Is your computer slow? Are you sitting around waiting for it do things that used to happen much more quickly? A simple hardware update can make a massive difference to your computer’s performance and is relatively cheap. Purchasing extra RAM (Random Access Memory) can be all that you need to get back up to speed. Several things influence how fast your PC performs, so let’s run through them.
The CPU/Processor
The CPU (Central Processing Unit) is the heart of your computer and handles all of its calculations. Every second it process billions or even trillions of instructions. You shouldn’t experience problems if your PC is only a year or two old, or even older for higher quality models. After that there can be bottlenecks that slow the machine down. Modern computers have CPUs that are made up of two, four or more cores, which means that they can process more calculations and also use less energy.
RAM/Memory
Think of RAM (Random Access Memory) as your computer’s short-term memory. It’s where your computer stores information while it’s loading and running applications. It’s a whole lot faster than the hard drive itself, so that when your computer is looking for files, or elements of applications that it needs, it doesn’t have to go into overdrive. Obviously, the more RAM there is, the more that can be stored there and the faster your computer can process the temporary data in it. The RAM can fill up. When that happens it relies on the hard drive instead, and that is typically when a computer starts slowing down. When you close a program down then it is taken out of the RAM, leaving space for other operations.
The HDD/Hard Drive
Your HDD (Hard Disk Drive) is the storage unit in your PC and can be where bottlenecks occur. The HDD is much slower than the RAM, and when your computer relies on the hard drive it can become sluggish. Of course it’s a good thing that the hard drive steps in to take over some of the workload if the RAM is overstretched, but that’s no consolation while you’re twiddling your thumbs waiting for it to complete a task. Traditional hard drives are mechanical devices that depend on moving parts, which means there are limits on how fast they can be. An alternative is an SSD (Solid State Drive), but they do tend to be more expensive.
Simple Solutions
1) Software check
It’s not only the hardware that determines your computer’s speed. Software can contribute to the problem, by bogging down your system. Malware, viruses and spyware that use your computer’s capacity can also cause slowdowns. Your computer technician can run a cleanup before embarking on hardware upgrades. It can make a significant difference to its speeds.
2) RAM upgrade
If a software check doesn’t solve the problem then upgrading your RAM is the way to go. It’s relatively inexpensive to upgrade to higher performance memory and is cost effective. It could cost you less than $100 to achieve a really noticeable improvement in your computer’s speed.
If your computer is slow it can be very annoying and seriously impact your efficiency and productivity. To find out if a simple upgrade could help, contact Quikteks for a quick evaluation. For help and advice, call us today at (973) 882-4644.