"Colin Wilson" wrote in message
t...
£2k is a LOT of money to spend on a machine that will be worth maybe £400
in 6 months time. Buying mid-range now you`ll probably only spend
~£400 to £600 which will allow you to buy a whole new computer in 6
months time at a higher spec compared to what you`d likely spend £2k on
now for no additional outlay above your original estimates.

I'm not planning on selling it while it has any value (like my current 5.5
year old system!) so it doesn't matter what it will be worth in a few months
time.

As you`re only looking for a box, just build what you want at a fraction
of the cost by sourcing decent quality components yourself :-p

Again, see my previous comments in other posting regarding this. I could
build a good enough system I'm sure ... but I want a great one

Do you know what platform you want to aspire to ? 32bit ? 64bit ?

Bear in mind that the shape of computing WILL change markedly in the next
6 months given the introduction of 64bit chips (which are already
available).

Clearly 32bit ... XP is going to be around for a LONG time, as will all the
32bit apps that go with it. 64bit will start on the server and IMHO take a
while to settle down. I think more like 3 years before it makes any inroad
into the home PC market - that is with the 64bit OS's and apps to make any
benifit from it!

Six months old is probably a good age at which to buy into this "new"
technology, because the initial teething problems should have been ironed
out. Cutting edge technology has rough corners.

In 6 months time, there will be more new tech "just round the corner". I
appreciate that 64bit is the future and a big step. I just don't think it
will make that much of an inroad during the expected lifetime of my new
system.


a