hi dag
you're getting a lot of good advice here.
i have to agree with raze that your correct specs are probably those listed by gateway.
as i was saying before, it's not unusual for the major manufacturers to use proprietary cases and components in their machines. yours sounds to be a 'fixed' version of the regular mobo - thus confusing whatever you are using to read the system specs (belarc, etc.)
as step one, you should seriously consider taking your machine into a computer shop to find out if your case can even hold a standard size motherboard.
if it can't, a place to start would be your memory. it sounds as though you have 4 memory slots and hopefully they are not all full of 64 memory! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" /> you could add 256 additional generic for about $60 (all prices in canadian).
i could be wrong, but i believe the ati 300(???) is their pci version 128 meg video card. that would be about $225. (ouch. pci is so ridiculous in price!). power supply would be about $55. $340 total.
if the case could support a standard mobo, you could get an nforce2 motherboard for about $80, amd 2600 for $125, 512 memory for $120, power supply $55 and ati 9600xt for $225. $605 total. a lot more than you wished to spend, but the machine would play anything.
you could also look here if you really wanted to do a total overhaul
eglobal this would be the same price as the complete upgrade path, but with a lesser video card (the 9200 vs. the 9600). the advantage would be a much faster processor and much faster overall system.
this becomes even less expensive when you find someone willing to purchase your existing system for $200!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" /> (okay, you maybe wouldn't be that high! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />)
keep in mind that any computer is only as good (fast) as it's weakest component (this is why i seldom follow the upgrade path and simply build an entire new system every 1 1/2 - 2 years)
i hope i've not confused it all more...and best of luck!
PS if you took the above (new) configuration, sold your existing pc, and upgraded the video from the ati 9200 to the ati 9600xt, your resulting system and cost would be
here just imagine if you could sell your present system for $150-200. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/think.gif" alt="" />
