[BigBlueCloud]

Hey all, just thought I might drop by and ask for some advice.

I've been looking around for a computer to buy/build because my laptop is starting to show it's years. Right now retail PC's have fairly good combinations at good prices; i7, 8 GB RAM, so on so forth.

Thing is, the last 'big innovation' was the new iX series of procesors. The i7 came out a fair while ago and because of the rate tech is advancing at, I'm thinking something new isn't too far away. I've done a little bit of digging for what it might be but all I've turned up with was Quantum Computing and fiber-optic computers. While QC seems to have been making progress, I think it's still a way off yet before available for retail, if at all. Fiber-optic computers... Well from what I've found, it's just replacing the wiring and certain parts of the computer with fiber-optics. (Please correct me if I'm wrong).

My question is if it'd be worth waiting for this next thing to come out, whatever it may be, or just buy a computer now and be done with it.

Buying a computer now means that I'd have a refined system which works well enough for my purposes but if this new technology comes out it would most likely make what I have obselete.
On the flip-side the new tech might be 'broken' or unrefined. So I would have this new tech, but I'd have to buy a new version of it that works properly so I don't have to constantly deal with the problems that arise.

Yes, the chances of a company releasing something that's broken is highly unlikely, but then there's Vista, which is a little unstable(I know, because I'm running currently).

Basically all I want to know is; What's coming, if there is anything and should I wait for it?

Cheers
BigBlueCloud

[modi123_1]

If your options are waiting for Quantum Computing and FO pcs or get something from your local store I am going to safely suggest get something for your local store. I am still waiting/designing my virtual reality head gear and that's seventeen years in the making.

I might wait for AMD's bulldozer CPUs to come out, but that's about it. You shouldn't be worried about paradigm shifts just upgrade of existing components.

[Curtis Rutland]

Quantum computing is many, many years away from home market. It's interesting, but I'm actually doubting that it'll be the next big thing.

At best, intel will come out with a shiny new processor that's a bit more efficient. At worst, they're going to change the socket again. But the truth is, if you keep waiting for what's next, you'll never get anything, because the next best thing is coming out soon after that.

[BigBlueCloud]

Haha, I thought I'd be told that QC would be a long (long, long,) way away . Strike that one off the list.

@modi; I hadn't heard of the Bulldozer cores (until just then). A quick wiki search of it and my curiosity has been piqued. I'll look into that, thanks. Oh, and I hope you get your VR headset, that'd be wicked.

@Curtis; Doubting QC as the next 'big thing?' I suppose that's logical, from what I've gained from the complex and very in depth articles, it might stay as government/military hardware. Something for the future to show us I guess.
Also, I suppose it's a given that we'll always be getting a new and 'more powerful' processor from Intel every couple of years. You're right, if I keep waiting I'll just miss out on everything by waiting.

Well, thanks for your input.

Oh yeah, whoever moved this thread to the right section, much appreciated. Derp on my part.

[jvdubn]

I say if you can put it to use, buy it. Tech is changing so fast that waiting for the next big thing only means that you're a short ways away from the bigger thing. You can wait for pcm:
pcm

but other than that is laptop/desktop computing technology changing so much that its worth waiting for?