Help me build my own workstation

[renegadex]

Your priority should be CPU > RAM > Sound Card (assuming you don't already own an external). People telling you RAM is more important than CPU for audio production, or for any sort of data processing, are not educated in computers. RAM can't even be fully utilized unless you're running 64 bit windows. CPU = processing power. How much audio data your computer can process will determine how well it runs when you're producing. I.e. when you've got 100 clips, your CPU is going to be strained. That's when buffer lag happens and you start bouncing to audio, etc. More cores, along with a DAW that can utilize them (like Ableton), is always good. RAM allows your computer to multitask. If you want to produce while you've got Diablo 3 alt tabbed and Photoshop opened editing pictures while you're on a Skype call, then get more RAM. If you want more audio production possibilities, get a good CPU, get good *QUALITY* RAM (not quantity), and get a good sound card, if you've not got one already.