When is the best time to build a computer(bang for buck)?

[OTSS]

I am going to build my computer some time before summer. Should I wait for new 45nm quad cores from intel or should I just get a q6600 right now? Also is there a time frame when prices usually drop. I am building a higher end PC. I make $1500/week but I am putting $1000/week towards my 18000 debt. I then have $2000 left over for rent bills and food. I also sometimes get $200 bonuses once or twice a month. My girlfriend makes $1000/month going to school so I should have some money left over to build my computer piece by piece. I want to know if there is a time when prices are so good that I should just drop my whole weeks pay and buy the majority of the parts.

 

[CompMan]

TBH with you, there is no BEST time because new stuff always comes out..
You could wait till all the new 45nm quad cores come out from intel, and the 9 series from nvidia.

But don't think for one minute that a week later they are going to be talking about something else coming out.

 

[dude_56013]

usually, and i say usually very lightly here, things adjust when the quarterly figures come for intel and amd...when i say adjust i don't mean price drop..could be, couldn't be..depends on their figures I would say.....because when they release the new core 2 duos,intel that is, the prices for the old actually went up..like the 6420 used to be $18X, and now it is $19X....so just kind of watch trends...

 

[A True Folder]

another usually, when new technology is released the older tech will reduce in price e.g. When the spiritual successor to the Q6600, the Q9650 (not to be confused with the QX9650) is released in Q3 2008 then you should see a price drop for the Q6600 as demand is reduced by people shifting to the 45nm architecture enmass as happened with the Q6600.

imo the Q9650 will be as popular (if not more so) than the Q6600 given that the 9650 runs at 3.0 GHz, has a 1333 MHz FSB and 12 MB of L2 cache for a projected price of ~$US500 compared to the QX9650's ~$US1000

just my two cents worth

Gives you longer to save up too and who knows what new m/boards will be released in the next six months.

I guess the main factors are whether you want "cutting edge" and are willing to pay the price or buy "one step behind" and pay a possibly reduced price

 

[Bobert93]

congrats on 1k true folder

 

[OTSS]

Here is my entire build.

http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX14869(ME).aspx
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX18785(ME).aspx
http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=10100BD0453&vpn=IP35-PRO&manufacture=ABIT
http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=12200BD3212&vpn=BX80562Q6600&manufacture=INTEL
http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=14650AC5097&vpn=ULTRA-120-EXTREME&manufacture=THERMALRIGHT
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX19846(ME).aspx
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX19945(ME).aspx
http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=11220BD3354&vpn=70SB046A00003&manufacture=CREATIVE LABS
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX19364(ME).aspx
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX19669(ME).aspx
http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=15800SW5866&vpn=66I-00788&manufacture=MICROSOFT
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX17409(ME).aspx
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX18922(ME).aspx


On top of that I already have a gaming mouse, Zalman VGA Fan, and Logitech Z-5500 speakers

I will probably also get 2 sets of that RAM for 4GB total. I will probably end up changing the Video card if the Nvidia 9 series comes out, and probably get a northbridge cooler.

Also quick question, does vista stream movies and music on my xbox360 from the drive the operating system is on, or can it stream from a secondary drive as well? Because currently Windows Media 11 only stream off of my C: drive(OS runs off C, and my C: drive is only 100GB but my secondary drive is 500GB. Well here is the main problem, I want to get a raptor drive for OS but it will only be 160GB when my secondary would be 750GB(containing all my music and movies), and in that setup I can't stream anything to my xbox360