I need to upgrade BADLY!

[celosia23]

Hey all,
I need an upgrade badly. It is way overdue, but I frankly am lost with all the new tech. I currently have a PC with the following specs (file from Speccy - I have no idea what most of this means):

CPU
Intel Pentium 4 630
Cores 1
Threads 2
Name Intel Pentium 4 630
Code Name Prescott
Package Socket 775 LGA
Technology 90nm
Specification Intel Pentium 4 CPU 3.00GHz
Family F
Extended Family F
Model 4
Extended Model 4
Stepping 3
Revision N0
Instructions MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, Intel 64, NX
Virtualization Not supported
Hyperthreading Supported, Enabled
Bus Speed 199.5 MHz
Rated Bus Speed 798.1 MHz
Stock Core Speed 3000 MHz
Stock Bus Speed 200 MHz
Caches
L1 Data Cache Size 16 KBytes
L1 trace cache 12 KBytes
L2 Unified Cache Size 2048 KBytes
Cores
Core Speed Multiplier Bus Speed Rated Bus Speed Threads
Core 0 2992.8 MHz x 15.0 199.5 MHz 798.1 MHz APIC ID: 0, 1

RAM
Memory slots
Total memory slots 4
Used memory slots 2
Free memory slots 2
Memory
Type DDR2
Size 2048 MBytes
Channels # Single
DRAM Frequency 266.0 MHz
CAS# Latency (CL) 4 clocks
RAS# to CAS# Delay (tRCD) 4 clocks
RAS# Precharge (tRP) 4 clocks
Cycle Time (tRAS) 12 clocks
Bank Cycle Time (tRC) 16 clocks
Physical Memory
Memory Usage 58 %
Total Physical 2.00 GB
Available Physical 850 MB
Total Virtual 3.85 GB
Available Virtual 2.50 GB
SPD
Number Of SPD Modules 2

Motherboard
Manufacturer IBM
Model IBM (LGA775/PSC/TJS)
Version ThinkCentre M52
Chipset Vendor Intel
Chipset Model i945P/PL/G/GZ
Chipset Revision A2
Southbridge Vendor Intel
Southbridge Model 82801GB (ICH7/R)
Southbridge Revision A1
System Temperature 60 °C
BIOS
Brand IBM
Version 2EKT37AUS
Date 6/13/2006
PCI Data
Slot PCI-E
Slot Type PCI-E
Slot Usage In Use
Bus Width 32 bit
Slot Designation PEG
Characteristics 3.3V
Slot Number 0
Slot PCI
Slot Type PCI
Slot Usage Available
Bus Width 8 bit
Slot Designation PCIe x1
Characteristics 3.3V
Slot Number 1
Slot PCI
Slot Type PCI
Slot Usage Available
Bus Width 32 bit
Slot Designation PCI Slot #1
Characteristics 3.3V
Slot Number 2
Slot PCI
Slot Type PCI
Slot Usage Available
Bus Width 32 bit
Slot Designation PCI Slot #2
Characteristics 3.3V
Slot Number 3

Graphics
Monitor
NVIDIA GeForce 7300 LE
Manufacturer NVIDIA
Model GeForce 7300 LE
GPU G72
Device ID 10DE-01D1
Revision A2
Subvendor ASUStek Computer Inc (1043)
Current Performance Level Level 0
Technology 90 nm
Die Size 77 mm²
Transistors 112 M
Release Date Mar 2006
DirectX Support 9.0c
DirectX Shader Model 3.0
OpenGL Support 2.0
Bus Interface PCI Express x16
Temperature 65 °C
GPU Clock 450 MHz
Memory Clock 532 MHz
Driver version 6.14.13.783
BIOS Version 5.72.22.34.21
ROPs 2
Shaders Vertex 4/Pixel 43
Memory Type DDR2
Physical Memory 64 MB
Virtual Memory 256 MB
Bus Width 64 Bit
Pixel Fillrate 0.9 GPixels/s
Texture Fillrate 0.9 GTexels/s
Bandwidth 8.5 GB/s
Count of performance levels : 1
Level 1
GPU Clock 450 MHz


As I said, it is really old (haven't done much with it since 2007) and I need to upgrade or switch it for a laptop. I mostly use it for office applications, but I do enjoy gaming from time to time (Sims 4, Secondlife, WoW). Ideally I would like to go to a laptop for portability, but since I just graduated and have no money, I need to table that for a year or two down the road.
Can someone please give me solid recommendations? I have been yanked around so much and it's frustrating. Just because I am not majoring in tech doesn't mean I want to run a crappy machine with sub-par capabilities. Help is very very much appreciated.

 

[Itsbranden97]

How much money do you have to spend?

 

[imaginaxion]

Go to best buy and look at the cheapest laptop or desktop they have. It'll way outperform what you have. For about $250 you could be up and running. Unfortunately it wont have a floppy drive so you may not be able to run some of your software. (I'm not being facetious here). However as you say you have no money...

 

[celosia23]

Sorry ! I neglected to put my budget in there. I have about $700 to upgrade existing PC or get a new laptop. It isn't exactly no money, but it isn't the $2000 I wish I had to spend...

I have looked at the newer laptops, but they leave a bad taste in my mouth. I detest the application-based systems, and maybe I am old school, but I prefer to run programs.

Thanks again for your help on this.

 

[celosia23]

How much money do you have to spend?

About $700.

 

[Itsbranden97]

If you wanna re use your case you can get this:

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/DvxnrH

I didn't go with an i5 because of cost and for he needs its not necessarily a huge difference in performance. Could also get a G3258 rather than the i3 and get a better monitor if you need one or drop the SSD and get one.

 

[imaginaxion]

Sorry ! I neglected to put my budget in there. I have about $700 to upgrade existing PC or get a new laptop. It isn't exactly no money, but it isn't the $2000 I wish I had to spend...

I have looked at the newer laptops, but they leave a bad taste in my mouth. I detest the application-based systems, and maybe I am old school, but I prefer to run programs.

Thanks again for your help on this.

I don't know what you mean by application based systems. Pretty much everything new you buy new is going to be windows 8. However in January I bought a refurbished mini desktop system from Tiger Direct for $92. The reason I bought it was that it came with windows 7 64 bit Professional (I have 30Gb of Ram on my desktop, and windows 7 HOME only allows you access to 16Gb). Just to upgrade would have cost me $150 from Microsoft.
No room for expansion in this little guy, and wont be any good for modern games, but I'm going to use it for a photobooth, and it'll be plenty powerful for that.
Here's the specs on it.

Dell Optiplex 760 Desktops PC - Intel Core 2 Duo 2.80GHz, 2GB DDR2 Memory, 80GB HDD, Windows 7 Professional 64-bit (Off-Lease) - RB-825633304529

 

[celosia23]

If you wanna re use your case you can get this:

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/DvxnrH

I didn't go with an i5 because of cost and for he needs its not necessarily a huge difference in performance. Could also get a G3258 rather than the i3 and get a better monitor if you need one or drop the SSD and get one.

Hey thanks! This is more of what I am looking for if I stick with my current and just upgrade. It provides a good solution for now, and later on when I am making big bucks I can spend money on a really nice laptop. I actually have a great 23" monitor - sad because that is probably the best thing about my system. :-/

I will check out the options you mention and see which will better suit me. Great job - and under budget!!

 

[celosia23]

Sorry ! I neglected to put my budget in there. I have about $700 to upgrade existing PC or get a new laptop. It isn't exactly no money, but it isn't the $2000 I wish I had to spend...

I have looked at the newer laptops, but they leave a bad taste in my mouth. I detest the application-based systems, and maybe I am old school, but I prefer to run programs.

Thanks again for your help on this.

I don't know what you mean by application based systems. Pretty much everything new you buy new is going to be windows 8. However in January I bought a refurbished mini desktop system from Tiger Direct for $92. The reason I bought it was that it came with windows 7 64 bit Professional (I have 30Gb of Ram on my desktop, and windows 7 HOME only allows you access to 16Gb). Just to upgrade would have cost me $150 from Microsoft.
No room for expansion in this little guy, and wont be any good for modern games, but I'm going to use it for a photobooth, and it'll be plenty powerful for that.
Here's the specs on it.

Dell Optiplex 760 Desktops PC - Intel Core 2 Duo 2.80GHz, 2GB DDR2 Memory, 80GB HDD, Windows 7 Professional 64-bit (Off-Lease) - RB-825633304529

That may have been the wrong terminology/label to use. Either way, I don't use apps much, so that isn't something that I find important. I do like the idea of spending less money, so I will check out TigerDirect to see what they have that will work for me. It is important that I have a CD/DVD drive to use, and I need 2.8-3.0GHz of speed as well as at least 4GB of RAM.