Desktops forum: What should I do: upgrade my computer or buy a new one?

I just went back and looked at this. It has the HD6450 discrete video card AND built-in wireless, too. That's a lot of computer for $459. When you figure in those costs, the same computer new from Dell would cost not $549, but $619!

If you're running Windows and expect to migrate to Windows 7, yes most definitely.

Linux no,

6 Years even with XP with the latest security updates won't run well. If you're set with sticking with Windows I would recommend going with an i5 and at least 2 GB of RAM. RAM is cheap these days so in all honesty go with 8 GB of RAM.

I would suggest to buy a new one with at least a sandy bridge CPU, use DDR3 RAM and able to run the coming Win8 OS.

You didn't need to give your computer specs for me to know that you are ready for a new computer.
As a computer geek from the 80s (certifications notwithstanding, they're *mostly* junk) I have watched the steady march of time and the computer from the lowly glorified calculator that kept its information on CASSETTE TAPE (huh? what's that??? lol!) to Windows 7 SP1.
Between 1988 when I had my first taste of computers and a BBS (go look it up lol!) and 2012 came many, MANY iterations, changes and COMPELLING reasons to "start all over again", as it were, especially when you have spent many hours configuring your personal settings so they are just right for you and yes there are simple ways to get most if not all of your information transfered right in the MS software, I never do it without feeling like my new computer isn't perfectly clean so I take just the pictures and then learn my new OS or iteration of Windows by NOT doing a transfer of ALL SETTINGS.
I now believe that Windows needs to be understood and taught in school. People NEED to know how to manually set up a computer, set up their small home lan, and do many, MANY things that technology is offering us but that MANY are not using because they don't know HOW.
Arguments for a new computer... I think you will need only one... Do you want a faster computing experience?
If the answer is "yes", then you have a few other questions to answer before you go shopping for your new computer, so don't just grab the first one you see that twinkles and buzzes...
Is ANYONE going to be using this computer for gaming? If so, then a SEPARATE video card is mandatory not to have the stuttering that ALL onboard video has. My adult son saw my computer was having massive issues running not only SWTOR, but even WOW at decent settings on a computer that wasn't even five months old and all because it didn't have a separate video card.
If no gaming, a simple separate video card will do for almost all your needs unless you are venturing into CAD. Browsing the web, word processing, playing simple games for kids or adults without hitting the net (stand alone games) will run darn well unless the game is "cutting edge". You do NOT want to try to play Skyrim without a separate video card.
I am seriously NOT a fan of China's skill in building computers. I have a US built machine with a very good video card, and American support. Did I pay a fortune? Nope, I paid under $800 and have a machine that will last until the next big changes because this one CAN be upgraded...
The only other thing I can think of that would be a major consideration is to make sure your computer can do an HDMI connection and has enough usb ports as well as a large enough power supply (650 minimum) if you ever DO decide you need a separate video card - my Lenovo H410 could not even be upgraded... $500 computer down the drain because I wanted to play games and it's dead, dead, dead.
If you buy onliine OR from a brick and mortor store make sure you know the components and that they are not last years (the Lenovo was over a year "old" by the time I bought it, I didn't have a choice at the time...). I don't go to retail any longer BECAUSE their inventory is not only "old" but they tend very much to sell the lowest common denominator in computers and gear... Several stores online are MUCH better. I find it strange not to have a mainstream computer or one that I built, you have to look a bit harder to find one built in the US but you can't beat getting a computer within a week and have an American speaker on the other end if you have any trouble. You might not like everyone who answers, but they SPEAK the same language you do, and Lenovo was the LAST computer I will EVER buy that was NOT, built and supported by Americans.

Unless you really like the box you have for your present computer, you should buy a new one with a new motherboard, new CPU, new RAM, new video card (unless the one built into the motherboard is good enough for all your needs), and new power supply. If your DVD reader/writer still works well, there's no need to change that. Six years old is too old and too slow. I upgrade only if I'm changing something that's only 1 or 2 years old at the most, and I've done a lot of upgrades, but when my current desktop gives out for some reason or other -- it's now about 2 years old -- I'll buy a new one but keep the box and the DVD reader/writers.

The decision needs to take on board your priorities:
1. If you are aiming to have a computer whose life will best guarantee you for the long haul, then why don't you wait for the new release of Windows (already being assessed) so that you acquire the latest version - therefore ensuring that your operating system [OS] is guaranteed to remain supported by Microsoft throughout its life?
2. An upgrade will have to deal with increased line speeds which depends on you processor, memory, graphics card, size of hard disc drive and so forth. They work in unison so it's false practice not to attend to each of these if you really want your computer to stay capable of handling all the issues presented to it.
3. Windows XP is the OS that Microsoft admit is the most vulnerable to attack by malware. Clearly, you want to rid yourself of it if you aim to steer clear of the threats we all face on the internet. This is another reason I would wait for the soon-to-be-launched new Windows OS as each release since XP has improved security.
4. If you seldom use the internet then you can cope with an obsolescent computer - familiarity can sometimes be more comforting than an "all bells and whistles" piece of kit. But if you use the internet a lot then I see no difficulty making your choice.

For entertainment and games just click start choose run click type msconfig click ok choose startup OS
choose advance put mark on processor choose number one put mark on minimum ram type 2048
restart your pc and your OS opertaing depend on 1 gb or more for 2048 gb for running games media
same step to undo changes enjoy with best wishes

If you clone your hard disk a computer can last almost forever. Increasing
memory works wonders. But, computers are cheap these days. 250- 300
USD for darn good stuff second hand. 500USD gets you new wizard
technology.
But it seems to me that we are missing a big point. It is not the hardware.
When you get a new computer you loose all the software that you have
installed, all the settings that you have made, the emails, and a lot of
the software. You can spend a week reading up and porting everything.
But you generally end up with a significant learning curve. It is a major
pain in the butt.

The latest anti-virus programs hog processor power. New software versions
do not work on old computers.

A lot of the time we are forced to upgrade not because we want more
procesing power, but because the latest "upgrade" of the software does
not work on our old machine. People's minds are not getting faster, (or
not all that much), their hands are not getting faster, and the old computer
was doing the job. But the software "upgrades" and also the dream of better,
keeps us on the upgrade escalator.

Gamers...sure. If you want an artificial reality then we have a long way
to go. I never play games.

Video rendering...yes. 6 year old computers render videos slowly. New
ones takes 5 minutes. Hmmm....

Soon people are going to feel that the never ending upgrade path that
is taken for granted in the world of computers is bs or an M$ (etc) tax.
But until their is a critical mass of people bored with learning to use
new software, we are probably better off buying the next new computer.

Tim

I must say that I agree with those saying "what do you use it for". I have many friends with 6 year old XP machines. Some were about to buy new because of severe "slowdown". In all cases I managed fairly easily to fix that. They simply hadn't done the "maintenance" I'd recommended. Much easier to click "cancel" when the pop-up told them to update - even with antivirus programs!!!! Doing a scan? No time, why should I bother? Beggars belief.

They WOULD have their car serviced faithfully but "servicing" the computer was too much bother. In all cases they only used the computer for browsing,email, banking, buying, photos, and other such mundane uses. None were gamers. The machines were mainly single core machines but fast single core. Since they never used exotic programs then dual, triple, quad, core would simply be a waste of money. I'd guess that 90%+ of computer users fit that category.

Then again YOU are asking here so you clearly have more interest. I have "upgraded" my excellent casing several times and it really is as easy as others say.
The main problem that I now have is whether a favourite program (and even a needed PCI card) will work or fit.

Most XP programs will work in Windows 7 - but only if you buy the higher end versions of W7.
So you have a dilemma and it really depends on your usage. What I find today is that I can buy a perfectly good and fast utility machine for less than the cost of upgrade components. Those? Well who knows. You can research the components of every last bit of your machine, buy the bits, and still find that it isn't quite what you wanted.
As I say - review your usage. The truth is that most people would be perfectly happy with an old 1.2Ghz machine. (well perhaps - but it doesn't have the "bling" factor does it.)
A neighbour has an 8 year old Dell with a 40Gb hard disc. I think it is a 1.6Ghz. Stopped working. Reason? Her kids had totally filled the HD with photos. Once we transferred those to other media the machine could be restored and , a year later, is still performing to her total satisfaction. In her case, and other cases, a cheap upgrade of memory and/or a dedicated graphics card with memory (in 1 case a seriously cheap 2nd hand card) fixed any "slowness".. Current web, and many programs, demand more memory.

Like so many others in this thread have stated, you don't provide enough information to give an informed answer. I built the computer I'm currently using as my main computer (I also have a core i7 laptop and an Ipad2) 5 years ago this February. It's running an Intel Core2 duo 2.13 with 2gb RAM, etc, etc. running Windows XP SP2 (found sp3 to slow it down) with 3 SATA hard drives. I just upgraded to 4gb ram and got an Intel E8500 3.12ghz proc. of of ebay ~ cost $110 total and my system is faster than most I've been on including my i7 Laptop running Windows 7, 8gb ram, etc. I mostly surf the web, email and occasional Photoshop and video editing, Itunes and also use it for data recovery on other hard drives. One of the best answers I think is if it's fast enough for you, then no need to buy new ~ I'm thinking I'll stick with my current config until Windows XP is completely phased out then use it as a media server or as a Windows Home Network machine or something. I've been, and still am, quite happy with my current computer!!

Hi and thank you for listening.
A 6 year old computer may have: <div> 1. Less than 2 GB of memory. (note that the memory today runs faster too)
2. Used dirty Fans that will slow down the processor and computer.
3. Hard drive is old and may only have 80 GB of space. (if upgrading always get a
<div> new Hard drive for better Performance)


</div> 4. Video Card if there is a fan on it you could be doomed soon.
5. Power supplies usually are fine but if name brand under powered and it does have fans that could cause issues if they haven't been cleaned on a Regular basis.
6. Single Core processor. Slow compared to what is out there today.


A new computer will -
1. Be Faster.... For sure.
2. Already have Windows 7.
3. More Memory. (faster Memory)
4. More Hard Space. (1TB)
5. NEW!!! All NEW with a warranty. Just make sure you get the warranty you want. Some company's make you ship in your computer and you have to wait 10 days and your data is in the Mail( Scary).


Tips on NEW computer..... Laptop - Go to the local Computer store. See Feel touch!!! Find out what you really like. Feel the top of the Keys and all parts of the laptop make sure its not running to hot. HEAT KILLS COMPUTERS. Make sure the plastic is not a cheap very easy to break. I have seen lots of people buy a laptop for $399 vs $499 for the price and the $399 Dies 1 year and 1 day after they bought it, and the $499 last for 3 years or more. Desktop - Make sure it built well. Hard case. Flimsy cases means flimsy parts and products. Feel the back for over heating.
Once you find the computer/computers you like. Then you can write down the information. Search Cnet reviews to make sure everything is good. And buy where you feel comfortable(your favorite store) buying a computer.

Once you get your new computer make sure fill out Warranty information asap. Put on good Anti-Virus(the one pre-installed is usually the worst one?) Download Malwarebytes from CNET and have a Technician connect your old drive to your PC USB after the computer is on and windows is open. Use Malwarebytes to scan the Drive and then transfer the Data. (Note to upgraders - Installing widows 7 without deleting the old Partion won't delete a Virus). BTW you can have the tech take off any and all programs you don't need with CCleaner. You can get Ccleaner on CNET. Your old drive you can write your name on it and store it for a backup or wipe it and Use CCleaner to make sure your data is totally wiped off the drive and give your old computer to a Friend or Person in Need.

Thank you for Listing and hope this helps. I could write forever on this subject. I am a computer guy myself (since 1987) . I have my own business in San Diego www.sdcomputerguy.com You can reach me there if you have any questions. Thanks - Aaron.




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My almost 10yo Dell desktop gave up the ghost as I was in the process of deciding whether to build or buy. I knew that it was on its way out but the motherboard quit on me before I finalized my decision. During my investigation, here's some of the things that I found out:
1. The drives in my old PC were all IDE & would not be compatible with current technology.
2. Shopping smart would get me a pre built system as cheaply as building one myself.
3. I could easily get a new desktop that would significntly outperform my old one for a fraction of the cost.
4. Getting a Windows 7 Pro OS would allow me to still use XP software that I still needed.
5. Since my old HD was still good, it was cheap & easy to buy & mount it in an external hd enclosure. it worked perfectly!
So I went out & purchased a new, pre-built system w/Windows 7 Professional, hooked up my old drive (now external) to recover old data & files, purchased Windows Office Pro (educational version) at a fraction of the cost & not I'm whole again with a much more powerful system with a minimum af headache & angst. Yes, I could've gone with rebuilding my old Dell but that would've kept me unable to use some of the newer software & & would've required me to replace, in addition to the motherboard, the CPU, RAM & fans with no guarantees.
A brand new unit was the simpler, more cost effective option.

By the time you buy all the parts to do a proper upgrade you've spent far more than it would cost to buy new. Go to Walmart and for $398.00 you can buy a Windows 7 desktop (less monitor) with a 1 TerraByte SATA hard drive and 3 GB memory and a 3.2 BHz processor and all the necessary goodies. Why go through all the hastle and expense?

http://3btech.net Is who we use now, we aren't name brand people and prefer IBM clones: Windows machines that can run Ubuntu Linux too. We used to build our own but can no longer compete with the cheaper prices so we order them from 3b tech. You have to decide what you need the machine for? We switched to Open Office for documents. I have programs and games I run, but am not a gamer. Use software for editing photos, Mp3 software for ripping CDs and music progam, also rip my Dvd's to play on my Zune and Viewsonic G tablet. I have Audible and use it a lot. I don't think I paid over $400.00 with shipping on my last one. I did order it without software as I have my own OEM version of Windows Xp. I did not order a new keyboard or monitor, but I did upgrade the power supply, memory and DVD player to Blu ray. I have a newer machine I am running Windows 7 on, I like XP better...just a personal preference here.

I bought a newer monitor at Buy.com and a Logitech wireless keyboard and mouse too. I am very happy with my set up as I don't care for manufacturers who lock you into using their peripherals and charging hand over fist for the privilege of upgrading your machine

Whatever course you decide to follow do a lot of searching on the web, there are many helpful articles available and it never hurts to research your interest before you lay cash out. In the end you should be happy with what ever way you decide to go. Best of luck.

I'm in the process of upgrading my system from XP Pro to Windos7 Pro and it's a lot more than just hardware. Use the Windows7 Upgrade Advisor (Microsoft) to find out what you're looking at from the software standpoint. Unless you stay with XP you'll have to reinstall everything anyway. Are you ready to face that task?

If you are going to do a component upgrade then what you are probably facing is not much will be useable except the case. You may also need a new power supply to handle any new graphics card. If you are just looking for better performance then shop around for components that can do the job without moving to Windows7.

If you just can't stand the temptation to upgrade then my suggestion is to buy a package. Include the usual office productivity software in the purchase.