Our 10 year old 486 PC is officially dead. Do I buy a new system, or should I repair and upgrade the existing machine? Two years ago I had a bad experience with a local repairer who installed a CD drive and was supposed to make the PC work faster, instead he took parts from the PC; this shook my confidence in ‘reputable’ computer repair companies. I would like to upgrade to at least a Pentium 4 with 512 MB RAM with a large monitor (LCD is not important), a CD-R/RW DVD-R combo drive, and excellent graphics. Also, what other ‘latest’ features should I be looking for?

First off, from your description of your ‘dream machine’ this would require a complete rebuild as it is unlikely you would be able to use any of the parts from your existing machine (even including the computer case, as new motherboards require a more powerful power supply). So, basically, what you are describing is building a new machine. So, now that we have established that you should buy a brand new computer rather than ‘upgrade’ we should talk components. Your system outline is excellent, having most of the elements of a good modern computer system. The Pentium 4 is a great processor and 512 MB RAM should suit your needs. Most new computers come with a large monitor (17′ display) and CD-R/W DVD-R drives as standard and some even come with LCD monitors. Otherwise, I suggest that you would want Windows XP Home Edition and a decent sized hard drive (80 GB should be enough). Most computers come with a graphics card that is integrated onto the motherboard. If you intend playing graphic intense games which require a lot of processing power, you may wish to consider getting a stand-alone video card (e.g., nVidia GeForce or ATI Radeon) which sits in the expansion slot of the computer, as these are generally more powerful. Probably the best place to start is by using an online computer system builder. These allow you to build your own system and get the exact price on the spot! Start by going to the Dell website at www.dell.com.au. Configure your dream system, consider the price and shop around to confirm which is your best buy.