Upgrade schedule - now, wait a bit?

[imported_Septimus]

Hi there,

Planning to redo my desktop within the next couple of months and am trying to get a handle on the current picture for motherboards & CPUs. Currently have a Q9450 with 8 gigs of DDR2 RAM on a Gigabyte EP45-UD3p board and a GTX 260. Desktop is used for development and gaming - mostly strategy and some sims (like FSX).

I have no particular loyalty to Intel or AMD - used AMD exclusively for many years but have been with Intel since Conroe.

The 'problem' (if this can really be called a problem) is that Intel's newest CPU right now is exclusively aimed at the high end, and while I have a good budget for this stuff, on principle I object to paying $900+ for a CPU like Gulltown.

Is the picture for the next several months basically Lynnfield or Bloomfield in the enthusiast market? Any idea whether the i5 or i7 lines are getting anything new before Sandy Bridge (and is Sandy Bridge still looking like Q1 2011?)

Thanks!
S

 

[Martimus]

Wait at least a week for the Thuban to be released, as it should drive down prices of the lower end i7's, and will be a pretty good processor itself.

 

[Rebel44]

I am in same situation and I decided to wait for Socket 2011 (Sandy Bridge CPUs wont use sockets 1156 and 1366 - they will be replaced by sockets 1155 and 2011). 3+Ghz C2Q is more than enough for current games.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Yeah, OP, get a 5850, and overclock that CPU. It should last you into 2011, when we get SB and BD.

 

[imported_Septimus]

Sounds good! I wasn't looking forward to buying all-new DDR3 RAM anyway, hopefully it'll be cheaper next year. Appreciate the input.

I am also building a machine for the fiancee -- a good middleweight and it'll inherit my GTX 260. Looks like AMD is the way to go for bang-for-your-buck if you're building a mainstream gaming system -- sound right?