SSD: All modern motherboards have an M2 slot for an SSD which comes in 2 flavours, standard SATA speed (Typically 550MBs) and the PCIe which is significantly faster. (Typically 2.5GBs)
Go for an Intel i7 (Coffee Lake) or AMD Ryzen 1800x for the CPU. (Avoid the Intel K versions unless you want to overclock)
Memory at least 16GB
Data Storage: Go for a 7200rpm drive with at least 2TB capacity, and for better data security get 2 drives and set them up as a Raid 1 array. (But still do regular backups)
For normal use the on-board video will be fine, however if you want 4K (Including HDR when doing advanced video editing) then it can get expensive, so consult your local supplier if you have these requirements.
OS: Windows 10 as it will do everything you need, and there are very few Win 7 (Or older) programs that won’t work on it if installed and run in compatibility mode. (Check the web if you are worried about a specific program)
TIP: Pin your favourite programs to the Start Menu and/or Taskbar for faster access.
All user settings are now in an easy to use screen (You no longer need to bother with the control panel for most things) in plain English for easier understanding. (Advanced options are still available from these screens or by right clicking the Microsoft (Start) button for the most common)

Have fun

Bill

Get a 1 TB evo 850 SSD from Samsung...

Ultrafast
Super reliable
Dirt cheap (i bought one for €270)

No need for regular HD’s anymore....

This is so ething i can advise everyone to do in 2018...

A 1TB SSD would be perfect.

The 850 EVO is good but falls well short of the M2 version, (It’s a snail in comparison) the EVO though is ideal for older or cheaper computers as you get a real boost in performance.

If it’s a laptop a 1TB SSD is fine, but if it’s a Desktop just use the SSD for programs (Hence you only need a 500GB one) and use a separate HDD for the Data and Disk Streaming as you will get a much better performance. (If you look at all but basic music computer desktops they always have an SSD for programs and HDD system for Data)

Bill

now this is great info thank you all so much, .....next week I have decided o stick with windows and get a new desktop built with many of the specs Bill & Nigel etc have suggested and I should be OK speed and efficiency wise thanx again to be continued..

Thank you Nigel appreciate your help....

John advice well taken thanx

I can hardly keep up with PC specs. The PCIe at 2.5GBs? Wow. That is fast. I understand that the PCIe is much smaller than the M2 slot, too. It seems that prices for SSDs have gone up. I paid $500 for a Samsung 2TB Evo 850 SSD last year or so. My next PC would be a portable PC like a Mac Mini with a 20 some inch touchscreen. It can serve as a desktop at home or as a powerful performance PC with a large touch screen. The whole setup would be quite portable.

Exactly how I feel about Apple as a company. Funny that you used the word cult. It reminds me of Lindstrom an expert in neuromarketing who said strong brands are like religion. He once said in a newspaper interview that the reason Samsung can't compete with Apple is because Samsung is nobody's religion. As a Christian, I don't even like the word religion. I used to buy iPads for older relatives of mine so that they could read the Bible. These folks quickly outgrew them; they were taking pics and videos! Limted memory on the iPad. You are stuck, though now there is a way to expand the storage. My sister in law couldn't wait for me to buy an Android tablet for her. She went out and bought one herself. Now she knows how to use micro SD cards and all that!

Offcourse, but we where talking about upgrading Donny’s old windows 7 Pc werent we?