Best time to upgrade?

[Toothy1911]

I currently have an 8800gt. So I'm overdue an update. I just dont know whether to grab something like a 6870 now. Or wait a month or two... I've heard people saying new cards will come out around October in line with games like BF3 and Skyrim. So hopefully there will be some good deals. On a budget of £100-150

 

[SPG]

Wait a while i think, BF3 will catch many people for the upgrade bug, hopefully after that new cards will be around and prices of the 5 series from Nvidea will come down. Dont know about ATI these days but i guess there cards will come down as well.

 

[gwobbles]

theres currently no telling when the new cards will come out, all dates are just people's speculations (and hopes).

The best would be hanging on for a little bit longer, if you cant then get a 460/ 6850 for now then get the next gen cards or xfire/ sli later if you really need the grunt.

 

[PsychoPigeon]

yea wait till october/november, im in the same boat as you and waiting for the cards to come down

 

[CSA]

as said , wait till the new raft of cards are released and then buy,you should get more card for your money

 

[Tediore]

Buy used?

I'm not expecting Kepler before next year, so I bought a used, 3 month old MSI Twin Frozr II from the member's market. A lot cheaper than new, so I should lose less if I ever decide to sell it, although it should be more than capable for the next couple of years. Longer if console - PC crossovers become more common.

 

[Toothy1911]

Thanks for all the advice guys I'll wait it out then

 

[drunkenmaster]

theres currently no telling when the new cards will come out, all dates are just people's speculations (and hopes).

The best would be hanging on for a little bit longer, if you cant then get a 460/ 6850 for now then get the next gen cards or xfire/ sli later if you really need the grunt.

They're in the oven as we speak, that gives a finite date on the time they are finished, the only thing we don't know is, yields, how many they'll get off the line when they start coming off the line, and how many they want to stock pile for release. IE will they get 100k out a week, and only need 100k to launch, or are they getting 10k a week, and want 200k to launch, which changes the date from first off the line to release pretty dramatically.

AFAIk we know SI are in the ovens, and Kepler isn't but is supposed to be before the year ends, which pretty much means 2-3 months extra before Nvidia cards over AMD. Which part of SI is in the oven, another good question, as AMD have confirmed before that they have working GNC cards, and GNC cards will be available to buy this year, with most leaks suggesting low end are based on VLIW 4, and midrange/high end are GNC, it should be at least the midrange..... which means 7850, which means 6970 performance for a lower price point.

I'd wait, worst case, midrange that matches current gen and lowers price will almost certainly be available in the next two months, best case, the high end comes out and gives us 70-80% better performance for the same cost..... either way 560gtx-590gtx and 6850-6990 will all drop in price.

AS Tediore said and as I've recommended for a month or two, you'll lose a LOT less in depreciation on a good second hand card than any higher end new gen card. So if you have to buy now, second hand is a great option, a 4870-5850/260-470gtx should all be pretty damn cheap second hand, and inbetween way faster and OMFG faster than a 8800gt. Get one now, wait till the new Nvidia cards if you want, or new AMD, or both and get something like a 570gtx with EOL pricing, you can't lose really.