MySQL performance

We are currently using mysql on many of our linux servers. The purpose of the mysql database is for user/password authentication, product querying for ecommerce, and membership querying. For your information the specs of the hardware where it is running is a dell power edge 2500 1ghz and 1gb sdram memory, 2X18gb hard drive. I noticed that mysql is eating up more resources. We are now looking for an alternative hardware that would handle mysql. I would like to know if anyone of you are running mysql on a unix based machine and what is the performance of the said configuration.

Thanks in advance.

Clem