Boast your computers performance. Install a new CPU?

In most businesses you don’t need to be running the latest and greatest technology. Indeed that can become extremely costly. Especially if your a startup organisation. I have a desktop PC that last year had a new graphics card and before that some RAM. There becomes a time though when the investment should be halted and the money put towards a new machine. However for me personally this wasn’t the time and I purchased a very cheap CPU off ebay.

Was it worth the investment?

Definitely as the speed performance is noticable in this case and shows on this computer system. From startup to working with multiple applications within Windows 7. It’s all a very smooth experience. Obviously this will all depend on what you use your computer for and its specification. So you might not get the desired results and might not be worth upgrading. Leave a comment if you have any questions.

However you have to take into account factors such as how much you invest in a machine over a time period, cost of installing hardware, disposal costs and the price of new systems and packages available, that often come pre-bundled with an  operating system, often newer if your machine is quite old. The cost of a new operating system brought seperately, versus one bundled with a machine can often make purchasing a new machine quite tempting.

I was able to install the CPU myself within ten minutes. I had the thermal compound already and anti static wrist strap from previous computer building. So there are additional costs involved, especially if you don’t do the install yourself. If you need to hire someone, think again and assess your options.

So what where the steps I took?

1) I downloaded a manual for my motherboard and made sure I knew what was compatible and if I needed to upgrade my motherboard bios. I’ve updated many bios’s, but am always weary of this and it can go horribly wrong.

2) I waited for the right deal on ebay as I was in no rush.

3) I made sure I set aside enough time and workspace to do the upgrade. No point rushing it as mistakes can happen that way.

4) I used the anti static wrist strap at all times.

5) Once I removed the fan, I then lifted the leaver and removed the old cpu. Which I’ve kept in the box the replacement CPU came in. I might then resell this on ebay to return part of the costs of upgrading.

6) Before I placed the new CPU in, I placed the thermal compound on the new CPU and then inserted into the slot and gently pushed down the leaver.

6) I cleaned up the underneath of the fan and then replaced that.

Luckily it booted first time and Windows 7 noticed a new CPU, updated it’s system and then required a reboot. Sorry I took no photos of the process and obviously you follow the steps above I took at your own risk.

Why not leave feedback with your thoughts on computer upgrades.