Damo784 wrote:

Well 64 bit is out of the question.

Why is a 64 bit system out of the question? An Athlon 64 system
might be cheaper than a high end P4 system.


Dell are the cheapest for what i want by a long shot and they only do
intel.

Are they? What would the system you propose cost? Imo I could
probably show you a few better alternatives for the price.


Also i agree with the fact that there is no 64 bit software out

One doesn't need 64 bit software to benefit from the Athlon 64. First
of all, the Athlon 64 has an on chip memory controller, which is a great
benefit and increases performance greatly in some instances. Using
a 64 bit OS even when the applications are 32 bit provides great
benefits. It can allow up to 4 gig of memory space for the application
itself. A 64 bit OS will also probably be much more efficient than a 32
bit one.


yet.however it should be mainstream in 3 years time

It is mainstream now, and will be even more so before the end
of '04. 64 bit Windows XP for the Athlon 64 will probably be released
before the end of '04.

when im upgrading
again so i can go for a 64 bit processor then......

So back to my original question more ram or more cpu power?

The best way to handle ram is to buy a standard amount, then add
if you need more. For a lower end system, 512 meg is a good start,
while for a higher end system, a gig is a good start.