To Buy Or Not to buy Now

[pcguideuser745]

With the upcoming release of Intel Bearlake, as well as Intel penryn processors...I was wondering if it would be a wise idea to upgrade now.

I was thinking of purchasing a 680i SLI board now, paired with a Q6600 processor. However, with Intel penryn set to release later this year, would it be worth it to wait? Should I get a cheap processor now to tide me over until it is released? Will intel penryn be compatible with 680i chipset (i know it is also using socket 775.)

thanks in advance for the advice.

[jlreich]

I always say unless it's coming out in the next 30 days don't play the waiting game. There is always something new coming out. Then the prices will be way too high and you might want to wait for the initial price to drop to something more reasonable. Before you know it a year has passed by and you might as well wait for the next big thing. :p

[saphalline]

I agree. With plans for 12MB L2 caches from both Intel and AMD by 2009, the waiting game is a constant nightmare. And support for Penryn in current chipsets? Ha! Not with Intel's track record! Not drop-in support, anyway.

The fact of the matter is that Intel holds the crown right now. That may change with AMD's next move, or it might not. But there's no denying the powerful draw that Intel currently has with their Core 2's and mature platforms. I usually find that the best time to buy is when Intel or AMD has released preliminary data on their next CPU's.

Besides, what do you have now? What could you be enjoying with a Q6600 between now and then? :cool: