Dito, go local and stay away from the big manufacturers. Look for a place that offers a good service and warranty repair. Also ask around and go to a place with a good reputation. Upgrading the old system is the cheapest way to go. I ended up buying almost a completely new system because my Compaq used components built into the motherboard. Buy a system that doesn't use built in components so that upgrades are easier in the future. I learned the hard way.