Fast computer for Visual Studio development

I find my 2 year old Dell Precision (typical config 1 GB RAM, 2 SATA
drives, 3Ghz CPU, built-in Video) sluggish at best while working in
VS2005. We exclusively write business productivity software, no gaming
or CAD or otherwise high-end stuff.

For example on an ASPX page switching from Source view to Design view,
or opening a big XSD file, it may take several seconds. One of our
developers is working on a WinApp with a detailed graphics file as the
background image: it can take 10-30 seconds to load the form, and
another several seconds switching to another tab on that form.

I have an opportunity buying a new PC before the end of the year. What
should I be looking for? I'd like to think in terms of "what if I
could invest an extra $500 - would I buy more RAM, a faster RPM hard
drive (we have one workstation with 15000 RPM SCSI drives - not
performing any better than the SATAs except 40% (2 out of 5) of the
SATA arrays have crashed) or - as someone suggested - a better video
card? Gaming cards for developers?

Ideas? Data to back it up?

Thanks,

-Tom.

.

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