I don't understand why anybody would spend hard earned money on a 2 GHz P-4 and a gazillion monitors. I have a P-III 1 GHz, 512 RAM, 64 meg Nvidia video card, it runs Windows XP Home very well and does everything I need. I don't plan to buy another computer until some great software comes out that I can't run, and I don't think that will be happening anytime soon. PC hardware architecture is so screwed up its like a corvette with bicycle tires on it. A P-4 2 ghz cpu will spend 95% of its time idle, and going to 3 ghz cpu will not change anything, except you can brag about it. The same thing is true with multiple monitors. I can understand having two seperate pcs, and I can understand 2 monitors on a single pc. Putting 4 or 6 monitors on a single pc may look cool, but thinking that you will make more money because of it is pure delusion. All of the new gadgets are cool, but they can become a very expensive distraction from actually making money. Trading is not a video game. The advent of computers has caused more people to get into trading, and volume has increased, but other than large scale program trading the fundamentals have stayed the same. Don't waste your money on 4 lcd monitors, especially if you are a newbie.
Our friend bill gates is working on that very problem right now (ignoring the 'great' part) only thing to add is to remember to do a search on Ebay when you settle on what you want - some really incredible deals from Ebay 'stores' selling new components. (no affiliation, just some advice)
Have you been listening to me talk to some of my clients? I can't tell you how many times I have had to put some ego's in check. There is just some strange need to have that one last nanosecond of speed. Just taking many of their existing systems and adding more (and or improved) RAM, a faster hard drive, and/or quicker internet access will more than suffice for many users. Multiple monitors? Ok, I have two on my main system and they are useful. My viewing monitor is 36" and my working monitor is 25" and they easily cover my needs. I have a great sound platform also as I do have multi-media development needs. But both of those machines as well as my laptops are PIII's which will cover my needs for years to come. I have one P4 so that I can keep up with new developments but it will have to press me into substituting it for one of my other machines. My data server is a PIII also and it has multi-processors. But my pride is a Beowulf cluster which is based on PII's and runs rings around the other equipment. Maximum speed drives and fully populated high end RAM makes it quite a formidable setup.
The XP 1800-2400 AMD. Or you can go with a Pentium. My preference is AMD. If you get an XP go with the MSI kt3 ultra2 its a rocksolid performer. All should set you back less than $600. http://www.tcwo.com/:)
Consider the matrox G200 quad video board...you can find them on ebay....new. They list for anywheres from 7 to 9 hundred. You can get a new one there for 300....it will run four monitors off of one card with the cables. It is a good card...and can be bought cheaper if you do not get the tv tuner input feature. http://search.ebay.com/search/searc...uery=g200+matrox+&from=R8&ht=1&combine=y&st=2