Good time to build?

[Zen]

Hey everyone,

I built a rig 1.5 years ago and have recentley donated it to my family. As of then I haven't been following the trends in the market or keeping up to date with new hardware.

My question is this:
Is this a good time to build? I realize technology is perpetually advancing, but are there any big advances being planned in the near future with Intel or AMD...?

If the answer to the first question is Yes, any advice as to where I should start looking? I'm willing to spend up at around $1500 - will this get me a high-powered rig?

[Cricket]

Originally Posted by Zen My question is this: Is this a good time to build?

Anytime is a good time to build if you need a computer.

Originally Posted by Zen I realize technology is perpetually advancing, but are there any big advances being planned in the near future with Intel or AMD...?

There are always new things just around the corner.

Originally Posted by Zen If the answer to the first question is Yes, any advice as to where I should start looking?

What do you mean?

Originally Posted by Zen I'm willing to spend up at around $1500 - will this get me a high-powered rig?

Yes, that will get you a pretty high-powered rig.

What will you be using the computer for most of the time?

AMD or INTEL?

Cricket

[myrgo_31]

Originally Posted by Zen If the answer to the first question is Yes, any advice as to where I should start looking? I'm willing to spend up at around $1500 - will this get me a high-powered rig?

yea it should. including the monitor, it would acually get you a reallly good comp:

3700+ San Diego
250-300 GB HD space with SATA
7800 GT or GTX (GTX if you drop to a 3500+)
1 GB of RAM is sufficient, but if its a problem, its not that much for an extra GB.
550 watt SLI Antec Truepower PSU

just as ideas. as always you can change things around

[Zen]

Originally Posted by Cricket Anytime is a good time to build if you need a computer.

Yeah, but I can wait a few months if newer (greater) things are just around the corner. I wouldn't mind waiting if it's worth the pay off.

The rig will be used for general browsing/word processing along with gaming.

I do NOT need a monitor. The 1500 is purely for the rig.

Also: I'm not sure if I want AMD or Intel. It doesn't matter to me - whichever will let you have the better componenets for the best prices.

[myrgo_31]

well, ive had that same problem, contemplating between intel and AMD:

both will make very good computers. AMD does have a slight, but im sure unnoticeable edge in gaming.

Intel has a slight, and once again, unnoticeable edge in office apps.

It is purely personal preference. I have always used Intel, but im gonna try out AMD. Some people like Intel, some like AMD. If your going for AMD and not doing a lot of multi-tasking, get the 3700+... and is best bang for the buck right now.

If you decide to go Intel, get either the 3.0 or 3.2. Those are good price and offer pretty good performance too.

As far as new tech coming out, the FX-60 will be released Jan. 10, but that will be your entire budget alone, is spending that much on the CPU alone. M2, another socket type for AMD is gonna be released sometime in 2006, not sure which date specifically.

It pretty much boils down to what you like. Either will work really good, but AMD is a bit cheaper.

[peekaboo]

aren't both amd and intel about to introduce 65nm cpus?
shouldn't that cause a drop in price for all existing 90nm cpus?
isn't intel coming out with their new "yona" dual core cpu which is much cheaper than amd, which will probably force amd to either lower prices or come out with something new, or both?

[blue60007]

Originally Posted by peekaboo aren't both amd and intel about to introduce 65nm cpus?

Yes, I believe so. I know that Intel is going to announce a new laptop core first ("Yonah"?) and then a new one for desktops.

Originally Posted by peekaboo shouldn't that cause a drop in price for all existing 90nm cpus?

Possibly for a short while. Once everyone starts going to the 65mm cores, the 90nm might drop in prices shortly, but once production is cut back on those, the prices would go up a little over the similar 65nm counterparts. The price probably wouldn't rise, but it wouldn't drop as fast as the 65nm cores will.

[glc]

Browse threads in the BYOPC forum for build ideas. 1500 bucks will get you a powerhouse, you can build a very serviceable computer for less. I'm a believer in buying components at the "sweet spot", not top of the line. Gains are minimal for the extra expense and you can selectively upgrade later, again at the "sweet spot".

The "sweet spot" right now for processors is the A64 3700+ San Diego and the P4-630 (yes, less powerful but cheaper) unless you want to get into dual core. There, the "sweet spot" is the A64 x2 3800+ and the Pentium D 820 (same thing, less powerful but cheaper).

For general use *and* gaming, faster processors won't really give you performance increases noticeable enough to make it worth the extra expense. I'd spend the money on more ram (2gb is not unreasonable today) and for gaming, a higher end video card. Large fast hard drives are very possible in that budget range - 250gb SATA II drives are pretty cheap and are the "sweet spot" in the hard drive world. Spend what you want, but the above suggestions are going to give you the most "bang for the buck" in my opinion. The 2 items I will not skimp on and insist on top quality are the motherboard and power supply, they have the biggest effect on stability and reliability of anything in the computer. Quality ram is also important - quality *brand*, not necessarily higher specs, I use value grade ram almost exclusively from quality manufacturers such as Corsair.