Computers become obsolete or wear out
After a few years of software upgrades, new cameras, new phones, and other gadgets, your PC is outdated. As the software you use gets more complicated, so do the system requirements. If you cannot upgrade the CPU and/or memory, it may be time to consider a new machine. Also, after a few years, some things (hard drive, power supply, Fans, etc) are going to begin to fail.
What to look for in a New PC
What you use your PC to do, can determine the minimum 'specs' or capabilities. For example, most people are happy to browse the web, check their email, and maybe save some pictures and/or play some online games. Others may be serious gamers, or work with graphic editing.
When considering a new computer, take this table as a general guide to what you may need.
| Minimum Specification for good performance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kinds of things you do with your computer | CPU | RAM | DISK | GRAPHICS* |
| Basic Web browsing, email, photo album, and music | Any 2+ Ghz Dual Core | 2 Gig | 500+ Gig | High end graphics* not necessary |
| Work (Word Processing, Spread Sheets, Graphics) | 2-3 Ghz 2-3 Core | 4 Gig | 500+ Gig | * |
| 3D games and/or CAD and/or Movie editing | 2-3 Ghz 4-8 Core | 4-8 Gig | 1000+ Gig | Ask dealer for high-end graphics Card* |
Specs defined
- CPU - the Central Processing Unit. Determines the raw speed of the computer. Measured in Ghz.
- Core - Some CPU's are actually multiple CPU's built into one package. For example, A dual core CPU can do twice as much work, or take half the time as a single core
- RAM - Random Access Memory. This is the internal 'work-space' a computer uses. Generally, more is better. This is especially so, when you have far too little RAM.
- DISK - The Internal Hard Disk, or Disk Drive. Used to permanently store all your programs and data. (pics, videos, papers, music, etc.)
- GRAPHICS card - handles all that you see on your computer screen, and can greatly determine the speed of your experience. * Where Video has a huge role in your work or play, the graphics card can cause a 'bottleneck' in over-all system performance.
