|
|
Upgrading
Your Hardware
For most of us,
cost is a major consideration when deciding upon upgrading versus
buying a new system. As you look at the cost of the new parts that
you want to upgrade in your system, keep a running tab and compare
that to the cost of buying a whole new system.
The cost of
buying every part in your system and assembling it yourself
(upgrading the whole thing) is much higher than the cost of a new
system. PC manufacturers buy in bulk and pass their savings along.
In addition, a new system will usually come with a complete
warranty and software. If you upgrade your parts, the warranty
will depend on the warranty for each part.
In general, if
the cost of your upgrade starts to approach $1,000, you'll want to
look carefully at the option of getting a new PC. There's always a
fast new system that can be bought in the $1,000 to $2,000 range.
If you decide a new PC is the way to go, be sure to read the later
section "What to Look for in a New PC."
Are You
Uncomfortable Opening Your Computer Case?
If you aren't
comfortable opening the case of your PC and adding or replacing
things inside it, you won't want to consider upgrades to items
such as hard drives, video cards, or RAM on your own. However, for
a small service charge, most computer stores will perform these
upgrades for you. So, if you choose to upgrade and have the
service done for you, factor in that cost of the service to the
total of the upgrade.
TIP: Professional
service should come with a warranty and a guarantee. If you
perform your own video card upgrade and you break it or the
motherboard, you'll have to pay for the replacement. Hiring a
pro with a guarantee should mean that anything that goes wrong
is fixed at their cost.
If you don't want
to open the case and you aren't going to pay someone else to
upgrade it, there still are a few items you can upgrade or add on
to increase the life of your PC and what you can do with it:
Monitors.
Replacing a monitor is as easy as unplugging the old and
plugging in the new.
|
Printers.
A printer is another item you can add or replace by just
plugging it in to the back
|
Modems.
An external modem can be added or replaced by hooking it
up to an external serial port if you have a serial port
that is not being used.
|
Keyboards,
mice, and joysticks.
Keyboards can be replaced just by plugging them in to the
back of the PC. If you buy a new mouse or joystick with
the same connection time as the one on your PC, these can
be replaced without opening the PC case.
|
Tape
drives. Many tape
drive models can be connected to your parallel port, and
most even have a cable to have your printer and tape drive
connected to the port at the same time.
|
Zip
drives. If you
need more disk storage space, Zip drives come in a version
that can be connected to your existing parallel port. This
is an easy way to add storage space without opening the
PC.
|
Speakers.
If you already have a sound card, adding and replacing
speakers is an easy upgrade.
|
Upgrading
Parts Inside Your PC
If you want to
upgrade anything inside your PC, it is highly recommended that you
read the book Upgrading PCs Illustrated by Que. This book
has many drawings and photographs to show you step-by-step
procedures for adding and replacing parts in your PC. Although
most of the parts inside a PC are very easy to replace, they can
also be very easy to damage if you don't follow the right steps.
This book can save you a lot of time and frustration with those
processes.
What type of
upgrades can you make inside your PC?
Memory.
This is one of the easiest internal upgrades to make. It
usually just involves snapping a new RAM or SIMM(s) into
place. Your motherboard and BIOS should recognize the new
memory when you restart the PC.
|
Processor.
This is another relatively easy but more delicate process.
Usually you need to unplug the old processor and plug in
the new one. Most PCs have a small lever that helps lift
out the old processor and secure the new one in place. You
may have to change settings on your motherboard by moving
small connectors called jumpers, or making changes
in the system BIOS.
|
Hard
drive. Adding a
new hard drive can be more complicated. In addition to
physically mounting the drive in place, you need to
connect cables to the drive and configure it to work with
an existing drive. Replacing your C drive is even more
complicated because you need to have a way to get all of
your old files onto the new drive. Once the new drive is
installed, you have to set up the BIOS to recognize and
format it before storing any data on it.
|
Video
card. Upgrading
the video card means removing the old one from its slot
and plugging in the new one. You also have to select the
correct video card drivers in Windows.
|
Sound
card. Sounds
cards simply plug into any empty expansion slot.
|
Other
expansion cards.
Internal modems, an interface card for a SCSI drive or
scanner, a video capture card, and any other type of
interface card are added by installing them into an open
expansion slot and installing any software that came with
them.
|
BIOS.
Most computers built in the last few years have BIOSes
that can be upgraded by installing a new software called a
flash upgrade. However, if you ever have to replace
the BIOS chip itself, be sure the replacement comes with
good directions and that all of your data on your hard
drives is backed up first.
|
System
battery. There's
a small battery on your motherboard that runs the clock
and helps your BIOS remember settings for your hard
drives. These batteries usually last three years or more.
There is usually a small clip that holds the battery in
place. When replacing these, be sure you have a printed
record of your BIOS settings (there's usually a BIOS
utility to help with this). Also, make sure to get the
right voltage battery and to get it in the correct
direction.
|
IDE and SCSI
Drives
Hard drives and
CD-ROM drives come in two different varieties. If you want to add
a second hard drive, a new CD-ROM drive, or replace a hard drive,
you'll need to be sure to get one of the same type that is already
in your system.
IDE drives are
most common. Unless you specifically asked for SCSI drives when
you bought your PC, you probably got it with IDE drives. Most PCs
are capable of supporting four IDE drives at one time. So you
could have any combination of four IDE hard drives and CD-ROM
drives.
There was a time
when IDE drives were slower than most SCSI drives. But IDE drives
have evolved quickly, and for most uses are now just as fast as
SCSI.
NOTE: Some
older IDE drives have compatibility issues working with other
older IDE drives. If you have an IDE hard drive that is 250M or
less and more than two years old, you'll want to consider
replacing it with a newer drive rather than adding a second
drive. If you do decide to add a second drive, your best bet to
avoid incompatibilities is to buy a drive of the same brand as
the first.
If your PC does
have a SCSI drive connector (either built-in or as an adapter
card), be sure to buy SCSI drives. These generally cost more than
IDE drives of the same brand and size.
Matching
Memory
When it's time to
upgrade your computer's RAM, there are several memory type issues
you need to be aware of. It's important to buy the right type of
memory for your PC, or you will have all sorts of odd problems.
Or, the PC may just refuse to boot.
A PC motherboard
has slots for memory. (These are different than the expansion
slots for cards.) The most common of these slots are called SIMM
(Single Inline Memory Module) slots. SIMMs come in several
different sizes; the most common are 72-pin. These are most common
on any PC with a Pentium or faster processors. Some older PCs have
36- or 32-pin SIMMs.
Most PCs have
somewhere between four and eight SIMM slots. To decide what memory
to buy to upgrade your PC, you should open the case and see how
many memory slots are free. If you have no free slots, you will
have to replace memory to upgrade. Unfortunately, this situation
is common, because many PCs with four slots were sold with all of
the slots full.
The most
important question in dealing with memory is: "How many
megabytes?" Regardless of the number of pins your memory
needs to have, the SIMMs can be found in many megabyte sizes.
These typically range from 4 to 32M for new RAM. Older RAM that
you are replacing may be as low as 1M.
Buying RAM gets
tricky at this stage. Even though a SIMM slot may have the right
number of pins to accept a PIN, all motherboards have a limit to
the number of megabytes that can be on any single SIMM. So, if
your motherboard is limited to using 16M SIMMs, don't buy 32M even
if they look like they'll fit.
Some motherboards
require the SIMMs to be added in pairs called banks. If
your motherboard has this limitation (check your computer's
specifications or contact the vendor to determine), be sure to buy
two matching SIMMs to add the RAM you want. For example, to add
16M, buy two 8M SIMMs.
The next
complicating factor in buying RAM is choosing parity or non-parity
RAM. Most new machines work with non-parity RAM. Parity
RAM is used to check the RAM for internal errors. Again, check
your computer specifications to determine which type of RAM your
machine requires--then make sure you buy the right type.
Another RAM term
you'll encounter is EDO (Extended Data Output). This
is a faster type of SIMM that has become very standard in PCs. If
your motherboard supports it, buy it. It usually sells for the
same price as standard (non-EDO) RAM.
If all of this
isn't confusing enough, there are several new RAM types and terms
you may encounter. Many new PCs are now shipping with slots for DIMM
memory (Dual Inline Memory Module). DIMMs pack more pins (168
instead of 72) and more RAM into just a slightly larger package.
If you want to buy DIMMs, be sure to consult an expert first,
usually a qualified technician where you bought your PC. DIMMs
have a dizzying array of voltages and other specifications in
addition to memory amounts, and buying the wrong type will cause
problems.
CAUTION: Don't
purchase "cheaper" slower additional RAM. Additional
RAM must be at least the same speed or faster than the machine's
original RAM. Mismatched speeds can cause system problems.
Another new type
of RAM is called SDRAM. Like EDO, this is a faster kind of
RAM. Unlike EDO, SDRAM is currently much more expensive than
standard RAM; unless you are a hard-core computer speed addict, it
isn't worth the extra money
ISA, PCI, and
Other Expansion Slots
If you are going
to install a new card into your PC, you need to know what kind of
slot it will go in.
There are two
slots that you will find in most current PCs. The first is an ISA
slot. This is an older standard and is slower than the other
type. But, for many uses, it is still more than fast enough. Cards
that you'll probably want to buy ISA versions of include:
Internal
modems
|
Sound
cards
|
NOTE: If
you have an older PC, you may find that you have two different
types of ISA slots. One is a short 16-bit slot and the other is
a longer 16-bit slot. If you have a system that has 8-bit slots,
you can only use 8-bit cards in these. Eight-bit cards will work
in either 8- or 16-bit slots, but you'll want to save your
16-bit slots for 16-bit cards.
The other kind of
slot is a PCI slot. Most PCs now have three of these. These
slots are much faster at transferring information from the card to
the processor than ISA. They also have the advantage of working
better with Plug and Play. Cards that can take advantage of PCI
slots include:
Video
cards
|
Hard
drive interfaces (SCSI or IDE), although most motherboards
have IDE built in
|
Network
adapters
|
Before buying any
card, be sure to check the PC to see that there is a free slot of
the right type. If the card is a replacement, remember that you
will be able to use the slot currently filled by the old card.
NOTE: Before
there was PCI, there were two other types of fast slots. One was
MCA and the other was Vesa Local Bus (VLB). You won't find these
on any new PCs, and if you need to upgrade a card in one of
these, you may have trouble finding them. If you are considering
upgrading a machine with either of these, replacement is
probably a better option.
Understanding
Plug and Play Technology
Adding and
replacing expansion cards and peripherals in your PC is not easy.
Most cards have small connectors called jumpers that
determine what system resources the card will use to communicate
with the PC. But no card can use all system resources. These
resources are limited, and configuring more than two cards to work
together can drive even experienced PC upgraders crazy.
So, Microsoft and
several hardware vendors established a new system called Plug
and Play (available with the release of Windows 95). The
theory is that you plug the new card into a slot or plug in the
new peripheral, and when you restart the computer, Windows and the
motherboard BIOS find the new card and configures it for you.
In order for this
to work, your PC has to support Plug and Play and you have to buy
hardware add-ons that are labeled as Plug and Play (PnP)
compatible. The bad news is that if your system is more than a
couple of years old, it definitely won't support this. And while
there are a lot of PnP devices available, there are also a lot of
devices that aren't PnP. If you have several older non-PnP cards
in your PC, these may cause Windows trouble when trying to
configure PnP devices.
If you are
shopping for new cards, there are a couple of things you'll want
to be sure to look for PnP varieties of. First is sound cards.
Sound cards can be the most difficult addition to a PC, and Plug
and Play can be a huge help with them.
You should also
look for PnP varieties of internal modems. If your PC has built-in
serial ports and supports PnP, a PnP modem is much easier to
install. There are also so many modem varieties that it can be
hard to find the exact correct model in the Windows modem setup if
you don't have a PnP modem that Windows can identify for you.
Some devices such
as hard drives, keyboards, and mice don't need to be PnP.
Printers, monitors, video cards, hard drive interface cards,
CD-ROM drives, network cards, and scanners all come in PnP
varieties.
What to Look
for in a New PC
Unless you enjoy
the work of upgrading your PC and adding on to it, be sure you get
everything that you want in your new PC when you buy it. Here are
some guidelines for what to look for.
All of the items
in this first list are essential must-have items for your new PC:
Processor.
Get the fastest processor you can afford. Although Intel
makes the processors sold in the majority of PCs, don't
shy away from PCs with AMD or Cyrix processors. I'm
writing this on a PC with a nice, new AMD processor, and
it's every bit as good as PCs I've had with Intel brains.
|
Memory.
Consider 16M to be the minimum for a new machine. If you
can afford the upgrade to 32M, get it now. If not, you'll
probably end up buying more later anyway.
|
Hard
drive. You won't
find many new PCs with drives smaller than 1G. It is
common now to have 2-4G drives. Although it may seem that
you would never use all of this space, it will fill up
fast, especially if you plan to load a lot of software,
games, or files from the Internet.
|
Most
machines will come with IDE drives. Unless you plan to use
the machine for copying or mastering CD-ROMs (with a
CD-ROM recorder), an IDE drive will suit you fine. If you
do plan to make your own CDs, go ahead and upgrade to a
SCSI hard drive now.
|
Monitor.
Don't buy anything less than a 15-inch monitor unless you
can't afford it. In fact, you're better off skimping
elsewhere to be able to afford a better monitor. For
example, the cost difference between a 14-inch and 15-inch
monitor is probably about $75-100. That's usually the same
difference between 16M of RAM and 32M. If that difference
is what is breaking your budget, get the better monitor.
You can always upgrade the RAM later if you have more
money and that will still only cost you around $75-100.
But to upgrade the monitor, you'll have to replace it,
which will cost around $300. Your eyes will thank you.
|
CD-ROM
drive. Every new
system should come with a CD-ROM drive. Almost all new
software that you want to install will come on CDs. And
any multimedia game or educational software will require a
CD. If you want to make your own CDs, see if you can find
a PC that comes with a CD recorder.
|
Keyboard.
If you will be using your PC a lot, invest in a good
ergonomic keyboard and avoid any chance that you will
develop a medical problem like carpal tunnel syndrome.
|
Mouse.
The new Microsoft IntelliMouse with the roller for
scrolling Web pages is a nice addition, but I wouldn't pay
extra for it. Look for a mouse that fits your hand
comfortably.
|
Floppy
drive. You still
need one of these. It should be a 3 1/2-inch model.
|
Case.
Your computer needs a case. Most makers make systems with
desktop (flat) and tower (upright) cases. The choice is
really a matter of personal preference and the layout of
the space where you use the PC.
|
Windows
95. Your new
system should come with Windows 95 preinstalled and ready
to run. It should also include the installation CD and
documentation. Some vendors save a few dollars by not
including a printed manual.
|
In addition,
here's what to look for in other optional equipment:
Tape
drive or other removable drive.
You probably won't buy a tape drive until after the first
time you have a bad system crash and lose data, but you
should. Many new systems include these. The Zip and Jaz
drives are also good alternatives for backing up data or
moving large files. Zip drives cost about $200, but I've
seen new PCs with these as an option for about $100.
You'll get similar savings by buying the PC with a tape
drive instead of adding one later.
|
Sound
card and speakers.
Although not essential for your PC to operate, almost
every new PC comes with a sound card. Be sure it is Sound
Blaster-compatible. If you want booming bass, upgrade to
speakers with a subwoofer.
|
Modem.
Don't buy anything less than a 33.6K modem. If you want to
use the Internet a lot, consider an upgrade to a 56K
modem. If buying a 56K modem, be sure that you can get 56K
service and that your brand modem will work with the
provider.
|
Printer.
These are easy enough to add on your own, but you can
usually get a good deal on one if you buy it with the PC.
If you just need to print black and white business
documents, an inexpensive laser printer is your best bet.
For color printing, ink jets and bubble jet color printers
have great output quality and low prices. But be prepared
to spend money on refills for the ink.
|
Joysticks,
steering wheels, and other game input hardware.
Buying these amounts to matters of personal taste and what
games you like to play. If you want to be a master of Quake
or Duke Nukem, don't expect to do it with a
bargain-basement $10 joystick. Likewise, there's a reason
real racecars have steering wheels and gas pedals. If you
live to play Indy Car Racing or Sega Rally
Championship on your PC, buy a PC steering wheel with
pedals if your games support it.
|
Optional
software. If you
use Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access) at
work, look for a PC that has these preinstalled if you
want to use your PC to work on these types of files. Many
vendors offer lots of preinstalled software on PCs. If the
software is something you'll use, it's a great deal. If
not, you'll just end up uninstalling it at some later
date.
|
Where to Buy
New PCs and Upgrades
There are two
main options to look at when buying PCs or parts. You can buy them
from any local store that sells them, or you can buy them from a
mail-order (direct) outlet.
The advantages of
buying from a local store usually involve convenience. If you want
the security of seeing the PC or part before you buy it, or
knowing that you can return it or have it serviced by simply
driving to the local store at the mall, buying locally is for you.
TIP: When
shopping for a new monitor, I almost always recommend buying it
locally rather than mail-order. You'll want to see what the
picture looks like on-screen as monitors with all of the same
technical specifications can have dramatically different picture
quality. You can't see that in a magazine ad or over the phone.
Buying locally
usually gives you a chance to test-drive the system in the store
and ask a helpful sales representative questions about the
hardware. A little common sense goes a long way here. A lot of
stores sell PCs now. Chances are the salesperson at the local PC
store will be able to answer more of your PC questions than the
salesperson at an electronics store who also sells refrigerators
and TVs, or the salesperson at a department store selling
everything from underwear to computers. The bottom line is, shop
where you feel most comfortable.
The big advantage
of buying from a mail-order or direct outlet is usually price. You
will be hard pressed to find a local retail store that can sell
you a new system with all of the same features as a mail-order
outlet for the same price.
Buying direct
also has the advantage of having a much larger selection. If you
like to have a lot of choices, call several mail-order outlets and
compare their offerings. You'll always find a better selection
than at the local stores.
A final advantage
that most major mail-order retailers have is a better trained
sales staff. For example, when you call Gateway or Dell's order
lines, the person that answers the phone does nothing but sell
computers. Before they ask you technical questions about what type
of processor you need or how much RAM you want, they do a good job
of finding out how you plan to use the system so that they
understand your needs. Gateway and Dell aren't the only ones; any
of the major PC vendors who sell direct can help you a lot when
buying a new system.
When buying parts
through a direct channel, I recommend picking up a copy of Computer
Shopper magazine before buying. Any computer store carries
this massive magazine, and you can find dozens of reputable
dealers listed there. For about $5, this is a great investment in
the most up-to-date information about who's selling what for how
much.
Special Tips
for Buying a Notebook Computer
There are several
things about buying a new notebook that are different than buying
a PC. Here's a quick list of additional or different features
you'll want to look at in a notebook.
Processor.
The processor should be a special mobile processor.
These are made to run cooler and use less power so your
battery will last longer. Some notebook makers put desktop
processors in their notebook to save money. I recommend
avoiding notebooks that use desktop processors.
|
When
buying a notebook, buy one with the processor you intend
to use for the life of the notebook. You'll never upgrade
the processor.
|
Video
card and display.
These are built into the system in the notebook and can't
be upgraded. Be sure to get ones you'll be happy with as
long as you own the notebook.
|
PC
Card slots. This
is a different type of expansion slot for notebooks. Be
sure to get one with two PC Card slots. The newest
technology for these is Cardbus and Zoomed Video. Get one
that supports these standards if you can.
|
Battery.
Battery life is critical if you travel with your notebook.
Lithium Ion (LiO) batteries are the best for life.
Nickel-Metal Hydride (NmH) are also good. Nickel-Cadmium
is an old battery type that you should avoid. Look for a
notebook that uses standard battery types so replacements
will be inexpensive and easy to find. If possible, get one
with hot swappable batteries so you can buy a
second battery and switch without rebooting.
|
Power
management. Only
buy a notebook that supports power management to save
battery life.
|
CD-ROM
drive. Most
notebooks now have internal CD-ROM drives standard or at
least as an option. Many times, these are removable and
can be swapped with the floppy drive and second battery.
You won't be able to install new CD-based software without
a CD-ROM drive, so your notebook really should have one.
|
RAM.
Expect to pay a little more for RAM in a notebook than in
a desktop system. Most notebooks use proprietary RAM
modules, but a few use standard desktop SIMMs. In some
notebooks, upgrading RAM will be more difficult than in a
desktop system, so you may want to buy it with all the RAM
you think you'll ever need.
|
Keyboard.
The closer to full size and regular key spacing, the
easier it will be to use.
|
Pointing
device. Most of
the time, you won't use a mouse with the notebook. Most
notebooks now come with a small, built-in track pad
that you drag your finger across for mouse options. I
prefer the pointing stick that you find on IBM ThinkPads
and a few off-brands, but these are hard to find outside
of IBM. Trackballs are very rare now.
|
Hard
drives. Expect to
pay a little more for your notebook hard drive, too.
Capacities are a little smaller than desktop drives and
they can be harder to replace. Most notebooks can't take a
second drive.
|
Sound
card and speakers.
Most notebooks include a basic Sound Blaster-compatible
card and speakers as a standard feature.
|
Weight.
If you travel with a notebook, buy the lightest-weight
model you can with all of the features you need. Consider
the weight of a carry case, extra battery, charger, and
anything else you plan to carry.
|
External
ports. There
should be ports for connecting a mouse, keyboard, printer,
and external monitor. Optional ports may include speakers
and serial plugs (for an external modem).
|
Port
replicator. If
you plan to use the notebook as a replacement for a
desktop system, you'll want to see if a port replicator is
available. The port replicator has all of the same
external ports as the notebook. You plug the monitor,
keyboard, and mouse into the replicator and the notebook
snaps into the replicator. Leave the external devices
plugged in to the replicator, and you can plug and unplug
the notebook without having to attach the monitor,
keyboard, and mouse individually.
|
Docking
station. This is
the big brother to the port replicator. A docking station
has all of the same features as the replicator with
additional features such as bays for added drives and
slots for expansion cards.
|
|