Upgrading a Computer, Part 2
So if you have a reason to upgrade, and the money to do it, you should spend a little bit of time to work out just what needs upgrading. In the examples from Upgrading a Computer, Part 1, there’s not a lot of point in buying a new computer if all you want is more space. Most computers have extra hard disk connectors so you can simply add in a new hard disk.
For better game play, you can add more memory to your computer or purchase a new video card and see a remarkable difference in how your machine responds. Most games don’t actually alter their performance much with a new main chip; it’s the video or computer RAM that will affect the game the most.
With Windows XP, boosting your memory from even 512 MB to one Gigabyte or more will markedly change how your machine runs. For gaming, jumping from on-board video chip to using a plug in Video card with 256 MB of memory on it (or more) will later your perception of game playing.
If you’re into online gaming and things are running a bit slow for you, consider upgrading your Internet account; ADSL2+ provides speeds that will shock you when you first see them. Yes you need to have reasonable video performance in your machine but there aren’t many computers around today that can’t easily outperform what is coming across a slow internet link.
So, look around for the parts that will give your current computer a new lease on life. Read through the tips in earlier posts here (like Old Age or Clogged Arteries? http://www.homecomputertalk.com/old-age-or-just-clogged-arteries/ ) and see how well they improve the performance of your machine. Then look at prices and performance of the parts you need to work out just what you need or want to buy.
A good place to start to learn about the performance issues is through Computer Magazines. They usually have online versions but you can pick up copies at the bookstore or newsagent or even at the library. The advantage of checking the magazines is that they know they are writing for a variety of people and will give normal language explanations for the technical stuff.
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