Upgrade Your Computer to Get Better Performance

If your computer has been running slower than you like, or you have been dealing with poor performance and lots of crashes, it might be time for an upgrade. New programs and games with a higher demand on system resources mean that older computers aren’t always up to the task.

However, before you go out to get a new machine, think about upgrading. Almost every kind of computer can be upgraded to one degree or another. Here’s some basic information about what you can improve about your computer and how to do it.

Laptop or Desktop?

Your ability to upgrade your computer for better performance will depend in part on which type of computer you have. Laptop computers are small and portable, but they trade off some of their serviceability and upgradeability for a more compact shape.

Even though fewer parts are upgradeable in a laptop, you can still squeeze a little bit of better performance out of them by adding new RAM or a larger battery.

Mac or PC?

Macintosh computers also have a few more limitations when it comes to upgrades. That’s because their parts are less generic than PCs, and they often discourage user servicing. You can replace a number of parts in a Mac, but not as many as a PC, which you can overhaul on your own.

If you’re doing something more complicated than installing RAM or a user serviceable card, you’re better off taking your Mac in for service. The same goes if you have a PC with a warranty that specifies that you’re not allowed to open the computer case.

Parts You Can Upgrade

Memory is the easiest and most common upgrade you can do on your own, and it can make your computer run memory intensive programs much more quickly. Replacing the RAM requires finding the right type, and making sure that your computer can handle the additional memory.

Some older machines will have a low upper limit on the amount of memory you can put in them. Without a complete overhaul, it’s not possible to exceed this.

Find out what sort of memory you’ll need, and what speed it should be. Different types of memory are made not to fit into incompatible slots, so you can’t force a newer chip into your older computer.

Most computers can be upgraded to at least one Gb of memory, and many can handle up to four. Laptops require different memory than desktop machines, so make sure you buy the right thing!

Another easy upgrade is the graphics card. However, you should know a few things about your computer before you buy one. Very old computers may not have graphics ports that are compatible with modern cards, or the motherboard that runs your computer may not be able to recognize an extremely new card.

When in doubt, look online, call the company which made your computer, or talk to an expert. If you’re playing a lot of games, upgrading your graphics card could improve the speed of them, reduce lag and make them look a lot better.

The last easy to upgrade component in many computers is the hard drive. You can either replace an old drive, or add a secondary one to give you more space. This is particularly useful if you’re storing a lot of big files, such as videos. An overly full hard drive can also cause slowdowns and poor performance.