[sixmil]

Would the graphics card really make a significant difference?

It made a huge difference for me. It used to be that you would extend a computer's life and performance by adding RAM. You can now get the same and many times better performance increase from installing a hot, new graphics card. The best ones run around $400, but still it might be worth considering, assuming you have an AGP slot on your motherboard to put it into.

[NYC GOP Chick]

Yes, I have an AGP slot. Are they any limits as to how powerful or big I can go, in terms of MB, etc.?

[XBob]

New graphics cards are great, if your BIOS will handle them. I doubt NYC's IBM will handle the latest ones. A BIOS upgrade might work, if it is upgradeable and if IBM is still doing them, but as IBM is not noted as a graphics machine, I doubt many are available.

But, NYC, sixmil is right about the speed improvement being in graphics, if your computer will handle it.

Note - it is best to get a good 'clone', rather than a name brand, as clones are generally really upgradable compared to name brand machines. But some cheap ones can be a disaster. And name brands are made to sell by the millions and profit motive is there, not performance.

Computers are sort of like French wine - some are great, but some are garbage, and you need to know what you are doing. If you do, you can get some great buys.