Dracoro

Just umming and erring at the moment. May buy a new PC once vista is out and we know what sort machine you REALLY need to run it properly.

Anyway, current machine as follows:
Packard Bell 1.5Ghz P4.
768MB Ram (1300 type I think, not as up to date as DDR)
Built in USB 1.1 but with USB 2 PCI card (need usb 2 for mp3 player)
40GB + 60GB HDD drives, about 20/30GB free over both discs.
64mb graphics

Don't need monitor, keyb/mouse, wireless card as they're all newish.

Now can I buy a decent case with usb2 ports, motherboard & chip and ram or is this money better put towards a new pc in 12/18 months time? Thinking of a pentium duo with 2gb ram, 300gb hdd.

I'm guessing, for the price of upgrading I could buy a new machine for the same money or can I upgrade on the cheap as I don't need to be that up to date.

Basically is there anything I can do to see good performance increase (itunes takes a while to load, but everything else is ok-ish given the age of the PC - Machine runs as well as it did new as I re-install everything once a year and keep things running well in the interim.)

MattW

Can do you a cheap unopened Seagate Sata 300 drive (200gb) or two, or three.....lol

PeteBrant

New machine - there is nothing your current set I would use as donor parts

Dracoro

That's what I thought. Have new wireless card, keyb/mouse and monitor is fine (although would like a 19 inch widescreen jobbie ) and and the 60gb hdd with my music on. I guess these can all be implanted into a new machine anyway.

So is it cheaper to build your own these days?

MattW

Yes

Just built a new one myself, and couldn't get close with an off the shelf build, you may get closer with a custom pc builder.