Is this THE WORST TIME EVER to buy bits for a new PC?

[trparky]

Yeah well, I had to poke my nose into this situation even though I'm pretty much drunk right now on account that it's St. Patrick's Day. Yes, I'm at home safe and I have nowhere to drive. I ain't that stupid.

Though I'm apparently sober enough to look stuff up on Wikipedia.

 

[Mac the Geek]

Rambus, shmambus. The first PC I bought was a 486DX/33, in the summer of 1991. The first PC I replaced a motherboard on was the same unit, in the fall of 1991. The clock timer malfunctioned, and for a brief few minutes I had AMAZING speed. You never saw the Avatar move across Britannia so fast! But then it all froze up, and then I learned about POST beep codes, and then I had my first exposure to the warranty process. (Thankfully, I did not learn about the dangers of electrostatic discharge, as I performed the mobo replacement with the tower lying on a carpet.)

 

[trparky]

(Thankfully, I did not learn about the dangers of electrostatic discharge, as I performed the mobo replacement with the tower lying on a carpet.)

Oh my God.

 

[grammar_phreak]

Currently things aren't close to ideal but at least things are better than what they were for most of 2021. I had a small chance of getting a 3070ti FTW3 for $772usd.... which isn't bad, but not great either. As overpriced as GPU's are, right now you can get one from Amazon, Newegg, Best Buy, or Antonline if you know use the tracker resources. So at least things aren't as bad as last year.

Another thing I've noticed is most PC builders want nothing to do with an RX 6600 or 6600xt. Some people have spent months searching for Ampere cards.

The CPU market isn't in bad shape at all and RAM/SSD's are cheap. The tariffs and these motherboards with bolstered VRM's have also raised to cost of building.

It seems like the last time things were perfect for building a PC was right after Pascal launched but before DRAM prices started increasing. Right before COVID hit, when a Ryzen 1600af could be found for $90 was also a good time to build.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Another thing I've noticed is most PC builders want nothing to do with an RX 6600 or 6600xt.

That's a shame, both are very decent 1080p cards.

Right before COVID hit, when a Ryzen 1600af could be found for $90 was also a good time to build.

True! I was selling them for $85 because they were so inexpensive.

 

[80-watt Hamster]

Another thing I've noticed is most PC builders want nothing to do with an RX 6600 or 6600xt. Some people have spent months searching for Ampere cards.

Really? I'd love to have either one, but not for $[4,5]00. Get toward half that money and I'm on board.

 

[grammar_phreak]

Really? I'd love to have either one, but not for $[4,5]00. Get toward half that money and I'm on board.

I think the RX 6600 can be found for $500 and maybe lower. This past week I saw a decent deal on the RX 6700xt, and I've seen a few good deals on the RTX 3070ti..... but these deals go quick.

Update... I just saw the Powercolor Fighter RX 6600 going for $440.... shipped and sold by Amazon.