What do you think about AMD platform?
I use the AND Platform and although it is not as quick as Intel and it has some of it's own problems, these pale somewhat when compared to the amount of problem the Intel platform seems to have.
There are advantages with AMD:
The way they handle upgrades. AM2 & AM2+ CPU's will fit into AM3 boards, although they do need BIOS updates. and, from what I am already reading about the next range of CPU's they will be continuing this kind of thing for AM3 into the AM3+ boards
The lower cost involved in putting together a reasonably powerful PC.
Overclocking on AMD is actually quite simple and, if you have a Black Edition CPU is really easy and, unless you want to be really silly, quite stable. (eg my 1090T is clocked at 3.2Ghz but I can get it to 4Ghz with just a couple of alterations in BIOS)
AMD CPU's seem to be cooler when running at stock than Intel.
Not a definitive guide to AMD but some of the things that I have noticed and experienced.