Should You Wait for CES Before Building a Gaming PC?

The decision to build a gaming PC can be influenced by the availability of new components, particularly CPUs and GPUs, which are often showcased at major tech events like CES (Consumer Electronics Show). However, is it really worth waiting until CES to build your gaming PC? Let's explore the arguments for and against.

Historical Context and Current Trends

Historically, CES has not been a time when major hardware manufacturers, such as Intel, AMD, NVIDIA, Samsung, Asus, Gigabyte, and Seagate, traditionally make significant product launches. Instead, major events like Computex in June have been more common for such announcements. However, times have changed, and the concept of a one-year annual product release cycle has become a thing of the past due to the slowing down of Moore's Law and the challenges in pushing new technology to 14nm process.

The ongoing push to more advanced manufacturing nodes (like 14nm) has taken a toll on OEMs. As a result, the launch cycles for CPUs and GPUs have slowed down, leading to a more consistent 18-month release interval. The Skylake release in July 2015, for instance, would lead to Kaby Lake at CES, which is 18 months later. Similarly, AMD's Zen launch, targeted for January 2017, has been on track for some time.

Looking at Speculation and Reality

Despite the delays and the slowing down of product cycles, it is still anticipated that there will be new CPUs and system boards available, especially as CES approaches. While there might not be a new high-end GPU from AMD (RX 490), the launch of Zen CPUs by AMD and the Kaby Lake CPUs by Intel at or before CES is the most likely scenario. Some reports suggest that the Zen launch might occur in January 2017, which would be a reasonable timeline.

Building a New Rig Now vs. waiting Until January

For many PC enthusiasts, it might seem tempting to wait until CES to build a new rig, especially if they are eager to get the latest hardware. However, it is important to consider the practical implications of this decision. Hardware manufacturers do not typically launch anything significant at CES. If they do, it would indicate a major screw-up, as the best timing for such launches would usually be during the preceding months to avoid missing the US holiday season.

Launching a product at CES means it would have just missed the peak holiday season, which is the best time for hardware sales. It also allows the competition time to adjust its product cycle to counter your launch. Even if a company does a “soft” launch at CES, the product won't be available to consumers for several more months. Hence, building a new PC now, next week, or next month will not make a significant difference in the availability of new parts.

If you decide to wait until the end of January, you might encounter a situation where you always have to wait for the next cycle, as the next product cycle is not guaranteed to be any more exciting or available.

Conclusion

While it is understandable to want the latest and greatest in hardware, waiting for CES to build a gaming PC might not be the best decision. The current product cycles and timelines suggest that significant new components will be available by the end of January 2017, but waiting for them could result in a cycle of continual delays. Building your gaming PC now and staying ahead of the curve might be the better choice.