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Lee Koo
Community manager |
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What should I do: upgrade my computer or buy a new one?
Dear CNET members,
Happy Friday! Hope this newsletter finds everyone well. This week's
question is from John: should he upgrade his old computer or
buy a new one? I'm sure many of you have been down John's path
before. You have an old computer, and you're not sure if you should
just dump it and get a new PC, or spruce it up by upgrading some
components to make it faster? You ask others and people tell you,
"oh, just upgrade it" or "just go buy a new one." But the only
person who can decide what to do is you, but not before you've
first asked yourself the right questions. Then you can determine
what's best for you as there are a lot of factors to consider.
So, are we going to let you do this all on your own? Heck no!
Our members have graciously given great advice
and suggestions, and above all, have given you some questions to
ask yourself. Here are some examples:
-- What do you use your computer for? What programs are you running
or planning on running? Are you looking to use newer programs?
-- Is your computer a proprietary brand name computer or just a generic one?
-- Are the hardware upgrades going to be compatible with your system?
-- Will you be upgrading your operating system? Or will it be
strictly hardware upgrades?
Now, there are a lot more questions beyond these, and if you can
answer them, our members have given their suggestions of what
to do. I have some selected member responses in the Q&A
section to get you started, but to be well informed, you really
need to read them all as every bit of advice, small or big, will help.
I'm confident that once you've gone through them you'll know
exactly what to do. Good luck, John, and if you do reach a
decision, stop by the discussion and tell us what you did.
Thanks everyone for your well-thought-out contributions;
we appreciate it. Have a great weekend! (Go Niners!)
Cheers!
-Lee
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Got suggestions? Send me an e-mail: messageboards@cnet.com |
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TOPIC OF THE WEEK |
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Q: What should I do: upgrade my computer or buy a new one?
Hi everyone, could you please give me some advice. My main desktop computer
(running Windows XP) is six years old, and I'm pondering whether to
get a new one or just upgrade my existing one. In your opinion, at
what point in time would upgrading hardware components on an older
machine be non-beneficial in terms of cost and updated technology. If
I were to upgrade my current PC, what are the most critical components
to upgrade in order for me to make a substantial improvement to the
overall performance of the system and ensure its longevity. If I were
to get a new system, what should I be looking for? I haven't looked into
a new PC in a long time. Please advise me on this situation. Thanks.
-- Submitted by: John Allan B.
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 A: Featured member solutions |
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Thanks to all who contributed! |
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PREVIOUS COMMUNITY NEWSLETTERS |
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SECURITY ALERTS AND UPDATES |
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NEXT WEEK'S QUESTION
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Q: Do PC system optimizers/fixer utilities cause more problems than they solve?
I am a 68-year-old ex-pat American living in England as the spouse of
a British citizen. As someone who has used a personal computer for 10
years but knows virtually nothing about technical matters, I am
vulnerable to all sorts of computer fix-it promotions and products,
among them The Ultimate Troubleshooter, System Mechanic, and Advanced
System Care.
I recently paid a professional to solve a problem I was
having with my Windows XP system, and when he had finished I
discovered he had intentionally removed all these products, saying
they were unnecessary and caused more problems than they solved. I
was frankly embarrassed that I had apparently been taken in by
advertising claims, and did not challenge his actions. (I have called
on this man's expertise before and respect his knowledge, since it is
obviously superior to my own. He has a number of small businesses in
the community as clients, but will also make home visits to people
like me who cannot transport their computers to another location for
repair.)
I don't like to think I'm being given bad advice, but I've spent a good
deal of money on the software I mentioned, believing the claims as
to their validity. I would appreciate your opinion regarding this situation.
-- Submitted by: C. R. Tate
If you have an answer to this question, click here and click the "reply" to submit your advice, suggestions, opinions, or tips.
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