Cheap Computer Upgrade

This article is about cheap computer upgrade options to make your computer run faster. It is a guide for those who want the best performance boost without spending a whole lot.

For most people, the computer they started out with was fast and efficient. However, over time, as new software get added and upgraded, the computer will seem to get slower and slower. You can blame this mainly on bloated software code and the fact that the software was probably meant to run on faster computers. To keep up with the changing software and stay productive, you need to upgrade some computer hardware.

There are many parts you can upgrade, but not all of them will make your computer run faster. Parts that have little or no effect on the computer's speed include the hard drive and CD/DVD drive. A hard drive is mechanical in nature and is actually slow compared to the rest of your computer. As far as a CD/DVD drive goes, you can go to a faster model, but it is usually only used to install software to the hard drive so it is not going to be in constant use.

It is also important to know an area which is not related to the computer's speed and cannot be made faster. This is the speed of your Internet connection which is determined by the type of service you subscribed from your Internet provider. If you are using a dialup connection and a 56K modem, no computer upgrade is going to make that connection go faster. Of course you can upgrade to cable or DSL service, but this type of upgrade is external to your computer.

The obvious way to make your computer run faster is to upgrade the CPU or processor. First, you need to check with your motherboard to see what CPU speeds are supported. You should select a CPU speed that will provide a noticeable boost in performance but at the same time is still affordable. Look for a CPU that offers at least 50% more speed than your current CPU. For example, if you have a 600MHz CPU, go for a 900MHz model or higher. Start shopping for a cheap CPU upgrade here.

If your CPU is already maxed out or you don't know the limits of your motherboard, another cheap option is to add more memory or RAM. It turns out that RAM can be thousands of times faster than retrieving the same data from a hard drive. The more RAM you add, the more fast storage space you have for running multiple programs. Start shopping for a cheap RAM upgrade here.

The final upgrade option would be to upgrade a combination of the CPU, motherboard and RAM. When upgrading the motherboard, make sure it allows for faster CPU speeds than your previous motherboard and that it supports faster memory. Avoid getting an incompatible CPU for your motherboard by buying a CPU / motherboard combo kit.