Hi folks!

This is the kind of question that comes up several times a year. Therefore, I apologize in advance for any tedious repetitions. However, given the rapid changes in technology and prices, the question seems justified:

I will have around 1,000-  Euros at hand to build a new rendering computer. What advice can the pros give for such an undertaking?

Here are mypreferences: I have two very little kids who love to press the power button after 20 hours of rendering. Therefore,it has to be a case that can be closed and locked with no buttons exposed.Okay, no biggie.

What else? I need as much ram as possible and as much CPU power as possible. Therefore it has to be a 64 bit platform. I run Vue 6 infinite and Poser 6 (32 bit).

So what to do? Intel or AMD? Dual Core or Quad Core? How much RAM? 8? 16? (WOOOOOAAAHH ;) ) And what kind of graphics card? Maybe I will want to play a top notch first person shooter on it in 1 or 2 years. And what does that all cost?

Thanks in advance for your input!