No such thing as future proof IMO. The latest sofware, the latest games these days are slower to catch up to the latest hardware. Why buy something like a quadcore now if you don't need it. It doesn't seem like the OP is into running a 60MB raw image through 5 Photoshop filters. Isn't it a better investment, a better value to pay for something you can use now? Again, he wrote in for advide on how to get more bang for the buck. He had a question about value now and you're talking about the future.