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Computer FAQ Gal
December 23, 2020

Is My Computer Upgradable?

If you are thinking that it’s time for a new computer, you may want to explore whether your current computer is worth upgrading.  There are multiple things to consider when making the choice to either buy new or upgrade. 

Three of the main things to look at is processor speeds, memory (RAM) and hard drive space.  Another consideration, of course is that the case will need to be opened  in order to change out any parts.  This is sometimes challenging in a laptop vs. opening the case of a desktop computer.

You can easily look at your computers settings to see your processor speed, current RAM, and hard drive size.  To view your processor speed and memory, go to Settings/System/About.  Under “Device Specifications” you will see the Processor and Installed RAM specifications.  The number under Processor that you are interested in is the GHz.  Mine is 3.10-- which is decently fast.  Anything under 2 is probably going to be slower.  RAM is the amount of memory that your computer has to operate with.  4GB and above will be sufficient for most computer programs you will run, unless you are gaming.

To see the size of your hard drive (physical storage space) Open File manager.  Go to This PC and right click on your C:\ drive and click Properties.  Look under Capacity for the size of your drive.  You can also see how much free space you have left on hard drive.  If it’s almost full, it is probably time to clean out some files or get a bigger drive.

To find out some options for upgrading, Crucial has a free scanning tool that will give you exact specification of your individual computer and offer upgrade options for you.  Go to crucial.com and select Scan Computer button.  After giving permission for the scan, a small program will be put on your computer and you can use it to scan your computer and get a report on what is on your computer without opening case. I use this tool quite often.  If you decide to upgrade, I suggest you shop around for the best prices on hard drives and memory card.  Prices can vary widely.
Have a great week and Happy Holidays to you All!

Kathie Pearce
ComputerFAQ #35
360.497.3130
computerfaq.tech

 



Computer FAQ GAL - Previous Columns
Kathie Pearce
 

 

 

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from Robert Aydelot: 2019-April 2020

April 22, 2020 Thank You And Farewell

April 15, 2020 Quarantine And Comp Faq

April 8, 2020 Tech Scams Again

April 1, 2020 Tech Scams Again

March 25, 2020 Buying Computer Apps Off TV

March 18, 2020 Think Before You Buy Off TV

March 11, 2020 Windows Account Problems

March 4, 2020 Tech Windows 10 Changes

February 26, 2020 Tech Support Scams

February 19, 2020 Another Windows 10 Problem

February 12, 2020 Browser-NoConnection

February 5, 2020 BackUps of Phones & Devices

January 29, 2020 BackUps & Notification Panel

January 22, 2020 Big Bottom Internet Costs

January 15, 2020 Passwords

January 8, 2020 Changes, Changes, Changes

December 25, 2019 Computer 4 Christmas - Part 3

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December 11, 2019 Computer 4 Christmas - Part 1

December 4, 2019 Printer Troubles

November 27, 2019 RIP Internet Explorer

November 20, 2019 Notifications/Backups

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November 6, 2019 Cha-Cha-Cha-Change-MORE Update Errors

October 30, 2019 Cha-Cha-Cha-Change-The Different

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October 16, 2019 Cha-Cha-Cha-Change-Part 2

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October 2, 2019 Fall Computer House Cleaning

September 25, 2019 WIFI vs ETHERNET

September 18, 2019 Batteries

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June 26, 2019 Hackers, Scammers, Ransomware

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March 27, 2019 Updates and Windows 7

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February 27, 2019 Out Of Date Microsoft Settings

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