I have held on to my 10 -yr old computer for as long as I can-- questions re buying next one. [View all]

I am totally not computer literate, (69 years old - and altho I know people older than myself who are - I am not) and have no grand-kids to ask for help.

So some questions (and if you need more info, just ask. I may not be supplying enough info.)

1. My present, about to be ex, is a desk-top, dell, XP.
I have been very happy with it and would gladly keep it another 10 years, but as you can imagine-- it is able to do very little these days.

I want another desk-top.
I THINK I have no choice except to get Windows -10, is that right?
I am very fearful of learning something so different from XP.

2. What are the chances if I go into a store and just buy a desk-top which meets my $ requirements - that I will do OK?
Do I really have to do a lot of research?

I have a computer guy who has helped me a lot with this computer,
I have thought about asking him to help me buy a new one- but he charges $40.00/hour, and I'm not even sure what I'd be asking him.

any and all feed-back appreciated.

ellen