Buying it one bit at a time - any advice

Eyam

Eyam

Eyam

Associate
Joined
16 Jul 2011
Posts
30
Hi all,

It's time I reckon to replace my 2.13ghz core 2 with a new build, & I know there's no way I'll save up enough to do it in one go, though that's doubtless better.

So, the plan is buy one component a month, since at least that way I'll be motivated by the site of the growing beastie.

I reckon the order to do it in is :

case (so I have something to put the bits in!)
PSU
Blu-ray reader/writer, card reader
Hard Drives
Memory
Cooler
CPU/Mboard (will possibly get a bundle from here)
Graphics card
SSD

(I already have spare copy of Win7, never upgraded my current PC, & monitor, k/board/mouse).

With luck, & avoidance of blu rays from Amazon, this will take me 6 months.

Taking into account how the components evolve & prices go up & down, is that pretty much the right buying order?

Other than "just save up & buy it all at once" :), does anyone have any advice on doing this?
 
Brrr bad plan I'm afraid.

Can't help you with that strategy, other than telling you to save money every month instead of buying every month.

And once you have a budget you are satisfied with, buy. At least a functional computer. You can get SSD, CPU cooler, and non essentials later, but you need a budget or price-range to start with.
 
You got a spec in mind?

I'd put bluray reader / card reader last, it isn't needed.
Put memory higher up, if you see a deal like the kingston grey that was on recently snap it up, or in general its quite cheap now.
Put cooler lower down, get a retail CPU and use the stock cooler at stock settings for a while.

If you don't have a clear spec in mind maybe move the PSU down a bit so you have a better understanding of what youll need and dont need?

My order would be something like:
Case
Memory
HDD
Motherboard
CPU (leaving it as long as possible for ivybridge reviews / price stabilization etc)
Graphics { feel free to put this below psu if you know what card you want, could allow a price drop]
PSU (At this point the pc is a usable gaming machine if gpu is above)
Cooler [ increase performance]
SSD [ Increase performance ]
Blu-ray reader
 
Can you post your current spec, including Psu(make, model and wattage) and hdd/dvd(sata). Also what case do you have. You could upgrade your pc and then leave cpu, mobo and ram til last.
 
Thanks all. The current PC is almost 7 years old, PSU is a 430W unit that came with the Antec case I think, so probably Antec. It's an ASUS P5LD2 m/b, core 2 duo 2.13Ghz 6400.

The only bit in there that's worth keeping in the new build is a 1.5TB HD, a Samsung F2 Spinpoint, I added about a year ago, I reckon.

The spec I'm looking at is a HAF X case (like the look of the black one, plus all accounts say it's quality, & I can find it locally for 140 euros. Sorry Overclockers, I doubt you'd ship cases to Spain anyway). Also, it's hopefully a case that will last me, to all intents & purposes, for ever.

After that, good PSU (for many HDs & to last me a long while), fairly good CPU/mboard (I'm not a huge gamer), moderate GPU. I'm thinking i7 rather than i5, then a 150 euro GPU (certainly a single GPU). By the time I get those bits, they should be down in price & up in capability, as should SSDs.
 
It's a very bad plan. First reason is that if a component is DOA you won't be able to test it so you will be screwed. Second reason is you are wasting the warranty period by not even using the items. Thirdly, by the time you have bought everything there is a strong possibility that something newer and faster has come out and the price you paid will have dropped. Open a savings account and put some money away every month until you can afford to buy it all in one go.
 
Its probably best to buy motherboard cpu ram case use your old psu graphics ect aslong as the psu is a high grade one thats what i have done...tho waiting on case

just read your psu...probably best replacing that too :p
 
pastymuncher said:
It's a very bad plan. First reason is that if a component is DOA you won't be able to test it so you will be screwed. Second reason is you are wasting the warranty period by not even using the items. Thirdly, by the time you have bought everything there is a strong possibility that something newer and faster has come out and the price you paid will have dropped. Open a savings account and put some money away every month until you can afford to buy it all in one go.
Click to expand...

This says it all.

Why 'waste' money on something you cannot use? Put it away until you can buy the whole build.
 
pastymuncher said:
It's a very bad plan. First reason is that if a component is DOA you won't be able to test it so you will be screwed. Second reason is you are wasting the warranty period by not even using the items. Thirdly, by the time you have bought everything there is a strong possibility that something newer and faster has come out and the price you paid will have dropped. Open a savings account and put some money away every month until you can afford to buy it all in one go.
Click to expand...

Yeah and by then you might have changed your mind. The end result his, you will have a nice pot of gold to do something else with. Since you seem to require 'motivation', I think it's best you drop the idea of buying components one by one and put yourself in a £1000 hole.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom