How to upgrade your PC hardware

After a while, you may find your home computer starts to struggle with tasks and becomes sluggish. New applications and games are constantly requiring more power to run, but rather than buying a completely new PC, you can upgrade the hardware inside your current one for a fraction of the cost.

How do I upgrade the hardware inside my PC?

When your current PC becomes slower or stops working as smoothly, this is often the point that the consumer puts his hand in his pocket and splashes out for a replacement, which is great for a while, but before long the cycle begins again. Fortunately there is another way.

Your computer consists of several upgradeable components that can potentially make a vast difference to performance for a fraction of the cost of a completely new computer. Upgrades can include, but are not limited to:

• Increasing memory capacity, with larger volume hard drives (HDD) or faster load times with a Solid State Drive (SSD)
• Improve general performance by increasing the amount of RAM (processing memory)
• 
  Adding a Graphics card, or GPU, to deliver better visual performance for games and high definition video. This can also allow for multiple displays, which are fantastic for users who use their PC for gaming or power-intensive programs  
• Replacing or adding an additional optical drive, for example a bluray player or writer, to expand the media options on your device 
• Processor upgrades, although possible, rely heavily on the type of motherboard already in the computer. If the motherboard is incompatible, it would perhaps make more sense to opt for a new PC build, or purchase a new pre-built system 
• An upgraded power supply is often required when introducing a component with a high power draw, such as a graphics card.

When considering a hardware upgrade, there are some questions to ask:

• What do you actually need it for? There’s no sense in putting in a huge hard drive in a PC used solely for web browsing, for example. That said, it is worth considering what you would use it for, if it was capable. 

• Will the upgrade just move the “bottleneck” to a different component? A PC with plenty of RAM but a mediocre processor will still struggle with power hungry applications or much multitasking for example.
• Is it worth the investment? This really ties in with the point above; depending on how old your PC is, there's little to be gained from spending hundreds of pounds trying to rejuvenate a PC that will continue to have “old tech” at it's heart. The odds are you won't see the improvement you crave, and will end up replacing the system too soon to justify the upgraded components.
•  Would you be better off replacing? Subject to what it would cost to bring your PC back up-to-date, it may well be an idea to replace instead. The initial outlay would undoubtedly be more, but would most likely last longer and perhaps be simpler to upgrade when the time comes.

Upgrading your hardware can give your PC a new lease of life, but when deciding whether to update or replace, you don't have to face the dilemma alone. Your local Geek Squad Agent is on hand to advise you on the feasibility of hardware upgrades, and to recommend areas where you'll get the most gain. They can assist you in selecting hardware that is compatible with your system and will deliver the improvements you are looking for.

If upgrading your current PC is considered to be uneconomical, we're also on hand to help with its replacement. We can help specify a new build PC based on your requirements and budget, build it and set it up with your choice of Operating System and software, personalised to your personal preferences.

Our hardware installation service is available from £24.99, and is available from your local precinct. To locate your nearest Agent please visit http://www.geeksquad.co.uk/storelocator, pop your postcode in and look for stores with Geek Squad Agent (orange marker).