Silicon Week: When is the best time to buy a new CPU or GPU?

By Gabe Carey

When to buy new CPU or GPU

Picking the best CPU or graphics card is by no means an easy task. For most, factoring in everything from system temperatures to clock speeds is nothing short of a migraine. But, while dancing between Intel vs AMD and Nvidia vs AMD is a daunting decision: knowing when to buy your components is equally important.

Like the question of what to buy, there’s no straightforward answer to the best time to buy a CPU or GPU. Instead, it largely depends on your specific needs.

Would you rather spend more on a slightly more powerful, seventh-generation Intel Kaby Lake processor or an older, but still great, Skylake chip? Should you shell out $250 (around £190, AU$325) for a GeForce GTX 1060 over the GTX 980 equivalent, knowing there are still kinks to be worked out?

Patience is a virtue

The reality is, according to NewEgg SVP of Sales and Marketing Merle McIntosh, that it’s impossible to recommend a single way for everyone looking to upgrade their rigs.

“Everyone is on a different upgrade cycle,” he tells us. “Some prefer the highest graphics settings …read more

Source:: techradar.com – Computing Components