XFX Model (http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=8869860&csid=_61) appears quite reasonably priced with a rebate offer that ends tomorrow. I'm torn between jumping on that or waiting to see if the MSI model drops on Monday, because everything I've read over the past couple days suggests MSI is the best bet.

[Seil]

Nique, Nique - why not play some CAH? (http://www.buzzfeed.com/jessicaprobus/cards-against-humanity-literally-sold-boxes-of-poop-on-black?bffb)

[Azisien]

Ditch the Radeon and get a GeForce 900 series. ;)

Not altogether a bad idea. GeForce fan myself, but I was trying to be gentle.

[Solid Snake]

Not altogether a bad idea. GeForce fan myself, but I was trying to be gentle.

Yeaaaaah no, the prices I'm seeing for GeForce 900 series models are outrageous.

[Kyanbu The Legend]

If your still interested in an R2 290. I found an ASUS Radeon R2 290 on new egg for $289.99.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121842&cm_re=R9_290-_-14-121-842-_-Product


Looking for PC parts myself but I'm at least a year away from being able to upgrade. Kind of still researching ways to get the most out of my current board.

[Magus]

Does anyone else remember a time when this gross display of over-consumption and uncomfortable population density was generally regarded negatively? Hence the name 'Black Friday'?


Actually it's called Black Friday because this is the point in the year where many retailers profits go into the "black", i.e. a profit, instead of the red of a loss.

Also I avoided it mostly except after work on Friday I wandered into a Wal-Mart only to discover that I apparently hated all the movies released in 2013 because there weren't any I wanted. I ended up ordering stuff off Amazon when I got home.

[Solid Snake]

Hey Kyanbu, I ended up purchasing the deal you linked to.

[Amake]

Actually it's called Black Friday because this is the point in the year where many retailers profits go into the "black", i.e. a profit, instead of the red of a loss.
Actually that's just what the retailers want you to think (http://www.snopes.com/holidays/thanksgiving/blackfriday.asp).

[Grandmaster_Skweeb]

Not sure if sarcasm or just didn't see the big blue False next to the bullet.

[Amake]

Yeah, you have to read a little more than the first sentence.

The earliest known use of "Black Friday" in such a context stems from 1951 and referred to the practice of workers calling in sick on the day after Thanksgiving in order to have four consecutive days off.
By 1961 the term "Black Friday" (and "Black Saturday" as well) was being commonly used in a derisive sense by Philadelphia police, who had to deal with the mayhem and headaches caused by all the extra pedestrian and vehicular traffic created by hordes of shoppers heading for the city's downtown stores on the two days after Thanksgiving.
However, the earliest known use of this accounting-related explanation for the origins of the term "Black Friday" dates from 1981.

---------- Post added at 06:15 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:03 AM ----------

I mean we could look at it like retailers "taking back the B-word", turning this derisive term into an empowering one, if we wanted to paint Wal-Mart as an oppressed minority. Maybe next year we can give them "acceptable casualties", make the death count (http://blackfridaydeathcount.com/) a positive thing, or at least a necessary sacrifice to grease the wheels of consumerism.