Tech Focus: No Brainer PC Upgrades
By Rob Guiffre
Computer prices have bottomed out recently. Brand new “budget” laptops from Costco or BJ’s sell for about $300. However, the adage “you get what you pay for” certainly applies. In many instances, consumers are better off upgrading an older computer than buying a brand new machine with bottom tier components. Right now, the single best PC upgrade is installing a solid state hard drive (SSD).
Conventional hard drives (HDD) have not seen drastic technical breakthroughs since they were first mass produced over 30 years ago. Sure, storage sizes have increased by gigantic multiples; and, sure, read / write speeds have dramatically improved. But the biggest setback for HDDs — that they still operate via moving mechanical parts — remain. This is why older computers often take so long to boot up and programs respond so slowly: the slow HDD causes your PC to bottleneck.
SSDs have no moving parts. Since there are no moving parts, boot up times are often under 30 seconds, programs/apps respond much, much faster when launched and overall performance is increased drastically. In fact, it isn’t a stretch to say that a SSD can bring brand new life into an older laptop or desktop.
Before you chuck your laptop and buy a rinky-dink disposable machine from Costco or BJ’s, consider upgrading your existing machine with a solid state hard drive. It will be much cheaper and there is a good chance it will perform better than a brand new bottom tier model. If you do buy that rinky-dink laptop, you should install a SSD to transform it out of the bottom tier and give yourself a PC that will last.
Rob Giuffre is a Network+ and A+ certified computer/network technician and sole owner of RatCat Computers. SSD installs start as low as $60, with full one-year service warranty. Call 347-538-6231 for a free quote and to schedule a service appointment for a SSD install or any computer or network issue.
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