Don't buy a system. Build one. It's much more rewarding, as well as less expensive than buying something with similar specs at a big name store.

Windows XP is known to have the best compatability.
I would definitely stick with it.

Sadly my current pc is a Vista first build or somthing.

as for building my own.

1: too damn lazy
2: too damn paranoid i would ♥♥♥♥ up
3: too long.

the main reason i been wanting to update my system is mainly for Skyrim.

Kain, do you happen to be my clone?

I am in the exact same situation.

You can do it in 20 minutes and there are only 1 or 2 parts that you could ♥♥♥♥ up. (Processor.)

i have a habit of thinking whatever i touch will blow up.

my pc had previous things and all i did was accidently move it too fast.

Regardless i have money i'm willing to spend it for skyrim!.

I have a ton of money, but I'm trying to cut back on buying things.

True, i mean i will have enough money to pay for my system by next month.
but i really should get a new system my pc is really old.
2006 model, totally in need of replacing.

Same. And mine wasn't even a high-end comp...

Building a PC is easier than it seems. I've built two for myself within two years, and I've never broken anything.

You save ridiculous amounts of money, a 700$ PC built yourself is worth a 1000$ PC (at least) in stores. DO IT!

I'd like to drop in and say that to keep working with XP for compatability issues is laughable - only old software breaks on 7 and XP doesn't support a bunch of new stuff.

You can always just dual boot to play old games/use old software, too. Look into GRUB if you want to go that road.

Getting a new computer is damn nigh always a positive experience though. Building it yourself isn't much of a stretch - if you have a webcam that you can run on your old computer to point at the bits of your new computer I'm sure DRLFF would be able to yell at you on livestream about what not to jam into where.

i'm holding off getting a new PC for awhile now. Since skyrim works perfectly fine on my current pc no point in updating to be honest xD

My computer is one gigahertz of processing power away from Skyrim minimum spec.

JUST
ONE

hnnnnnng

Try it anyway Kebbits, im 0.2 GHz away, or one core away, and 1 full Gig away and it runs SO GOD DAMN SMOOTH.i even boosted the graphics to medium full actor view item view etc etc, and it just have like jerky framerates in towns and that when i first go into it.

Fortunately, my graphics card is like 1.5 times OVER minimum spec.

I'll try it. After all, if Oblivion works on max settings...