When PC Perspective Forum members get asked their opinions on powerful machines they tend to aim for the ultimate gaming machine.  That is not always the best choice for people looking at rendering machines and other tasks, as you can see here.  That type of machine belongs on a completely different battlefield and while the players will be familiar the particular needs can be very different and no less interesting than building a gaming machine.  Just ask the Folding Folks and the frogs in the BOINC forums about building servers, the Overclocking Forum is a place to go great info for the gamer; if you do take their advice you should drop by the Cases and Cooling forum as you will need some serious cooling. 

No matter what you use the computer for, an LCD three way is always sexy, just image our faces blown up that large as you watch the latest PC Perspective Podcast.