Buy now or wait even longer?

[DarkJediSleikas]

I want to upgrade to a good overclocking CPU and chipset. My Duron 700@950 is already old and gray. I don't want to spend a lot of money (ie not more than 200 bucks for the CPU and motherboard), but I want a CPU that will really overclock. I will probably get a water cooling setup for it in the future.

My question is the one plaguing every upgrader: Do I buy now, or wait? If I buy now, I would buy a 1700+ TBred A. Is this a decent overclocking CPU? If I wait, I would probably buy an 1800+ TBred B. When are those expected to come out?

TYIA for the advice.

 

[The Coolest]

If you want a $200 mobo + CPU combo right now, I think you won't go wrong w/ an XP1600+ or a Tbred 1700+ from newegg.
I would wait a bit tho, the nForce2 mobos are supposed to start poping up very soon. But I dunno and I don't know if the ETA on the Tbred B 1800+s is *un*known yet

 

[flixotide]

with puters you can always wait, and get more tomorrow... its a never-ending growth factor... so if I were you, I would ask myself "do I need to wait?"...

As I see it, you don't need to wait...

 

[The Coolest]

Yea, but this nForce2 board IS worth the extra wait because its a new generation board, it has much more advanced features that the KT400 boards don't have, and its not like every other month we see new chipsets, specially like the nForce2. If I were you I'd wait for the board, about the CPU, you can never go wrong getting a $50-$60 CPU which will get to 1800MHz minimum.

 

[Emericana]

wait 1 week more till the epox 8rda+ motherboard comes out (nforce2).

then get that with a Tbred A 1800+ as those have better steppings over the 1700+ (tbred 1800 has the newer AIUGA stepping and tbred 1700 has either RIRGA or the bad AIRGA stepping)

 

[Tipycol]

The Epox board is coming out in a week? Can't wait to see how it performs.

I'm sure you can wait for the Tbred B if you want to, the decision though is yours. There will always be something new the next month in the computer world. Right now, I'd probably wait in your case, since December is supposed to bring a lot of good things, but you have to ask yourself if you can wait that long.

 

[Emericana]

the thing w/ the Tbred B is that there will be no definite way to tell if you end up getting a 1800+ tbred B or tbred A as i would imagine the reseller would not put the two cpus in two different piles.

 

[DarkJediSleikas]

I probably should have waited but I couldn't resist . I bought a Thoroughbred 1800+ and a Gigabyte 7VAX (KT400). This motherboard has a lot of neat features (dual BIOS, overclocking, onboard LAN) for a very low price. I bought a Volcano 6Cu (not the + because that is too noisy) to hold me over until I get a water cooling setup built.

Thanks for all the advice.

 

[Tipycol]

Hey DarkJediSleikas, how fast is that board when booting up?

 

[DarkJediSleikas]

I just bought it yesterday, but I'll let you know when I get it

 

[Tipycol]

K Thanks

 

[palee72]

Just my 2 cents worth:

If you wait a few few months to upgrade, you are going to see what is on the horizon in a few more months, and want to wait again.. My theory.. when you got the itch, and the $$$, buy it. Because in 6 months the next best thing is going to be out and you'll kick want to do the whole thing all over again..

(I procrastinated and waited for the "next best thing" for about 2 years.. I finally upgraded from an AMD K6-2 350, to an athlon 2000xp+ (tell you how long I played the wait and see game? ) )

 

[DarkJediSleikas]

Just my 2 cents worth:

If you wait a few few months to upgrade, you are going to see what is on the horizon in a few more months, and want to wait again.. My theory.. when you got the itch, and the $$$, buy it. Because in 6 months the next best thing is going to be out and you'll kick want to do the whole thing all over again..

I agree for the most part. However, IMO, you should wait until there is a NEED to upgrade, not just a desire. You should ask yourself "Will I benefit from this upgrade?" Some more direct questions may be "Will I notice an increase in performance?" or "What can this [computer part (e.g. CPU)] that mine can't?"

Also, you should make sure that the parts you're buying are of decent quality. Read reviews, ask what others think or, preferably, have experienced with the product.

But you're right that playing the waiting game will only leave you with a K62-350 will everyone else is cruising along with their XP 2400+'s.