NEW RIG - Please Comment!

[Kirandir]

I am a newbie so I am not sure what to buy. However, after quite a bit of research I put together the following system:


CPU
AMD Athlon 64 3200+ Processor Socket 754 Retail *** Free 2nd Day ***
w/Fan and Heatsink, 3 Years Manufacturer Warranty (FREE 10-pack 48X CD-R Media)
$212 (August 7, 2004 - Zipzoomfly)
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=80701-R

MOBO
EPoX "EP-8KDA3J" nForce3-250Gb Chipset Motherboard for AMD Socket 754 CPU -RETAIL
$99 (August 7, 2004 - Newegg)
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=13-123-219&depa=0&manufactory=BROWSE

MEMORY
Corsair VS512MB400C3 512MB DDR400 PC3200 CAS3 Value Select Memory Retail *** Free 2nd Day ***
$78.5 x 2 (August 7, 2004 - Zipzoomfly)
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=20-145-479&depa=0&manufactory=BROWSE

CASE
Lian Li Aluminum Silver Mid-Tower Case, Model "PC-60" –RETAIL
$96 (August 7, 2004 - Newegg)
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=11-112-022&depa=0&manufactory=BROWSE

POWER
Antec 430W Power Supply, Model "TRUE430" –RETAIL
$65 (August 7, 2004 - Newegg)
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=17-103-908&depa=0&manufactory=BROWSE

VIDCARD
ATI RADEON 9800PRO Video Card, 128MB DDR, 256-bit, DVI/TV-Out, 8X AGP -RETAIL
$223 (August 7, 2004 - Newegg)
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=14-102-286&depa=0&manufactory=BROWSE

TOTAL DAMAGE: $629 (without vidcard)

I am going to buy this in 4 months and by then hopefully the total will come close to $500, you think? Thanks for your comments.

 

[Cybercraig]

I bought my 2.8C in February for $178.00US. How much would I have saved if I bought today instead of then? Get the picture?

Abit IS7 - 2.8C @ 3.5ghz - Mushkin PC4000 (2 X 512) - Sapphire 9800Pro - TT 420 watt Pure Power
Samsung 120gb ATA-100 - Maxtor 40gb ATA - 100
Sony DRU-510A - Yellowtail Merlot

 

[ksoth]

If you are going to wait a few months, you should probably go with a Radeon X800 or GeForce 6800 video card. You'll notice the difference when playing the next gen games.

--
"There's more to life than profits."
<font color=red>"Like what?"</font color=red>
"Like, you know, Slurpees and stuff."
<A HREF="http://images.southparkstudios.com/media/video/707/slurpees.mov" target="_new">South Park</A>

 

[endyen]

Prices may even go up between now and then. This is the slow season, 4 months will be pre-xmas rush.

 

[Kirandir]

Heh yes slow season but the cpu, vidcard, and mobo should always go down no?

 

[Spitfire_x86]

Not much. I would be surprised if this combo costs less than $575-600 after 4 months

------------
<A HREF="http://geocities.com/spitfire_x86" target="_new">My Website</A>

<A HREF="http://geocities.com/spitfire_x86/myrig.html" target="_new">My Rig</A> & <A HREF="http://geocities.com/spitfire_x86/benchmark.html" target="_new">3DMark score</A>

 

[endyen]

The cpu may go up depending on what Intel does. The video card is cycling out, so it will go up a bit before it's done. The price of ram usually goes up about now, but no guaranties. The mobo is too cheap and new to go anywhere.
By the way, my crystal ball came with a 2 week warranty, 4 years ago. It's never worked very well.

 

[dhlucke]

If you have the money buy it now. It's not worth it to wait four months for a possible savings of $50.

Memory is dirt cheap right now. It could double. I'm of course speculating but prices now are very reasonable and during the holidays I don't see them dropping. People buy now because they want to, they buy then because they have to.

</font color=red><i><font color=red>GOD</font color=red> <font color=blue>BLESS </font color=blue><font color=red>AMERICA

 

[Kirandir]

Actually I was just hoping for prices to drop, but my reason for buying later have nothing to do with prices.

I am finishing up my Ph.D. so I really don't have the time to sit down and build this thing. This is my first time building so it should take at least a weekend no? I am an engineer so maybe that will help, lol!

Besides I don't have much money right now.

 

[HardWareBoss]

Wait till you have the time and money then buy.

 

[Obtuse]

That proc just had a major price drop. I don't see your other components getting much cheaper. I'd say buy them when you have the money and the time to build.

"It's too late now anyway. That song is stuck in my head and the only way to get rid of it is to blow it out. With a bullet!! - Carl

 

[El_Jefe_77]

AMD chips fall quite evenly in price, but in stages. Intel's kinda fall fast, then rott at a certain price.

The only 2 components that will get noticably cheaper on your system is the 128 meg non-AIWonder version of your graphix card, and the mobo. Mobo's drop 30 bux in a flash of an eye, until they hit the 60 dollar wall. The x800 card is a waste of money. Not just a little, but like, a serious waste of money. Its really not a technology leap, it is a faster card, and the bus is different, but its not really utilized yet.... and when it is... it will be worth 200 dollars less. Depressing eh?

I agree with everyone else in that prices on snazy items like 3200+ chips (things that are used by HP/E-machine/compaq) will probably not drop much, as people will shell out the cash regardless from now till January.

I'm a part time salesman for technology at a Circuit City in nycity. All the higher end items are not dropping at all because of the parents buying their freshman kids computers and then Christmas presents.