The best and easiest ways to upgrade your computer yourself

The best and easiest ways to upgrade your computer yourself

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A great way to save money on purchasing a new computer is to just upgrade parts of the one you currently have. In some cases, you can speed up your computer, and add a few more years onto its life with a simple RAM upgrade, or you can save money on an iMac by purchasing it with the lowest RAM available and upgrade it yourself, much cheaper. Upgrading parts yourself can be daunting, especially if you’re not familiar with the insides of a computer, but there a easy and cheap ways to upgrade your current setup without having a degree in computer science.

Upgrade the Memory

RAM dictates how much your computer can think/ do at any given time. Sometimes upgrading the RAM can be a great way to improve speed, plus also allow you to simultaneously run more programs in a much smoother fashion. Some laptops don’t allow for this, as they require specific RAM or the manufacturer has soldered it to the motherboard, however you easily identify if your computer supports it by googling the model. By googling it you may also find tutorials or instructional videos on how to do it properly.

It is important to find out exactly what RAM your computer is compatible with and what will work best. It is a good idea to run a diagnostic test to determine what is needed. This can be done using tools such as CPU-Z or Apple’s About this Mac.

Upgrade the Storage

Everyone has has to deal with the annoyance of running out of space on their computer at some stage, and in some cases it can be tedious or impossible to free up space. Another option is to upgrade the storage of your computer, say from 500gb to 1tb, or from a standard HDD so an SSD. Some computers even allow for multiple storage options, meaning you can have both a HDD and an SSD, which in some cases can be cheaper and easier.

Again, not every computer allows this and to find out if your computer can and what storage it is compatible with you should run a diagnostic test and google your model.

Upgrading your HDD to an SSD can not only give you more space but can speed up load times and the running speed of your laptop.

Buying a New or Second Display

Sometimes the built-in displays for your laptop can suck. FHD is being phased out slowly and with demand and supply starting to increase for QHD and 4k content new displays are necessary. Upgrading the display on your laptop is virtually impossible, however, most laptops do come with either HDMI or thunderbolt ports to hook up extra displays. This isn’t ideal for all users though, but can be useful for those who use their laptop at home or work in a static position. There are some portable display monitors but I don’t recommend them, the quality is never very good plus you look a bit weird carrying those things around.

Adding a second display or just increasing the size of your current one, can also allow for more functionality, a bigger display can allow for side-by-side use of programs, or the ability to keep one app open on one screen whilst you work on another. 

Zac 14.4.17