If I build a computer now, is it going to be out of date really soon?

[bluedeviltron]

I keep hearing about a new line of video cards coming out, the Athlon 64 X2, cheaper prices, and all this other stuff in the near future. Do you think it's wise to build a mid range rig now, or will I be sorry a few months from now?

 

[powerMarkymark]

Depends, what do you plan on doing, gaming, business apps, photoshop or what?

 

[Slow Eddie]

Originally posted by: bluedeviltron
I keep hearing about a new line of video cards coming out, the Athlon 64 X2, cheaper prices, and all this other stuff in the near future. Do you think it's wise to build a mid range rig now, or will I be sorry a few months from now?

If you keep waiting for the biggest and baddest technology, you'll never build anything. Theres always something bigger and badder around the corner. Always.

Eddie

 

[nellienelson1]

i may not be top dog soon, but it will still be plenty powerful enough imo

 

[SynthDude2001]

What kind of budget are you looking at? I am personally waiting for the Athlon 64 X2 before I finally ditch my old Athlon XP system, but they're certainly not for everyone - at least initially, you will pay at least $500 for the CPU alone, unless prices are lower than expected (which I very much doubt). As for video cards, unless you were going to buy a high-end card like a 6800GT/Ultra or X800XL/X850XT/whatever, then prices on the mid-range stuff will probably not drop much with the introduction of the new cards this summer (although it's always a possibility that there will be a new mid-range card of the same price that will outperform what's available now..). However, if you were going to buy a high-end card now, then I'd probably recommend waiting until the new stuff is available.

There really never is a "right time" to buy, but there sometimes are "better times". The problem is that those times are often difficult to predict. You also have to decide whether you can live with whatever current system you have for a few more months, if you decide to wait a bit...But if you keep waiting, then there's always something better around the corner and you'll never buy. It's difficult sometimes.

 

[bluedeviltron]

I'll be doing a lot of video editing and gaming on this machine, so I'm thinking about getting a 6600 GT with a PCI-e motherboard. Do you think I should just go ahead and build my machine and then wait for the new video cards this summer?

And what kind of new video cards are we looking at? Are they going to be super expensive? What's going to be different about them?

 

[Dr X]

When I used to work in the computer industry, I'd always tell people this: "It's NEVER a good time to buy/build a computer". You cant win, simple as that. There are better times, but not significantly. You need to understand that the gaming market (which is generally what drives computers out of date on a consumer level) is not driven by the top 5%; like most things, it's driven by what Joe Public can afford, and is likely to have. Therefore some brand spanking new technology, while nice to have, wont affect the gaming market for some time.

 

[w00t]

x2 is for multi-tasking very expensive if ur a gamer you wont need. as far as going out of date sorry to say but everyones comp is outa date if u think about it in computers there is always somthing newer or better. i like to think of it like this okay lets say you go and buy ur computer hardware all at best buy you by the top of the line stuff ur driving down the street you look up at a billboard sighn and see some new piece of hardware that just was released ur already outa date technlogy is growing so fast its impossible to have the best.

 

[The Pentium Guy]

Heh. I remember telling a friend to wait for nForce4 to come out lasty year. It never came out last year (or maybe, it came out at the very end). He ended up goign with an nForce3 (neo2). Now my other friends are facing the question of whether to get DualCore or not.

If you think about it, next month is a good time to buy from a budget's standpoint. Right when X2 hits the market, right when the new nVidia and ATI cards hit the market, with when the new ANTEC cases hit the market ---> Next month. Great time to buy the "previous generation" parts.

From an upgrader's standpoint, not so much. But hey don't worry about it. It'll still be good.

Speaking of updating:
"W00T" you need to upgrade your signature it still says

This is getting old when are the xpress 200 boards actually coming?

-TPG

 

[leigh6]

"If you own it, it is obsolete"

 

[knothead34]

if your looking to "stay ahead of the game" thats not possible with computers. there is so much new stuff around the corner its just unbelieveable. if you always wanted for whats next would never get a computer. now if your looking to pull the trigger on something and this new product is gonna be out in just a few weeks or less lets say then ok yeah waiting would be good but there is always that next better thing just around the corner.

 

[Nomada]

You know, when I built my budget XP sys. in December /04, I could have built it cheaper 10 months prior. I would wait 'til at least August before building.

 

[imported_michaelpatrick33]

I would wait until the July/August and the new graphics card come out so you can build a 939 system with single/dualcore and this generation premium cards for less money. The other posters are right though, there is never a right time.

I am personally getting a X2 4400+ and 6800GT/G70 around July for my Koolance tower (already pretty much have the budget) but will I be outdated the moment I click confirm purchase? You bet. Do I care? Nope

 

[Regs]

In a few months the G70 and R520 will be out with the AMD X2's. You'll be spending thousands, but that's how much it costs if you want the bleeding edge. The 6800's that came out last year are not even that "affordable" yet.

 

[ericlala]

If you want to ask what will last you a while, I think it is safe to get a 939 socket with PCI-E.

 

[imported_rod]

Originally posted by: w00t
x2 is for multi-tasking very expensive if ur a gamer you wont need.

Gamers won't need it?! A dualcore CPU will mean that all those annoying background processes (Operating System/ Virus Scanner/ FireWall/ MP3 player/ P2P sharing etc...) wont be slowing down your gaming.

Originally posted by: ericlala
If you want to ask what will last you a while, I think it is safe to get a 939 socket with PCI-E.

That's what I thought, until AMD announced that they're bringing a NEW socket design out next year. M2 i think it's called. But they say they will keep supporting the 939's for a while yet.


Do you have a computer now? If you already have a decent PC, Id wait for the dual cores and the new sockets next year. Otherwise, go with a 939 now, and hope AMD keep their word.

RoD