This is a question we get asked often – should I upgrade my PC vs buy a new one? The answer is usually yes. Memory is usually the easiest. WinXP – you should have 1-2GB (many WinXP systems have 512MB, which is not enough anymore). Vista/Win7 you should have 3-4GB (2GB is bare minimum). Right click on 'My Computer' and select Properties to see what you have. 32 Bit systems cannot use more than 3.5GB, going to 4GB is rarely worth it (3GB is a nice target for 32 Bit Vista/Win7) Processor upgrades are possible, but aren't always a huge boost unless you have a really cheap one like a Celeron. Upgrading to a Solid State Hard Drive is expensive, but makes a huge impact. They're also only recommended for Win 7. Gamers utilize the video card the most, so that's a good upgrade if your games are lagging. But what we find most often is many systems are loaded down with unused programs that start on boot and toolbars (and sometimes viruses) that are slowing systems down a lot. A $79 TuneUp can often breathe new life into an older system without any HW upgrade! Like/Share if you wish your computer was faster! We give free upgrade estimates!


What Hardware Upgrade Will Best Speed Up My PC (If I Can Only Afford One)?
lifehacker.com
Dear Lifehacker, I only have $X to spend, so I can only make one upgrade to my PC. Should I upgrade my RAM/hard drive/processor/video card or my RAM/hard drive/processor/video card?