Yeah, it does.
In a year, when I'm in school again, cash is tight and I wont be allowed to get a computer when I dont really need one at that time.
If we dont spend it now, but in Nov when we might need the money, other things will be a priority.
But in reality, those two cards I was looking at have been just released, the processor is using a new Interl core and other compenents will be the same price in a few months. Might as well just get it now.
Errr, that makes no sense, man.
If you spend all the money now, it won't make cash less tight later. And spending it later won't make it any more tight. Either way, the money will be spent on the computer, all the same.
I mean, $3500 is an assload of money to spend on a computer. And you could still get a great computer, with an 8800 graphics card and a quad core processor now for about $2k, and then in a year or so upgrade to the next generation of graphics card, so that you can run Crysis and shit at the very best settings (no graphics cards out right now can, even in Sli mode they struggle at 'very high settings'😉.
After all, the first generation of graphics cards for a new Dx model are always the weakest ones in relation to the jump in performance. The next gen ones will probably be excellent and run DX10 games like butter, and those would be able to last a good few years. If you get an 8800 now, the card will run games right now really well, and games that are on the horizen, but in a year you may be back where you started. Where as if you saved simply 500 or 600 bucks, you could upgrade again and be set.
What are you planning on buying for $3500 now? Does that budget include a new 28" monitor as well? If so, that's understandable.
It's more that there is priorities and the future wife in a years time might use that money for something else and not the computer, so I have to get it now because she might change her mind in Novemeber.
I totally disagree with you. A system at $3500 is going to cost the same if you buy an $2000 system and then upgrade everything again in a years time. I would think it would cost more. You only save the money at the start but in the end, you still pay the $500-600 that you saved. There will always be next cards, processors and such coming out in the near future every year. The cards that are out are awesome. 8800 GT and 8800 GTS are in the $250-350 range. Those are the 3rd and 4th best cards in the market in terms of performance. This doesnt really matter considering if I do what you said, I'll probably get these cards anyways because they offer the best price/performance ratio. I'm going SLI because I want to and two cards are cheaper in price but provide much better performance then one single 8800 GTX.
But in my opinion, you cant wait for new high end videocard because when your going to get the videocard in a years time, it wont go down in price, and there will be another new videocard on the horizon and then you just wasted a whole year waiting for a new videocard for no reason. Especially considering what you described about the first generation cards dont do so well then the second generaton is more about the drivers than the physical card itself. Also, there is always a brand new game that is being made that will push the card you were looking at to its limits.
The only time I would wait is when there is actually new type of hardware like PCI Express 2.0, or when card went over to PCI Express from AGP.
The system I was thinking at is written down a page or two ago. The actually price of the computer was around 3000 but with tax, its around 3300
Yes, you're right, you absolutely won't save money by doing what I described, that wasn't what I was getting at. You'll spend $3500 either way on the computer, my point was that by splitting the cost and spending like $2k or $2.5k now and then spending another 1k later, you'd stretch out the lifespan of that money.
For instance, you spend $3.5k now all at once, you get an amazing computer, but in about a year, or a year-and-a-half, maybe two years at the very most, you'll need to upgrade again, the graphics card/s specifically, so that will end up being about a year and a half that that $3500 bought you before needing to upgrade again.
Doing what I describe; that is, don't wait to buy a new computer, do it, but don't blow your load all at once; will get you an excellent computer for $2.5k (which I would suggest you do by getting a more modest CPU, as any quad-core that you get will last a good long while, and the difference between the highest end CPU's like the one you listed, and the midrange ones are very very small when it comes to games, and also perhaps not going sli with this system unless you plan on playing on a big screen) and that will last a year or so, and then when that year comes, spend that extra $1k on the new equivalent to the 8800, and get THAT sli. Now with that upgrade that would push your system ahead strong for another year or year and a half, meaning that that same $3500 would last 2.5 years instead of 1.5/2 years.
I mean, don't get me wrong, the system you're planning on getting is excellent, the only thing that would probably need upgrading anytime soon would be the video cards, so either way it's going to be a good purchase. I'm just suggesting this because I think this way you could get more out of your money in the long run.
Then again, if your gf may take away your money later (whos money is being used to buy this, anyways?), then yeah, you're kinda out of options, heh.
But, moving away from my prior suggestion, if I may, I would suggest not spending so much on the CPU anyways, instead, get the very top end Graphics cards and get a cheaper quad-core CPU, as the CPU is not as important for gaming and won't need to be upgraded for a good long while regardless of the specific one you get, just so long as it's quad core.
Originally posted by BackFire
But, moving away from my prior suggestion, if I may, I would suggest not spending so much on the CPU anyways, instead, get the very top end Graphics cards and get a cheaper quad-core CPU, as the CPU is not as important for gaming and won't need to be upgraded for a good long while regardless of the specific one you get, just so long as it's quad core.
It's a good idea and I can see where your going. The CPU is where I was on the fence about. I dont know if I was going to go that route or not.
The future wife is pretty much paying for it with roughly about $800 from me. She makes the most out of both so she agreed to buy a new computer (considering thats pretty much all I do) and gave me an $3500 budget. The funny thing is that she does not want to hear anything about computer upgrades after I get it so she rather have me spend that $3500 than what you describe. It might sound strange to you but thats pretty much the just of it.
It's in the budget that we have and if I only spend $2500, she'll probalby just spend the rest of it on the wedding, or a new coach and chair. I know its strange, but that's how she is.
But its not a bad thing, if you had a person who told you can get a computer at $3500, you would get what I'm thinking of getting?
Oh ok, well if it's a gift from her, then yeah, I understand.
lol, and no it's definitely not a bad thing at all. It's awesome that she's buying you such an awesome computer.
As said, though, I think since it would primarily be a gaming computer, you should splurge on the video card department, rather than the CPU. You can still get a great quad-core CPU for less than half the price of the one you're planning on getting. The thing with those super high-end CPU's is the difference really doesn't justify the inflamed cost they carry, where as the very best GPU's kinda do, especially if you're going to go sli. Just something to consider.
It's going to be a last minute decision for that.
The high end videocard is the 8800 GTX, and Ultra and their still the powerhouses but are not a good buy now because the 8800 GT's, and 8800 GTS 512 are newer, support new features and are very close in performance that the price point is the sweet spot for performance. If you look at the charts, those two videocards are slightly less powerful. It also helps that the GTS 512 (most confusing name for a card considering there is lesser version called the 8800 GTS 640MB that perfroms alot less) is the first PCI Express 2.0 card.
It also doesnt help that the 8800 GTX, Ultra are the first generation cards while the 8800 GT's are the second generation and Nvidea hasnt released info on the successors of extreme high end cards. There is been talk that company might not release $700 cards and up because there midrange cards are so good and people rather buy those and not the highend.
Good points.
When exactly are you planning on buying this computer? Because Nvidia is supposed to be releasing their next high end cards within two months -- http://www.hardocp.com/article.html?art=MTQ0MCwsLGhlbnRodXNpYXN0
Originally posted by BackFire
Good points.When exactly are you planning on buying this computer? Because Nvidia is supposed to be releasing their next high end cards within two months -- http://www.hardocp.com/article.html?art=MTQ0MCwsLGhlbnRodXNpYXN0
Next week if all things go well. After reading that website, waiting for that would make sense but its not an essential. There basically shrinking it and they have a bit more performance but not what you would expect.
Thanks for the info anyways.
PC's a better for certain games, Just as are consoles.
For example, i can't imagine using a console for an RTS is remotely easy or comfortable. However i can't picutre using a PC for a beat-em up either.
Since i mostly play RTS, MMO and FPS, PC is much better for me 🙂 my puta has some good time left before i'll have to replace her:
Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 processor (2.4GHz, 1066MHz, 8MB cache)
2GB (2 x 1GB) DDR2 RAM 667MHz
500GB Serial ATA II 7200rpm hard drive
256MB NVIDIA GeForce 8600GTS graphics
So Backfire, I took your advice actually. I realized your right when it came down to the processor.
So my final system before I talk to the store and finalize it is....
Antex 900 Case - good fan support and its only 110.00
Intel q6600 processor
WD Raptor 150GB
WD 500GB 16MB - read reviews and a pretty decent second HD for only 90 something
4GB of OCZ DDR2 PC2-8500 Reaper Edition (might go to the lower one)
ASUS SKT.775 NVidia NF780i ATX (brand spanking new and supports high end RAM of the DDR2, PCI Express 2.0, and Triple SLI if the ever gets going, basically paid a bit more so its easier to upgrade later on, only complaint is that it doesnt support 1600mhz FSB for upcoming processors)
2x BGF 8800GT's overclocked editions
X-Fi Extreme Gamer
PC Power and Cooling Silencer 750 Quad power supply
and Windows Vista 64bit edition.
For a total of 2600 bucks, including tax. I think I did pretty well.
My only worry is getting the 64bit Vista but I know that sooner or later, most games will be using the 64bit edition and I know for a fact that Crysis runs better using that version.
PC Gamer did a edition about building a new computer and they used basically the same stuff and they got 51FPS at medium settings in Crysis at 1600x1200, while dropping the resolution to 1280x1024 got them 43 FPS at high settings. So I'm figuring with two videocards I will be able to get around 47 FPS at high using that resolution. That's damn good considering Crysis runs really smooth from what I heared.
I wouldn't worry about getting Vista x64. Its 32-bit emulation is good enough to run most current programs and, as you said, the industry will move towards 64-bit in the upcoming years.
Also, do you plan on overclocking your processor? If so, I'd recommend an aftermarket cooler.
And if you can wait a month or so, you might be able to get a brand new Q9300 Quad Core processor from Intel. Stock speed of 2.5GHz at comparable pricing to the Q6600. The biggest sell is probably the new 45nm manufacturing process, meaning that it's more efficient and will run cooler than the Q6600, which uses the 65nm process.