Are We Upgrading Our PCs for Better Gaming or Just Because We Love New Hardware?

A friend recently asked me to help get his old gaming PC running again. The system was nothing impressive by today's standards. It was the kind of setup that would probably get dismissed instantly in most "rate my build" discussions. But after cleaning it up and installing a few games, we were both surprised by how much it could still do. Minecraft ran great. Rocket League was smooth. Older RPGs played perfectly. Even some newer games were completely enjoyable once a few settings were adjusted. It made me realize that a lot of hardware debates aren't really about performance. They're about expectations. Some gamers are perfectly happy with 1080p and stable frame rates. If their favorite games run well and they're having fun, that's all they need. Other players want ultra settings, high refresh rates, ray tracing, faster storage, and the ability to play every new release without compromise. That's a different experience entirely. Neither side is wrong. What's interesting is that PC gaming has always been two hobbies rolled into one. Some people love playing games. Others love the hardware almost as much as the games themselves. That's why you'll see one person happily using a seven-year-old graphics card while another is already planning their next upgrade despite having a system that runs everything perfectly. The longer I've been around PC gaming, the more I think the "best" setup is the one that matches your habits, not the one with the highest benchmark score. If your favorite games are running smoothly and you're having fun, your PC is doing its job. What's the oldest PC component you're still using, and what game keeps it alive?