High CPU prices

Is it just me or are processor prices getting so high that even a "bargain" chip makes you feel like a sucker. I remember when I could get a chip for like $80, oc it, and it could play all the latest games. Now we're buying "bargain" chips that cost what the top of the line ones used to cost, while chipsets change so often I feel like I need to upgrade my entire rig to justify getting a new cpu. Maybe I'm a bit crazy, or maybe I used to not worry about $ so much...

I think that's still true today. I can buy an AMD X2 555 or X4 640 for less than $100 and overclock it high enough to run just about any game I want to play. This is with a good motherboard of course, but it's possible.

Even the Intel line of chips makes this possible. The i3 2100 is a budget CPU that can handle gaming, maybe not with everything maxed out...but it can do it.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116093

Can probably hit 4ghz and play any game just fine.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103886

Again, same as above.

Oh, and whats this? A quad core for that price?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103881

Not sure what you mean by bargain chips. Those chips above will run all the newest games just fine. Just like its always been, if you want the latest and greatest youll pay a premium. I remember paying $200 for a 1ghz Athlon Thunderbird, and that was $40 cheaper than anywhere else you could find back in what, 2000? $240 10 years ago was a bit more than it is today.

Good points, perhaps my view of the good'ol days isn't accurate. Was there one point where you could get good AMD chips for like $50? Could be that one production cycle I'm thinking of.

What was a "good" amd chip for $50? There are still AMD chips for $50, but theres never been a "good" $50 chip. Theres always been lower end AMD chips in that price range and still is.

I got this to 3.4GHz with no problems at all. $82
No way this will be my bottleneck playing any games.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103881

Like most computer components, you're not paying a whole lot of money for the manufacturing costs of the component, you're paying for the R&D and the technology behind it. For the cost of my 2600K I could have bought an Xbox 360 or PS3.

I dont think cpu prices are high when you look at what youre getting out of them, like those chips guys posted above there under $100 and will handle any game just fine, my phenom II x2 555 BE cost me $145 with mobo combo deal and i have it overclocked to 4.4Ghz that will run any game for a while still, and if you pay lets say $250-$350 for latest and greatest then that will last you over 4yrs if pc is used for gaming or something even less demanding, like my i7 920 oc to 4.1Ghz will run games 2 yrs from now and its already almost 2 yrs old, so cpus are reasonably priced, but if you look at gpus its a different story in my opinion, if you buy the best its around $500-$700 and will last you a year to year and a half then youll need to adjust graphics from max to mid settings or payup again, and if you buy really good cards like gtx570 or 6970 there around $350 they already dont run some at 60flps on max settings (metro 2033 DA2), so i would say graphics cards are the ones that are overpriced, compared to gpus cpus are very affordable