yeah it doesn't make too much sense to plan beyond three months in advance. Think back 3, 6, 10 months ago - what seemed astronomical back then (in terms of price and performance) is today's standard. By the time october rolls around, you might want a 500gb drive instead of 2x250s, etc. Also, by september, the x800xl might seem quite an old fashioned card.
Agreed, by the time you get it all some of it is going to be obsolete. Pointless putting old hardware into your system. Especially your core parts. The proc mobo and graphics card are going to be well behind the curve.
Agreed, by the time you get it all some of it is going to be obsolete. Pointless putting old hardware into your system. Especially your core parts. The proc mobo and graphics card are going to be well behind the curve.
The upside is you can quite likely save a bundle buying these parts used...
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LeonardoWake up and smell the glaciersEagle River, AlaskaIcrontian
edited February 2006
The upside is you can quite likely save a bundle buying these parts used...
Agreed, by the time you get it all some of it is going to be obsolete. Pointless putting old hardware into your system. Especially your core parts. The proc mobo and graphics card are going to be well behind the curve.
That doesn't particularly bother me since this is pretty much how I've done all my previous complete upgrades. I usually try to get the motherboard and processor as quickly as possible. And buying used parts, I don't really like that idea because you don't know how much life is left in them, or if they even work when you buy them.
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LeonardoWake up and smell the glaciersEagle River, AlaskaIcrontian
edited February 2006
I've got 99 trades documented on Heatware, and am now up to 8 on eBay. Dan, I've never received a DOA or lifespan-limited part - and that's everything from fans, to memory, to motherboards, to video cards. The only bad parts I've received have been new-in-box from reputable online retailers. I can understand your reticence against buying used, but would encourage you, or anyone else for that matter to rethink your options. Sure, there is an element of luck, but if the buyer and seller in a private deal both have a documented, solid trading history, the risk is really minimal.
I admire your discipline and planning in being able to put together systems over a long time span. That's commendable.
Personally I'd leave off buying the processor and CPU til last, it just makes more sense that way since they're the things that are likely to depreciate in value quickest... in my opinion if you're going to do this piecemeal buying it would make more sense to buy things that won't get obselete first then buy the motherboard etc... so I'd go for this order:
Monitor
Case
PSU
Drives (Optical then Hard drives)
Memory
Motherboard
CPU
Graphics card
You still won't be able to use any of the kit until you have all of it, but this way you'll either save money (as the parts further up the list get cheaper) or you'll end up with a faster rig at the end of it (as better parts become available).
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LeonardoWake up and smell the glaciersEagle River, AlaskaIcrontian
edited February 2006
Good idea, Deicist. Logical. Dan, Deicist has a sound plan. I would just make minor changes to your rankings of items that will hold their value and utility the most:
1. Case (good case is good for several generations/upgrades of a PC)
2. PSU (powerful, quality unit good for many future puter upgrades)
3. Monitor (only decrease in value gradually)
4. Drives (Optical then Hard drives) (stable in value until new tech, then nosdedive)
5. Memory (upgraders always looking for used memory - easiest upgrade of all, keeps value fairly well)
6. Graphics card (keeps value OK until new series, which is once or twice every year)
7. Motherboard (very few earn the status that keeps them in demand over a year)
8. CPU (fly-by-night market)
CPU
Things I see between these two:
Antec has smaller over voltage protection range (I suppose this is good)
Enermax has a wider input voltage range of 90-135v and 90-265v vs 115/230v for the Antec.
Enermax's overload protection is 110-160%, not stated for Antec
Enermax's input current is 40A@115v and 80A@235v vs 12A and 6A for Antec
Antec generally has higher Amps on output voltage:
Antec: +3.3V@32A, +5V@40A, 12V1@19A, +12V2@19A, -12V@1A, +5VSB@2A
Enermax: +3.3V@32A, +5V@32A, +12V1@18A, +12V2@18A, -12V@0.8A, +5VSB@2.5A
Enermax has longer MTBF of 100,000 hours vs Antecs 80,000 hours
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LeonardoWake up and smell the glaciersEagle River, AlaskaIcrontian
edited February 2006
Couple comments:
Make sure that as your calendar checkpoints approach for your scheduled purchases that you window shop both online and at local retail stores. You may find an alternative to one or more of your items, an alternative that may even be better and for less money than you've budgeted. For instance, CompUSA and BestBuy tend to have big monitor sales a couple times a year.
Concerning the PSU, do you use an UPS? The good quality ones have excellent line conditioning to guard against voltage spikes and dips. That would make some of the specifications of a PSU somewhat less important. But of course, you'd still want a PSU with solid voltage output rails.
Make sure that as your calendar checkpoints approach for your scheduled purchases that you window shop both online and at local retail stores. You may find an alternative to one or more of your items, an alternative that may even be better and for less money than you've budgeted. For instance, CompUSA and BestBuy tend to have big monitor sales a couple times a year.
Concerning the PSU, do you use an UPS? The good quality ones have excellent line conditioning to guard against voltage spikes and dips. That would make some of the specifications of a PSU somewhat less important. But of course, you'd still want a PSU with solid voltage output rails.
There is no CompUSA here, and BestBuy doesn't sell Viewsonic monitors for some odd reason. I have also an APC Back-UPS 500VA
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LeonardoWake up and smell the glaciersEagle River, AlaskaIcrontian
edited February 2006
Don't rule out Samsung. Both Samsung and Viewsonic make fine monitors in the mid-grade/mid-price range. One good thing about retail stores and monitors is that you can compare many models side by side. Usually the video signal running the monitors is garbage, not revealing the monitors' true capabilities, but you can still compare the monitors on a level playing field. BTW, if you ever get the opportunity, check out the Xerox XG-91D. I've got one. To my eyes, it outclasses every Viewsonic and Samsung I've seen. (But I haven't seen the ultra expensive professional models.)
Comments
their crossfire board is out if you are interested....
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813127230
also i have an x800xl and love it, but if i was to buy right now i would get an x800gto2 for cheaper...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102645
The upside is you can quite likely save a bundle buying these parts used...
That doesn't particularly bother me since this is pretty much how I've done all my previous complete upgrades. I usually try to get the motherboard and processor as quickly as possible. And buying used parts, I don't really like that idea because you don't know how much life is left in them, or if they even work when you buy them.
I admire your discipline and planning in being able to put together systems over a long time span. That's commendable.
Monitor
Case
PSU
Drives (Optical then Hard drives)
Memory
Motherboard
CPU
Graphics card
You still won't be able to use any of the kit until you have all of it, but this way you'll either save money (as the parts further up the list get cheaper) or you'll end up with a faster rig at the end of it (as better parts become available).
1. Case (good case is good for several generations/upgrades of a PC)
2. PSU (powerful, quality unit good for many future puter upgrades)
3. Monitor (only decrease in value gradually)
4. Drives (Optical then Hard drives) (stable in value until new tech, then nosdedive)
5. Memory (upgraders always looking for used memory - easiest upgrade of all, keeps value fairly well)
6. Graphics card (keeps value OK until new series, which is once or twice every year)
7. Motherboard (very few earn the status that keeps them in demand over a year)
8. CPU (fly-by-night market)
CPU
March 24th:
Antec Performance I P180 Silver Steel ATX Mid Tower
April 21st:
LiteOn DVD Burner w/Lightscribe and 5x DVD-RAM
Sony 16x DVD-ROM
ENERMAX Whisper II EG565P-VE FMA(24P) ATX12V 535W Power Supply
May 19th:
Viewsonic VX922 19" LCD
June 16th:
2x Maxtor 250GB SATA150
July 14th:
Patriot 2GB (2x1GB) DDR400-PC3200
August 11th:
PowerColor Radeon X800XL 256MB 16x PCI-E
September 8th:
AMD Athlon 64 3200+ Venice Core **Updated Link**
Thermaltake Big Typhoon CL-P0114 120mm HS&F
Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
October 20th:
ASUS A8N-E Socket 949 motherboard
Maxtor 80GB SATA150
Also, on Antec's website, they suggest that I should use one of their power supplies for the P180 case.
Here's a comparison between the 535W Enermax and a 550W Antec.
Enermax 535 vs Antec 550
Things I see between these two:
Antec has smaller over voltage protection range (I suppose this is good)
Enermax has a wider input voltage range of 90-135v and 90-265v vs 115/230v for the Antec.
Enermax's overload protection is 110-160%, not stated for Antec
Enermax's input current is 40A@115v and 80A@235v vs 12A and 6A for Antec
Antec generally has higher Amps on output voltage:
Antec: +3.3V@32A, +5V@40A, 12V1@19A, +12V2@19A, -12V@1A, +5VSB@2A
Enermax: +3.3V@32A, +5V@32A, +12V1@18A, +12V2@18A, -12V@0.8A, +5VSB@2.5A
Enermax has longer MTBF of 100,000 hours vs Antecs 80,000 hours
Make sure that as your calendar checkpoints approach for your scheduled purchases that you window shop both online and at local retail stores. You may find an alternative to one or more of your items, an alternative that may even be better and for less money than you've budgeted. For instance, CompUSA and BestBuy tend to have big monitor sales a couple times a year.
Concerning the PSU, do you use an UPS? The good quality ones have excellent line conditioning to guard against voltage spikes and dips. That would make some of the specifications of a PSU somewhat less important. But of course, you'd still want a PSU with solid voltage output rails.
There is no CompUSA here, and BestBuy doesn't sell Viewsonic monitors for some odd reason. I have also an APC Back-UPS 500VA