yeah avoid exepnsive memory it is NOT worth it, as I've often said, never EVER buy the latest/best/super dooper stuff as you will pay way over the odds for it and in 6 months time it will be 1/2 the price ;)

Just get good brand stuff, avoid ATI as folk say, a good case is actually very important for longesvity and ease of build/maintenance of your PC

A good PSu is also vital, the new modular ones are a great idea, you can remove uneeded connectors thus keeping the case less cluttered, or add back if need

I scotch tapped some coarse air filter foam over my Antec 900 gamer cases to keep dust out, lol, new versions of that case have dust filters

if you use an SSD drive, make sure you move Vue's library elesehwere, which an be tricky process, my Vue library is ENORMOUS, and each time you upgrade it adds a new one, too...

so wih SSD drives make damn sure ONLY the operating system goes on it, if possible and nothing else except soem essential apps that don't like being elsewhere

Don't use "Home" version of Windows7, iirc there's some issues with meory or such, anyway, get the profesisonal version (wlel, that's what it's called in Europe)

I'd have 3 drives if I were you, 3rd use, not as a true RAID, but to back up content and libraries onto as you need!

I like ASUS motherboards, but lot of folk say their customer support is iffy, so some preffer ASROCK or Gigabyte boards, and don't skimp on the motherboard, it's crucial! yo don't need some crazy suepr server board, but a "good" board makes a huge difference, and make sure you update it's BIOS and chipset drivers (and with all due care and warnings about that!!)

I'd go with an i7, ASUS P6II deluxe board perhaps?

another issue about why NEVER to buy the "new super dooper stuff!" is...bugs, fualts, problems! if you wait to a board/cpu has been out for at least 6 months or more, newer versions will have fixed problems ;)

 

"Future proofing" is an iffy thing, IMHO. a well made system shoudl last at LEAST 2 years and often 5 so by that time, "updating" would be utterly a waste, as entirely new CPUs, chipsets etc will be out that your board could nto be compatible with, and you'd be better buying the "almost" new stuff at that time

kepe art and "general use/gaming" PCs seperate, do not ever if you cna afford two PCs, have yer art apps on a gaming/general use machine, you get too many problems

:)

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