this post was submitted on 05 Jul 2025
158 points (100.0% liked)

Asklemmy

49232 readers
977 users here now

A loosely moderated place to ask open-ended questions

Search asklemmy πŸ”

If your post meets the following criteria, it's welcome here!

  1. Open-ended question
  2. Not offensive: at this point, we do not have the bandwidth to moderate overtly political discussions. Assume best intent and be excellent to each other.
  3. Not regarding using or support for Lemmy: context, see the list of support communities and tools for finding communities below
  4. Not ad nauseam inducing: please make sure it is a question that would be new to most members
  5. An actual topic of discussion

Looking for support?

Looking for a community?

~Icon~ ~by~ ~@Double_A@discuss.tchncs.de~

founded 6 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Sometimes I wonder what the thought process behind the gaming aesthetic was. RGB (*if tunable) itself is fine and adds a nice opportunity for personalization, but are those tacky fonts, crystal-facet enclosures, and overall showiness just tasteless or do any gamers actually prefer that look?

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] anonion@lemmy.anonion.social 1 points 53 minutes ago

I really could care less what it looks like. It just needs to be functional/practicle

[–] deathbird@mander.xyz 1 points 1 hour ago

I like some of it, but not everything. Customizable is good, but if it's all preloaded and unmodifiable then it's more a mockery of self-expression, isn't it?

[–] littlewonder@lemmy.world 3 points 2 hours ago

I don't care much about my case and the internals but you can pry my flowing; gradient; pink, purple, and blue-lit peripherals, with gold ripples after a key or mouse click, from my dead hands. It's the little things that make me not want to eject out of my chair when dealing with work shit. I feel like a golden bi wizard when I'm at my desk

[–] TheMinions@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 hours ago

I like the stuff because my kinds like all the rainbow effects. Normally while working or gaming I will set the effects to be off though.

[–] Beryl@lemmy.ml 2 points 3 hours ago

I think a lot of these designs probably appeal to the early teen demographic who are begging their parents for their first gaming computer. My tower has one glass side because I like being able to see my components, but I didnt find any RGB necessary. Some of the colorful see through cases are quite pretty when arranged. I don't understand why mice have to look like bionicles though.

[–] ColdWater@lemmy.ca 2 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago)

Flame decal πŸ”₯πŸ”₯πŸ”₯ I thought it was cool 10 years ago, Now my actual setup is black and blue light

Just purchased a new PC and was surprised it didn't play Donna Summer when I first booted it up.

[–] Xande@discuss.tchncs.de 6 points 7 hours ago

I was riding the first RGB bling bling wave back in the early 2ks and after a while I got sooooooooooooo annoyed by every light my PC emitted.

Same today.

I give a frog about RGB and when I bought my actual PCs back in early 2024 I used an old Chieftec case I had standing around for the first and bought a cheap case of Amazon that has no glass.

Both stand in a way that air can circulate and the PC stays cool, but light is blocked.

[–] localhost443@discuss.tchncs.de 12 points 10 hours ago

I would like it if it was subtle, maybe a few thin rgb lines around the main board like traces, and something similar on other components.

I hate the everything blaring random lights look, its like a kids attempt to draw attention, it works but when you look you wish you hadn't.

[–] digdilem@lemmy.ml 5 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

My gaming pc lives in a soundproof cupboard 5m away without a case because quietness is more important to me than any visual element, so any RGB thing gets avoided, or turned off.

I can appreciate a very colour coordinated and well put together "gaming" computer in a purely aesthetic sense. Some are genuinely pretty and I get that some folk take a lot of pleasure out of making something that looks beautiful and best of luck to them. But I'm not one of them.

[–] Jackhammer_Joe@lemmy.world 3 points 7 hours ago

How do you handle cooling?

Super quietness sounds great but having a CPU running at 1.000Β°C doesn't

[–] AceFuzzLord@lemmy.zip 3 points 7 hours ago

On a personal level, I don't like the see through towers or really basically any RGB. I have a keyboard that has RGB and if I could turn it off while also being able to see the keys properly, I would turn it off. It's currently at the lowest setting I can do it and still see the keys.

Also not a fan of the super fancy schmancy gaming mice because I'm a firm believer trackball mice are superior.

No opinion on gaming headsets other than the ones with the attached mic are stupid looking. Design of headphones and such are slightly less important to me than the sound quality, so I can let some dumb designs slide if the quality is fantastic.

[–] umbrella@lemmy.ml 3 points 7 hours ago
[–] LinyosT@sopuli.xyz 10 points 11 hours ago (2 children)

The wonders of marketing making people believe that RGB vomit is desirable.

The only LED i care about is white.

White... supremacy?

[–] Redex68@lemmy.world 4 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

In shocking news, not all people have the same tastes.

[–] LinyosT@sopuli.xyz 1 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago)

Some tastes can be poor

Some can be influenced as well.

[–] KingPorkChop@lemmy.ca 5 points 9 hours ago

My gaming computer is in an old 4 unit rack mount server case. I think there is some sort of RGB nonsense on the motherboard, but you can't see it once the computer is racked.

Fuck RGB shit.

[–] ICastFist@programming.dev 10 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

I'm over 30, but even when i was in my early 20s I couldn't stand the blaring lights. A HS friend built up a rig with full flashy RGB shit and I was like "why?" - He thought it was cool, possibly still does.

I mean, I'm supposed to look at the monitor, not the fan or the mouse. Keyboard blacklight is good, tho, so long as it's not red nor a dancing rainbow. Yellow or white are the best kb backlight imo

[–] seralth@lemmy.world 2 points 5 hours ago

I like a soft dark blue. Lights up enough to see but easily just zone it out entirely.

[–] 5in1k@lemmy.zip 14 points 12 hours ago

I hate it. I resent that I have to get an app to turn off the horrible lights in the computer and peripherals.

[–] dutchkimble@lemy.lol 3 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 9 hours ago)

My take, I was a gamer when I was young, when a 386 was gaming for me and till today when a 4080 is gaming for me, but I prefer normal looking shit without RGB. My 4080 colours allow me to set it to one shade of blue that I like, but I’ll be happy with a closed unit without any colour as well. What I would prefer, over colours, is free time to actually game :/

[–] Tinks@lemmy.world 7 points 11 hours ago

Yep. I'm the (apparently minority) weirdo that LOVES the rainbow vomit lights. I have lights everywhere on my computer and desk and it brings me so much joy. It just feels happy to me to have the bright rainbow colors slowly shifting. I find it delightful and will pay extra to ensure devices are not only rainbow capable, but are the right type of rainbow (slow shifting) that I love. My side of our gaming office drives my husband nuts. I regret nothing!

[–] Sequentialsilence@lemmy.world 5 points 11 hours ago

The only RGB I run is for my keyboard and only because I sit in a dark room and everything is black, so it can be difficult to see where the keyboard is. Back when I ran a regular mouse I also had an RGB mouse for the same reason, but carpal tunnel forced a trackball so now the mouse never moves and it no longer needs RGB.

[–] njm1314@lemmy.world 4 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago)

I hate those lights so much. I only want one light on my entire computer it should be right next to the on button to let me know it's on. That's it. I had that. It was wonderful. Then when I upgraded my graphics card it came with a light and now the thing glows green and I hate it. And don't get me started on the stupid Mouse.

[–] lichtmetzger@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 12 hours ago* (last edited 12 hours ago)

I bought a RGB mouse a few months ago, tried it out for a few hours, got annoyed by the bright lights at night and turned off the lights.

For some reason, the Roccat software messed up and now it flashes green when clicking the middle mouse button (I couldn't even find an option in the software to make it do that), but that's kinda cool, so I kept it.

My computer is a sleeper build in an old server steel case. No RGB anywhere, and as a bonus, I can even sit on it, if I want. :D

[–] Randomgal@lemmy.ca 2 points 11 hours ago

I think a lot of people like the customization that rainbow RGB more than anything else.

[–] Ougie@lemmy.world 17 points 18 hours ago

I think the industry still thinks their target audience is 12 year olds. It's evident also in the aesthetic of the games they make. That being said I am seeing a slow change for the better. If only I could say the same about the prices...

[–] Alloi@lemmy.world 8 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

im for whatever is cheap and effective, only performance to cost ratio matters to me.

[–] JuxtaposedJaguar@lemmy.ml 7 points 15 hours ago

I buy whatever’s cheapest (and has the specs I want), but unfortunately that’s almost always the β€œEP1C K1LLERZ XTREAM PRO ULTRA X” brand... Somehow adding LEDs makes it cheaper.

I just want a plain cardboard box with the specs and SKU printed on the side like I have at work.

[–] Geodad@lemmy.world 4 points 13 hours ago

No. I turn off the flashy LED shit.

[–] callouscomic@lemmy.zip 13 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

The eye grabbing lights and glass covers are fucking idiotic. My best builds are black towers, great airflow, minimal lights, and barely any noise. I'm focused on the game, not the machine.

The thing needs to be forgotten. It's not the center of attention. The monitor is.

[–] bjoern_tantau@swg-empire.de 3 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

CEO of Monitors Inc: Got it, put eye grabbing RGB all over the monitors!

[–] traceur301@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 11 hours ago

you just but my monitor came with some rgb bs on the back

[–] Mangoholic@lemmy.ml 9 points 17 hours ago

I was looking for something with a nicge natural wood finish. LED is dine but no blinking fading, just a solid line without any distraction.

[–] AngryMob@lemmy.one 1 points 11 hours ago

Apparently lemmy attracted all the boring bastards i guess. You all must have gray walls, a black desk, and a plain black box for a pc tower and think its peak.

I like splashes of color in various ways in my home, my pc is simply an extension of that. Theres ways do to it tastefully. Grab a Fractal case, set your fans to a solid color.

[–] Dyskolos@lemmy.zip 6 points 16 hours ago

I couldn't care less about the looks. I wanna game not attract gaming-mates 😁

[–] ptu@sopuli.xyz 1 points 11 hours ago

I got fractal design r6 because it’s dampens noise quite well. There was an option for a glass panel, but I got the solid one instead because it insulates sound better.

[–] 4PHEUS@beehaw.org 1 points 11 hours ago

I'm fairly photosensitive so I disable a ton of extra LEDs and cover up some necessary lights (monitor power buttons, caps/num lock indicators) with dimming stickers to make them easier on the eyes.

The only exception is the computer itself. I enable very dim lights on the case, mobo, and GPU which switch between Green/Blue/Red depending on CPU temps - it's nice way to quickly see how much stress my PC is under.

[–] Flickerby@lemmy.zip 11 points 20 hours ago* (last edited 20 hours ago)

I have a keyboard that lights up because I like to type in the dark and my dexterity isn't what it used to be but that's about it. I would've preferred a solid color but RGB was all I found. Not a bad for $20, it's a solid steel frame

Oh, right. No the "gamer ascetic" is garish as fuck. I just want something that works.

[–] iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works 63 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (10 children)

Guilty as charged.

Edited to add, this is actually a slightly old picture. I have a white GPU now.

load more comments (10 replies)
[–] jjjalljs@ttrpg.network 43 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I would prefer basic, subtle, black. I don't want rainbows and lights. I'm very function over form.

I'd also rather play a game on medium settings where it runs flawlessly and doesn't make the fans go hard, than at high settings with worse performance.

[–] leftthegroup@lemmings.world 4 points 12 hours ago

I typically avoid RGB everything.

My everything is black. My mouse has lights but they've been turned off since I got it.

My keyboard is black. Except for a tiny red line around the volume knob. It's not a light to, just an accent color. And all the keys are blank. The 3 lock lights are there, but even those are darker than most other boards.

[–] Rhodamine@lemmy.nz 28 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I absolutely love the tacky gamer look. I think that most flagship tech these days has a terrible lack of whimsy which makes me a bit sad. Look at back at the old imacs compared to the laptops that apple offers today. Look at the phones of the early 2000s compared to what's currently on offer. It's all straight lines and greyscale now. I do understand that that's a classier look, but I wish there was more out there for people like me who want something that looks a bit more colourful and fun whilst still having good specs.

In my opinion, the gamer aesthetic usually doesn't go hard enough. When my PC is turned off, it's just a black rectangle. But it's the best I can get without breaking the bank or doing something super custom.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] nutsack@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 19 hours ago

back in my day those were case mods. i disable that shit immediately

[–] Fiivemacs@lemmy.ca 55 points 1 day ago

No, RGB is annoying and gets disabled if I have no other choice. It's cheap and tacky looking. Basically anything marketed as 'gaming' in my eyes is sub tier garbage.

My overall view on all products, not just gaming stuff if the more buzzwords and slogans and whatnot a company uses, the less I give a crap about them and will actually actively avoid it. Just means they spend more on nonsensical crap then the actual product.

In short; More marketing budget = less quality product

load more comments
view more: next β€Ί