I haven't done any gaming beyond emulators and Warcraft III for almost two years. I built a desktop with a 7800 GT a while back but it died shortley thereafter.
 
The lack of playing new games is killing me. I want to build a great computer for gaming but I also want it to be able to run new games at 1680x1050 smoothly for at least the new few years.
 
 
So I am debatnig whether I shoudl just bit the bullet now and make a system for about 1500$ which includes an 8800GTX (priced at 500) or whether I should wait until the fabled 9800GTX flagship comes out. I hear it's going to own the 8800 in terms of performance so that's something I feel like I don't want to pass up.
 
Initial rumors said the 9800 was coming out in Nov, but now we've learned the G92 coming out in NOV is just a mainstream mid-range chip. The flag is going to be out...?
 
 
 
What are your guys' opinions? I'm also trying to decide between a 2.4quad processor or a 3.0 dual core. It's mostly for gaming.
 
 

Buy a 8800GTX now , u wont be disappointed , if u want to wait for new tech , u cant ever buy a new PC , also according to rumors , next nvidia card will be 8700GTS and 8800GT which are refreshes for Geforce 8 series family
 
Q6600 VS E6850 :
 
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/c [...] q6600.html
http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipse [...] i=3038&p=8

as far as the processor goes, most games now will probably run best on the 3.0 dual core.  However, as more and more games support thread branching (or some similar facsimile thereof) the 2.4 quad will gain the upper hand.  Crysis, for example, was optimized to run on quad core processors and the performance will probably be better on a quad core.  I tried to "futureproof" my new build, and I chose the q6600.  
 
I'll let someone else field the video card question, it's been a while since i checked my facts...

Interesting. I hear new PCI-express mobos are coming out. Are they going to make a big difference as well?
 
 
I'm just worried that if I wait for non-extreme penryn and the 9800GTX i won't be building a computer for a nother year. But I also don't want to sink a lot of my hard earned cash into an overpriced 8800GTX which won't even be able to run Crysis at a smooth framerate at 1680x1050...
 
Argh.

If you overclock the 8800, I don't believe you will have trouble with Crysis, esp with a nice cpu.

I'm running the beta at 1680x1050 with all settings on high with my X2 4800+ @ 2.6GHz and an 8800GTX. While performance isn't great, it's playable, and Crytek claims the retail game will run considerably better than the beta.

16xAF and 4xAA?
 
 
And the 8800 GTXs have been around for a frigging year and still 500 bucks. Grr..

If you wait for the next best thing, you will wait forever.   A E6850 and a 8800GTX can run anything out there very well today.
 
   The upcoming in January penryn E8500 will cost the same as a E6850, and perform perhaps 15% better.   You probably won't notice the difference since games are primarily GPU limited.   If you get a penryn capable motherboard today, you keep your upgrade options open.
 
   NVIDIA may launch a high end VGA card in December like they have done in the past.   You should expect it to be premium priced.   If that should happen, you may find that the 8800GTX still satisfies you, but you have the option of selling it and replacing it with the next newest thing.
 
---good luck---
   

Premium priced? 600 bucks ish? I could do 600, but no more. heh.

E6600(stock)+8800GTX+4GB RAM (my config ), runs everything smoothly

Get the GTX or a GTS 640, because at the end we don't know when the 9800 is coming out. When it comes out, sell your 8800 and get the 9800.

How do you sell your videocards? Online? In person? ebay? :-P
 

 
if he can buy a GTX, then let him buy it , who knows how well 9xxx series will perform

Ebay is a good option. Also between the people you know, you can sell it. But sure, that's the best way of keeping your PC updated. Buy and sell.