Upgrades

[Exhale]

How often is each component normally upgraded? I realize this can vary enormously between people, I guess what I'm really asking is when building my computer this summer, which parts are probably in for the long haul?

[birddog_61]

If you buy a good PSU it will probably last the longest, it really depends on what your going to be using it for and what components you buy on what will need to be upgraded first.

[David M]

All that can be done is to answer in generalizations since there are thousands of different types of computers out there.

In general, less can be upgraded with a factory built computer than with a custom built computer.

The older a computer is, the less worthwhile it is to sink money into it for an upgrade.

For most older computers pretty much the most common upgrades that might still be worth it is a RAM and hard drive upgrade and sometimes a graphics card upgrade.

It is never good to "Frankenstein" a computer meaning to try to force different parts of questionable compatibility from different generations to work together.

There is always a price to performance balance to take into consideration on whether to upgrade or to start from scratch. All too often with really old computers, people want to upgrade rather than doing the more cost effective thing which frequently is to start from scratch. It is easy to forget that throwing money into an old computer is short lived money that you will never see again.

All technology for a computer eventually changes. There is no saying when this is going to happen nor if these changes are going to make it impossible for older parts to be compatible.

There is no such thing as "future proof"...eventually the technology will change. There is only guessing at the longevity of what is available now.

Remember that a computer is only a tool for running software and storing information. Once a computer cannot run software that you need, or run it fast enough, then for you it is obsolete. It is impossible to predict when this will happen.

[Exhale]

Makes sense, on a related note, how long do you think the 1155 socket motherboard will be in widespread use? The advice to get an AMD processor is still haunting me, not to the point to where I will probably get one...I don't know i'm just thinking aloud. What do you think though?

[birddog_61]

From what I have read the 1155 socket is compatible with Ivy bridge that comes out at the end of the year. So you would be able to upgrade the cpu at least one die shrink, the board should remain relevant for a couple of years if that is the case.

[glc]

That also depends on your definition of "relevant". My extended family is still running all socket 775 rigs with no issues. We upgraded the last socket 478 rig last year, the poor old Northwood P4 was really showing its age.

[birddog_61]

Originally Posted by glc That also depends on your definition of "relevant". My extended family is still running all socket 775 rigs with no issues. We upgraded the last socket 478 rig last year, the poor old Northwood P4 was really showing its age.

HAHA I tried to generalize with what I see as normal users. I personally can't hold on to one that long, I usually rebuild every 1.5-2 years which means no sandy bridge for me, I will probably upgrade to an ivy bridge build next year sometime. I had a p4 before my current rig for about 2 years, I think that was probably my longest lasting build.

[David M]

Originally Posted by Exhale Makes sense, on a related note, how long do you think the 1155 socket motherboard will be in widespread use? The advice to get an AMD processor is still haunting me, not to the point to where I will probably get one...I don't know i'm just thinking aloud. What do you think though?

If you have the bucks then get the faster processor. There is no telling what the future holds more than about two years out. You might as well check the Book of Nostradamus if you want to know what will be happening beyond that.

In my opinion, I would not mess with any AMD CPU at this point with Sandy Bridge being available, unless all your budget can afford is a dirt cheap CPU. You can't let a guess about the future be the deciding factor.

[glc]

Even on a budget, the low end socket 1155 parts are starting to show up - H61 chipset boards are here and the Pentium-G will be here soon.

[rwest]

I'm in the enthusiastic budget bracket, And I upgrade when parts die. Sometimes its worth it, and of course - sometimes it's not. If you are buying quality parts, its almost garanteed you will never actually upgrade your machine. You just reuse the parts you can. The parts will most likely outlast thier usefulness. That's why most most techs will say just get the best you can afford at the time of purchase.

On the other hand - I've done some frankensteining in my day and can say these machines while serving their purpose at the time, usually do not extend the life of their usefulness to the degree a complete upgrade does.(ie a new machine)

My original P2 machine is still in my sister-in-laws basement playing old games on a Geforce2 card. It was a huge Frankenstein. I modified the HP case to fit a Standard atx board, and mocified the back panel. Eventually I eneded up putting it all back together except for the orginal hdd(which died), the upgraded processor and ram. The faster upgrades served their purpose, but when parts started failing again, none of the technology was compatable. I put it back as close to original as possible, and put it where it may find some use.

Upgrades to me are going to be done on a build that was put together six months to no more than 3 yeas ago. Basically if you decide to build and upgrade later, don't try to upgrade a machine that's much over 2 years old. If a part dies, replace it with a compatable part, that maybe transferable to a newer build.

The downside in trying to upgrade later(when you have more cash) is availablitly of new parts. The parts 'are' less expensive, but finding them, and geting one new in the box can be frustrating.