Should I wait or not?

[Agentdeath]

1. What is your budget and does that include shipping/taxes?

1200$ Preferably less and including shipping +taxes

2. Where do you live?

Connecticut, United States

3. What do you need this computer to do:

High end gaming top of the line graphics while running fraps at full speed (something like crysis 2 level for graphical reference) and then some minor video editing, other then that just web browsing

4. What parts will you need for the computer?

Tower and all of its contents

5. Are you reusing any parts for this computer?

Starting a new. I have a 2007 dell dual core pro but I don't know enough about computers to salvage anything to begin with

6. What kind of monitor/resolution do you have or want to get to use for the computer?

I currently have one 23inch wide screen and a 24inch touch screen I run the highest resolution i can

7. Do you have a legit OS?

Windows whichever you recommend personally i don't even know the difference.

8. What are you looking for the motherboard to have feature wise?

I want it to be fast and not choke if i have multiple applications open... If that helps. Also preferably a start up that doesn't take 5 mins lol

9. Any plans to overclock the CPU or GPU?

No idea how to in the first place.

10. What time kind of time frame are you planning on ordering these parts?

The main subject of my topic. I've specifically saved well more than enough money for however long and I've always said if they came out with Planetside 2 that I'd get a brand spankin new PC. Considering there is some time and according to a bunch of other threads in this forum i was wondering whether there will be good prices between now and Xmas. Or if the next however many months that waiting will be the better option with tech constantly coming out and simply buying just before PSN releases for the best stuff.

I don't know much about computers other than basic knowledge. I could probably assemble one given the time and off general instructions. All I know is that any time I play with an Alien computer building program it usually runs somewhere up to 2.3-3k and a hell of a monthly bill which is why I've been resisting that for quite some time.

I like the idea of a glowing and or clear case computer but I'm smart enough to know I'D rather have a much better cooling system internally and a quiet machine above visuals details.

[Goku]

By waiting do you mean buying components that are on sale over the next month or waiting for Ivy Brdige (Intel's next CPU) and next gen GPUs? Do you play games currently on your laptop? If so how well do those games run?

[Agentdeath]

Currently I have 2 computers i use for basic web browsing. My older before mentioned PC I played games like Company of Heroes, League of legends, Borderlands, TF2, ect... I put in a sound card, a Nvidia graphics card. Its a dual core processor running on windows vista. but anyone one game essentially locked down the PC for processing power.

The other PC isn't mine to customize.

[Goku]

Sorry I got you confused with other poster who has a laptop.

What I was getting at is the system good enough for you to wait for the real next gen components or do you want to buy now? That is what I am getting at. Its your call if you want to wait. There is always something better around the corner is all. With your current system I would probably just grab something now. Go with EVGA with their 90 day step up plan for a new video card in case something new comes out. You will have some security that way. Ivy Bridge isn't going to be ground breaking when it comes out, so a 2400 or 2500K will suite you just fine.

[Agentdeath]

I most definitely can wait. I can run everything and even next gen games on what I have. Simply put I was looking to buy a new pc when Planetside comes out and wasn't sure if I should jump on Xmas deals or simply shell out a little more for things that will be even better by the time Planetside 2 comes out. Thank you for your time btw.

[Traak]

I would wait until the day after PS2 comes out, then see how things are.

They will be cheaper and faster than they are today, most likely.

[Vancha]

Aye. I'd say the time just after all the companies bring out their custom cooler GPUs is the best time to upgrade, but if you're happy waiting until PS2's released, then you might as well.

[Goku]

Nothing that I have seen yet has screamed BUY ME on computer deals. The better deals I have seen where a $100 AR 6850 and $150 2500K @ Micro Center. There hasn't been anything good on higher end video cards or good motherboards as of yet. If your current system is fine for you then you are best of waiting for PS2 anyway or when new stuff comes out 2-4 months from now.

[Traak]

How about buying latest stuff, then selling it when better stuff comes out, and so on, so you never actually pay full price to stay up to date?

[Bags]

Nothing that I have seen yet has screamed BUY ME on computer deals. The better deals I have seen where a $100 AR 6850 and $150 2500K @ Micro Center. There hasn't been anything good on higher end video cards or good motherboards as of yet. If your current system is fine for you then you are best of waiting for PS2 anyway or when new stuff comes out 2-4 months from now.

Microcenter is still doing $180 2500k and a $60 off combo if ubuy it with a mobo.

[Goku]

Indeed. That has been going since earlier this year actually.

[Chaff]

Below is the Summary of an Anandtech review of a Puget Gaming rig (http://www.anandtech.com/show/5148/puget-systems-deluge-revisiting-the-art-of-custom-with-x79)
with a Retail price around $7,200. I thought some of the feedback on the Sand Bridge-E was interesting to many here waiting to build a new PS2 rig, or upgrade part(s) of their old one.

Conclusion: Too Much in Every Way

I've spoken with a couple of boutiques about Sandy Bridge-E and the general consensus is a feeling of being underwhelmed. Gulftown this isn't; when Gulftown came out there was a very clear reason to go for it, but Sandy Bridge-E has a harder time making a case for itself when good old fashioned 95W Sandy Bridge has been getting the job done and done well for almost a year now. It's also clear that Sandy Bridge never really suffered in multi-GPU rigs from low bandwidth as a result of splitting the PCI Express 2.0 x16 lanes. I even had one boutique cancel on sending me a Sandy Bridge-E rig in favor of one with an i7-2700K, and that one's due in house soon. I don't blame them.

The fact is, a hex-core processor is overkill for gaming. The system we have on hand from Puget Systems is clearly able to do far more, and would probably rule the school at some heavy duty tasks, but video editors are likely going to want a RAIDed storage system and potentially a Quadro or FireGL GPU, and that takes the Deluge, at least in this configuration, out of contention. Bottom line: the Deluge L2, based on Sandy Bridge-E, is grossly overpriced and the final performance fails to impress. That's before we even take into account the fixed voltage overclock that causes it to put off an uncomfortable amount of heat. It's a beautiful build with a beautiful liquid-cooling system, but I have a very hard time justifying its existence.

Puget Systems does offer a Deluge A2 based on mainstream Sandy Bridge, but you sacrifice the fancy custom liquid-cooling that tags the video cards in favor of a single closed loop CPU cooler: more than a little disappointing. On the flipside, though, the stock Deluge A2 starts $2,000 under the L2, and when you configure it into a fairly comparable build, it winds up being nearly $3,000 less. That's not an insignificant difference. You lose the multi-threaded performance that benefits from having six cores, but it's not like any gamers have been crying that a 4GHz+ i7-2600K isn't enough.

Unfortunately, as we noted in our launch article, we think Sandy Bridge-E is more or less a bust for the majority of enthusiasts. If you need the performance a hex-core CPU can offer, there's a good chance you're already running Gulftown anyway, in which case SNB-E doesn't offer a huge upgrade. There are also several areas where the platform as a whole feels rushed (e.g. NVIDIA's Surround Gaming not working, the chipset lacking native support for USB 3.0, and only a coulple native SATA 6.0Gbps ports). As such, the Puget Deluge L2 winds up being a "more money than sense" kind of investment. While I would happily continue to recommend Puget Systems as a boutique and the build quality here is stellar, this Deluge is so far beyond the pale and so excessive in its configuration that I can't in good conscience recommend it.

This article just made me want to stick with the 2600K even more. I hope if I wait a few more months that my overall system price drops another hundred or two.

My guess is that the 2400K-2700K will do great for all or most of 2012 and maybe longer. Seems like GEN3 MB are not going to be clearly sorted out until Spring or Summer. Not sure where the overall gaming market is, but it seems like any HUGE jump that is well synchronized between MB, GPU, and CPU will be after next Summer.

Any semi-accurate estimates on PS2 release date ? I think I'll pass on a Holiday purchase. I guess waiting until post-beta might be most prudent decision.

[Plainside]

How about buying latest stuff, then selling it when better stuff comes out, and so on, so you never actually pay full price to stay up to date?

I will go for this piece of advice if I were you.

[Infektion]

Personally... I don't think waiting for IVY league anymore is that much of a concern... yes, they are making the die smaller, yes it will use less power, yes the multiplier is increased... but honestly... for gaming, the 2500k is still going to be the best bang for buck. You could wait, but I DOUBT it will get cheaper, if anything, microcenter has them for about 180, which is 30$ cheaper than newegg.

[inigma]

I'm in the same relative boat: should I buy the holiday sales or wait for p2 to be beta?

I think I'm going to wait to look until word of a beta gets out (of course I'd buy a new system in a heartbeat if i got on the beta itself!).

I need something to replace my aging pentium 4 1GB year 2002 computer (which I played Planetside with for years). I'm amazed its lasted this long (although the most recent game I have for it is Civ 4) as a workable machine.

Getting any LGA 1155 mobo with PCIe 3.0 is unnecessary for an I7 2600k as the mobo is looking for a Sandy Bridge E cpu to do its PCIe 3.0 dance and that's something that the 2600k will never be able to do. Yet getting a hexacore to match doesn't make sense right now due to the massive jump in price vs moderate performance gain. Also GPUs are still a little on the pricy side, and I want the evga gtx 580, but not for $500 and certainly not when there is no hint of a release date for p2 beta or beyond as in three months the price can drop by a fifth or more with new gpus out.

And seeing as how the GPU is probably the most expensive component in a computer by far today, then at least for the GPU sake waiting to hear of a p2 beta date before buying parts for a new build seems like the best option. It is entirely possible that the gtx 580 will be the gold standard for p2 developers for at least the first year or more of game play with a second in SLI being a reasonable response to increasing graphics demand perhaps 2-3 years down the road.

So yes, I am waiting. I will clunk along with my pentium 4 1GB 350GB HDD until then. After all, when p2 comes out and I finally get my build to match its top reqs... I think I'll cry - of course AFTER I take down a few tramps (zerg) and smurfs in my VS sights.

[Traak]

What will be more fun than saving your dosh for that new, high-zoot rig that keeps falling in price and increasing in capability every day that you wait?

Then, when PS2 finally does arrive, it will be time to pull the trigger and go ahead and buy the parts and build one.

Meanwhile, you can make use of your time waiting to research the capabilities of every possible component, make a priority list based on what costs what, and be ready for the day.

I was shopping in earnest for a laptop, the Asus G74, until I found that MSI now has laptops of the same size with GTX 580M GPU's instead of the two-steps-down GTX 560M that the Asus offers. The GTX 580M GPU is about 62 percent faster than the 560, which is like two 560s in SLI, without the huge jump in power utilization.

My gaming laptops thread tells all.

Now I'm determined to just wait until the NEW GPU's come out.