When and What to buy help

[J0K3R]

So this time I am going to go for a good system instead of buyng middle road hardware from Dell. I can buy now or wait til ?? Is there a certain to buy to get good deals? I'm getting the new I7 920 and 1333 Ram and all the rest from Newegg.

Just the box is going around 1150 to include either Vista or W7 depending when I buy. I can live with my existing LCD, mouse, and keyboard. Was thinking about staying with XP but since I'm paying for it again, I'll think I'll go with the latest.

Was thinking about saving a few hundred and getting an E8500 and 800 Ram as well as lower MB price but don't want to regret it later. I can afford the I7 but don't really need it. I only play BF2 and UT99, as well as office work and surfing so it wqas a debate.

Any advice? Am I right to get the I7 over the E8500 to future proof?

Oh, the agony. LOL.

Thanks.

 

[brblx]

'future proof' is just a silly term. you wanna be future proof, hide in a bomb shelter.

if you're not debt-free with discretionary income to spare, i wouldn't bother with the i7. you just don't need it. you would see a very large increase in performance going from a pentium D to a core2 that will likely satisfy you through much or all of the lifespan of the i7 (by then you may want a new PC and can score an i7 for cheap as it gets replaced by the Next Big Thing(tm).).

the i7 920 is becoming a good value as it's price comes down (as does ddr3- mobos aren't budging much, though), but you may never do anything intensive enough to notice the difference between it and a core2 or phenom. in fact, you could build a gaming rig to run the latest and greatest with a $2-300 proc/mobo combo (x3 720, e8400, ect).

i would build a modest but solid base system, put in a cheaper video card, and upgrade it later if you ever desire to play newer games. you could do it for about half your budget.

 

[J0K3R]

I am debt free but I am not rich by any means. And a high schooler who wants a new car and insurance is about to kill me LOL. So money is a factor but the $350 difference wont kill me.

I hear ya. The E8500 is only $20 more than the E8400 and I'm certain that will do me fine for the rest of my life but like I said, I don't want to make the old PD805 mistake again. My budget include a 4850 too. Don't want to skimp on the GPU.

Now that I think about it, I'm waiting until W7 comes out this fall. No sense buying Vista now. So basically it's this:

$1142 for I7 920 and 6GB DDR3 1333 RAM
$922 for E8500 and 6 GB DDR3 1333 RAM
$777 for E8500 and 4 GB DDR2 800 RAM

Used for online BF2 (64 player maps) with some Office work and web surfing?

The difference isn't going to kill me but I somehow feel it might be a waste.

What would you do?

 

[brblx]

well, if i were to go for the highest value components-

e7400 + p45 - 225 plus $15 MIR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...?ItemList=Combo.190811

4gb ddr2 - ~50 bucks
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820231122

antec 300 - 55
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...129042&Tpk=antec%20300

BFG 550w - 50 (there are tons of other options for $50-60)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16817702010

4850 - 115, 95AR.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814161259

WD 640GB - 75
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16822136319

samsung dvd-r - 23
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16827151175

that's the whole shebang for about $600. you can nudge the processor up some if you want, but that e7400 can easily be overclocked to 3+ghz- you're not getting much different in the more expensive wolfdale chips, you're just paying intel to turn up the juice a bit.

all good quality components, and if it ever feels inadequate, get a new video card and/or throw a 3ghz+ c2q in it (which will be both cheaper and better supported by then). don't let anyone bully you into an i7 by calling lga775 a 'dead socket.'

 

[J0K3R]

Well. I think I am getting the E8500 and 4GB 800 RAM.

I was going to get a cheap Cooler Master case but I like the one you have shown me.

Thanks for the help.