The Intel vs. AMD argument is pretty moot these days, with both chips providing exception performance. The Intel chipsets are more expensive, as they've always been, but are slightly better for working with multimedia (high-end video editing and compositing, etc). In terms of value for money, you'd be better off going with an AMD chipset - the key thing to look for is a good graphics card. If you're going to be doing lots of CAD, both ATI and NVidia manufacture CAD/CAM-specific models of their graphics cards, which are customised for the high detail, high resolution 3D renderings that CAD involves. So... It's your choice which ever processor you want to go with. Intel is the top dog by a nudge at the moment, but their stuff is a lot more expensive than AMD products. And there's really not that much difference in it performance wise.. My suggestion is that you hit up the web (Google anyone? :) and search for some CAD-specific benchmarks (if CAD's your game) - that's the best way to get started. Forums for the sort of thing you're interested in doing are also a useful way to glean nuggets of information... Happy shopping. Christopher

Intel is the best in my opinion, coupled to a Nvidia Quadro, Tesla, or a G80 core graphics card. Matrox, and 3dlabs are good also, but at much higher cost. I can never recommend Ati, due to framerate crashes I have encountered along their product lines, overheating, and downright failure. In 6 machines I've built, 4 Ati cards have failed, In my customers machines I get regular Ati failures, as well as the graphics core failure in my X360.

Intel, def. (tho wouldnt last two seconds against a POWER6, or a Fujitsu Venus) tho these chips power room sized supercomputers with a super price :D, so yep def Intel esp Intel Nehalem Xeon.