If you use a computer long enough, you are bound to either repair the system, or upgrade it.
Whether you favor Intel or AMD based systems, certain issues will remain common to both types. Both AMD and Intel offer a range of performance levels. Of course the fastest will demand premium prices, but as I mentioned in my earlier article, it is very important to match your components to the performance for which your system is used.
Once you have decided on which CPU you want to use, the motherboard choice is very important. An old friend of mine once said, "Would you put a v12 in a Pinto?!" The same basic logic applies to CPU/motherboard pairings. If you purchased a 2.53GHz P4 which currently list for $600-750, would you seriously consider placing it in a $50.00 motherboard that houses video, LAN and on-board sound, expecting it to perform at its peak capabilities? This is not to say that the hypothetical $50 board is not a decent product. Rather, I merely point out that it is almost guaranteed you will not get the full capabilities from the CPU. Chances are that if someone is purchasing the very fastest CPU from Intel, they want EVERYTHING the CPU can deliver. Conversely, purchasing the most expensive P4 motherboard( listings ) available is not a guarantee of reaching ultimate performance either.
This article is intended for those who may have become overwhelmed, or confused, when trying to sort through the immense number of products to choose from when building or upgrading. As most enthusiasts will usually have a good idea of what they want and are only looking for a good place to buy, I wanted to focus on customers that just want a computer to meet their needs: the average home user. Regardless of review sites or newsgroup postings, the average home user does not need or require the fastest CPU, maximum amount of RAM or a $200+ video card.
With a budget and only a desire to have a dependable computer in mind:
For most users, the computer in your home is used for browsing the 'net, reading email, keeping track of your check book, etc. - products known as common desktop applications. How fast does Microsoft Word need to open? I sincerely doubt you will be able to get more out of Excel or Word from a 750MHz Duron than you could with a 1.2GHz Celeron (no Intel vs. AMD arguments-Zealotry not allowed). From a benchmark point of view, in cases where the system is for general use and stability/dependability is the paramount issue, the Celeron/Duron does not really compete with the likes of the PIII, P4 or Athlons. But then, they were never intended to. It is a good idea, if you are building a Celeron or Duron system, for you to look to motherboards that will allow you to use their respective "Big Brothers" if you want to in the future. Although Moore's law and the very nature of the computer industry means newer, faster components will continue to arrive at increasingly faster rates, it is recommended a board be purchased with an upgrade path in mind.
A balance of features on the board and upgradeability are important. For those who currently own a system and are looking to improve performance, a slightly different set of questions arise. If you own a brand name system such as Dell, Compaq or Gateway, then I strongly recommend obtaining the full specifications of your model from the manufacturer. This includes Model number, manual, supported components, BIOS updates etc. It can be frustrating when a new CPU you have purchased for your Dell or Compaq does not work! Before purchasing, a little research to ascertain the supported CPU's can save you time and money. If your system was built by a local store, vendor or friend, you will need to find out what model and manufacturer of the motherboard, then go to their site for more information on supported RAM/CPU etc.
When upgrading an existing system, you should consider exactly what you want to improve. Is your system dreadfully slow? Or is it only slow under certain conditions? Do you want better video display capabilities? An example: a customer brought their system in for diagnosis, stating their computer is slowing down, and occasionally locking up. The system was a 400MHz Celeron w/128MB of RAM running Windows 98se. After looking over the system, we discovered that the OS was cluttered with the complete history of software installs and removal, and common windows cholesterol (for want of a better term - although it seem appropriate). We fixed the errors in the OS, and cleaned the hard drive. The customer still felt the system was sluggish and asked about upgrading either the CPU or RAM. Of course, upgrading both would improve performance; however, their budget dictated a single upgrade at present. The CPU could be upgraded to 533MHz Celeron, an increase of 133MHz; however, we noted that the customer often worked with several windows/applications open at the same time (browsing, listening to MP3's, and messaging friends online was common). I recommended upgrading the RAM to 256MB, as I felt the added RAM would be more beneficial than the newer CPU. Although 133MHz is a nice increase, the Celeron 300 through 766 run on a 66MHz frequency, and in my experience a 200MHz increase or more is where an increase is effectively seen/felt. The system's response with 256MB of RAM with all their common applications running was indeed improved and proved satisfactory to the customer. This is not indicative of all upgrades, it only shows that faster is not always conducive to remedy complaints of "sluggish" or "slow" computers.
Windows 9x, which comprises the Windows 95, 98, 98se and ME family will run with 64m of RAM, However most systems will gain better performance with these OS's and improved response with additional RAM. Although the amount of RAM is dependant on your Motherboard as well! Some motherboards can only effectively use up to a certain amount of RAM, and Windows 9x itself only benefits from up to 512m. more than 512m is Overkill for Microsoft's consumer OS's, and can cause more problems, as I wrote about here.
Another issue with brand name computers is when a customer finds their system only supports up to a certain CPU speed and they want to exceed that speed. For the most part, you cannot purchase a new motherboard and CPU of the desired speed to replace those original parts. Quite often, brand name computers will use proprietary parts, meaning that the components were designed and built to only be used in the manufacturer's systems (cases), please check to make certain what form factor your chassis may be. The most common will be AT, ATX or Micro-ATX One more point on brand name systems to consider: if the system is old (3 or more years), you may be better serviced by building new rather than trying to upgrade the aging system, because the cost to performance increase ratio is usually not worth the effort. i.e. do you really want to spend more on a Pentium 100 or even your old 486 to try and keep it running or invest in a new system? Ultimately it is a subjective decision.
When asked for recommendations, I need to know from a customer the type of usage and the expected performance level. I like to make several suggestions and then encourage the customer to look over the specifications at their manufacturer's web site to allow a comparison of product features.
The majority of people just want their computers to work without issues. They want it to work when they need for it to work, without their having to worry about becoming a technician. However, a certain amount of basic knowledge is needed to avoid some common pitfalls, in much the same way people need to learn the basics of maintaining their cars when they begin driving, and purchase a vehicle. Okay, not all of you have learned this, but the point is: you should know some basics, as it is always a good position to be a informed consumer.
If you find yourself in a situation where you want to upgrade you current system with a new CPU/RAM or building a newer system, and have questions, our Tech Support Staff is available @ 281-575-0004.
Raymond Griffith
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