Wait or buy as soon as I can?

[TechHelpNO]

Alright, guess it's my turn to ask a question...

I shall soon (end of this month) buy a used computer with a i5-2300 and a Sapphire HD 7870 for not too much. I will also work during the summer for a pretty well paying job and plan upgrade it enough so that i end up with a spare computer in the end (the used one). Here's the thing:

I plan to start out by upgrading to a 1080 Ti (one that i can watercool later on, not sure which one yet) and to a X99 based CPU, still unsure which one but i will probably go with a 6800K or a 6900K and if I get enough money I will go for a extreme edition processor later on.

Here is where i need your opinions: Should i buy the 1080 Ti or wait for Volta? And should I buy a 6900K (or 6800K) and further on upgrade to a 6950X or wait for the new X299 line-up?

More details about my future build and choices will be answered accordingly

 

[Barty1884]

If you continually wait for the newest X that's just around the corner, you'll never actually build anything.

If I were you, I'd reevaluate once you have the money available. If you're <30 days from the new launch of X, then it's probably not a bad idea to hold off & see how it's priced (or alternative 'prior gen' components can drop in price). If the new launch of X is still a ways away at the point you have the money, I wouldn;'t suggest holding out.

 

[TechHelpNO]

If you continually wait for the newest X that's just around the corner, you'll never actually build anything.

If I were you, I'd reevaluate once you have the money available. If you're <30 days from the new launch of X, then it's probably not a bad idea to hold off & see how it's priced (or alternative 'prior gen' components can drop in price). If the new launch of X is still a ways away at the point you have the money, I wouldn;'t suggest holding out.

Do you think that the new architectures and platforms will give a better performance prior to previous gen? Example: 980 Ti had approximately same performance as the Pascal 1060 and got crushed by the 1070?

 

[Barty1884]

It's really anybodies guess at this point.

"Better performance" vs current Gen today on GPUs, absolutely - that's just how new GPU generations work. Whether it's going to be as dramatic an improvement Pascal is a little tougher to judge.

From a CPU perspective, unless something changes dramatically, you'll see the same ~5% improvement gen over gen.

FWIW, a 1060 was roughly the same in performance as a 980 in most cases, not a TI.

 

[Solandri]

GPUs are the fastest-depreciating part of the computer. Here's the price history for the 1080 (non-Ti) which was released in 2016 (Ti was released this year).

https://camelcamelcamel.com/EVGA-GeForce-Support-Graphics-08G-P4-6286-KR/product/B01GAI64GO

In less than a year it's dropped from $680 to $530 (-22%).

I would buy the new system first, use it for a bit with your old GPU until you've saved up more money, then buy the new GPU last. If that means you're waiting for Volta, then so be it. If you do it the other way, the 1080Ti will probably lose $50-$100 in value by the time you get the new system.

 

[TechHelpNO]

GPUs are the fastest-depreciating part of the computer. Here's the price history for the 1080 (non-Ti) which was released in 2016 (Ti was released this year).

https://camelcamelcamel.com/EVGA-GeForce-Support-Graphics-08G-P4-6286-KR/product/B01GAI64GO

In less than a year it's dropped from $680 to $530 (-22%).

I would buy the new system first, use it for a bit with your old GPU until you've saved up more money, then buy the new GPU last. If that means you're waiting for Volta, then so be it. If you do it the other way, the 1080Ti will probably lose $50-$100 in value by the time you get the new system.

OK, then what is your opinion on the CPU part? Go for the X99 when I have the money or wait for the X299 or buy the X99 and upgrade to the X299 afterwards?