Computer Web Design Business Logo Patchogue, NY Patrick Hait Computer and Web Design Specialist
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Hardware Upgrades

Hardware Upgrades

The importance of maintaining your computer's hardware


Did you know ... By the time you get your 'new' computer delivered to you and set up the way you want it, it is already obsolete!  That thought is quite disconcerting.  All that money you just spent, and you (most likely) no longer have the newest and fastest technology.  The question that you have to ask yourself is ... Are you still happy with your investment?

Most people will say "Yes.  It was a fast computer when I bought it.  It's still quite fast.  It works for my needs."  Great!

However, did you know that for a relatively small amount of reinvestment, you might be able to add some pep to your aging computer?  The most common upgrade to desktop and laptop computers is something called RAM.  I generally like to equate RAM to 'Short Term - Rapid Access - Memory.'  Computers are always running many processes in the background.  Yes, you have your programs running .. your Solitaire, Virus Checker, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Word ... but, there are many other programs running in the background that make all of this other stuff work.  All of these other programs take up the 'Short Term - Rapid Access - Memory.'  If you were able to add more 'Short Term - Rapid Access - Memory,' you could dramatically improve your system performance.

The video card is another popular upgrade.  In order to make your monitor work (computer-TV-screen), your computer has to have something called a 'video card.'  Most video cards are built in to the main 'motherboard' of the computer.  Generally, the on-board video card steals its computing power from your system's 'Short Term - Rapid Access - Memory.'  If you were to purchase and install a separate video card (still in the big computer box!), you will notice improved system performance.  This difference will be especially realized if you do intense gaming or video editing on your computer.  This upgrade can be a little 'quirky.'  Some computer manufacturers do not allow upgraded video cards to be installed.  Strange...  they just don't work!