Thank you for your suggestions. So I guess a gaming computer is not what I really need. I have considered building my own but I am afraid I wouldnt know what I was doing. I went to a place called Computers Plus and this fellow was showing me around and HE said he built his first computer when he was 12!!!! MAN! I am thinking...if a 12 year old can do it  .....I can do it!! But me thinks he must be a genius or something! I would love to have a system like svdl described! "The Fixer..question..you mention a 64 bit system...doesnt some programs not run on a machine with 64?? Seems like I read that somewhere..was it Carrara?? And I have also heard that Vista wont run some graphic programs too so I have planned to stay away from Vista...anyone know the true facts on those issues?? Thanks so much for your helpful suggestions!