Is it a bad time to buy a gaming PC?

[TayAzza]

AMD have just released the new mid range King with AMD Ryzen 5 5600x and Nvidias new RTX lineup is looking strong (Can't wait for more information on the RTX 3060ti availability as it only performs 10% worse than a 3070 according to some sources)

But is it a bad time to buy a gaming PC? I would like to know your thoughts and points as I am an expert by no means.

2 main reasons I believe it's a bad time to buy a gaming PC is:

1. Part shortages leading to increased prices.

2. Intel rocket lake chips are right around the corner.

With intel rocket lake chips around the corner that could offer a better alternative to AMD's latest chips and if not it should make AMD lower their prices a little bit.

I also believe AMD may drop a better mid value graphics card to counter Nvidias RTX 3060ti which will be very good bang for buck when it becomes widely available in my opinion.

Conclusion:

I feel as though I will be able to get a highly adequate gaming PC which has decent longevity for a cheaper price around March 2021 time. At the very least I will have more option to choose from.

Feel free to tell me if you think I'm wrong and why or let me know if you agree (be nice though aha)

 

[Pooler]

I think the component shortages definitely make it a bad time. I ordered my PC Spec just yesterday and to be hones I have no idea whether I will get it in 10 days or 10 weeks or even longer.

From the other perspective of timing for new hardware releases, I think it is difficult to pin point an exact right time. I don't think it is ever a really 'bad' time in terms of pricing , perhaps 'not optimum' is a better description. No doubt the PC I ordered yesterday will be cheaper in 6 months time but then I would lose out on being able to play the very best games for next 6 months. And to be honest £1500 rather than say £1250 in 6 months time is neither here nor there.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Intel are utterly dead in the water, there's no way they can catch up for the next 5 years or so, they've already announced their roadmap for the next few years and they're completely behind.

Even Apples brand new chips outperform Intel in every metric.

AMD and Apple are now the headliners, and I suspect Apple will overtake AMD within a few years.

 

[lb_vp]

Well depends on your point of view. If you subscribe to the idea that there's no time like the present, then order now to enjoy a new build in January!

Also, once the current stock issues have been resolved, and the hype about the new products has died down a bit, the major brands will be releasing the next new generation of PC components making everything else no longer fit for purpose! New stuff is always appealing and shiny and expensive when it's new. And when it's not new anymore, there's something newer that's better!

 

[Gavras]

There is a high probability that Rocket Lake will simply be a stop gap processor and not a new lineup.

Intel's manufacturing is broken and new Rocket Lake CPUs prove it

The next six months are make or break as Intel hurtles towards existential crisis.

www.pcgamer.com

I seriously doubt anyone’s sanity in buying Intel at the moment, never mind buying a processor next year that has already been classed as a dead end cpu.

Intel are currently advancing EOL dates on its CPU’s.

they are really struggling with advancing their technical architecture and consumers will be paying that price.

 

[Gavras]

If you build a PC on last year's flagship hardware, it will be very profitable!

Is that a Confuciusism lol.

profitable for who?

it’s true if last years flag ship architecture was not a bag of bolts and a documented security risk.

 

[TayAzza]

I think the component shortages definitely make it a bad time. I ordered my PC Spec just yesterday and to be hones I have no idea whether I will get it in 10 days or 10 weeks or even longer.

From the other perspective of timing for new hardware releases, I think it is difficult to pin point an exact right time. I don't think it is ever a really 'bad' time in terms of pricing , perhaps 'not optimum' is a better description. No doubt the PC I ordered yesterday will be cheaper in 6 months time but then I would lose out on being able to play the very best games for next 6 months. And to be honest £1500 rather than say £1250 in 6 months time is neither here nor there.

Yes the part shortages are whats putting me off right now. Ive also been waiting 2 months for a 165hz monitor i ordered from dell. Its not the easiest of times to be a gamer right now aha

 

[TayAzza]

Honestly, I don't see Intel's new chips bothering AMD in the slightest, certainly not enough to lower their prices.....sure, Intel will still get plenty of orders as people don't understand or don't care that Intel are years behind now. If AMD lowered their prices, they'd basically be saying that Intel are as good as they are when they clearly aren't...my understanding is that the Rocket Lake chips will still only be 10nm whereas AMD are experts now at 7nm.

Prices related to Covid: Prices likely have gone up due to the shortages etc. Will they come down? Possibly...when? Who knows? Interestingly, my low to mid-level system cost the same a few weeks ago as it did when I bought it in January...though that is likely a combination of higher prices offset by some parts being older now (B450 board, R5 3600, 2060 Super etc)

I would say it is a bad time to buy now if you are looking at a mid-budget system given the upcoming 3060Ti; it's also a bad time purely on GPU availability. However, it is also a good time to buy given all the exciting things that have arrived and continue to arrive.

Some very good points here thank you

 

[TayAzza]

Intel are utterly dead in the water, there's no way they can catch up for the next 5 years or so, they've already announced their roadmap for the next few years and they're completely behind.

Even Apples brand new chips outperform Intel in every metric.

AMD and Apple are now the headliners, and I suspect Apple will overtake AMD within a few years.

Okay I was fully aware that AMD had closed the gap with intel significantly but you are saying there is no way they can turn the tide on the new Ryzen chips?

 

[TayAzza]

Well depends on your point of view. If you subscribe to the idea that there's no time like the present, then order now to enjoy a new build in January!

Also, once the current stock issues have been resolved, and the hype about the new products has died down a bit, the major brands will be releasing the next new generation of PC components making everything else no longer fit for purpose! New stuff is always appealing and shiny and expensive when it's new. And when it's not new anymore, there's something newer that's better!

Youre absolutely right. I guess I just want a good bang for buck CPU

There is a high probability that Rocket Lake will simply be a stop gap processor and not a new lineup.

Intel's manufacturing is broken and new Rocket Lake CPUs prove it

The next six months are make or break as Intel hurtles towards existential crisis.

www.pcgamer.com

I seriously doubt anyone’s sanity in buying Intel at the moment, never mind buying a processor next year that has already been classed as a dead end cpu.

Intel are currently advancing EOL dates on its CPU’s.

they are really struggling with advancing their technical architecture and consumers will be paying that price.

It seems to be the consensus that intel have lost/are losing. I didnt think the gap was so big!

 

[SpyderTracks]

Youre absolutely right. I guess I just want a good bang for buck CPU

It seems to be the consensus that intel have lost/are losing. I didnt think the gap was so big!

Intel are now about 20% weaker in single core, and around 50% in multicore. There's no way they stand a chance of even coming close for many years to come.

 

[Gavras]

Intel are now about 20% weaker in single core, and around 50% in multicore. There's no way they stand a chance of even coming close for many years to come.

Then you throw in security issues, not fully sorting PCIe 4.0 Etc.

imagine buying a new Intel PC now then realising you might not PCIe 4.0 until next mobo and cpu upgrade....