When is it time to upgrade your computer?

AKA2D '91 · #1 03-05-2002, 07:23 PM

I've had my computer since September '99. When should one completely upgrade their system or get an entirely new system?

Is it time for me to upgrade or get a new system?

12dn94dst · #2 03-05-2002, 07:44 PM

Well, that depends. What type of computer is it? Who's the manufacturer, what's the processer speed & type? How much memory u currently you have? What's the maximum hard disk space you have and how much drive space are you currently using? What do you use your computer for primarily?

Granted, your computer is only 3 years old, so you may be able to get away with a memory upgrade and most programs are designed to run on at least a Pentium processor so you're probably fine there.

The basic things that determine if you need to upgrade are 1) if you're a technology junkie (have to have the latest & greatest) 2) how you use your computer and to a lesser extent 3) the current technology (no point if keeping your old pc if nothing will run on it or it runs painfully slow).

AKA2D '91 · #3 03-05-2002, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by 12dn94dst
Well, that depends. What type of computer is it? Who's the manufacturer, what's the processer speed & type? How much memory u currently you have? What's the maximum hard disk space you have and how much drive space are you currently using? What do you use your computer for primarily?

Granted, your computer is only 3 years old, so you may be able to get away with a memory upgrade and most programs are designed to run on at least a Pentium processor so you're probably fine there.

The basic things that determine if you need to upgrade are 1) if you're a technology junkie (have to have the latest & greatest) 2) how you use your computer and to a lesser extent 3) the current technology (no point if keeping your old pc if nothing will run on it or it runs painfully slow).

It's a Compaq presario 5360

All that other stuff, I couldn't even tell ya!
I use it strictly for ENTERTAINMENT and SOME school/work stuff.

I would like the latest and greatest. I could get a DEAL with another one, that's why I'm inquiring. I can't really pass this deal up.

If I do get something else, I was going to give this one to my mother, that way, I can go home and have internet access.

12dn94dst · #4 03-05-2002, 08:42 PM

well then, my suggestion is talk to someone @ your local Best Buy or CompUSA and get a really good estimate of how much it would cost u to upgrade & decide if your deal is really a deal. I mean, if it were me & I could upgrade my current system to something as good as the pc i'm getting a deal on for less, then i'd upgrade. but the home usage thing is a factor too.

SweetestDiva · #5 03-05-2002, 10:20 PM

My Compaq Presario at home is s l o w a s m o l a s s e s. It needs an upgrade, a step up, an upheaval... e'rythang.

I think mine is a 99 as well.

At school I have a '00 Gateway that was great at first. Now anytime I have more than 2 programs open at a time, it wants to freeze! I get so annoyed that I usually end up just abandoning whatever project it is I'm working on or go to the computer lab. I think it may be that my hard drive is too full - anybody know how I can save/store MP3s without cluttering my C: drive so much??

Honeykiss1974 · #6 03-08-2002, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by SweetestDiva
My Compaq Presario at home is s l o w a s m o l a s s e s. It needs an upgrade, a step up, an upheaval... e'rythang. I think mine is a 99 as well.

At school I have a '00 Gateway that was great at first. Now anytime I have more than 2 programs open at a time, it wants to freeze! I get so annoyed that I usually end up just abandoning whatever project it is I'm working on or go to the computer lab. I think it may be that my hard drive is too full - anybody know how I can save/store MP3s without cluttering my C: drive so much??

I too have a Compaq Presario and it was REALLY slow until I upgraded the memory.

12dn94dst · #7 03-08-2002, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SweetestDiva
I think it may be that my hard drive is too full - anybody know how I can save/store MP3s without cluttering my C: drive so much??

when you d/l them, you've got to same them somewhere, whether it's or your hard drive or to a zip disk. i think the best thing to do is to burn them to CD (CD-r not CD-RW...you can't play CD-RWs in car or home stereos) and then delete them from your hard drive once u've burned them. CD burners are pretty inexpensive. you can get a decent one for $80 to $125 depending on if you want an internal or external one.

HyperBeauty · #8 03-09-2002, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SweetestDiva
My Compaq Presario at home is s l o w a s m o l a s s e s. It needs an upgrade, a step up, an upheaval... e'rythang. I think mine is a 99 as well.

At school I have a '00 Gateway that was great at first. Now anytime I have more than 2 programs open at a time, it wants to freeze! I get so annoyed that I usually end up just abandoning whatever project it is I'm working on or go to the computer lab. I think it may be that my hard drive is too full - anybody know how I can save/store MP3s without cluttering my C: drive so much??

I have a compaq presario that I got in 99 as well. mine is still being nice to me :-) if your computer came with a zip drive. you can buy a zip disks and store lots of mp3's there. :-D

SweetestDiva · #9 03-10-2002, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by 12dn94dst

when you d/l them, you've got to same them somewhere, whether it's or your hard drive or to a zip disk. i think the best thing to do is to burn them to CD (CD-r not CD-RW...you can't play CD-RWs in car or home stereos) and then delete them from your hard drive once u've burned them. CD burners are pretty inexpensive. you can get a decent one for $80 to $125 depending on if you want an internal or external one.

My computer came with a burner (and I use it quite frequently

) but I have a hard time deleting songs even after I burn them because I like to listen to random songs sometimes if I'm just chillin in my room or something. I know it's kinda lame, but I really can't bring myself to delete anything. I think I'm up to about 700-something MP3s by now. Anyway, I do have a zip drive but I never really knew what it was for.

So I guess I'll start doing that from now on. Thanks, y'all.

techie_girl_44 · #10 03-11-2002, 01:46 PM

If you can get a REAL deal (do some comparison shopping first) then don't pass it up, especially if you were in the market for a new computer in the first place. Be sure to watch out for hidden extras (why pay for speakers when you already have them) and salespeople trying to tack on stuff you don't need. I used to sell computers and believe me, we would push anything and everything at a person if they seemed willing to buy all of it.

I know, I'm rotten. Also, make sure it's not a system that's going to be obsolete in 6 months. If it's last year's model and they just want to get them out for new stock, go for it. If it's just for entertainment and a little school or work stuff I doubt you need the top of the line model anyway. My best advice is just to be well-informed about your purchase but it looks like you are already on top of that (with this thread).