BleepingComputer.com: Future Proof Desktop?

What are some tips on keeping your hardware up to date? I am too scared to build a computer now because I'm afraid newer and better hardware will come out as soon as after I buy it.

Here are two ways of looking at it...

A. Build a computer that can last for...5-6 years perhaps? Keep in mind, your primary requirements.
For instance, there are still people who use their old Pentium 3 PC, although the machine only meets their day to day(rather basic) requirements.

Now this is under the assumption that you aren't a PC Hardware enthusiast and not easily smitten by the latest and greatest.


B. Keep your current computer and do the following:

1. Keep your device drivers & software updated
2. Disk Cleanup, Defrag and all other Windows optimization techniques
3. Perfect Virus/Spyware/Malware...protection
4. Periodically clean the internal components of your computer
5. Make sure your PC Case is well-ventilated
6. Invest in small hardware upgrades like system memory and hard drives.

Know the limits of your current PC, before you decide to tweak around.

This post has been edited by ReviverSoft: 25 June 2010 - 09:05 PM

I'll keep that in mind.

It's a crap shoot really. I've found you need to balance the ideal of early adoption of the latest tech during your build with the using hardware that has been out long enough to have the bugs worked out. Even then with sockets changing and slot revisions coming hand over fist sometimes your best guess could leave you holding an egg for the long term computer. Do your research online. There are plenty of information sources as to proccessor roadmaps and up coming next gen stuff. Then make a decision based on your budget and go for it.


Oh ....There is always something better coming out next week, next month. wait for that and you will never build one. Go for it now. Part of the fun of building a computer is sorting through all of the information, reviews, and trying to do a little gypsy foretelling. But then again most of the people I know say I'm a little off the beaten path.......

you really need to figure out what you need the computer to do, and design a computer that will do what you want it to better then you want it to, otherwise build the best one you can afford. Unfortunatly, its a given, even if you spend $4000 on a brand new top of the line system, it will technically "outdated" in a matter of months, however, don't let this get you down, it doesnt mean that the computers worthless, it just means its outdated. Both my desktop computers are only using dual core Processors, which are, by todays standards, outdated, however, they serve my needs rather well. In all honesty, in most cases, the newer chips are far more power then most people will ever, or could even use. Applications are just starting to catch up to quad cores, and they just released 6 cores. . . so yeah.

Well...if you don't do anything like gaming...I would treat it as I do.

I buy/build a new system when I get the money and want to see if I detect any real differences in performance...over my previous system.

I find that this is about every 3 years or so...I'm easily satisfied and the price is right for components (since I'm not buying this month's "we have something to sell you today" hot products.

As for the concept of future-proofing...that's laughable, IMO. The future is not something someone has to protect against. As Baltboy stated...there are some really old systems still running XP today...because their owners took care of them or don't want to move forward to later technology. They still work, they still do what they did before.

But they cannot do as much...as newer, more efficient compoennts. DDR still works in a system...but a system with DDR2 or DDR3 certainly has an efficiency differential. PATA hard drives still work...but SATA hard drives are ahead in terms of operational efficiency today. And so on for every component which makes up a system.

I think that sometimes we forget...the computer industry, the component industry, boxmakers (HP, Dell, etc.) exist to continuously push out NEW products because new products bring in...revenues. Products sold last year...don't do much for this year's revenue stream...and businesses respond accordingly.

Soooo...I suggest forgetting about such things as "future-proofing" and just concentrate on getting/building a system that will allow you to feel good about its performance and reliability...until that moment when you decide it's time for a step into the world of "newer" or "different" components. It's more important to be satisfied with the system you have (assuming that it works)...and recognize that the moment when you will become "dissatisfied"...is being worked on right now by every component manufacturer out there. That's just business.

The future marches forward...and each step benefitis consumers who realize that today's "hot new item" will be available more cheaply (but without it's glitter) next year, next month, etc. That is the one trend which I see in the world of computing...and it makes business sense, to me.

Louis

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I couldn't agree more.
So it all comes down to the intended usage. If you are a hardcore gamer, you know you will have to upgrade the hardware ever so often, to keep up with the latest games.
Alternatively, you could build a well-configured PC that should serve the basic needs, for a few years in a row.

This post has been edited by ReviverSoft: 27 June 2010 - 12:42 PM

If you are worried about building a system and having it outdated very soon; then you will never build because there is always something better coming out. I have a PC still running duel core and with windows 7 and a ram upgrade it still works great. Look into the future as your wallet will allow. Weather you are upgrading or a complete rebuild I would recommend taking a serious look at power supplies. Today's quad core run a lot hotter so you should also take a serious look at extra cooling.Take a look at you money,wants, and needs; put it all together and have one built.

Well, what I did was I got the motherboard with the most expandability. For AMD, I got the newest chipset (890FX), with Sata III ports (6gigabits) and usb 3.0. All of that in a $150 motherboard. Also, go with AMD over Intel because they change their sockets less often. I always read reviews off of Newegg and there's people with one or two year old systems buying the top of the line six core cpus! Also, the blu ray and dvd drives you buy won't change much. The power supplies won't change much(and if they do you can buy adapters cheap off of eBay), and computer cases don't change much or get cheaper(I don't know when they are going to switch from the ATX standard though). But yeah, once you buy a CPU the price starts dropping which makes you mad and then they come out with a better one really soon! Same with graphics cards, and DDR3 Ram.(But I hope that I can upgrade later since I got the newest motherboard possible). But yeah, I was feeling the same way you were, but I just started buying and building.

I think the key is the realization...having the "latest/greatest" is an illusion created by those entities manufacturing parts and developing computer games.

Change is the norm in computer components...but that really has nothing to do with the functionality and usefulness of a system. That aspect of it is entirely dependent on the type of care which an owner/user invests...and luck .

The future is always predicated on...luck. No one can protect against such, good luck or bad.

But there are an awful of of good computer systems that can built or bought...if you understand the dynamic nature of computing is even more volatile than the dynamic nature of life.

Louis