Computer Upgrades

There may come a time in your life where you will decide to upgrade your computer. There are several reasons for upgrading a computer

• To play the latest game
• To be able to run the latest software
• To increase the speed
• To show off to your neighbour

In your computer there are 4 main components that need to be changed occasionally.

• Ram
• Hard drive
• Processor
• Graphics

Alot of people just decide to buy a new computer when there old one goes out of date. This is a waste of money. There are new system being developed every week. If you rush out to buy the latest system every time you will be out of pocket thousands of pound (Weekly). Upgrading the hardware is cost effective and gives the same end result, A faster system.

There are hundred of different makes of hardware out there. On top of the makes there are also generations. As time progresses the hardware gets better and faster. Don't be caught up in all the jargon and promotions when shopping for new hardware. Hardware is very specific to the computer. If you do not buy the right type it will be not be compatible with the machine and will be a waste of money.
I will now give you a basic guide on what to look out for when buying each different type of hardware starting with RAM.

RAM - When buying RAM the first thing to think about is how much do you need to make your system run correctly. If your system is just running slow i advice that you just get 256mb, this will normally be enough to speed up the system.
If it is a game or software i advice that you get 1gb. 1gb should be enough to run the game/software are medium efficency. Some games and software may be slightly different and require more but check the back on the box at the bottom left and it should tell you.

Hard drive - Hard drive is slightly easier to figure out how much you need. Go to Start menu>My Computer>Right click on harddrive>Properties>
If you have less than 20% free space left on your hard drive it is time for an upgrade. A lot of people would advice that you get another 20gb HD if you do not use your computer much. But the fact is it will cost your near enough the same price for a 20gb as it will cost you for a 120gb one. For the sake of £50 to make sure you wont run outta space for a year it is worth it.

Processor - Processors are tricky when it comes to upgrading them. The speed of a processor really depends on what you intend to use it for. If you are going to use the computer for playing games it is advised that you have a 2.0Ghz dual core. This will allow you to play most current games on the market at an average speed. If you are willing to sink a lot of money into a processor then go for a quad core. If you would just like to speed up your computer a bit i would suggest you go for a single core 3.0 Ghz

Graphics card - Graphics cards are only really upgraded by gamers to play the latest games out. Rarely do systems need new graphics cards to use new software. And it will not effect the speed of the machine doing basic tasks. Basically if you are a gamer and wish to see whether you need to upgrade your system visit http://www.systemrequirementslab.com/referrer/srtest
This site has most listed games and should allow you to see what you need to upgrade.

Finally when it comes to the types of hardware you should get it is impossible to cover it all in this blog. I suggest you look at the serial number on your computer call the company you bought it off and ask them what type of RAM you need. Also don't let them sell it to you. The base company can be the most expensive place to buy. One you have the type of RAM that is needed write it down and search around. Type it in, in google and search through until you find the cheapest. You could also check the local high street but a lot of the time it is cheaper on the Internet.