I finally got a new PC... well, it will be here on Wednesday, but I finally bought it! My old machine served me very well for more than 10 years (with upgrades), but it was long past time to see it retired. Check this out, my old machine specs (try not to laugh too hard):

Windows XP
Intel Pentium 4 3.0GHz w/ HT
3GB DDR RAM
GeForce 7600GS 256MB (AGP)
2 x 500GB SATA HDD

I will continue to run that machine as a file and print server for my other devices, but it will no longer be my primary workhorse after "The Upgrade" arrives:

Windows 7 (Home Premium)
Intel Core i7-3770 3.4GHz w/ "Turbo Boost 2.0" to 3.9GHz
12GB DDR3 RAM
GeForce GT 640 1GB GDDR5 (yeah, I could have done a bit better here, it will probably be the first component upgraded down the line)
2TB SATA HDD

I can't wait until Wednesday when I can find out how many of my games and software no longer work! No, really, I live for the challenge of making things work and my old machine had long ago lost that challenge. I haven't been this giddy in a long time!

Gratz! Hope it works out very well for you.

"Windows XP
Intel Pentium 4 3.0GHz w/ HT
3GB DDR RAM
GeForce 7600GS 256MB (AGP)"

That's exactly what I have.... (although the 7600GS died a fiery death at the hands of Conan and BioShock and is now a Radeon HD 3650)

2TB SATA HDD

I bet that'll be the first thing you're going to "update". :P

Not a bad rig that. :)

That's a bit like the phoenix, isn't it?

Congrats! Don't feel to embarrassed about the old rig, I'm running at a whopping 2.1 ghz! All the power!

Hey congrats, that always feels good, huh?:)

Fun with Crysis is an oxymoron.

Why? :)

nice

just slap a virtual machine on it, and you can still play most older games.

Because it's not fun? :P

Feels great, like a kid before Christmas! My old machine had got so bad that I actually stopped using it and had pretty much given up PC gaming. Now the joy is back! Well, I won't be playing Crysis (not really interested), but I do have four games already lined up that I never got to work well on the old machine and so never really got to play them: BioShock, Dark Sector, Alpha Protocol and The Witcher. The new machine should have no problems pumping those games out at full settings! I've also got at least 4 years worth of games that I couldn't even consider buying before due to my hardware limits. Fortunately most of them are now discounted pretty well, so hopefully I won't strain my wallet too much (yeah, right).

Heresy!

Congrats on the new pc...Let's hope it will serve you well in gaming and entertaining