5 Things You Should Do Before Upgrading Your PC!

Things You Should Do Before Upgrading Your PC – For most gamers and PC users, upgrading has become an exciting ritual that can be done at any time. PC upgrade can mean improving the system and PC performance by replacing or adding hardware that is newer and more powerful than before.

It turns out, that making improvements to PC components should not be arbitrary, you know. You must pay attention to compatibility, power supply capabilities, and so on that should not conflict with each other.

5 Things You Should Do Before Upgrading Your PC:

At least, there are five simple steps you can take if you want to upgrade your PC. Anything? Come on, watch to the end!

1. Pay attention to the power supply on your PC

Corsair Enthusiast TX650 V2 ATX12V EPS12V Power Supply. © Corsair

The power supply is a device in charge of supplying electricity to various components in the PC. Its position is at the back and can be placed on top or bottom, depending on your PC case. So, why should the power supply be an initial concern when upgrading a PC? That’s because it’s a very crucial task.

The power supply is the initial gate for the entry of electricity to be supplied to various other components. If the power supply device has a problem, then other components can be threatened with damage. There is a simple way to determine whether or not the appliance should be replaced. First, look at the power rating on your power supply. If it’s still 400W, you should change to a bigger one because upgrading the PC means it will increase the electrical power even though it’s not much.

Second, if your old power supply doesn’t have an 80 plus certification, you should replace it with a component that already has it. You can check the type and brand of the PSU that has been certified 80 plus on the official CLEAResult website to make sure. This is important when choosing a power supply with good quality and long life.

2. Adjust to your motherboard type

If likened to humans, the PC motherboard is analogous to the main body that will accommodate many biological senses. Well, the mainboard that has many small components will indeed accommodate various other devices, such as processors, RAM, VGA, coolers, storage space, and so on. That’s why pay attention to the type and type of your motherboard.

Socket 1155 DDR3 motherboards, for example, can only be paired with components that also support these specifications. For example, motherboard type H61 with socket 1155 DDR3 can only be combined with second and third-generation Intel Core i3, i5, and i7 processors. The RAM must also be paired with DDR3-type memory. This is important to note so that the components purchased are not in vain because they cannot be installed.

Do not let you buy DDR4-type RAM, but your motherboard still supports DDR3. From the physical alone, DDR3 and DDR4 slots are so different. Generally, DDR4 RAM has a wider form than DDR3 RAM. So, first, look at the type of socket and DDR on your motherboard so you don’t buy the wrong component.

3. Upgrading RAM and fan is the easiest thing to do

Image credit: Unsplash

Adding RAM is a PC upgrade that can be done easily and simply. After knowing the type and type of motherboard, you can add RAM according to the default slot on the motherboard. If a motherboard has two RAM slots and can support a maximum of 16 GB of memory, then you can make it a maximum in 2×8 GB format.

It should be noted, that the selection of the type of format for the RAM chip also affects PC performance, you know. We recommend that you use a balanced installation method. For example, if you want to make 16 GB, install two pieces of RAM, each with a capacity of 8 GB. It can be paired with an unequal capacity, but it is not recommended because it might make PC performance not optimal.

Not only that but also pay attention to the type and speed of the RAM. According to the author’s experience, RAM must be paired with the same type of DDR and speed so that the PC does not error. If possible, the brand should also be the same although it is not mandatory. So, still, the author will advise installing the most ideal RAM, namely the same brand, the same speed, the same capacity, and the same type of DDR.

How about the fan? If your PC still uses two or three fans, you should add a fan. Pay attention to the flow of air in and out of your PC. The front fan of the case should ideally let in the fresh air, while the fan on the back and top should ideally let out hot air.

4. If funds are limited, should we upgrade the processor or graphics card?

NVIDIA GTX 1080 Ti and RTX 2080 (image credit: Unsplash)

Usually, gamers will also be confused by equally important choices. Choose a processor or VGA upgrade? To answer it, it must be adjusted to the needs and conditions of the PC. However, usually, processors that are equivalent to the third-generation Intel Core i3, i5, and i7 or above, are still considered capable of running the latest programs and games.

If your budget is limited, maybe upgrading a VGA or graphics card can be a reasonable choice, as long as your PC’s processor fits into the type mentioned above. Moreover, if the VGA you have been using has been classified as low-end or even onboard, of course buying a new graphics card can be your main choice.

The thing to note is that the new VGA capability should not experience a bottleneck with processor performance. In other words, if the processor used is still an old type, 2nd to 7th generation, it’s a good idea to upgrade to a maximum VGA only at the middle level. If you are desperate to buy a high-end graphics card, your PC’s performance will be even more suboptimal because of the unequal capabilities between VGA and processor.

5. Don’t forget to update drivers and software for the PC

5 Things You Should Do Before Upgrading Your PC!

If all the components have been installed correctly, it’s time to test and update the software. Supposedly, if the installation is correct, the software or driver will also be installed properly. For example, if you install a new VGA, it’s a good idea to update the latest drivers on their official websites, such as NVIDIA or AMD.

So, is it necessary to upgrade or replace the operating system? Well, as long as it’s needed, it’s a good idea to do that too. For example, if you previously used Windows 7, it might be better if you upgrade to Windows 10 which of course can bring the digital experience to be more complex.

Windows 11 can also be the newest choice, but for now, Windows 10 is still the most friendly and easy-to-use operating system for most gamers. The choice is yours, yes.

How about the simple steps above? Pretty easy to learn, right? Hopefully, this article can be used as input for those of you who are going to upgrade your PC, okay?