When IS the right time to build a new PC?

[TokenBrit]

Well until recently I had been planning to build a new PC around august based on Conroe. However recently I have been hearing things and wondering whether this is an appropriate move.
Currently I am sitting on an AGP system around a A64 3000+, 2 gigs ram and an x800xl. This means really for an upgrade means ditching the larger part of my system so I am looking to time it correctly.
Conroe is obviously the most iminent new technology and looks to bench very nicely, but is it enough to justify a new build in it's own right? Is it perhaps worth waiting for DX10 cards? Also I have recently been reading worrying things about HDCP being unsupported by ANY current gfx cards, although this may be moot as my monitor obviously wont support this anyway. Following the release of AM2 is DDR2 expected to significantly drop in price, and how much?
It seems as if now more than ever things are "up in the air" with regards to when is the correct time to make an upgrade. However there is the feeling that you can put off an upgrade forever based on what is just visible on the horizon. Anybody got any constructive non-fanboy input?

[gatorade]

Re: When IS the right time to build a new PC?

Im in the same situation but this is the great thing about computer hardware "it always gets better". You can wait for it, but I bet you anything that something new and better will be on the horizon. Just how things work, they evolve.


Just wait, but dont wait too long. Thats the best advice I could give you.

[Flanker]

Re: When IS the right time to build a new PC?

Just wait, but dont wait too long. Thats the best advice I could give you.

And excellent advice it is.

August you say? Perfect!

Right now, at this very moment, it is a HORRIBLE time to build a PC. I'm mainly a PC designer, and every thread that I see on any forum, I tell them to wait just a few more months. Conroe comes out on July 23rd, and GeForce 8 is supposed to come out Q3 2006 (July/August/September). Ironically, as soon as the Conroe and GeForce 8 combination is avaliable, it will become the BEST time to buy a PC in a LONG time. If you get a GeForce 8 card as soon as it comes out, then you will remain "top-of-the-line" the longest. R600 may come out by december, but it will at most be in the same league as the GeForce 8. After that, you're assaulted by better and better videocards. So the earlier you get it, the more time you have to enjoy it.

I can't really give you any non-fanboy input as I AM a fanboy of performance :) I'll take whatever performs better, and leave it at that. As such a fanboy, I can recommend that you wait atleast until Conroe. Buying an AMD system right now is frankly quite foolish (and this comes from someone who's typing this from an AMD system). Conroe will give you the basis for your new system. As for GeForce 8, it SHOULD be out by August, but there is no guarantee. If it is not, then you can either keep waiting for it, or buy a GeForce 7 card. You could sell the GeForce 7 card later on, and buy a GeForce 8 card. Keep in mind that DX10 games won't come out until 2007 when Windows Vista is released, so while the GeForce 8s will obviously be more powerful than the G7s, they will not be NECESSARY. You will have a long time to decide what kind of videocard you would like (G80 or R600).

For more information on Conroe, check out my rather long in this thread;

http://www.totalbf2.com/forums/showthread.php?t=75377&page=2

[lonegunm4n]

Re: When IS the right time to build a new PC?

there really isn't a good time to build. by the time you get the system built, something else will come out. I may have built my newest system on new/old technology, but I was never one for bleeding edge stuff.

[gatorade]

Re: When IS the right time to build a new PC?

Yeah i mean, im not going to wait even if it is a bad time. I just need a new computer and cant wait. If you look at my specs this is the computer im building .


ASUS A8N SLI Deluxe mobo
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+
Thermal Grease
2GB OCZ Ram
Western Digital Raptor 74gb 10,000rpm
Maxtor 200gb secondary hard drive
Antec Performance I P180 Silver Computer Case
Viewsonic 19' 2ms LCD monitor
eVGA Nvidia geforce 7900gtx 512mb
Sony black dvd-rom drive
Sony 16X DVD-R DVD Burner Black

Im building it ...but since new hardware is coming out this summer I wont be really into games that much since im occupied with many things, so this will do.

[imported_Wreck]

Re: When IS the right time to build a new PC?

Yeah i mean, im not going to wait even if it is a bad time. I just need a new computer and cant wait. If you look at my specs this is the computer im building .


ASUS A8N SLI Deluxe mobo
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+
Thermal Grease
2GB OCZ Ram
Western Digital Raptor 74gb 10,000rpm
Maxtor 200gb secondary hard drive
Antec Performance I P180 Silver Computer Case
Viewsonic 19' 2ms LCD monitor
eVGA Nvidia geforce 7900gtx 512mb
Sony black dvd-rom drive
Sony 16X DVD-R DVD Burner Black

Im building it ...but since new hardware is coming out this summer I wont be really into games that much since im occupied with many things, so this will do.

If you won't be into games whats the point of building a rig obviously slated for gaming?

[firezip]

Re: When IS the right time to build a new PC?

All I can say is make sure you buy the right parts that will last you then longest. Then upgrade when you need too.

[SFR-MAINE]

Re: When IS the right time to build a new PC?

If you wait for the next gen stuff to come out you will be waiting for years. Usually new video cards come out every six months or so. So any new card you buy today will last you to next year. Best thing for you to do is to wait till mid summer. This summer is going to be real exciting, and so will the summer after that.

[gatorade]

Re: When IS the right time to build a new PC?

If you won't be into games whats the point of building a rig obviously slated for gaming?

I mean't that I won't be buying future games that require higher end components. Sorry for the misunderstanding but I do in fact play hl2, BF2, cs:s, cs, and fear so this will do. :)

Just don't care for newer games when I already like these :)

My mistake on the wording :)

[AlphexHunter]

Re: When IS the right time to build a new PC?

That game Crysis scares me I wanna play that game on high graphics!
But it think I will need to get a Geforce 8 video card to play that.