Tips on Computer Specs

[Chaos]

I am currently on the lookout for a new comp, my dad's comp specs are

256MB DDR RAM
80 GB Hard Drive
10 GB Removable Hard Drive
Intel Pentium 4 Processor
Intel Extreme Graphics Card (64 MB)
Windows XP
CD RW
DVD R

I wanna no what i should b lookin for to better this comp and how much u think it will cost.

[WhatsThisBoxFor?]

Add another 256Mb of RAM? It will greatly improve windows XP performance.

Other than that it seems a very good home machine, for just internet and email (what speed is the processor?). What does he want to use it for? Games? Video Editing?

[Chaos]

Mainly for games, heard i can get 120G Hard Drive and i was aware of the RAM, the processor speed is 2.80 GHz

[WhatsThisBoxFor?]

For games, well that changes quite alot, firstly you might want to change the graphics card, to one that supports DirectX 9. If you have a low budget you are looking at the Radeon 9550/9600 series, medium budget the Radeon 9800, and if you want the highest possible the (nVidia) 6800 series). If you like nVidia though, you will have to get the FX cards, although they perform badly against the Radeons.

Processor is fine, no need to upgrade that.

If your hdd has a 2mb cache you might want to change to one with an 8mb cache.

Could you give a few more specs, like mobo type etc.

Also this seems quite like a few dells I have seen, is it a brand name computer?

[glc]

If that computer does not have an AGP slot, trying to upgrade it for gaming is going to be futile.

[mb26]

^need a motherboard replacement atleast if the above is correct (and it sounds like a dell w/o AGP to me)