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At any rate, since the technology, software and hardware are always advancing, and pretty quickly at that, you should always buy the latest and greatest within the cost curve that is in your budget imo to get the most usable life and utility from it.
To get the most usable life and utility from anything is to run it until it dies and/or unfeasible to keep operational. Seriously - is there any difference in the way a memo is going to look whether it was typed on a P4-1.6 running Office XP that's been paid off 8 years ago already versus a memo that was typed out on a new i7-980x running Office 2010? Sure, the new computer can crunch numbers 20 times faster, but that document sure wasn't completed in 1/20th the time.
Keeping up with the latest-and-greatest makes sense for some operations; for the vast majority of computer users, though, I would say no.
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Your argument is like the why make the bed argument.
To get the most usable life and utility from anything is to run it until it dies and/or unfeasible to keep operational. Seriously - is there any difference in the way a memo is going to look whether it was typed on a P4-1.6 running Office XP that's been paid off 8 years ago already versus a memo that was typed out on a new i7-980x running Office 2010? Sure, the new computer can crunch numbers 20 times faster, but that document sure wasn't completed in 1/20th the time.
Keeping up with the latest-and-greatest makes sense for some operations; for the vast majority of computer users, though, I would say no.
When you buy a good computer it won't be outdated quickly and will have a long useful life. I bought my $2550 Dell E1705 laptop in Feb 2006 and it's still fast enough for now and great compared to new laptops. Plus it has a 1920 x 1200 screen which most laptops don't have. So it will serve me way into the future.
I bought a $1300 desktop in Nov 2008 and through a series of upgrades it's now worth $4100. Serves me fine and won't be outdated. I recently replaced the outdated Geforce 260 core 216 video card with a Geforce 460 SLI setup. Now it's up to date for the latest games.
Why even bother buying a good computer, or in my case, building a good computer? When you build it, it is top of the line. Awesome video card, plenty of RAM and HD, top of the line CPU, etc.... You look at the Best Buy ads, and smile and say "My computer is better than all of THAT".
6 months later, you see the Best Buy ad and their mainstream PC's are catching up to yours, but cost 1/3 of what you paid. You justify yourself by saying "Who needs that much RAM? At least mine still has a better video card than THAT."
1 year later, you see the Best Buy ad and their budget PC's can kick the butt of your custom built PC. You curl into fetal position and say to yourself "That can't be true. My computer is supposed to be better than THAT".
Yep, this will happen every time you get sideswiped by "want". Build or buy what you need for the task at hand then ignore everything else.
My last gaming box lasted me about 5 years, about 2 years ago I spent around $1200 building a new one (core components; Wolfdale 3Ghz, 8GB RAM, GTX-260 Graphics), it plays anything I throw at it with no problems, and I expect it'll get the job done for a few more years. I don't always replace the case, but did this time around for better cooling.
I have a 7 year old Antec tower server case, with a 5 year old 400w Antec PSU, from when people just raved on Antec PSUs.
It is far, far, beyond the quality of my two one-year-old Dell production cases.
Really roomy, of course, with a couple of inches clearance around the PSU and 10 drive bays, with other neat stuff like multiple fans, tool-less entry, with powder-coated sheet metal hinged side cover, that glides apart and together, cassettes for the drives, and just the build quality all set it apart.
And I don't know what to do with it. The computer works, although there is this little issue of turning itself on. But, to sell it used? $50. Maybe.
So, it sits here wondering if/when I will get a wild hair and decide to build something just for fun.
Fact is, I can't touch Dell on OS, CPU and memory purchase prices.
Oh, to be on topic...
It was built with fair to good components, best bang for the buck I could get, rebates, discounts, etc, and I did OK.
A year later, it was no big thing.
But, for surfing the net, and working with MS Office, it is still a heck of a machine.
I just wanted something new, with Windows 7, and 64 bit.
Had the Itch.
Why buy anything good then? Do you take this approach with cars or tools? I build a nice computer because I expect to get several years out of it and know I can repair/upgrade it along the way. Don't confuse specs with quality and actual performance. You can get a lot of big numbers on the spec sheet really cheaply, but its just that, cheap. I don't build the highest spec machine possible, but I build quality.
I am going to have to agree with Escape on this one. I built myself a good quality computer with quality parts, but it doesn't have the latest and greatest core i7 and geforce 9800 GT (pentium dual core OC'd to 3.5ghz, 1 gb RAM, 256mb integrated graphics.....) I built it to the specs of what I need it for. I built it so it is easily upgradeable, and it will serve me into the future with upgrades along the way. In five years when I can no longer upgrade it, I will sell it and build another one. It's just that simple.
The problem is that you can upgrade as long as the PC manufacturers don't change standards. For example, my "old" computer is 3 years old. It used a socket 939 CPU. AMD changed to socket AM after that, so that was the end of the line for CPU upgrades. Same for video cards. If you had an AGP slot, which were still common in 2007, then forget about using recent video cards.
Plenty of new games won't run on hardware that was considered high end 3 years ago. Same for upgrades to the newest Windows OS or anything that requires DirectX 10 or higher.
Why buy anything good then? Do you take this approach with cars or tools? I build a nice computer because I expect to get several years out of it and know I can repair/upgrade it along the way. Don't confuse specs with quality and actual performance. You can get a lot of big numbers on the spec sheet really cheaply, but its just that, cheap. I don't build the highest spec machine possible, but I build quality.
Apples and oranges. I bought a Toyota pickup truck brand new in 1995 and it still takes me to work and back every day. Same with virtually every appliance in the home. You can use them until they break. A 20 year old TV will still let you watch the latest episode of Jersey Shore. A 20 year old washing machine will still wash your laundry. A 20 year old lawn mower will still cut the grass. However, a 20 year old computer, even if it is in perfect working condition, won't let you do much these days.
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