As an alternative to replacing your desktop PC, often a simple upgrade of some of the components inside the machine could provide the performance boost you need.
Internal hard drives
The hard disk drive (HDD) provides the permanent storage for your digital files. External hard drives can be used in addition to the internal hard drive to increase the storage capacity. However, internal hard drives are extremely cost effective, so it may be worthwhile upgrading if you need more storage space.
Solid state hard drives (SSD) offer faster data transfer speeds and generally improve the speed and responsiveness of your computer. They are also highly energy efficient, making them ideal for laptops, but remain much more expensive than hard disk drives.
Here is a guide to the approximate volume of files you can save on a hard drive:
| Capacity (GB) |
Digital photos |
Songs (MP3) |
Standard video (Hrs) | High definition video (Hrs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 160GB | 45,000 | 40,000 | 71 | 19 |
| 320GB | 91,000 | 80,000 | 140 | 38 |
| 500GB | 142,000 | 125,000 | 220 | 60 |
| 750GB | 214,000 | 187,000 | 330 | 90 |
| 1TB | 280,000 | 250,000 | 440 | 120 |
Memory RAM
Random Access Memory (RAM) is the working memory of your computer – where your files are stored while you’re working on them. The more programs you want to run simultaneously or the more demanding your programs, the more memory (RAM) you will need. Upgrading your computer’s RAM is the easiest way to give it a speed boost. 1-2GB of RAM is sufficient for web-browsing or using one program at a time. 2-4GB is better if you’ll have multiple programs open simultaneously. 4GB or more is best for very demanding programs and workloads. The more RAM you have the faster your computer will be.
Processor
Motherboards
The motherboard or main system board is the main circuit board of your computer that holds all the built-in components and connections or slots for peripherals like dedicated graphics cards and sound cards. It is possible to give an old computer a whole new lease on life by upgrading the motherboard.
Processors
The Central Processing Unit (CPU) or processor is the brain of the computer which determines the speed and performance of your entire computing experience. In laptops the processor also affects negatively the battery life of the machine, although some powerful processors are specifically designed for low energy-consumption. If you’re going to be watching high definition video, editing photos/videos or designing, a powerful processor is worth considering for speedy and seamless business computing.
Graphics cards
Integrated graphics are built into the desktop’s motherboard and generate suitable images for day to day computing tasks. If you need more sophisticated high resolution video or superior quality graphics, a dedicated graphics expansion card can be added to your laptop or desktop. Dedicated graphics cards also have their own RAM, making photo editing, video editing and CAD/CAM programs run faster and more smoothly.
Sound cards
A sound card is an expansion card that determines the quality of your computer’s sound. If you use your computer for music composition, editing video or audio, presentations, education or video projection and your built-in sound is not sufficient, you can easily upgrade to superior audio quality with a sound card.
