Double-Stuff alternatives
As complete as our Double-Stuff Workstation is, we still have some alternative ideas for how to fill it out.

Processor
We've established that the Core i7-940 has a more sensible value proposition than the Core i7-965 Extreme. However, the Extreme chip has an unlocked upper multiplier that should allow for effortless overclocking. Couple that with a 3.2GHz default core clock speed (up from 2.93GHz on the Core i7-940) and a higher out-of-the-box L3 cache clock, and you really are getting the fastest desktop processor ever. The Core i7-965 Extreme even outpaced a Core 2 Extreme QX9775 "Skulltrail" dual-CPU configuration in several of our benchmarks.

Storage
300GB VelociRaptors might not have the mind-blowing read speeds or near-instantaneous access times of Intel's X25-M, but they have way more storage capacity and still offer great overall performance. You can run these in a RAID 1 setup for redundancy's sake or combine them in a faster striped array.

Sound card
Our Xonar DX will do a fantastic job in games and with analog speakers or headphones, but audio professionals might want something with a few more ports. The Xonar D2X is effectively the same product, but with more bundled cables, as well as coaxial S/PDIF input and output ports. Oh, and the rear ports light up in the dark.

TV tuner
If you feel like making your high-powered workstation double as a digital video recorder, AVerMedia's AVerTV tuner card should be a fine addition. If anyone gives you funny looks, just tell them how fast the Core i7-965 can encode video. The Asus P6T motherboard doesn't have enough PCIe slots for this tuner card and a PCI Express Xonar, so you'll have to run the PCI-based Xonar D2 instead.

Enclosure
We've just sung the praises of Cooler Master's Cosmos 1000, but the Thermaltake Spedo is a great alternative for overclockers and tinkerers. We love the many little touches, like the fan mount behind the CPU area, the elegant tool-less drive sleds, and the straightforward cable routing system. Take note if you want a quiet system, though: although the Spedo's wealth of large fans and cooling grills will help keep an overclocked system cool, it will probably result in higher noise levels compared to the Cosmos.