8th generation geforce price drop
 

the geforce 9800's came out today and it looks like they aren't that big of a leap from the 8th generation.

i'm looking around newegg, etc. and seeing some decent discounts and rebates on all of the 8th generation geforce cards. is now the time to grab one, or should i hold out? and if so, how long should i wait?

Look up Edward R. Bernays, (completely off topic) but it will help you to understand the psychology of consumerism, and why you would pay more for essentially the same product with a few insubstantial frills year after year. You basically have to immediately lose the thrill of owning the new product, and immediately begin planning your next purchase.

Manufacturing demand, and manufacturing consent.

the 9th generation of geforce cards is out, so the current generation is now obsolete in the minds of many consumers. based on past history of nvidia and the hardware market in general, when can i expect the best deals on an 8th generation card?

what i seem to see happen is a price drop within a year or so when vendors sell off surplus of the newly "obsolete" hardware. then the price goes back up and they keep manufacturing the old generation for lower end users. for example, i see the geforce 7900 gtx going for at least $250 despite being two generations old. i could get an 8800 gt for that price right now. is any of this right at all? i'm just trying to pinpoint the price drop. it might be now, it might be in a few weeks when the 9800 gtx comes out.

Price Performance Ratio
 

There are already some significant price drops on 8k series cards. I just bought two 8600GTS' for just over $150 (that's for BOTH cards, not each). These replace a pair of 7600's that were $210 each only a year ago.

Benchmarking reveals a performance gain - but a very, very small one. If you can't get the latest and greatest at a good price, I'd recommend SLI of some lower end (and less expensive) cards. Great bang for the buck.

that's what i'm going for. i'm gonna buy a second 8800 for sli. i think i'm going to wait until the 25th when the 9800 gtx comes out. that's the last new card they're putting out for a while and all the rebates i've looked at expire on 3/31. i dunno if that means anything or not... is it common practice for manufacturers to say a rebate will end, then just start a new rebate with the same(or better) terms when the current rebate expires? is there any way to find out about future rebates that will be offered?

Moved: This thread is more suitable in General and has been moved accordingly to help your thread/question get the exposure it deserves.

Mod Note: Although the question involves hardware, it's more about sales/prices than a Linux technical question