New Hardware Can Be Overwhelming
Upgrading or replacing hardware can be one of the most intimidating parts of PC ownership. You’ve got to figure out what you need, avoid potentially expensive mistakes, and ensure that all of your components will work together. It’s enough to give even the most savvy PC users anxiety.
Luckily, with enough research and understanding, making improvements to your PC doesn’t have to be a nightmare. Understanding the basics of PC hardware can help take the fear out of upgrading or replacing components, as will reading up on what you need for specific tasks.
Know Before You Go
Before making any changes, you should take a look at your existing components. Operating systems like Windows 10 make it easy to view your system information. Simply open the Start menu and type “system” and you’ll be presented with several options like “System Information” and “System Settings.”
These will let you know the type of components you’re currently using, and this information is important for a few reasons. First, you want to make sure that the new hardware you’re getting is compatible. For example, if you’re buying a new video card and the existing one is already a powerful one, it’s important to make sure the card you’re getting is capable of working with your old one.
Next, you’ll want to bring up the system information screen to determine how much available RAM and storage you have left. If you’re running low on either, then you know that you’ll need to purchase those components so you don’t run out of space.
Finally, take a look at each component with an eye towards performance. Your average life span for hardware components is around four years, so if you’ve had your components for longer than that, they may be worth upgrading.
New Processor: Upgrading The Heart Of Your PC
The processor (also referred to as the CPU, or Central Processing Unit) is the “heart” of your PC. It’s the single most important component, and one of the most common to be upgraded.
A lot of newer processor options provide major boosts in performance. For example, the latest Intel Core i9 processors top out at 18 cores, 44 PCIe lanes and clock speeds of 5.3GHz, which drastically increases the speed of rendering, gaming and processing other intensive tasks.
The catch is that upgrades like this cost a lot of money. Upgrading to a brand new Intel Core i9 can easily cost over a thousand dollars, which means it’s only worth it if performance is truly a priority for you.
RAM: Get Some Bite-Sized Upgrades
RAM, or Random Access Memory, is a great starting point for upgrades. It’s relatively cheap and easy to install, and it adds tangible performance gains to your PC. RAM is also relatively bite-sized in terms of impact, so it can provide incremental boosts to performance without breaking the bank.
One tip to ensure that you’re getting the most out of your RAM upgrades is to get the exact same type of RAM that’s already installed in your machine. If you’re already running DDR RAM, don’t switch to DDR2. The same goes for DDR2 or DDR3.
The same advice applies to RAM speed. Generally, the faster the RAM, the better the performance. For example, if you’re using DDR2 RAM at 800MHz, then getting 1600MHz RAM can provide a performance boost.
Graphics Card: Big Performance At A Big Price
A high-end graphics card is usually the most expensive upgrade you can make to your PC. Prices for high-end GPUs start at around $400 and go up from there.
It’s a significant chunk of change, and it’s worth considering whether or not you really need a graphics card upgrade. If you’re mainly using your PC for surfing the web, emails, document editing or streaming movies and TV shows, you may not need to spring for such a heavy upgrade.
If you’re serious about gaming, however, a graphics card upgrade is worth considering. Most top-of-the-line cards like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 can easily handle 4K gaming and help with creative tasks like 3D rendering.
Solid State Drive: Speed up an Aging PC
Solid state drives (SSDs) are one of the best ways to keep an older PC running like new. An SSD upgrade could mean the difference between a system that takes forever to load and one that’s ready to go in seconds.
SSDs also help with a wide range of tasks like launching applications, multitasking, loading files and improving gaming performance. What’s more, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get one. 1TB SSDs can be had for as little as $200, which is a great value for such a big performance boost.
The Bottom Line
Upgrading a PC’s hardware can be intimidating, but armed with the right information, it can be one of the most rewarding experiences a PC owner can have. Take the time to research your components and make sure that they’ll work together, and don’t be afraid to invest in higher-end components if performance is a priority.
The most important thing to remember is to make sure you’re getting the right components for your tasks. With the right hardware upgrades, your PC’s performance can easily be improved and kept running like new.
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