Should I Upgrade My Computer or Buy a New One?

The question ‘Should I upgrade my computer or buy a new one instead?’ is often asked by people experiencing slow speed on their PCs.

The answer to this question is not that simple, especially when your adviser hasn’t seen your PC configuration.

By the end of this post, you will be able to determine if you need an upgrade or a new PC.

Diagnosis 101: Find Out the Actual Problem

Is the computer generally slow or is it just an application running on it? Here’s how you can check this. Run routine tasks on your computer: does it work fine? Now run the application that you suspect eats up the speed. If it was working fine before, then there is no problem with the computer. It’s just the application that does not fit in with your current configuration.

This simple experiment tells you which computer program is taking the most memory.

For example, my computer works fine till I run the program ‘Android Studio’, which makes the machine dead slow. For me, the problem is low RAM.

I can easily Update My Computer RAM to solve this problem (I tend to get a little lazy with these things, just like my PC). I won’t need to replace the whole system.

Do You Actually Need To Upgrade Your System?

After identifying the problem, you need to decide if an upgrade can solve it or not. For example, I was having a problem with a certain program that needed more RAM to run. Thus, the option of upgrading RAM was viable for me.

Of course, everyone does not have this case. When the motherboard gets outdated, upgrading parts does not help with the computer performance.

Upgrading Parts in a Laptop Computer

In a Laptop you have fewer options to Upgrade Computer Parts in comparison with Desktop PC Upgrades, which are much easier. Most laptops allow you to upgrade only the RAM Memory, Hard Disk Drives, and CPU Processors. Most other devices are soldered to the motherboard. Many individuals may even go to greater lengths to replace their motherboards if that can solve the problem.

The devices that you can upgrade inside a Laptop include:

• RAM Modules
• Graphic Cards
• CPU Processors
• Hard Disk Drives or Solid State Drives (SSDs)

It should be kept in mind that the price of a computer accessory is different for a desktop and a laptop computer.  So, if you think your laptop computer is slow then may be it needs an upgrade.

Upgrading Parts in a Desktop Computer

In a desktop computer, you have more room to upgrade components. The motherboard, RAM, graphic card, storage drives and even cards attached through a PCI express port, all can be easily upgraded.

Below is a list of computer parts that you can upgrade in a computer desktop:

• Motherboard:

The motherboard can be replaced with a new one. Though, it is a major change but many users go for a total desktop revamp once or twice in a decade. A new motherboard can last a couple of years because of its tendency to support multiple generations of add-on components. That’s why Choosing a compatible Motherboard for custom PC is difficult.

• Processor:

People prefer high-speed processors that can make applications work like a breeze. Some of the best processors include Core i7 by Intel and FX 8300 by AMD. However, make sure the processor you are upgrading is supported by the motherboard.

• Storage Devices:

Now Solid State Drives (SSDs) and Solid State Hybrid Drives (SSHDs) are also available in the market apart from hard drives giving users multiple options to select from. While buying a storage drive make sure its interface is supported by the system.

• Graphic Cards:

Though, a graphic card is not a priority for most users. Many won’t even need it for their work. But for gamers, graphic artists, researchers and scientists the graphic cards are a must-needed component.

• RAM Modules:

RAM boosts the computer’s performance by caching relevant tasks. While buying a RAM module find one that is compatible with your system. You can read the blog to know about the different types of RAM modules.

Now that you know all the PC components that you can upgrade in a motherboard, decide which one should be your first priority.

Decide upon the PC Components to Upgrade

If the Upgrade of a Computer System is possible, decide which part you should change to solve the problem.

Like in my case, the RAM upgrade solved the problem. For gamers and video editors, adding a graphics card or updating it can solve the problem. But this will not help much if your processor has a low clock speed. A processor upgrade will become mandatory in this case.

Estimate the Budget

Finally, after you have identified the parts that need to be upgraded, make a list of vendors that are selling those computer parts. Also, try to find out which vendor is selling those parts at the lowest price and strike a good deal with them.

You can search the price of PC components used with each computer model using our Custom PC Builder.

When Upgrading Computer Hardware is Not an Option

It is possible that your problem is not with one program but the whole computer. Also, upgrading a certain computer part may not have the desired effect on speed. So, in such cases, the best option is to buy a new computer system or build a new white-box computer system online instead.

Let’s Build Your Own Computer System with Our PC Configurator Online