The computer industry is highly competitive. The best time to buy a desktop computer is when Intel has issued out a new CPU. After this happens, its main competitor, AMD, will then immediately try to put out a new CPU model. While these two are going at it, prices with machines having the "old" CPU models will suddenly go down. This will be a general occurrence for the whole industry. Prices become cheaper when the computer stores have sales on those models that have already been reduced. Keep an eye on the CPU industry.