adrianxw :
Thanks for all replies.
Basically yes or no, and sub, yes or no.
I do appreciate that things are complicated, if I did not, I would not be asking. At the end of the day, I have a job, a house, a wife. I do try to keep abreast of things, but cannot. I do try to survey the market, but cannot.
I will, probably, end up doing what I have done in the past, buy what I reckon to be the best I can get now. I will also, without doubt, end up totally disappointed.
There has to be a better way then this.
I think the best way to avoid disappoint when buying things, computers, cars, whatever, is to first realize that unless you're one of the fortunate few for which money is no object, there will be trade offs. First, decide what you want it do, in the case of a computer, games, video editing, etc? Then set up list ordering what's most important for you? Then figure out you're budget. If gaming is at the top of your list, then you'll want to put more of your budget into a video card then say if you're primarily interested in video or photo editing or music creation. If you're working with a $600 or $1000 budget, you're obviously not going to get a $600 video card. Does this mean you can't put together a machine that will basically meet your needs? Absolutely not. Check out what happens when they put a high end video card in their budget system
http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/05/11/system_builder_marathon/
You don't have to put a $500 card in the budget system to get some good gaming performance and I'm not suggesting this system, it's just meant to illustrate my point. Obviously a lower budget machine is going to be slower than one you 2 o3 times more for but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy the budget machine and it won't basically meet your need, i.e., do what you want. While AMD won't give you the performance of Intel today, it doesn't mean that an AMD machine with a good video card won't allow you to play the games you want at a very good or top resolution. Plus if you're not looking to upgrade to the next generation, you can always upgrade the system. For example, get a good basic machine with an adequate video card and when you can afford it, even if it's a year or so, upgrade the video card. You can bet todays $500 card will be closer to $250 in a year and will still perform at the same level then as now. Will it be as good as next years $500? No but if it would meet today, it will meet your needs tomorrow. At least for me, if it meets my current needs and I enjoy it, I'm not disappointed. When you have a wife and
http://img.tomshardware.com/forum/uk/icones/smile.gif
kids, there are a boatload of trade offs but that doesn't mean you have to be disappointed with you're toys, i.e., the things that not only meet your needs but give you pleasure, which again can be computers, cars, tools, audio systems, whatever. Get the best you can afford now and enjoy it knowing someday you'll be able to afford better. With in limits you can put together something you can build on although you're more limited with computers than say an audio system because of compatibility issues. In other words, if you enjoy playing games, get the best machine you can afford and enjoy the games. You also have to look to the future and realize that someday the kids will be gone and you can really afford to upgrade you're toys, although probably there will still be trade offs, just not as many. An awful lot of satisfaction comes from how you look at things not just what you have. So much for being Short. Sharp. Succinct., OK I'm still short