Need PC Built: ~$1000 Budget

[CalcProgrammer1]

If you go AMD you will want a dual channel set (2 or 4 sticks of RAM for 4 or 8GB total) and if you go Intel with the 1366 socket platform you'll want triple channel (3 or 6 sticks of RAM for 6 or 12GB total). The AMD chips and Intels (besides the 1366 platform) use a dual-channel memory controller that works best with sets of 2 RAM sticks while the 1366 Intels use a triple-channel controller that works best with sets of 3.

As for the graphics card, on a non gaming note the 5770 (or any mid to high ATI HD5xxx card) will allow you to run up to 3 monitors either individually or in a spanning mode that makes them run as one big monitor. This is the concept behind Eyefinity and when in spanning modes can allow you to play games across the displays. However, using the monitors individually will allow you to extend your desktop area if you're working on multiple things at once and need some extra room. I have 3 monitors on my 5870 and I find it hard to multi-task on a single monitor at work now, it's so useful to keep secondary windows on a side monitor. nVidia's cards will allow up to 2 monitors but only supports individual modes, it does not span as well as ATi does (if at all, I know nVidia used to have spanning a long time ago but it didn't span 3d games).

 

[hmammen]

you can span now with nvidia if you have win7 and use the same resolution for each display. But ya if your going with three or more monitors, ati. lol.

 

[Fat.Clown]

Yeah, 6-12 gigs would probably only be useful if you were future-proofing.
And if wanted to open things faster than you can blink five times.

By the time we need 6 to 12 gigs, we have probably moved on to DDR5 or beyond.

To op: you won't need more than four gigs.
I know it sounds nice and all to have more memory. But you just won't utilize it. And if you do more thAn just gaming in the future, that requires more memory, buy it in the future then. Prices will probably drop.

 

[Analog]

or if you were doing intense auto cad(machine shop) or video editing, or had a bunch of large displays you wanted to run simultaneously.

I use Inventor quite alot for school and I use programs like Photoshop/xara/illustrator and others everyday. I'm definitely getting more than 4 gigs.