Should I upgrade RAM, or upgrade computer?

With a computer like that, you're better off getting a new one. The components you listed are, quite simply, archaic.

Yes, upgrade to at least 2Gb, the new standard. Go to the dell website and to find out what kind you need. Should be anywhere from $20-40. This will significantly increase your computers performance. Computers are getting cheaper, and you can get a decent dual core processor for $500 and at least 2Gb's of ram and a very roomy 200Gb hard drive. If you wish to make that leap. You probably can't upgrade the graphics card in that computer since PCI express didn't really come on that many computers back then, so if you upgrade your whole computer and then upgrade the graphics card for a far superior computer than the one you have right now.

Ok, obviously, the best thing to do would be to buy a new computer, but that would involve spending a lot more money than just buying ram memory.

So what you could do is buying a new hard drive, they're cheap, a 1Terabyte (1,000GB) one costs about $85 then you can backup all your data on that drive and format/reinstall windows. That'll get rid of all your applications and will make your computer run a lot smoother. Now, for upgrading the RAM memory, you have to find out what kind of memory it uses, i think your ram memory runs at 333 mhz, wich are pretty old and not sold at stores anymore (they normally sell 667-1066mhz ones currently) but i think you could find them at some places, overpriced though, just cause they're hard to find.

Then you have to find out how much memory your computer can take. You can probably find your pc model specs at www.dell.com. Im pretty sure it has only 2 memory slots and keep in mind that if you have 512mb ram, they might both be in use, could be setup as 256+256mb(two sticks). If thats the case you'll have to remove one of them in order to install a new one.

But, as you can see, your computer IS old and thats the thing about computers, their technology changes fast and parts that are about 2 years old become obsolete.

Hope that helps

If Your Gamer Yeah It's Worth It Games performance Remarkably Inc5reases When You Give It More RAM But For Windows Everyday Use 2 GB Are Enough Window performance Increases When You Give It More RAM

Joe - to be perfectly honest with you - you'd probably get more power/space etc out of one of the 299 netbooks currently on the market. I wouldn't suggest upping the ram unless you are also planning on installing an additional hard-drive, as that one is dangerously close to full.

My suggesetion honestly would be to upgrade the machine - dell/hp have deals all the time listed on techbargains.com where for 400 bucks you can get yourself a real nice machine - duo core processor, 3 GB of ram etc etc, not to mention a better video card, and potentially even a nice monitor if you buy it at the right time.

Particularly for a guy using his machine for professional purposes, I think you're really rolling the dice continuing to run with a machine that is, in computer-geek terms, something of an antique at this point. 1.6ghz is what a netbook runs at, and is more or less unheard of in a desktop at this point.

Since you cannot afford a new laptop, you might want to try getting a new processor and RAM upgrade. It might help. If not then your only other choice is to start saving for a new pc.

I think IBM is the best laptop out there. You might also want to consider getting a desktop computer for your business purposes and keep the laptop for other things.

If you go with the desktop, do it by components. It's a lot cheaper.

Good luck!

Well my opinion is that you should buy a new system - the RAM would be easy to upgrade, but with that processor it wouldn't be worth it (especially since you cant upgrade laptop cpu')s.

The Hard drive is also very small so that would be well worth replacing so you're looking at upgrading a lot of it to make it worthwhile - but when you look at the price of the cheaper systems nowadays and what kind of specs they have - its well worth just getting a new one.

What i would say is hang on until october when microsoft release windows 7 and pick up a computer with it already loaded on else your'e going to be lumbered with Vista.

well for the cost to upgrade the harddrive and the ram you might want to get another laptop but it all depends if you do some searching you can find ram pretty cheap especially if it ddr2 they have 2 gigs of ram on ebay brand new for 50 bucks that is where i got mine and they are great I would also say to upgrade your harddrive its not hard to change it out as long as know a little about computers and you can find a good hard drive for 120 bucks and some of them come with the software to transfer everything too 1.6 processor can handle 2 gig hard drive easily most of the laptops say that you can upgrade ram and will have two slots to do just that even if you bought it with less ram my older toshiba had 512 and i upgraded it to 2 gig ram and it works beautifully I gave it to my daughter once i bought a new laptop

but I would really look at changing the harddrive as well as the ram and then finding out how much it cost for the upgrades and installing them if you cannot do it yourself then looking at getting a whole new one see which you can afford you can go to that link to help you find out what memory you need and if you can upgrade

upgrading your ram to 1gig or higher would be inexpensive and noticeable.

HOWEVER.... you want to use these memory/cpu intensive programs.

you should get yourself a nice 300 dollar computer with 2.x ghz processor and 4 gigs of ram

its your processor not RAM. you will have to buy a new PC if u have the option, get a desktop for work, its much cheaper and will be plenty of power.may i suggest a dell vostro 410