Computers are not immortal. When old computers start to slow down, we will naturally consider replacing them. But wait! Maybe your computer is still saved. Through some affordable upgrades, the speed and reliability of old hardware can be improved. What's even better is that these upgrades are very simple and you can do it yourself.
When the computer disk space is insufficient, it will not be able to save and exchange working data, causing the computer to slow down or crash frequently, and it will not be able to save new files. External hard drives can easily solve this problem.
When choosing a hard drive, you need to weigh portability and capacity. For example, the Western Digital 1TB Backup Plus Slim portable hard drive ($55 for Amazon) is completely powered by a computer USB and is compact; while the Western Digital 8TB My Book desktop hard drive ($143 for Amazon) has more storage space but larger size. Reading and writing speeds are also faster.
Surviving faster read and write speeds, you can choose a solid state drive (SSD), such as the Samsung 500GB T7 portable solid state drive ($70 for Amazon). But the speed increase comes at a price: Although the Western Digital hard drive is twice that of Samsung hard drives, its capacity is 16 times that of Samsung hard drives. And if you choose the Samsung 2TB version (which is only a quarter of the Western Digital hard drive), it will cost $300.
Whatever hard drive you choose, make sure that its interfaces and cables are compatible with your computer. Some hard drives are connected via USB, while others are connected via Thunderbolt. This information is usually indicated in the product packaging or online description. If you have any questions, please consult the merchant.
The upgrade process is very simple. After connecting to a new hard drive, the operating system will automatically recognize and guide you to complete the settings. Windows and macOS operate slightly differently, but both provide troubleshooting help. Once you connect a new hard drive, you can transfer videos, pictures, music and other files to the new hard drive to free up space on the main hard drive.
Free hard drive space is very beneficial to computer performance, and external hard drives are not the only solution. If you don't want to add extra equipment and have certain DIY capabilities, you can install a second hard drive inside the computer. This is more complicated and time-consuming, but it looks simpler.
Please be sure to back up the data before operation. This method is not suitable for all computers, and requires a second hard drive, so it is not suitable for laptops and all-in-ones, such as Apple iMac. For this type of computer, you can consider replacing the original hard drive to a larger capacity hard drive, but this is more complicated and is not within the scope of this article. Finally, installing a second hard drive requires no expertise, but requires knowing how to use a screwdriver.When purchasing a new hard drive, make sure it is compatible with your computer model. You can also find installation guides for your specific device (for example, this guide introduces the installation of the Dell Inspiron 3650) to learn about recommended hard drives. As with external drives, you need to consider whether to choose a slower HDD drive (e.g., Western Digital 2TB Black drive, $100 for Amazon), or a faster but more expensive SSD drive (e.g., Crucial 2TB BX500, Amazon Priced at $180).
The installation process is basically the same. Wear an anti-static wristband, turn off the power, and open the chassis. You should see another hard drive bit below the original hard drive and install the new hard drive. Finally, connect the data cable and the power cable. To understand the type of connector you need, refer to the video tutorials from MasutaGaming or KillerTech. Please note that the component design and layout of different models of computers are slightly different. Please find the specific model of your computer for detailed information.
Another way to increase the free space of the hard drive is to use cloud storage services. You can move most of your personal files to a cloud storage service. Many services allow you to delete local copies after moving files to the cloud, freeing up valuable space on old computer hard drives. (This also helps you to transfer files to a new computer more easily when you decide to upgrade.)
You can choose from a variety of excellent cloud storage services, including Google Drive (or Google One), Dropbox, OneDrive and iCloud. For more selection information, check out our cloud photo backup guide with some tips that can be applied to any type of file. Your choice depends on the type of computer you have (Apple users may be more inclined to iCloud, while Microsoft fans may prefer OneDrive), the storage space you need, and the fees you are willing to pay for.
While these cloud storage services offer some free space, free space is limited and you need to pay to get more space. The price depends on the size of space you want to buy. The minimum paid tiers for each service (minimum fee gets the minimum space) are: Google One $2 per month, 100GB; Dropbox $10 per month, 2TB; OneDrive $2 per month, 100GB; iCloud $1 per month, 50GB.
Random access memory (RAM) is the computer's "thinking" space used to save data that opens applications. When the RAM is overloaded (such as opening dozens of browser tabs, running too many applications, or processing large video files), the computer speed will drop dramatically. To resolve this issue, increase memory.
First of all, you need to know how much memory your computer has built in and how much extra memory can be added. This upgrade is more suitable for desktops because the desktop chassis is larger and has more physical space for installing memory. However, some laptops also allow you to add memory. As with an internal hard drive, remember to back up your data before you start and look for online guides for your computer model. For example, this video introduces the Dell XPS 15 9560 laptop, this video introduces the iMac, this video introduces the installation process of a desktop computer. If you can't find a guide for your machine, this upgrade may not be supported.
If you support it, you can start purchasing. Memory is sold in the form of memory sticks, such as the 8GB memory stick from Corsair ($43 for Amazon), plugged into a slot on the computer motherboard. Before deciding to buy, please refer to the guide to make sure you have purchased the right product.
When installing memory, just like installing an internal hard disk: wear an anti-static wristband and turn off the power. Then, follow the guide to find the correct slot in the computer chassis and insert one or two new memory sticks.
If your computer relies on a built-in graphics card, you may have difficulties in doing tasks such as gaming or image and video editing. Even playing large videos can cause slowing down. To improve performance, install a new graphics card.
Like the second internal hard drive, this upgrade is only available for desktops, as the desktop is larger and includes an expansion slot for installing new graphics cards. The first step is to check the inside of the computer case and check whether there are free expansion slots on the motherboard. (To better understand the internal structure of the computer, look for your computer model online.) If there is no expansion slot, you cannot make this upgrade.
Depending on how your computer is used, you may not need a high-end graphics card. While gamers and cryptocurrency miners focus on expensive hardware, others can buy slightly older (but still good) graphics cards for a more reasonable price. In other words, you can significantly improve your computer's ability to render complex graphics on your screen without spending hundreds of dollars. Graphics cards like the Gigabyte GeForce GT 730 ($80 for Amazon) and the Asus GeForce GTX 1050 Ti ($188 for Amazon) offer good performance and aren't too expensive.
Before preparing to install the graphics card, like other internal upgrades mentioned above, you need to wear an anti-static wristband, turn off the computer completely and unplug the power cord. Open the chassis, insert the graphics card into the correct expansion slot, and connect it to the computer power supply and monitor. Again, for details, try finding a guide that matches your computer type. That is, the basic process for different models is the same, so you can also check out some of our commonly used video tutorials and apply this information to your specific machine.
One way to improve the computer experience (even if it doesn't improve the performance of the computer) is to buy a larger monitor. If you're using an old laptop with a small screen, consider adding another monitor. This provides greater screen space for apps and games, allowing you to compare multiple apps on the same screen, or view all the extra details in your favorite TV show. Just make sure your computer can run a second screen: Check if there is a display output port on the chassis.
Most monitors are compatible with many different computers, but checking the online description or packaging to make sure it is compatible with your machine is always beneficial and harmless. For quality products at affordable prices, we love the HP 23.8-inch FHD IPS monitor ($125 for Amazon) and the Sceptre 24-inch E248W-19203R monitor ($120 for Amazon). That said, you can find a variety of other options at every possible price point.
This upgrade does not require turning on the computer. Just plug in the monitor and use it. For more details, check out our second computer screen guide.
Tired of old laptop keyboards and worn keys? An unreliable wireless mouse makes your wrist sore? Over time, these input peripherals will become dirty and the response speed will slow down. Therefore, while improving the computer experience, you might as well consider investing in a brand new set of keyboards and mice. Like the monitor, this won't make your old computer run faster, but it can definitely improve your experience and avoid the idea of upgrading your computer.
This is a very cheap improvement and is suitable for any type of desktop or laptop. If you are worried about insufficient laptop ports, you can buy a wireless peripheral and connect via Bluetooth.
We recommend a set that includes a keyboard and mouse. For example, Microsoft Bluetooth keyboard ($40 for Amazon) and Logitech MK545 Advanced ($57 for Amazon) both have good value for money and do not require a computer to be opened for installation.
If your computer has run out of ports, or you don't have many ports at the beginning, consider investing in a dock. As manufacturers reduce more and more ports and slots on machines, external docking stations can replace those missing connections. This is especially useful when traveling, allowing you to connect your laptop to a conference room projector or an Ethernet cable in a hotel room.
For good products, look for something like FlePow's USB-C docking station ($25 for Amazon) or Wavlink's USB 3.0 universal docking station ($79 for Amazon). Both of these products make it easier to plug in the memory card, connect to a second screen and get an extra USB port.
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