Upgrade or Update?

[huntersdad]

Been looking at requesting CS4 for Christmas and decided before I do so I should check out the computer requirements for the program. After doing so, I have found that I will need to update the video card and add some RAm. Here's the specificson the current setup:

AMD 3000 2.18 GHz processor
Op Sys - Windows XP
System Memory - 448MB (due to using standard video card)
HD Space - 101 GB
Video Card - VIA/S3G Unichrome IGP

Monitor is a 17" Compaq. CPU is a Compaq SR1030NX. Computer and monitor run fine and really only ever used for Internet, some budgetary work and picture processing.

Is it worth it to upgrade the components or is it time to start looking new?

[tim]

New.

[MaxxuM]

Ditto... Get something new.

[ChasP505]

New... The old PC is certainly still useful for less demanding applications.

[BeritOlam]

Definitely new, especially if you want to do CS4!

Memory is going to be a couple generations old in that Compaq, and hence more expensive due to less demand. And even with an upgrade to the memory and gpu, the system bus speeds are still frigid compared to the current crop of computers.

Put it this way -- the cheapest new Dell computer you could buy right now would be a massive upgrade from your current system.

And the cost difference (upgrade vs. new PC) would not be nearly as great as the performance achieved, especially if you remember that you can get a nice tax write off (in the US) for donating that existing computer to a charity.