Upgrading Your PC for Non-experts
Intro One of the big advantages of PCs over earlier types of computers is that they're upgradable. If you get to the point where you need a faster computer, more storage space or whatever, you don't have to buy a new PC. You can upgrade it by buying just the extra part you need. But sometimes it's better to just take the plunge and replace it? and how do you know what part to upgrade? Here's my guide: Memory Adding memory is one of the most popular upgrades. It makes a big difference to how fast your PC runs. When your PC runs out of memory for what it's doing, it stores information on your hard drive instead. Your hard drive is nowhere near as fast as the memory. The more memory you've got, the less often your PC will need to store things on the hard drive as it works. So the faster it will go. How much memory is enough does depend on what version of Windows you're running. With Windows XP, 256MB is considered a bit on the low side, though it'll be just about OK. 512MB is decent and 1024MB is really good. If you have Windows 95 or 98, you can get by on 64MB though it's worth going to 128MB even if you just use your PC for basic office work. More will make it really hum along. It also depends on what you're using your PC for - if you're just typing up the odd letter and sending emails, then 256MB will probably do you but if you're editing video or playing the latest 3D games, it'll be worth getting the full 1024MB. If you buy memory, make sure you get the right type for your computer - the best thing to do is go to a shop and get them to pick the right type and to fit it for you. You CAN fit it yourself if you know what you're doing but be careful! Hard Drive Another upgrade that can be worthwhile is a bigger hard drive. If you don't have enough space for all your files and programs then it's obviously a good plan! I'd also recommend it if you have only just enough space. When your hard drive is nearly full your PC has to scamper around it trying to find empty space every time it wants to save something? and that takes time. I'd recommend keeping your existing hard drive and adding a new one instead of actually replacing your existing one. No point in throwing it away if it's still working! A typical hard drive nowadays is anywhere from 40GB to 160GB - if you're getting a new one it might as well be big! With a hard drive you can either fit it yourself or get a shop to fit it? or there's a third option. You can buy an external version which plugs into your computer via a USB port. These are great for moving information from one PC to another. If it's always on one PC, I prefer the hard drive neatly tucked away inside the case? but again, it's up to you. Bigger/flat monitor If you've got a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) monitor (the type with a box sticking out the back, like a television) you might fancy one of those stylish flat ones. It's not just a fancy gadget, they also fit better on a small desk and you can have it closer to the wall than a big cumbersome CRT. If you decide to go for it, think about whether you want one with built in speakers. It keeps you desk nice and tidy and looks more stylish. But you can get much better sound quality with separate speakers. You also could think about what size of screen you want. It's measured in inches from one corner to the opposite one. 17inch is pretty standard for desktop PCs though the flat screen types tend to seem bigger than the CRT type even when they're the same size. For normal use, I wouldn't particularly recommend getting a big one but if you do a lot of design or gaming, it might be worth it. Processor I'm not a big fan of processor upgrades. People talk about the processor speed when they're saying how fast a PC is but there's a lot more to it. Upgrading the processor without upgrading the other parts doesn't tend to make much difference. And if you're going to change the other bits too, you're probably best off just buying a new PC. It'll probably be cheaper. CD Writer/DVD player/DVD writer This is a simple one. If you don't have a CD writer and you want to be able to write CDs, get one! As usual, I'd advise you to get it fitted at the shop you buy it at. Or you could get an external one that plugs into a USB port. If you fancy it you could even get a DVD player or DVD writer, if you want to put your home movies on DVD. Again, you can either get it fitted or buy an external one. Graphics Card This is a bit of a specialist one. If you're into fast 3D games, then it might be worth getting a faster graphics card. If you aren't, it probably isn't. A standard graphics card can handle ordinary graphics pretty well. It's only when the PC throws fast 3D at it that it struggles. Then the PC itself has to do some of the work for it, leaving less time for the PC to work out whether you've been clobbered by a goblin. Epilogue The crucial point about upgrades is that it really does depend on what you use your PC for. If you're happy with what your PC is doing for you, don't let anyone talk you into feeling you have to upgrade. Tim Wakeling is the Author of Computers One Step at a Time, a home course using plenty of pictures of the screen to show you how to use your PC. He also writes a free monthly newsletter about computers for non-experts. Find out about both at http://www.osaat.co.uk © Tim Wakeling, UK 2005. You may re-publish this article online and in print as long as you leave it unchanged.
Related News
10 Things You Can Do to Give Your Computer a "Makeover" - MarketWatch
Personal Tech: Army to use video games for training - Salt Lake Tribune
Personal Tech: Army to use video games for trainingSalt Lake Tribune, United States -Dec 1, 2008It will watch trends in commercial video games and look for technologies that can be used in training -- but it does not plan to compete with the industry. ... |
Personal Tech: Digital cameras go big on video - Salt Lake Tribune
Personal Tech: Digital cameras go big on videoSalt Lake Tribune, United States -Nov 24, 2008By Ron Harris AP Writer The holiday season brings good tidings for shutterbugs. Whether you're shopping for someone new to digital cameras or a seasoned ... |
AMD lowers revenue target, cites weak demand - MarketWatch
Can Clean Tech Beget ... - InternetNews.com
Can Clean Tech Beget ...InternetNews.com -23 hours ago"We found new ways to use personal computers and solve things." Now, he adds, the demand for energy is more, not less. Deninger, speaking at the AlwaysOn ... |
Padlock your personal data - PSU Collegio (subscription)
Padlock your personal dataPSU Collegio (subscription), KS -13 hours agoLow-tech scams include mail theft, dumpster diving, rummaging through rubbish containing personal information, solicitation and shoulder surfing, ... |
Indiana seeks high-tech edge over Illinois - Gary Post Tribune
Indiana seeks high-tech edge over IllinoisGary Post Tribune, IN -Dec 4, 2008"You're competing directly with Chicago and the state of Illinois, which don't have the personal property tax. This is where tech districts come into play ... |
Cancer-stricken swimmer on comeback trail - International Herald Tribune
Cancer-stricken swimmer on comeback trailInternational Herald Tribune, France -8 hours agoShanteau finished second to Olympic gold medalist Ryan Lochte in the 200-yard individual medley, beating his personal best when he touched in 1 minute, ... |
First Western Trust Bank Opens New Office in Denver Tech Center - MarketWatch
Washington Post Personal Technology Columnist - Washington Post
Washington Post Personal Technology ColumnistWashington Post, United States -15 hours ago4 at 2 pm ET to discuss recent reviews, answer your personal tech questions and provide gadget advice for this holiday season. Read Rob's latest tech tips ... |
|
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Computer Geeks and Garden Gnomes
First and foremost before I begin my ranting it is worth mentioning that there are many very helpful and considerate people out there in the cyber wilderness who devote much of their time to providing open source and free scripts of all variations from PHP, CGI and Java to name but a few. They provide dedicated support, do not insist on payment, and spend much of their free time helping you avoid having to part with your hard earned cash to get free programs and scripts up and running on your websites.
Bios Term
BIOS - Basic Input Output System
Three Things You Can Do to Keep Your Computer Running at Maximum Performance
Although there are many things that can affect the performance of your computer, there are a few simply things you can do each month to help keep your computer running at maximum performance. This article will focus on two problems that impact the performance of your computer and will then explain what you can do about it.
Help, I Need a New HDTV! (Part 3 of 5)
Feeling overwhelmed in selecting a new TV? With all the choices these days, you may feel like, "Where do I start?!"
Tips For Finding Great Deals On Computer Accessories & Supplies
Tip #1. Do a Google search. Don't be to general in your search, type
in exactly what your looking for. Try putting the words you
type in quotes to narrow the search.
4 Computer Money-saving Tips
Tip #1 -- Rebates:
A rebate is not always a bargain. Computers with rebates are often close to being discontinued. You may pick up a good deal or purchase technology that's about to become yesterday's news. What's more, stores will often package computers with a bunch of free items to make it look like you're getting more value. Chances are the extras are either poor quality or items you're unlikely to use. Also, they're counting on you to not redeem your rebate, a very common occurrence.
Image Formats: GIF, JPEG, BMP
When browsing the internet you are likely to come across many different image formats. However, the most common formats are: CompuServe GIF, JPEG, and Bitmaps.
Linux Power Tools - Great Tools to Make System Administration Easy
World War II - Germany decided to attack Poland.
Poland had many great warriors. They all prepared to fight the Germans.
They were all ready with the best armor, the best and well trained
horses, and ofcourse the best weapons , swords , spears .... And
the Pols were brave and were ready to give their lives for their
country. Sadly they did just that... give their lives. The Germans
had tanks... It is very important to have the right weapons when one
goes for a war.
How To Buy An MP3 Player
Are you looking for an MP3 player but am not sure which type and model to buy? There is a wide variety of MP3 players out there, from flash memory based players to hard drive based players. Choosing a good player from the market is no easy task. What features should you look for? What are the key considerations? This article aims to answer those questions and more. Now, let's see how we can pick the perfect MP3 player.
How To Recognize The Telltale Signs Of Spyware
Spyware is the software that collects information about
your online activities and preferences. The information is
then sent to another computer with the intention of selling
it to online advertisers.
JVCs First Three-Layer Combo-Disc Blu-Ray / DVD
JVC developed and used a high-performance reflective film to produce this revolutionary three layer structure. The outer Blu-ray layer can be read by the blue light laser but it is transparent for the red light laser which therefore has access to the inner dual DVD layer.
HTML Explained: Part 2
Get started creating web pages using text files and HTML code! This article is a continuation of HTML Explained: Part 1, which gives a general overview of HTML. Here, we're going to get into the nitty gritty of the code itself. Once you see how simple it really is, you should RUN, not walk to the nearest bookstore and grab your own copy of a handy HTML manual. All right, let's begin.
Help, I Need a New HDTV! (Part 5 of 5)
Feeling overwhelmed in selecting a new TV? With all the choices these days, you may feel like, "Where do I start?!"
Temporary Fixes to Spyware, Ad-ware, and Virus Infections
So you've got some spyware, ad-ware, or viruses on your system. For whatever reason, you are unable to get ahold of a virus detection & removal program, or a good ad-ware scanner. Maybe this certain infection has disconnected you from the Internet. Such viruses do exist.
System File Checker - A Maintenance Utility
System File Checker is a great utility that is typically not utilized by the average Windows XP User. What it does is scan system files that are protected by Windows File Protection (by default Windows File Protection is enabled), and it checks to make sure that the protected files have not been altered. If it finds that a protected file has been altered, it will replace the file with the proper file.
5 Steps to Removing PC Clutter
It's hard enough as it is these days to get organized and then remain that way for weeks and months down the road. We are all very busy people, some of us with 9-5 jobs and one hour commutes, and others of us busy making our lives at home work for us, with children at tow and a variety of chores to do as well as errands to run.
How Does My PC Get Hot
There are many sources of heat that can raise the temperature in your PC. No, I'm not talking about the Tabasco sauce you dripped over your keyboard when you ate that bowl of chili at your desk, and no, I'm not talking about that Pamela Anderson (or Ricky Martin poster, depending on your taste) above your desk. Heat can come from external and internal sources. Let's take a look at those different heat sources, identify them and see what can be done to eliminate the problem.
Internet Explorer Shortcuts for Mouse-o-phobes
If you're like me, you occasionally find the ubiquitous mouse inconvenient. Here are keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft's Internet Explorer (I.E.), the default browser for most personal computers in the business environment.
Cut Through the Hype and Make the Right Digital Camera Comparisons
There are soooo many choices. With all the styles and features, and prices are all over the map, digital camera comparisons can be mind-boggling. Pixels, memory, optical and digital zoom, camera size and cost are all factors to compare. So how do we sift through all the hype and find the best digital camera?
Consumer Electronic Information: The Basics of the DLP Projector
Projectors have come a long way in the past few decades.
The desktop fossils that were once used to show home movies
or classroom filmstrips are a thing of the past. With
today's technology, you can now experience a projected
movie that emulates a full-blown theater flick, without the
time, effort and hassle of standing in line at the local
cinema.
|
