As computers age, they inevitably begin to have problems. They slow down, cause more downtime and can begin to have strange issues like programs getting stuck and requiring a reboot.
Longevity studies of business computers show that PC’s that are older than four years have twice the downtime of three-year old computers.
If you are finding your Connecticut business continually having to pay for computer repairs on slow or problematic machines but you are not ready to completely replace them, some smart upgrades could make a big difference.
Upgrading the right areas of a computer can make it seem like you have an entirely new machine. This is especially true if certain components, like memory, were not particularly robust to begin with.
Renew Your Computer With Upgrades that Pack a Punch
One of the biggest costs of not upgrading an underperforming PC is the productivity loss. Technology is designed to improve productivity. However, it can also hold it back if it is slow or problematic.
If you have a PC that is slowing an employee down just 40 minutes per day, that adds up to over 13 hours per month in lost productivity! That means an employee making $20/hour will equate to a loss of $260 each month or over $3,000 per year. That money saved could be put to better use in your business.
The right computer upgrade can be the best of both worlds for a budget-conscious business owner. It can improve PC performance and productivity while only being a fraction of the cost of a full computer replacement.
Here are some of the best computer upgrades for your money:
Memory Upgrade
If you have a PC with just 4GB of memory, you are going to have problems with running certain programs (like Photoshop) and with multi-tasking or having too many browser windows open at the same time.
Low memory often leads to stuck programs, crashes and other frustrating slowdowns.
Most PC’s will have the ability to upgrade the memory. Increasing your computer’s memory (aka RAM) is a low-cost upgrade that can significantly improve performance and make it seem like you have a whole new computer.
Upgrade Your HDD to an SSD
Hard disk drives (HDD) have been used on computers since the beginning to store all the data and run programs but there is now a faster and more efficient replacement called a solid-state drive (SSD).
SSD’s have come down in cost in the past few years which makes them an affordable upgrade that can significantly improve stability and speed.
SSD’s do not have any moving parts (unlike HDD’s) which makes them more durable. They also use flash memory to write information which makes them much faster when it comes to booting, opening programs and retrieving files.
SSD read/write speeds are about 4x faster than HDD.
Fan/Cooling System Replacement
Cooling systems can begin to deteriorate as computers age and heat will cause a PC to run slower or have other problems.
Are you noticing that your computer or laptop seems to get hotter than it used to? Then a fan or cooling system replacement could be the upgrade you need to give your computer more years of usable life and stop heat-related performance issues.
Upgrade to a Larger Monitor
Limited screen real estate can make multi-tasking more challenging and make tasks take longer. If you have to continually switch between apps instead of being able to have them on screen side-by-side, it can seriously degrade productivity.
Employees switch between apps approximately 1,100 times per day and that activity takes a toll.
A larger monitor for your desktop computer, a second monitor for your desktop or a monitor to use with a laptop can make a big difference in your workflow by giving you more screen space.
Graphics Card Upgrade
The creation of drag-and-drop video and photo editors have made it easier for novices to create graphics and enriching marketing content. However, these programs often require a decent video card or they can slow your system down when you try to use them.
A graphics card upgrade can stop problems and slowdowns that happen in graphic-rich applications and are a fairly easy upgrade to make.
Add More USB Ports
One thing that can be frustrating is when you have fewer USB ports than you need on your PC. Another problem is if you have two ports so close together that if you have one device with a larger USB plugin being used, you can’t access the other port.
You can easily add more USB port capability by using a port hub. The port hub is like when you plug a power strip into an outlet. It will expand your USB capability and allow you to plug more devices into your PC at the same time.
Improve Your PC Performance with a Cost-Saving Upgrade
Sound Computers can help your company get better performance out of your business PC’s without needing to completely replace them.
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation. Call 860-577-8060 or reach us online.