Does future proofing actually exist?

[Piezoq]

Future-proofing, like many other terms used on forums, is understood differently by individuals.

Does it mean buying top-end parts to extend the life of a rig? I.e. Buying quality.

Is it selecting features that anticipate changes in technology? I.e. Buying smartly.

Or is it about beating some reference rig for bang-for-buck?

 

[gld998]

Future proof simi? Just whack la

just whack what pocket can afford... No way I will spend then a few k for a system.

 

[FinalTidus]

Interesting thread. I will just give my 2c.

The Sandy Bridge CPUs from Intel way back in Jan 2011 really withstood the test of time in terms of CPU performance. Even till now the Skylake CPUs after 5 years are barely 20-30% faster per clock than the 5 years old Sandy Bridge. And so many reviewers often benchmark current-gen CPUs to Sandy Bridge and commented that they barely offer very negligible speed improvements.

My i5-2500K at 4.6ghz is equivalent to a Skylake i5-6600K at 4ghz. Its really downright amazing to think that my CPU is still on par with a current gen Skylake CPU.

And this trend will be ongoing in the future. Thats because Intel has already stated that in future they will be producing SLOWER CPUs (Yes thats right!) but with energy efficiency at its highest priority. So don't expect performance from future CPUs to be any faster than what you are seeing now.

So what does this mean for your average joe or even computer enthusiasts like us? Just go for a decent mobo/CPU combination within your budget and needs and cater for future upgrades on your GPU/SSD only if u are a gamer. From current trends, your CPU can last for a very long time (say 5 to 8 years assuming your mobo can last. CPU can last for eternity IMHO) and there is no need to change your CPU at all.

 

[hawthorne]

Future proof is not about saving money. If u want to save $$ then dun buy anything at all. Future proof is about saving lesser headache in the future when u want to upgrade.

E.g. For home, u purposely get electrician to pull multiple CAT6 to different rooms, and deploy blank pipes with drawstring (in case in the future need to deploy fibre) etc.

or buy a casing large enough if u anticipate u will need to put more HDD, or buy a NAS with enough bays etc

 

[bunnypangsai]

My 2600K + sabertooth P67, maybe 2nd hand market ard ~ S$250, and current 6700K + a good Z170 mobo is like S$750? Mean ard ~S$500 if i were to change. Change liao i also can't feel any diff... so i just stick to my 2600K. lol

What's make a lot of diff in a rig? GPU and SSD. CPU... tiny.

but there are also your enthusiasts, chiongsua latest hardware.

 

[bunnypangsai]

there's no such thing as future proofing.. unless there's no more innovation anymore. So just give yourself a budget, be happy at that moment.
my 2 cents

Future proof is not about saving money. If u want to save $$ then dun buy anything at all. Future proof is about saving lesser headache in the future when u want to upgrade.

E.g. For home, u purposely get electrician to pull multiple CAT6 to different rooms, and deploy blank pipes with drawstring (in case in the future need to deploy fibre) etc.

or buy a casing large enough if u anticipate u will need to put more HDD, or buy a NAS with enough bays etc

 

[IceCreamPoop]

Very interesting thread....if only I knew what I know now when I built my pc back then

What I say will probably be repeating what a few previous forumers said before, buy the best bang for buck parts that is SUITED for you needs.

If I could change my parts that I bought back then u would have purchased a i5 4460, a cheaper mobo and upgraded my case. Don't really regret buying the 970 as i could always sli or sell it. :3

I would probably only change my gpu if i were to upgrade since like many others have said there's really not much improvement to be made on the cpu side.

Answering the ts, future proofing exists albeit having many different interpretations. For me is buying best bang for buck and upgrading wisely.

~ a noob's 2cent

 

[MoneyFace =p]

Better to buy older but cheaper.. No point chasing for the best.

Which was why i mentioned hoot during inter-generation season. Cos you will be able to get similarly-performing parts (especially for rebrands) at least 2 tier cheaper than the newest cards...

 

[MoneyFace =p]

Very interesting thread....if only I knew what I know now when I built my pc back then

What I say will probably be repeating what a few previous forumers said before, buy the best bang for buck parts that is SUITED for you needs.

If I could change my parts that I bought back then u would have purchased a i5 4460, a cheaper mobo and upgraded my case. Don't really regret buying the 970 as i could always sli or sell it. :3

I would probably only change my gpu if i were to upgrade since like many others have said there's really not much improvement to be made on the cpu side.

Answering the ts, future proofing exists albeit having many different interpretations. For me is buying best bang for buck and upgrading wisely.

~ a noob's 2cent

I have to say you heng never hoot Skylake....

 

[Ohayo!]

Which was why i mentioned hoot during inter-generation season. Cos you will be able to get similarly-performing parts (especially for rebrands) at least 2 tier cheaper than the newest cards...

most hardware can run games high on 1080p anyway

at least for my own personal usage.. i dont see the need for 4k yet.

 

[bunnypangsai]

I have to say you heng never hoot Skylake....

skylake is more for those who intend to use without discrete gpu. The igpu itself is pretty impressive.

 

[mini_cow]

In terms of "future proofing", I have a very simple approach. It begins with things that stay the same for 1/2 a decade despite any "innovations". For example, your PSU. When you begin, start with a PSU that is way more than you will need. Say your system requires 550. Just go ahead and get that 850. Another example is the Case. Don't think of that micro atx. Go for the Big hefty bulky one with lots of input for fans.

Yes it is expensive but it will set you up for..

The second string of medium term parts like CPU and Mobo. depending on your needs, the i5 of 3-4 years ago (sandy bridge) is still more than sufficient for gaming and basic microsoft application work. Only you can say for certain whether some "techs" that are new now will be viable 3 years later. In my opinion for example, USB C ports. Really? Even if USB C becomes the thing in 3 years, can't I just charge my laptop using like the power socket? Or connect my monitor to like my GPU? On the other hand, SLI vs Crossfire slots. That extra 50 bux you invest can jolly well save you from getting a brand new mobo in 2-3 years which brings me to..

The peripherals like your monitor. Decide on a resolution now that you think you will love in 5 years. Pick a monitor that supports that resolution and don't think about it. 4 years ago, full HD was the thing. And it is still relevant today. Today the next big thing is 1440p and 4k. Pick one and stick with it. Don't worry about your GPU not running games well in 1440p. The next GPU you get will get you in 1-2 years will certainly get you there. 4k may be the buzzword today but in my opinion, it will not be mainstream for the next 5 years at least. Its just impractical outside of the PC experience.

And there are things you must recognize cannot be future proofed. GPUs being the key one. If the new game needs it, there is no ifs and buts. It is what it is.

 

[trenzterra]

Interesting thread. I will just give my 2c.

The Sandy Bridge CPUs from Intel way back in Jan 2011 really withstood the test of time in terms of CPU performance. Even till now the Skylake CPUs after 5 years are barely 20-30% faster per clock than the 5 years old Sandy Bridge. And so many reviewers often benchmark current-gen CPUs to Sandy Bridge and commented that they barely offer very negligible speed improvements.

My i5-2500K at 4.6ghz is equivalent to a Skylake i5-6600K at 4ghz. Its really downright amazing to think that my CPU is still on par with a current gen Skylake CPU.

And this trend will be ongoing in the future. Thats because Intel has already stated that in future they will be producing SLOWER CPUs (Yes thats right!) but with energy efficiency at its highest priority. So don't expect performance from future CPUs to be any faster than what you are seeing now.

So what does this mean for your average joe or even computer enthusiasts like us? Just go for a decent mobo/CPU combination within your budget and needs and cater for future upgrades on your GPU/SSD only if u are a gamer. From current trends, your CPU can last for a very long time (say 5 to 8 years assuming your mobo can last. CPU can last for eternity IMHO) and there is no need to change your CPU at all.

sadly, mobo is the weak link now. My z77 mobo bsods every two weeks and I need to remount my RAM in a certain manner or else my PC will not boot up

 

[harharhar]

sadly, mobo is the weak link now. My z77 mobo bsods every two weeks and I need to remount my RAM in a certain manner or else my PC will not boot up

Same here. And finding a replacement for these are not so easy when Intel changes their socket very so often... (Or at least more often than the future-proofing period of 3-5 years we are talking about here)

 

[Tornesoul]

saw a 27" monitor now, like quite shiok vs 24" leh, but 1080p. 300-400+ too.

well for future proofing. thats what i told myself, what want to cross fire etc. in the end also nth happen. its a buzz word to me.

 

[WhiteAnt]

i believe it will, because my current laptop is about 5years old and still working completely fine every single day

can run a lot of things too and upgradeable to win10

 

[NobunagaOda]

Just buy what you can afford and what you need.

 

[BiomedicalPasta]

IMO, 27inch at 1080p is a mismatch.

 

[lcheowl]

gpu, cpu hard to future proof. every year, there will be a new gen (especially for gpu) come out.

Thing like rams, casing and psu usually can last more than 1 gen.

That why, for gpu and cpu, just buy what you need currently.

For casing and psu, there is no harm of spending a bit more now. Chance are you can reuse them in future and may save you about $200 to $400.

 

[MoneyFace =p]

IMO, 27inch at 1080p is a mismatch.

Still alright, depending how far you are sitting away from.