schloss_1, my preference is not to be nailed to one spot in the house. As a result, I use a power notebook with 1gb ram and fast AMD cpu with a wi-fi set up. This type of notebook is expensive but provides freedom to move to outside decks etc. Unlike Joe Stocks I feel that information from multiple monitors overloads my simple mind. I do have a desktop but never power it on.
A ups runs the cable modem and wireless router for about two hours in power outage. The ups was matched to the run time of the notebook battery.
Jdaassoc is right don't buy a Dell or any brand just buy top of line components and put together if you want to sit in one place all the time.