hard drive capacity, memory, & processing speed needs...

["" gronborgj]

Approaching year two of my PhD program and the beginning of data
collection.  For all this will entail, especially with storing and
analyzing audio files, my 17GB hard drive isn't going to cut it.  iMac
here I come (I think) but how much to invest in each of those three -
hard drive capacity, memory, & processing speed needs...

Anywhere from 500GB to 2TB drive
either 4 or 8 GB RAM
either 3.06, 3.2, or 3.6GHz

Advice from those who've been working with audio files and analysis
software on top of other analysis and data management/presentation
needs is greatly appreciated.  "What you can afford" doesn't help
given that I didn't find work this summer and it's all coming out of
that inherited 'emergency' fund...

Bioacoustician wannabe,
Jodi