If I had a choice, I'd be saving the $1000, not spending it. But on Thursday, my computer's CPU fan died, causing the CPU to overheat and die. At first, I was seeking out a replacement CPU, but the machine is 5 years old and I ran into a lot of issues, particularly with compatibility (why in the world is everything based on SATA nowadays? I love my IDE!). I ended up caving and buying new components so that I can build a new computer myself, and yes, the cost was about $1,000. Hopefully this one won't break for 10 years or more. I don't really need it to be a state-of-the-art machine; my laptop serves that purpose ;)