What average to optimal hardware requirements for VS2012 and VS2013 for a new Windows 7 machine.

This is off-topic, but if you are a software developer, you should think more strictly and avoid making statements which are stronger than they can be, like in this case. This is something you should better pay attention for.

No one probably can know what exactly is average (it is impossible to collect representative statistics on what people really use), and the concept of "optimal" simply make no sense, because criteria are contradictory. Weight factors for criteria cannot be determined due to lack of information. For example, if you had unlimited funds, "optimal" may mean the most powerful PC which can be obtained at this time. If time is critical, "optimal" may be one of the available boxed models in nearest store. It all depends.

It's important to understand that in modern world performance of a particular system become less and less important, unless you solve very special problems. The configurations you listed are just reasonable enough, no more. But then can easily be made a bit cheaper, without compromising present-day needs. It all depends.

—SA