Upgrade graphics card or buy a new PC?

Q My desktop PC runs Windows XP and is currently working well. I would like to use Windows 7 though, and as a mature student I should be eligible for the special offer to get Windows 7 for £30.

I have downloaded the Windows Upgrade Advisor from Microsoft’s website which advises me that my computer’s graphics adapter won’t support the Windows Aero user interface.

I also need to upgrade my hard disk but this won’t be a problem.

Do you have any suggestions which graphics adapter I should upgrade to? My motherboard is a Matsonic MS8188E series with an AGP graphics slot.

Would it make more sense to buy a new laptop with Windows 7 pre installed?

Robin Holliday

A The motherboard you have is quite old, and any AGP graphics card you buy is unlikely to compete with modern cards. To run the Windows Aero interface, your graphics card needs to support DirectX 9, which cuts out many older AGP cards.

A Direct X9 graphics card such as the Nvidia Geforce 6000 series series should work. Any later AGP cards should also work. One card that should work is the Zotac Geforce 6200A which is £33 from Dabs and is Windows 7 compatible.

You may wish to consider the total cost of upgrading your old PC against buying a new one with Windows 7 preinstalled. The graphics card is around £30, Windows 7 is £30 and another hard disk is extra expense, depending on the capacity you choose. More memory is also a good idea.

Anyone who isn’t able to take advantage of the student offer for Windows 7 will of course pay more, and it all adds up.

As the PC is a few years old, Windows 7 will run, but the experience won’t be as smooth as on a new PC with a much better specification. To install Windows 7 on your old PC, you’ll also lose your installed applications as you have to perform a clean installation rather than an upgrade, and you’ll have to go through the hassle of backing up your files and settings. You can pick up a new laptop from around £350, and we think this is a better option, as you’ll still be able to use your old desktop PC as before.

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