The current price is ~$13k, but with it you get 5 screaming hard drives, 8gb of ram, multiple multi-core processors, and a couple 24" LCD monitors... just to start

http://arstechnica.com/guides/buyer/system-guide-200612.ars/4

*Finally* updated again - we need a new computer and I think I might build this one

http://arstechnica.com/guides.ars

'eh dual core is yesturdays news... You can publicly buy quad core processors right now; which means by the end of 2008 you'll likely be able to buy 6-8 core processors, with 4 core being reasonable priced... I think I'll hold out

Hold out nearly 2 years? You sure you weren't in charge of threads 7 dev time frame?

My notebook is dead, I am working on a borrowed one, so I need to do something soon, this year preferrably

Who said two years? I can buy a quad core processor right now (publicly, check newegg), they'll have 6-8 core processors by the end of the year (2007)...

And I have no clue who did the timeline for Threads7

I need to run Windows and M$ Office, so it will need to be something that can run those

'eh get Linux and run windows in a vmware session when you need it ... Not to mention that OpenOffice is free and runs on it just fine...

You shouldn't penalize your system because Mickeysoft decided that they don't want to support multi-core processors...

Forgive me for mentioning wrong if so, but wasn't there a multi-core update for xp?

I don't need to futz with it (I already spend too much time on the computer) - trying to run linux and then running windows on top of that - it just needs to run windows and office for 99% of what I and my wife do, and it does that well

Overclocking, getting that last 3% of performance out of it, it's mostly just a waste of time and burns your computer out faster

i concourr that overclocking is a complete waste of time

I object You may get some extra performance with cheap hardware & overclocking. Bu that cheap hardware must have overclocking capabilities.

Btw, I've just upgraded my PSU to Enermax Infiniti 650W & I'm planning to buy either a normal Chakra or Uber version

Btw, since ATI did not release a R600 card yet, it is not a good idea to upgrade system IMHO