After years of intensive use,
computers
-whether desktop or laptop- begin to show symptoms of exhaustion.
They feel heavy and with deep bumps in their performance.
A few weeks before the start of classes 2023, a guide to update an old PC for school or university, with an investment that does not exceed
25 thousand pesos
.
For a thorough restoration of the system and leave it in optimal conditions for the start of the school year, there are two fronts on which to advance.
Thus, there will be a major
renewal of the
hardware
with some
software sections
.
The key piece of this equation is the Solid State Drive (SSD).
As a reinforcement, you can also add RAM memory.
The final touch is a driver update program and a maintenance suite.
And although mounting these cards in the machine is not very difficult if you help yourself with a tutorial, it can always get complicated.
In case of getting stuck, it
is best to call a technician
.
Speed without discussion
The SSDs for the old computer.
Photo: Kingston.
The advantage of SSDs over mechanical disks (HDDs) is beyond dispute.
However, with innovation also came variations in shape, design and technology.
Something that can mislead the buyer.
At the operational level, the SSD is a technological revolution.
Since it starts Windows in less than half the time of a hard drive and tripled its writing and reading speeds.
Before deciding on your purchase, you should find out
the type of connection that
the equipment you have includes and then choose the form factor that best suits you.
Also, check if the vacant socket supports a SATA, M2, or NVMe interface.
“All computers, no matter how old, can be upgraded to SSDs.
It will depend on the model and the ports they have, if it accepts the new M2.
But at least you have SATA, which shares a connector with the HDDs”, explains José Luis Fernández, Kingston's technology manager for SSA.
The most common type of connection interface is SATA (Serial ATA).
A 2.5-inch square format that can reach speeds of up to 6 Gbps in its third version.
This universality increases its value, since it is worth the same as the most advanced models.
One of 250 GB is around
9 thousand pesos
.
Instead, the M2, the closest relative, does not represent a radical change, but a variant of the SATA with reduced form.
Like RAM, they plug into a socket that's included on notebook and PC motherboards.
And while it is always a good idea to take precautions, this port is not a rarity, since it is present in many computers that were released in the last 8 years.
It is the best option
for price and speed
.
Although it was somewhat confusing, the M2 can also use SATA technology, although the most current ones use NVMe.
This is a new protocol that can achieve high transfer speeds.
It is only compatible with motherboards that have NVMe PCIe connectors.
The keys to increase the performance of the computer.
Photo Kingston.
"The top-of-the-line units, with PCIe 4.0 ports, which reach speeds of 7000 MB/s, are oriented towards graphic design, video editing and processes where time can be saved with an ultra-fast and small-sized unit," Fernández details. .
Both M2 and NVMe offer drives of different storage capacities.
The cheapest, 250 GB, start at
9,200 pesos
.
While a 1 Terabyte (TB) Kingston Nvme M.2 internal disk is about
33 thousand pesos
.
Don't lose your memory
There is widespread confusion that memory and storage are synonymous.
While RAM refers to the short-term location of data, storage is the component of the computer that allows you to save and access data over the long term.
This random access memory allows the instructions processed by the CPU to be loaded more quickly.
This reading and writing capacity can be significantly increased if they are used in Dual-Channel: two identical modules running in parallel.
To notice a change, the indicated thing is to double the amount installed.
However, the first one that appears cannot be placed, since it must coincide with the same speed as the one that is placed.
The more amount of RAM there is, the more applications can be used simultaneously.
The minimum and recommended is that it have 16 GB.
An 8 GB module is around
15 thousand pesos
.
renewal and change
Avast Updater updates any driver on the computer.
Each internal component of the machine is associated with a certain controller.
This system file is responsible for telling Windows how the device can be physically found and what resources it uses to function properly.
New versions include important patches or security fixes.
However, they are ignored by the operating system and one must take the trouble to update them.
The problem is that, being obsolete, absent or damaged, they pose a risk to the entire environment.
In the case of video cards or other components, they can cause failures or frequent hangups in the system.
The Avast Updater locates some
35 million
drivers – from USB ports, modem, microprocessor, audio, to SSD or mother – it installs them automatically and removes those that no longer work.
In case of failure, it returns to the previous ones.
Unlike other products on the market, which only allow users to update a limited number of drivers, Avast's solution offers a
fully functional 15-day
free trial .
Cleaning and maintenance
Glary Utilities interface.
A good supplement for SSD and RAM is cleaning software that performs general system maintenance.
Since, the repeated use of the equipment produces a decrease in productivity, something that is corrected with a suite of tools.
With more than 20 utilities to its credit, Glary Utilities is a free application, compatible with most versions of Windows.
In this area, the biggest competitor is CCleaner, suspected of introducing espionage modules into the computer.
From a screenshot, Glary reports the time it takes to boot the system, when it was last updated, deletes cookies, Internet history.
Furthermore, it encrypts system files and prevents them from being modified without authorization.
It monitors the programs running on the PC and alerts about spyware and Trojans.
Although the most attractive tool is 1-Click Maintenance.
Choosing this option runs a cleanup of the registry and shortcuts, removes temporary files, and performs startup management.
If one checks the Automatically repair box, it chooses the best alternative in each case.
SL
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