in what order would you buy PC parts?

[vital]

If you were to buy parts for a new PC in an expanded time period between 1-2 months, in what order would you buy the parts to account for the least loss in value after your full PC is built?

Required parts in no particular order are case, power supply, mobo, cpu, ram, HDD/SSD, monitor, keyboard/mouse, video card.

 

[redz]

Best option would be to buy everything when you need it 2 months from now. But if I absolutely had to buy stuff staggered out like that, I'd go with something like:

1. Keyboard/mouse
2. Case
3. Power supply
4. HDD (if normal HDD)
5. Monitor
6. Motherboard
7. RAM
8. CPU
9. HDD (if SDD)
10. Video card

Probably a lot of room for movement on that list, especially if you can find a good deal on something. For example, I know there are some good deals on a couple cases right now, so that would move cases up the list.

Video card is last because I assumed the PC is going to be used for gaming, and hopefully in a couple months the ATI 5800 series will be better supply and at lower prices.

 

[lxskllr]

Case
PSU
Keyboard/mouse
Monitor
HD
RAM
MB
CPU
GFX

 

[AlgaeEater]

Case
PSU
Keyboard/mouse
Monitor
HD
RAM
MB
CPU
GFX

My list would be exactly the same as lxskllr. The big 3 are MB/CPU/GFX, which in one way or another tend to be revised, upgraded, or "something over the horizon".

 

[JackMDS]

1. CPU, HDD, Video card always go down. So wait to the last moment.

2. Monitor and RAM, variable. I.e you can wait but buy them if you see a very good deal in the coming few monthes

3. The rest it does not matter buy them whenever

 

[bruceb]

Case ... room for 6 - 8 HDD and 2 - 4 optical drive mounts & 1 floppy mount with provisions for front panel USB / Firewire / Game Port / Audio jack

Motherboard .. I would usually go full size ATX

Graphic card
Hard Drives
Optical Drives
RAM
CPU and cooler if going aftermarket
PSU
Monitor
Keyboard
Mouse

By going in this order you can now properly determine how large a power supply to get

 

[Blazer]

first, would be mobo and maybe proc and aftermarket cooler,
second, video card,
third, case with opticals and hd
forth, power supply and extra's

 

[unfalliblekrutch]

If it's only a month or so, I'd buy them in the order they go on sale for great prices

 

[Zap]

I would wait to buy everything when I needed it, or sooner if there was a great deal on something. If you are the type that is unable to save up the money but tends to use it for something or another, then perhaps you can try buying gift cards for yourself? You can buy generic pre-paid debit cards that work like credit cards, so that the money isn't just sitting around in cash waiting to be used.

Alternately some of the earlier proposed lists look fine. Some items tend to remain fixed in value so buy those first, and buy anything on a hot deal as they come along. Then, buy everything else close to when you want to finish the build.

If you plan to do any modding, the case should be the first thing you buy because you can start modding before you get parts.

One caveat on buying before you need the part is that the warranty starts ticking when you buy it, and also most places have a very limited time window for returns/exchanges in case you have DOA parts.