Advice That You Must Listen To Before Buying A New Computer

Where do we begin

The best place to start is with a question... what is the reason for considering an upgrade or new PC? Is your PC running slowly or not working with modern software? Or is there something more sinister like the computer sometimes won’t turn or crashes and performs unreliably? If it’s unreliable don’t read on, contact us 07 5448 3096 to discuss repair options. Otherwise continue reading…

Why you should consider upgrade options

Although we’re advancing in technology and components have gotten quicker, there can still be great value in upgrading your existing PC rather than buying a new one. The Central Processing Unit or CPU has a big impact on how fast your computer operates however it’s not the only thing to consider. Of recent years we’ve seen CPU’s become a little faster but mainly more power efficient to increase battery life in mobile devices such as laptops, smartphones and tablets. For this reason, your 3 to 6 year old processor still might be relatively quick just not as energy efficient and in a desktop computer that's not a big deal.

What parts should you upgrade

We can argue in most cases that your computer is only as fast as it's slowest part. For the majority of computers that can be boiled down to either the mechanical hard disk drive, inadequate amount of system memory and/or a slow central processing unit.

Storage

The majority of computers, even new ones are shipped with hard disk drive (HDD) technology. There is however a much faster alternative called Solid-State Drive’s (SSD) which can be 5x to 10x faster than HDD's. For a fraction of the cost of a new system, your computer could be upgraded making it faster than it’s ever been before. Windows typically loads in 5-20 seconds and the majority of software within 1-5 seconds.

Memory

Having enough system memory or Random Access Memory (RAM) will allow your computer to perform properly. However there is no benefit in having too much RAM. As a rule of thumb 4 GB for a small office computer running web browsing and office software. 8 GB is great for gaming computers. 16 GB and greater should be considered for graphic, video editing or CAD related work.

Processor

As discussed above, processors have gotten quicker over the years but not significantly. There's a chance that you could have a really slow processor if you opted to purchase a very cheap or low end system those years ago. In this case upgrading your processor is just as involving as purchasing a new system. However if you spent a reasonable sum on your system there's a good chance that your existing processor will do the job and support other upgrades.

How can you tell if upgrading is an option

If you’re not sure how to identify your existing computer components and judge whether an upgrade is a viable option we can provide a free remote session to perform a quick assessment and give you an honest indication of the best choice forward.

Get your free honest remote assessment call 07 5448 3096 or visit our website homepcrepair.com.au to contact us today.