Bar Bulletin - October 2003

When to Buy a New PC
By John Anderson

    Personal computer technology keeps speeding forward at a breakneck pace. It’s only a slight exaggeration to say that the PC you purchased last month is already obsolete.

     If you’re unhappy with your current PC, you have several options. You can upgrade your current system by adding new components or replacing some of its existing ones, or you can just buy a new machine.

     But before you decide what to do, it’s a smart idea to look at why you’re unhappy with your existing PC. Is it too slow? Does it have reliability problems? Do you want to play the latest PC games, work with images from your digital camera or edit video from your camcorder? Those are good reasons to consider an upgrade or purchasing a new PC.

     It is often the case that your existing PC does meet your needs. Despite the flashy list of features of new, faster PCs, the bottom line is that many of us just don’t need that much PC power. If most of your time is spent sending e-mail, surfing the Web, doing household bookkeeping or even writing the next great American novel, you really don’t need the high speed and bells and whistles of the latest models.

     A few upgrades could help you ease into more-sophisticated computing without emptying your wallet. Upgrading your PC can allow you to put off purchasing a new system for months or years.

How Old is Too Old?

     Which computers are worth upgrading? Well, how old is your PC? If your computer is less than two years old, it’s a good candidate for upgrades. If your PC is much older than that, there’s really no point in trying to upgrade it. PCs that are three, four or more years old are simply unable to take advantage of the newest components, such as hard drives or graphics cards.

     In some cases, specific upgrades, such as processors, aren’t available for older PCs; in others they’ll work, but at slower speeds. For example, while you can install one of the newest hard drives in your old PC, it won’t work at maximum speed. Some older PCs also require special upgrade components, such as memory chips, that are difficult to find or so expensive that upgrades just aren’t economical.

When to Buy New

     Aside from the age of the PC, there’s no golden rule for when upgrades just aren’t worth it. But if you decide to upgrade most of your PC’s components with higher-end options, the price can nearly equal the cost of a brand new PC. In that case, you should opt for a new computer, which will give you a system where everything is designed to work together using the latest technology.

     If you do decide to get a new PC, you’ll need to decide what to do with your old system. Forget trading it in; older PCs have virtually no resale value, but options are available.

Moving Data to Your New PC

     If you have opted for buying a new PC you’ve probably wondered, “How do I move my stuff from my old PC to my new one?” It’s a major consideration, but there are answers. Microsoft Windows XP includes a “Files and Settings Transfer Wizard” that will help you copy essential data from your old PC. If you don’t have a home network, you’ll need a special cable (about $20) to connect your old and new computers.

     However, one thing the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard doesn’t do is transfer your software applications to your new computer; you’ll need to reinstall them. To do the whole job, you can use a program like Eisenworld’s $30 PC Relocator (www.eisenworld.com), which transfers all of your applications in addition to your files and settings.

Choosing to Upgrade

     Upgrading a computer isn’t rocket science; if you’re handy with a screwdriver, you can do it. But it does require some careful, methodical work. Even if you’re all thumbs or the impatient type, you can perform the upgrade, but it’s not a bad idea to get a computer-savvy friend to help. Below are some of the most popular PC upgrades.

Memory

     Upgrading your PC’s memory remains one of the most effective and economical ways to bump up your PC’s performance. It’s also one of the most popular upgrades. Today’s operating systems and applications run faster with large amounts of RAM. Equipping your PC with more RAM will make a noticeable difference in overall speed, especially with today’s memory-hungry applications such as office suites. Plus, a PC with more memory is less likely to lock up or behave strangely.

     Depending on the design of your PC, you may be able to add to the memory you have, or you may need to discard what you have and start from scratch.

Hard Drive

     No matter what you do with your PC, you can never have enough hard drive space. After RAM, hard drives are the next-most popular PC upgrade. Drives keep getting bigger and prices keep falling. You can either replace your existing drive (new drives usually come with software for copying the files from your existing drive) or add the new drive and use it in addition to your existing drive.

CD-RW Drive

     If your PC didn’t come with a CD-RW drive that allows you to create your own CDs, adding one is a relatively simple upgrade that adds real utility to your computer. You can share digital camera photos with friends and family or make secure backups of your important data. And that’s just the beginning. CD-RW drives have never been less expensive, falling about 50 percent in the last year.

Monitor

     Not every upgrade requires opening the PC case. Since you spend all your PC time looking at your monitor, investing in a newer, bigger monitor can be better than getting a new PC. Your eyes will thank you for it. Stepping up to a 17-inch or even a 19-inch tube will make all the difference, especially if you roam around unwieldy spreadsheets regularly.

     Or you can opt for one of the hot new flat-screen LCD monitors. They’re bright and crystal-clear. Even a 15-inch LCD monitor is a vast improvement over a small conventional CRT display.

     One of the best things about a monitor upgrade is that you can continue to use it when you finally do buy that new PC; just plug it in.

Publications : Bar Bulletin: October, 2003