Hardware requirements for development machines

Question

Given that:

• SSD’s are now [high end] mainstream
• Two+ cores are not hard to come across
• 24+ Inch monitors are plentiful
• Dual Video Outputs are the norm.
• 64-Bit OS’s complement very cheap memory

Can I ask two questions to hardware enthused developers [not the gamers!]

1. What high-end hardware item could you not develop without - [what is your hardware crutch]?

2. What should a baseline [no frills] dev machine look like and what basic specs should it have to ensure that any dev can still be productive?

Note: It might be worth mentioning what platform and dev-env your base line is for?

Answer 1

The most important hardware update (and most underrated) is the monitor.

If you're coding 8+ hours a day don't hesitate on costs and get a nice high end 24" at least, or even a pair of them.