Is there a best moment to start a fresh project? ($1,500)
Is there a best moment to start a fresh project? ($1,500)
So I plan to upgrade my PC in 2024 at some point. Usually I wait until I have a few games I really want to play before doing it, but there don’t seem to be any big releases coming up soon. Maybe the next Skyrim (elder scrolls) will be out, though I doubt it’ll happen for a while.
Do people know what’s considered the best time to build a new PC for the best value? I’m thinking around $1,500. Should I go right after the holidays in January? Are there any patterns when new GPUs are released? How does Bitcoin influence the market lately? Times when shortages often occur? Any trends you’ve seen?
Thanks!
Someone mentioned it's a bad time due to high demand and holiday shopping, but that might not be accurate. In past builds, I experienced heavy bitcoin mining periods, so I delayed for a while before things eased. I don't always keep up with market or tech trends to predict these changes.
I’d almost claim those last few weeks were ideal for buying. Sadly, you didn’t catch prime day, Black Friday, or Cyber Monday. Still, there are still some good offers. As someone mentioned earlier, it really depends on your cash situation.
For instance, around Black Friday I picked an i5 12600kf for $140. Prices have since risen.
Do you know a microcenter nearby? They’re offering a special combo: a Ryzen 7 7700x, motherboard, and 32GB RAM for $399.99, or the 7800X3D with board and RAM for $499.99. There are also good Intel deals. If you’re aiming for something like the 77”00x, adding a nice case and a GPU and power supply could make a solid gaming rig.
2024 appears to be a great time to assemble a PC. I expect the 4070ti Super to become available in early January. By mid-2024 or the second half, you'll find 15th generation Intel CPUs with LGA 1851 socket, PCIe 5.0 GPU support, SSD compatibility, and Wi-Fi 7. Next-generation Intel battle graphics might also debut at the end of the year. AMD could also introduce an updated 7X50 series. Options are plentiful. Prices range from 600 to 1625 USD depending on components.
I also think it’s a poor idea to shop around Christmas in certain ways. Black Friday and Cyber Monday offered some deals, but you need to act quickly. Items with real value usually disappear fast. Prices a few months ago were decent for storage and RAM. Power supply costs have stayed high, though there seems to be some adjustment in that area. CPU prices are often unpredictable. I’ve noticed good deals on 12th gen Intel since the 14th generation came out. Quality motherboards are extremely expensive. Graphics cards are getting better prices, especially mid-range options. The key to watch is that prices will rise again when tax season begins because consumers have more money to spend.
The moment to start anew comes when the existing version stops working well and further improvements become unfeasible.
If you postpone until the next option, you'll keep waiting indefinitely.
Another opportunity arises when resources are available and motivation is strong.