Ask a Question
or
Create a Poll
  1. Home /
  2. Questions /
  3. Computers
  4. / Computer Hardware
  5. / PC
  6. / PC Shopping

by Spixxy on December 27th, 2003

Spixxy

Question

Help answer this question below.

Am I better off just buying a totally new computer with everything included rather than updating individual components of my existing one?

Share:
Other

Answers. Showing one answer.

  • by redpen on January 9th, 2004

    redpen

    This question has more answers than the meaning of life, so all answers are going to be opinions.

    My personal opinion is: Never upgrade the Motherboard/Processor combo unless you can double the speed. Someone will gig me on this, for speed is only one component of the big picture on your system, and they are right. This is only a rule of thumb. Throughput, memory type, bus architecture, features, personal use (Office, multimedia, or games) etc., etc., should all be taken into account.

    If an Office style user, why bother? That 486DX33 is just fine! (Just kidding)

    If a multimedia user, which option: Upgrade or new system is most efficient?

    That would depend on Software, and the capabilities of software version.
    Are you using the latest edition of Adobe Premiere that recognizes Hyper-threading? Then new system! The difference is astounding!!
    If an Avid hardcore Gamer doing lan parties: You should live next door to Comp Central, with a personal account.

    Back to personal opinion: If you can double the speed, try to refrain from store bought systems that use proprietary components. Certain systems on the market such as HP and the like have an army of Engineers that basically build their systems from the Power Supply up. The concern you run into, is compatibility for video and memory upgrades in the future. Stick with Builders that use excellent quality off the shelf components such as AlienWare, etc. This makes future upgrades easy and won't require purchasing memory from only one vendor requiring a second mortgage.

    If you don't have AGP graphics, and you are not a strict office style user, a new system is in order. If you have AGP and it isn't 8X, and only 4X then you are fine, and should do graphic card and memory updates. (Max memory speed of system?) Check with your system's manufacturer and find out the maximum speed processor your MB can handle, and see if you can max the processor out.

    AGP8X, serial ATA, and all those beasts are fixes to non existant bottlenecks. No game on the market can max a 4X AGP bus (Doom3 will, but when is it coming out?) No ATA hard-drive can max out a 100MB/s bus, so why upgrade to 133 or SATA150?

    Comments

    • Your opinions sound pretty valid to me. Very useful questions, too.

      Jodie44

      by Jodie44 on June 25th, 2005

    • Like
    • Report

    1 comment | Post one | Permalink

Want to attach an image to your answer? Click here.

Did this answer your question? If not, then ask a new question or create a poll.

More Questions. Additional questions in this category.

You're reading Am I better off just buying a totally new computer with everything included rather than updating individual components of my existing one?

Follow us on Facebook!

Related Ads

Related Questions

Professionally Researched

Answerbag

a Demand Media company