To upgrade... or not to upgrade... is the wait worth it?

[PaperclipGod]

I'm currently running, egads, a p2 400mhz dell system.

I came close to upgrading this POS when the AXP's were released 18 months ago, but for some reason just stuck with this setup. Finally, though, i'm fed up. This thing is slow, crappy, and i daily come to the point of wanting to mount it on the end of an M1A1's cannon.

However, i'm torn... Springdale is coming in May, and this fall the 64 bit stuff is gonna be here. Do you think its worth upgrading now? Or should i just steel myself for a few more months, and upgrade in September/October?

 

[Cosmic_Horror]

What do you use this system for? How much do you want to spend? Cutting edge technology cost a small fortune when released and IMO from a financal piont of view, it is best to stay one step behind as you tend to get the best price for preformance.

There is always something better and faster around the corner, if you want to wait.

 

[PaperclipGod]

Yeah... i realize that things are always improving, but the 64 bit chips seem like a really big step forward.

This system is going to be 90% gaming. No real budget... maybe somewhere around $2000?

 

[EeyoreX]

Personally, I plan on upgrading to a nForce2 solution (MSI K7N2 Delta-ISLR) and at least a Barton 2500+ and a new GF4 card of some flavor. That will keep me happy for a while. I thought about waiting for newer stuff too, but as was mentioned before, there is always something better just around the corner so I'd always be waiting. Besides, by the time I save up or more likely, buy the components one at a time, they'll be at least a generation behind and cheaper and good enough for me. I am just starting to get back to gaming, so my current rig is starting to show some age, though mostly it's alright for me. I wish I had a budget of $2000 though... I guess if you really feel you can wait, maybe you should. Though it sounds like you are pretty frustrated now. Also, IMO, it is important to keep in mind that there may be issues with your hardware if you buy it right out of the gate. Early adopters have often become beta testers, so that's probably something to keep in mind. In general, I agree, a generation behind is the way to go as far as price/performance ratio. Plus, it eliminates the endless waiting for "the next big thing."

\Dan

 

[Tripitz]

I just upgraded this past week and am super happy. The chips that are out right now offer an amazing value. They almost all overclock very well as the products are very mature. Case in point: the xp2100+ oc's extremely well, and almost everyone with a newer P4 2.4B c1 stepping are hitting 3.0+ easily on air. I didn't wait because I assumed that the new boards are going to be expensive. The only reason to wait on the INtel side is to get the 800fsb with dual channel ddr. Judging from pricing on the Granite Bay boards, it might be a while until these new boards are affordable. Right now things are at a nice price point for the performance you can get.

 

[PaperclipGod]

Thanks for the advice, guys. I think i'll just go with something along the lines of a p4 2.4b for now, keep everything else in the mid-range ballpark, and see how things look this fall.

 

[SickBeast]

i think you should buy a tbred-b for now, and then upgrade to a 2nd-generation hammer (a faster one) when the time comes. besides, it'll take awhile for 64-bit apps to come out en-masse.