Hi there

I'm looking for some advice as to what to do with my increasingly unreliable Windows XP Pentium 2.6gHz 2GB RAM PC 600GB HDD (60% used).  Problems are that wireless connection drops regularly (and has done for a number of years in a variety of different locations and modem setups so it's a PC problem) and that current version of Chrome soaks up a lot of the processing power and freezes if I go away and leave things running.

Main uses are internet browsing, mtorrent, some CD ripping using EAC and MP3Tag, playing bridge online, Calibre for ebooks management, word processing and Excel, Skyping family in Australia, some watching media.  I don't do gaming.

I also use a Nexus 7 tablet (older version) and a Minix x7 android box hooked to my TV as a TV replacement using XBMC.

PC is currently in the study and I get grief from my wife because she likes me to sit in the same room as her for an evening - so something portable that I can use on the living room but also hook up back into my current screen and keyboard in the study feels like a good idea.

Options I have considered are -

1. Upgrading current PC OS to 
    a. Windows 7
    b. Linux
    c. another form of Windows (maybe wait for the expected Windows 10? - but will the hardware still cut it?)

2. Replacing current PC with a small form factor PC and moving to appropriate OS

3. Buying a cheapish laptop to use as a desktop replacement with larger monitor in the study and on my knee in the living room (no need to use it away from home really)

4. Some sort of Android tablet that can also be connected to large monitor and keyboard as a desktop replacement but also used as a tablet elsewhere - implies that it will have HDMI port and a decent number of USB ports. Haven't actually found anything suitable yet after a quick look online.

So any advice about any of these options and suitable hardware, or any other bright ideas you have would be appreciated.  Budget less than $1k as a guideline.

Thanks for any suggestions and ask questions if you need more info before suggesting something

Lee