Most people when performing their computer upgrades generally have no idea what to do at first, unless they’re specifically tech savvy.

  1. Research - First check your computer’s specs and figure out what you need to upgrade. Try to find out what will benefit you and your computer the most. Then check on computer hardware websites like Newegg and Tiger Direct. Most websites usually have a system upgrade menu that will tell you the exact model(s) that is compatible with your system.

    2. NewEgg

  2. Compare - Next you need to compare the different model options and performance specs depending on what you want to upgrade. Be sure to check out product reviews so you’ll know what to expect, and if anything has certain manufacturer defects such as a high DOA (dead on arrival) rate.
  3. Price vs. Performance - Another thing you need to do is make sure the price matches the performance that you’re going to get from your upgrade. A good way to do this is by looking at website reviews, because they show benchmarking results with different systems, and test the components under specific conditions. So far the best website I’ve seen for this is job is Tom’s Hardware. They have hardware charts for thousands of different processors, graphics cards, and different types of ram. Each chart has benchmarks, and tests done on a testing system setup and the hardware remains the same so that way you’ll get a direct look at how much of a difference a certain component is going to make compared another part or even your old part that you’re replacing.
    CPU-Charts
  4. Static Electricity - One last thing you need to do is make sure that when you’re installing parts that you have grounded yourself on something metal before working inside your computer or handling parts. That’s computer class 101. It’s to make sure that you don’t fry any components or you’re motherboard, because they are extremely sensitive to static electricity.

    5. I hope these steps help you make a better informed decision when upgrading your computer. Also please post in the comments and tell me about what you’re planning to upgrade your PCs with, or if you have any problems and questions with your upgrades.