Originally posted by: VirtualLarry
Originally posted by: Matthias99
I understand planning ahead. It just seems that you pay a big premium for it with the AN8-SLI right now (unless you got a very, very good price on it), and you may have to replace it with something else anyway if the hardware you're expecting doesn't materialize anytime soon.
Sounds an awful like what things were like before the Prescott's release, some mobos could handle them, and some couldn't. But no-one that bought a Socket478 mobo is able to run the highest-speed Prescotts, because Intel changed the socket once again on them, and they couldn't have known about it at the time. Planning ahead, given both the pace of change in the PC technology industry, and the component vendors' desire to constantly change specs on things anyways (if only to generate "market standards churn") is an elusive goal with diminishing returns. I consider most components to have a two-year lifespan these days (in terms of generally being upgradable to something higher, before the "next wave" of technology spec changes comes along and puts a stumbling block into that potential further upgrade path), and assuming otherwise can result in a foolish additional outlay of funds, on something that may become next year's "white elephant" system. (Remember Socket8? Probably not too many people do. Slot-1 was probably Intel's longest-lived standardized CPU interfaces, although Socket478 is probably catching up to it.) So I'm agreeing with you. I once thought the same way as Insomniak, and I discouraged people from buying into S754 systems based on reports in the press of S754's immenent demise at the hands of AMD and thus non-upgradable, but then they changed course and introduced their Sempron line and decided to keep that interface around longer. Result? I think it's probably cheaper to get a "disposable" gaming-rig system based on S754 now, and then wait until whatever happened with AMD's dual-core solution happens. You never know, perhaps they'll specify that dual-core chips will require DDR2, or they will build in a DDR2 memory-controller, not because it's needed, but because they estimate that will be the primary DRAM type on the market at the time. Regardless, if such a thing happened, even if the CPU uses the same S939 interface, the mobo *may* have to be swapped anyways, to accommodate the newer DIMMs socket types/lower DRAM voltages etc. Nothing in the PC market is immune to change. Remember all of those boards sold with an "Overdrive" socket on them, next to the existing CPU? How many of those boards went out of service, with that socket still empty? I'd wager nearly all of them.
While those are certainly valid points, I have a difficult time believing that there will be no way to make a top-end gaming rig based on the A8N-SLI Deluxe within 12 months. Such a short lifespan is all but unheard of, even in PC technology's fast changing world.
The only products I can readily recollect that lasted less than a year, practically speaking, are botched video card launches such as the GeForce FX 5800 Ultra.
Is it possible that dual core won't become a viable option for the A8N-SLI? Certainly. But what if it does? And even if it doesn't, an FX-55 will certainly have plenty of steam in it a year from now - and I'm willing to bet we'll see further S939 processors beyond its capabilities. PCI Express as a graphics interface doesn't seem to be going anywhere.
Had this rig been built even 6 months down the line - say June of this year - I would probably be using a 3800+ or higher processor and one, possibly two, top end GPUs. However, from my view, buying high level mere months before something major, like dual core, is a bit dangerous. I'm playing wait and see. However, I was in need of a new PC, and while I was in the market, why not pick up a motherboard that might (very likely will, if you give any stock to the rumor mills) be ready to use this new technology, should that turn out to be the better option, while still being able to run older tech as well, if IT turns out to be the better option?
I could really see no caveat outside of cost, and being that this motherboard is only $50 or so more expensive than it's non-SLI capable compatriots, I saw no reason not to get it.
If dual core and SLI GPUs turn out to be the best option, I'll go that route. If not, I'm sure a top end single core processor and whatever graphics solution seems to fit the best will also get me where I want to go. I certainly don't see how this board would be wasted, nor unusable within a year's time.
It's not going to be the best competitor on a bang for buck basis, but early adoption never is. I was willing to pay the extra cost to have my options open when the dual core dust settles, and get on the new graphics standard at the same time. If it turns out that the technology coming down the pipe works well with this board, then I may end up saving quite a bit of money compared to people building high end S754 or AGP (either - not neccesarily on the same board) systems now. They may find themselves either having to rebuild in short order, or having their high-level performance eclipsed far more quickly than is usually the case.
But of course, being fair, they may not. Regardless, I see two possible outcomes. If all goes well, I'll probably end up under the cost and over the performance of the "rebuilders". If not, I'll end up slightly above their cost, but at the same performance level.
It was, obviously, a gamble I was willing to take. If it cost me $50 out of pocket, that's no great loss. I have two jobs and a healthy income.
