Originally Posted by mr dave

$1000 if a great entry point it'll get you covered nicely. One thing to keep in mind is future upgrades and whether or not you feel that you'd be the kind of person who just wants to swap out aging components every 12-18 months or who would just rather swap machines entirely.

If you think you'll be an upgrader then don't skimp on the motherboard, get something high end and fill it with mid-range components.

On the other hand if you'll just use the one machine until it runs into the ground then get a mid-range mobo and fill it with the best components it can support.