Expert: Bobbert - 10/13/2008

Question
I want to buy a computer with hardware and software that can do the following:
1.Create presentations
2.Prepare documents
3.Play multimedia games
4.Listen to music and view movies
5.Chat with friends and relatives online
6.Store photographs
7.Browse the Internet and send and receive e-mail using my telephone line
8.No cluttering of cables on my desk
9.A Monitor that can produce high-quality images and not cause any strain on my eyes.
10.Speakers that can produce stereo sound
11.Keyboard and mouse convenient to use
12.Computer's performance should not deteriorate while I view online video clips or listens to audio clip
13.The computer should not stop responding while I play games on it.
14.Able to play online games on the computer
15.Able to upgrade the computer if required.
16.Budget $5,000
Need Answer by Thursday Oct. 16,2008 This is a gift for someone special

Answer
Honestly for $5000 you can buy above and beyond the top of the line available in 2008. To accomplish everything you'd like, is around $750-$1500, to be quite honest. If you could specify which games it needs the ability to play (such as Crysis, Fallout 3, World of Warcraft, Counter-Strike, etc), that would give me at least some direction, as all of the other tasks are easily done by the majority of systems on the market.

One thing, does it have to use a 56k modem? Broadband internet has been the norm since the early 2000's, and its a much better complement for a modern system. The online viewing experience, for video/audio, will be terrible with 56k, while with a broadband connection, it will give you a much better experience.

-bob