wondash

Here's my dilemma. I started to order parts for a new pc. In the past I've always gone the "most bang for the buck" route. This time I decided to go all out for the video card and cpu. I already ordered and received an ATI Radeon 9800xt (with free copy of Half Life 2). For the CPU I was planning on an AMD Athlon 64 3400+, which I have yet to order. Then I started reading up on PCI Express. Seems it will be here sooner than I realized. So what to do? I could return the video card (it's still in the wrapper), and wait 2 to 4 months for a PCI-E solution, or keep it and continue with my current plans. Any thoughts?

Redjake

That's an interesting predicament. What would I do? Well, since you have the Big Mother Hoo-Hah of CPUs, I would return the graphics card and settle for a 30 dollar card until the PCI Express solution is available. Then you would have a GOD OF GODS machine. That 9800XT will blow the socks off the competition in most cases, but if you want to seriously turn up the heat, I would wait for PCI-E. I'm not sure if ATI is going to go mainstream with PCI-E that soon though. I think NVIDIA is definitely getting their ass in gear though. I would wait for whichever is first.

If you are a hardcore gamer, and have to have your games, I would get a low-end card that can still haul some ass (Ti4200 or 9600 Pro, something along those lines) until you get your super hardware in.

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Vanquish

God no, Get an MSI Geforce FX5900VTD 128 and overclock it a bit. It beats out the 9800XT and is only $280 cdn....Cant go wrong. Then when the new NV40s come out, pick up one of them. I dont suggest waiting for PCI express cuz well, even though its a new tech, there not going to blow all cards out of the water for another few years, its just not smart business. AGP 8x will be a strong point for a while yet.

Lasereth

I'd keep the 9800XT. It'll play games incredibly well for the next two years easily. As of now, the only PCI-E videocards in development are revamps of the current GeForce FX cards and Radeon series cards. The clock speed is boosted, but it's essentially the same card. Performance WILL increase, but the price is going to as well. It would be the same as buying a 9800 Pro instead of an XT...both are great cards, and one is cheaper and offers almost as good performance (the Pro).

I'd keep the XT unless you feel like waiting. There aren't any hardcore release dates for the PCI-E cards yet, so it might be a good while before they come out...and even when they do, they're gonna be mega-bucks.

-Lasereth

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wondash

Thanks for the suggestions. I got a great deal on the 9800XT, plus it comes with a free copy of Half Life 2 (if it ever comes out), a game I would definitely drop $50 on. So if I'm going to stick with the AGP rig, I'll keep the video card. As for the upcoming PCI-E cards from NVidia, I believe they will be an AGP to PCI-E bridge solution. ATI has announced that it will support native PCI-E from the get-go, but who knows when that will be.

Redjake suggested a hold-over video card until PCI-E cards hit the market. Problem is, I'd also have to dump the mother board, power supply, and case (PCI-E mother boards use a new BTX form factor). Really, all that could carry over would be the cpu, and RAM. Hmmmmm, so many decisions.

ubertuber

In that case, it sounds like you should definitely plan on going with the PCI-E, if only to allow youto upgrade to the max in the future. No sense starting a machine out with technology that you already know won't be what you want in a couple of years.

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Wyodiver33

I'd wait a while on PCI Express. While I love new tech, I like to wait until they can work some bugs out.

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Lock~Down

I would get a system now(upgrade you're current one) and use that till about a month after PCI-E components and such are out. PCI-E motherboards and Videocards may have problems and bugs as wyodriver33 said. Just like Asus' A7N8X motherboard. Had problems so they were forced to release a revision. To save you from the hastle of going through that, just wait about a month before you pick anything up.

A reason for upgrading now is you never know when it will be out. Lets draw upon the example of HL2. We thought it was going to come out Sept. 30. Now about 5 months after the planned release date, it still isn't out. So that just shows you how much you shouldn't count on a release date.

Dragonlich

The downside with the PCI-Express route is that waiting for it is going to take forever. After all, when PCI-E is out, you'll simply *have* to wait for the BTX mobos and cases, and will *have* to wait for that new generation GPU, and that new 64-bit core stepping, and that, and that...

Just buy what you need, and you'll get a great computer. Wait a while, and you'll regret it anyway, no matter what you bought. It's the way of the computer.

wondash

If I buy now, I'm sure that I will personally accelerate the delivery of PCI-E to the market. If I wait, I'm sure that PCI-E will take longer to become available

But I am beginning to think along the same lines as Dragonlich. Buy now and be done with it!

Lasereth

Hey, I said to buy now too. PCI-E is just gonna be more expensive and have not too big of a performance increase this year. Buy it, and have a nice PC for a couple of years (in regards to gaming). In two or three years, upgrade to PCI-E (if it becomes mainstream as many are predicting).

-Lasereth

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"A Darwinian attacks his theory, seeking to find flaws. An ID believer defends his theory, seeking to conceal flaws." -Roger Ebert

wondash

I am beginning to think along the same lines as Lasereth. Buy now and be done with it!