Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

so should I keep till its dead, or trade it in early?

Mar 25, 2005 4:21PM PST

Alright I know this might sound like a dumb question but I thought I would ask.

Alright I have a COMPAQ Presario SR1215CL. The specs are:

AMD Sempron 3000+
2.00 GHz, 512MB RAM
120GB Harddrive
CD-RW/DVD ROM
Windows XP Home
17inch FLAT CRT Moniter

I got this computer for christmas and I was curious with all the new technology that will probably be coming out in the near future should I trade this in when it comes time that this is a couple of months from being out of date or should I use it till its about dead lol. I mean I paid 650.99 plus tax on this at Christmas of 2004. This computer is really running great. Also, another soultion is just upgrading, the RAM can be upgraded to 2GB I think.

so should I keep till its dead, or trade it in early?

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Keep till it's dead IMO
Mar 25, 2005 5:29PM PST

Hey, that is a pretty good computer, especially for the price. The latest tech like 64-bit and hyper this or that does not make your good computer obsolete. If you are a gamer, your computer came with integrated graphics (Via KM 400A), however, you do have an AGP 8x slot and can get 'wild' with a video card.

Checking HP (Compaq) you can only go to a maximum allowed of 1GB on RAM, 2 sticks of 512MB DDR1-333 2700MB SDRAM.

One of my computers is 6 years old and still runs & plays most all games except the latest high tech ones.

My retired sister was given an old computer (233Mhz) that must be 7-8 years old and she is very happy with it surfing the net & playing card games.

Be happy, your's should last that long.

- Collapse -
My opinion.
Mar 25, 2005 10:06PM PST

If you have a NEED (won't run some app) then upgrade.

If you WANT the latest+greatest (bragging rights) then I hope you have a fat wallet, chasing hi-tech is expensive.

This machine is 5+yrs old, for my NEEDS it chugs along just fine.

- Collapse -
Up to you
Mar 26, 2005 7:48AM PST

You don't have a problem, you need to make a decision, its up to you to what is better. Your system should be humming within reason for a few years. As, you noted, you can add ram other upgrades to be top of form.

enjoy -----Willy Happy

- Collapse -
keep it
Mar 26, 2005 7:59AM PST

I agree totally with the advice that as long as it's doing what you need it to do, then it's a great machine. When you do get ready for something new, do what I did this year and donate it. Get the value here

http://www.orionbluebook.com/orion/computer.asp

and then take it to salivation army or wherever (they sometimes pick up). Get a receipt and take the full book value as a perfectly legal tax deduction. The benefts are threefold: 1. it's out of your house. I have known several people with closets full of Amigas that they were saving for....I dunno. 2. You gave it to a good cause, presumably. They will sell it and feed the homeless or whatever. 3. You GOT something for it.

- Collapse -
thanks..
Mar 26, 2005 10:53AM PST

to everyone who answered my questions. I think after listening to yalls suggestions I will probably keep it, upgrade and see how long it last. I do not do much on the computer, internet, office, i run a few programs like windows blinds, aol instant messenger. so its a basic home computer.

probably christmas I will treat myself to another 512MB to have 1GB memory. Who knows maybe even another 120GB harddrive and a flat screen LCD haha Happy

thanks again

- Collapse -
lol
Mar 26, 2005 11:00AM PST

i know this might be the wrong place to ask but is anyone interested in a IPOD Mini Silver? Its the first generation MINI so its doesn't have the 18HR Battery Life. MINT condition, beautiful not a scratch on it. My son is a huge EBAYER lol hes made some where like 2100 on some junk I was going to give to goodwill, so it might end up there. Curious if anyone is interested thanks again for all your answers

- Collapse -
your pc
Mar 27, 2005 5:30AM PST

you just got it and youre already going to get rid of it is it a want to get rid or a really i need to get rid of it add more memory up the hard drive if you have to and your machine should last another 5 years unless you should of gotten a media center or something else to begin with more memory will work faster and ive got 120 hard drive and after 4 years still havent filled it up

- Collapse -
well
Mar 27, 2005 5:35AM PST

i wasn't really concerned about the harddrive being it has a 120GB harddrive. I was more concerned with the advancements in memory and what new OSes like Longhorn will need to run it. Thanks for everyone who answered my questions.

- Collapse -
OSes like Longhorn???
Mar 29, 2005 11:35PM PST

Longhorn will be NEXT year, don't hold your brearth!! And it will have run on allmost all the PCs out here.
I didn't go to XP untill after SP1 was out. MS never gets it right on the first try. John

- Collapse -
keep it
Apr 9, 2005 3:46PM PDT

ill be honest with you I have the same one you do I have only hade it for two day no problems at all and I know its a 2.0ghz but who care you can upgrade the memory to 2gig as long as it needs to do what you want it to do no need to trade thanks luis