build now or wait for Sandy Bridge?

[beginner99]

Hi all,

lately I've been thinking about building a new rig. Would actually be by first. Obviously it's not very urgent would also be more kind of a project for fun. Can be rather expensive but of course my funds are not unlimited (eg. I sure won't buy a 1000$ + hex-core or a 800$ ssd).

Besides the basic stuff I run seti@home since like forever (started on a Pentium 200 mhz). Additionaly a little gaming but nothing to exiting but once StarCraft 2 will be available it should
run perfectly in any missions/mp-modes. I know, impossible to tell what will be needed for that. -> a reason to wait.


Currently I would consider going for a 32nm xeon.
SSD as OS drive (around 80 -120 GB) more because of price than needed space...
at least 1 TB hdd for data. (HD-stuff so a second one will be needed at a certain time)
Radeon 5850

Reasons to wait for sb:

- ssd are hopefully cheaper till then but this is a must. I rather save on cpu or ram
- on board SATA3 and USB3 (no additonal cards needed, more mature till then, more hardware available eg sata3 ssd's)
-avx (Where might that really help the most?)
- lower gpu prices because nvidia enters the game (unless the completley mess it up so no pressure on AMD to lower prices, 40nm process getting better)

Reasons not to wait:
-normally if you start waiting for new tech you will wait forever.
-waiting sucks

Will all SB non-xeons have an IGP? Because I would obviously not need it (unless you could completely switch of the gpu when not needed).

 

[Acanthus]

Sandy Bridge is still a ways off.

The 32nm Xeons launch very soon... It might be worthwhile to decide after you see how they clock / perform. I'm not expecting IPC to improve much as it's more or less a die shrink and cache bump. It looks like they will OC like crazy though.

 

[soccerballtux]

I really don't see any reason for SSDs, still. Harddrives are plenty fast with Windows' agressive caching.
Sata3 might be worth it, but the new AMD boards are coming out that have it.
USB3 meh
AVX would help with encoding

I don't see a big reason to wait.

 

[edplayer]

You don't mention what you are using now but if you are OK with your current setup, definitely wait.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

yes it depends on what you currently have

 

[Voo]

I really don't see any reason for SSDs, still. Harddrives are plenty fast with Windows' agressive caching.
Sata3 might be worth it,

Wait, what? You don't see any reason for a SSD, but recommend SATA3, which brings absolutely nothing without a SSD and even there is kinda useless?

Depends on your system, but I personally would wait for SB - consumer 32nm chips should be cheaper than the harvested xeons I assume.

 

[soccerballtux]

Wait, what? You don't see any reason for a SSD, but recommend SATA3, which brings absolutely nothing without a SSD and even there is kinda useless?

Depends on your system, but I personally would wait for SB - consumer 32nm chips should be cheaper than the harvested xeons I assume.

I'm talking like, 4 years in the future here. SSD then, not now. Then, it will be nice to sata3

 

[jaydee]

Don't know what you currently have now, but if SSD is your highest priority, then why don't you buy an SSD now for your current rig, then use it in a Sandy Bridge/Bulldozer build in Q1/Q2 of 2011?

 

[beginner99]

Don't know what you currently have now, but if SSD is your highest priority, then why don't you buy an SSD now for your current rig, then use it in a Sandy Bridge/Bulldozer build in Q1/Q2 of 2011?

It's an E4300 based from a rather large OEM in europe.

So 0 overclocking functionality, hardrive seems very loud. you know typical cheap stuff. "Inherited" it because had no time (and money) to build anyting at that time.

If I buy the ssd now I kind of loose the possible improvements available in early 2011.

Basically it's enough, but I don't even dare play any modern game cause I know it would not be fun. I actually still play Starcraft 1 quite alot. but no demanding games. (have something like a 8400GS don't really know just bad. Pretty sure worse than the new intel igp.

 

[IntelUser2000]

If you can really control yourself and buy Sandy Bridge by then, by all means do it! But if you are those people that keep delaying forever, don't. There will always be something on the horizon that looks amazing.

There will be some big improvements coming from both CPU camps in 2011. One camp's changes seem more than the other, but both are keeping the really important ones secret. Vector ISA changes withstanding, as those usually require a recompile to take advantage of.

 

[BD231]

If you buy now you won't care about next gen stuff so much, you're currently generations behind so now is as good a time as any to upgrade. Getting in on 32nm parts is a good aim, it's certainly my next step and I'm using a system that's current.

 

[KamiXkaze]

Just what everyone else has said unless your waiting for sandy bridge what is the point. You will wait forever for just the right stuff.

KxK