Hesitant of Building New PC

[schizoid77]

I want to build a new PC, and I have the funds to go top of the line in every aspect.
My question is, should I wait a while for the likes of PCI Express and other 64 bit processors to come out before I go and build a Pentium 4 Extreme Edition, with PC4000 Corsair RAM, the best video card and all that other jazz, etc, etc...

I'm ready to start building, but I don't want to waste money if a new medium is coming out for certain technologies....

Any advice?




...maybe I can just build a 2nd bad *** one when the newer stuff hits....but that's a little crazy.....

 

[iss]

if you can wait I would do so. 2004 is supposed to see a great many new things. PCI express, upgrade to the performance of serial ATA, Intels prescott CPU which like the extreme edition CPU will have 1 MB cache ( and a lower orice than the extreme edition) and DDR2 ram.

the downside of course is wether or not these things will appear as scheduled AND wether or not you want to be an early adopter of them since new technologies generally have bugs to work out in their first generation.

 

[Phantasm66]

In the end of the day, really, its up to you.

The truth is, there is never really ever a good time to buy computer equipment - its out of date from the moment it hits the shop floor.

Will you waiting for 6 months to get a first generation PCI Express board that will probably get junked due to problems and replaced with a superior chipset almost immediately give you more satisfaction from your computer than if you bought it right now? The truth is, I doubt it.

Furthermore, a computer is an evolving entity. So, OK, you have a new machine now - out of date by the time PCI Express comes along, but when it does, you just get a new motherboard and chip, etc. PCI Express and its advent will not necessarily mean a new machine entirely. I know it probably won't for me, certainly.

 

[Nic]

Originally posted by Phantasm66
... you have a new machine now - out of date by the time PCI Express comes along, but when it does, you just get a new motherboard and chip, etc ...

What about the new BTX case format designed to accomodate PCI-Express? New case and new PSU required. That is a completely new PC when you include the new CPU, mainboard, Video card (PCI-Express), Memory (DDR-II), etc. It is also a good reason for not jumping onto the 64 bit bandwagon just yet, but the tail end of 2004 looks promising. Personally, I'd stick with 32 bit for the rest of this year, until the new technology has settled down.

 

[farmer]

If you don't have to build right now, waiting would be the best. A lot of new tech is gonna be popping up the second half of 2004, and waiting would be the smart money.

Far as the new tech being buggy, that can happen, but I have a pre-production P4c, and the same motherboard, and other than having to do Bios flashes rather regular, I've had no problems at all...

Later....

 

[Phantasm66]

Originally posted by Nic
What about the new BTX case format designed to accomodate PCI-Express? New case and new PSU required. That is a completely new PC when you include the new CPU, mainboard, Video card (PCI-Express), Memory (DDR-II), etc. It

Actually... YEAH... I had forgotten about that.

I'd say as soon as you have the cash for a PC try to spent that money as sensibly as you can right away. You'll only wind up blowing the money on something else later otherwise.

 

[SubKamran]

Hmmm, I'd agree with Phantasm, there's never a "time" to buy a computer. I started buying mine a few months ago and it's coming along, only two parts left. Again, the parts I got are now "old" but the performance is still amazing.

 

[Molongal]

Even with all this new technology coming out there wont be many programs around for a couple years or so. So the current technology will still be viable for years to come. I for example have an old time computer:
Intel Celeron 466mhz
192mb ram
32mb tnt2 vid card

and it is only in the last 2 years that i have been finding it difficult to run new apps and games on.

 

[SubKamran]

And right now, I have a PIII 700Mhz 512MB RAM and a TNT2 video card yet I can run all of today's apps but they are a tad bit slow. However, it makes a good server!

 

[schizoid77]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Looks like I'm gonna start buying and building in the next week or so.

SO! Athlon 64 or the fastest Pentium I can get??