10 killer PC upgrades that are shockingly cheap

Sure, swanky new Surface Pros and1,200个$显卡可以捕获所有的头条新闻，但在实践层面上，真正的故事是，电脑是不便宜。作为两个孩子工作的父亲和抵押贷款买单，据我所知，都非常清楚。但是，如果您的计算机开始觉得狱，还有幸无理由冲出一条新的一个花费数百。

在关键的新PC硬件投资少量可以让您的电脑强几年来运行。这些升级，最下$成本核算以及100-注入新的生命慢的机器。你必须是战略性的，并确保你把你的钱最好的地方为您的特定系统。

让我们从最明显的地方开始。如果你的电脑still runs with a mechanical hard drive, swapping it out with an SSD will make it feel like a whole new computer. SSDs inject face-melting speed into a PC, drastically improving boot times, file transfers, and overall system responsiveness.

A lot of PCs don’t have SSDs, for two reasons: Solid-state drives use to be extravagantly expensive, and computer makers often charge hefty mark-ups for upgrading to an SSD. Fortunately, SSD prices have plummeted in recent years. Superb models like theSamsung 850 EVO($89.39 for 250GB on亚马逊）和theOCZ了Trion 150($45 for 120GB on亚马逊) can be found for well under $100 online. If you find the storage capacities a bit too tight, you can always install the SSD as a boot drive alongside your current hard drive.

A word of warning about SSDs, and all the hardware discussed in this article: You can often find lower prices if you sift through Amazon or Newegg for no-name or lesser-known brands. But you’re gambling on reliability and support when you move away from established PC hardware makers. Stick with name brand gear unless you absolutely, positively can’t afford it.

Good news if your available storage space is filled to the brim: Traditional hard drives are even cheaper than SSDs these days. A 1TB Western Digital Blue hard drive spinning at a speedy 7,200rpm will only set you back $50 on亚马逊, while a 3TB WD Blue drive is just $90 on亚马逊(albeit at a slower 5,400rpm).

混合动力混合两全其美的，大量的传统存储的结合具有体积小，快速闪存高速缓存。驱动监视你经常使用的文件，并让他们在缓存中，他们从SSD式的速度中获益。希捷1TB混合动力驱动无二上$ 85亚马逊with an 8GB SSD cache, or $114 on亚马逊与32GB的缓存。

这次调查是PCWorld指南固态硬盘，硬盘驱动器，和混合驱动dives into greater detail about each type of storage. Don’t forget toback up your databefore swapping out any storage drives!

如果您的计算机具有同时运行多个任务的麻烦，低内存是一个可能的罪魁祸首。Two gigabytes of RAM is the absolute minimum modern Windows systems need to run smoothly, and even PCs with 4GB of memory can start to feel pokey if you’re running several programs, keep a dozen Chrome tabs open, or game with some background processes still running.

Fortunately, memory is dirt cheap. Picking up an 8GB memory kit from Corsair ($36 for 2x4GB kit on亚马逊) or Kingston ($36 for 2x4GB kit on亚马逊)—two reliable brands I’ve had nothing but success with personally—will set you back less than $5 per gigabyte.

Just be sure to get the right type of memory for your PC! RAM comes in all sorts of different packages. The easiest way to tell what type of RAM resides in your PC is to download the free, superbCPU-Z软件, then open the内存选项卡，找到“类型”选项。

甲狱PC可以是过时的处理器的结果。不幸的是，免去您的CPU往往意味着更换你的主板也使得努力相当昂贵。但并非总是如此，特别是如果你有一个AMD处理器的系统。

AMD’s AM3+ and FM2 motherboards have been powering AMD’s CPUs and APUs, respectively, since mid-2012. Since many prebuilt AMD systems sport modest processors, upgrading to a modern CPU can give your PC a shot in the arm. If you’re on FM3+, the new Athlon X4 860K ($75 on亚马逊) is a solid entry-level quad-core processor for gaming, while the 8-core FX-8320E ($130 on亚马逊) is a great step-up option and price-to-performance champion. If you have an FM2-based system with an AMD APU, the A10-7860K ($110 on亚马逊) could be a solid upgrade, complete with集成d graphics可以让你进入电子竞技游戏at modest frame rates.

Intel switches out its motherboards and socket types much more often, and its chips tend to be much more expensive. Replacing Intel chips aren’t really an affordable upgrade in most cases.

确保你的新的芯片与现有的主板兼容是很重要的！购买之前，火起来CPU-Zand search for the “Package” entry in the main CPU tab to see what sort of socket your motherboard packs.

Want to dip your toes into PC gaming? Despite what fearmongers may tell you, gaming doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg.

AMD’sRadeon RX 460（上$ 110及以上Newegg）提供的电子竞技游戏一样出色的性能League of Legendsand监工。It also lets you play modern games at a console-esque 30 frames per second with High graphics settings at 1080p, or up to 60fps at Medium settings. That’s damned good for a hair over $100. Even better: Many models pull their power directly from your motherboard, with no need for additional power connectors. That makes AMD’s budget card a great option for adding gaming capabilities to prebuilt “big box” PCs from the likes of HP and Dell, as they often pack modest power supplies that lack extra connectors.

Be careful though: Some of themore potent Radeon RX 460 modelsrequire extra 6-pin power connectors. You don’t want that if you don’t have one available—unless you want to buy a power supply, too. A 500 watt power supply from a reputable company doesn’t cost much, as evidenced by the EVGA 500 W1, which only costs $35 on亚马逊。

No, seriously. If you haven’t cleaned out your PC in a year or more, mounds of dust and debris can be collected inside. Clogged fans and exhaust ports lead to overheating, which leads to your PC throttling back performance. Single containers of canned air can be relatively pricey; grab a four pack ($16.22 on亚马逊) for a lower price and enough air to clean out your PC for years to come.

新的想法？看看这次调查是PCWorld的引导PC清洗之前开裂开你的情况。

如果你的电脑’s still running hot after blowing out the dust, the thermal paste coating the area where your CPU or GPU touches its cooler could be old, dry, and ineffective, especially if you’ve had the equipment for several years.

首先，装SpeedFanand double check that your CPU or GPU is indeed overheating. If one (or both!) is, grab a syringe of thermal paste—I adore Arctic Silver 5 ($7.43 on亚马逊） - 然后利用这次调查是PCWorld的导游installing a CPU coolerandrefreshing your graphics cardto help you apply new thermal paste after scraping off the old stuff.

仍然跑热整体？试着增加的情况下风扇或两个。从有信誉的供应商的情况下，球迷们惊人的便宜（在$ 7.91，从酷冷至尊亚马逊或者$ 9从上NZXT亚马逊）和can be installedin mere minutes.

你花你的大部分时间与电脑的输入和输出设备进行交互，所以这绝对是值得投资的体面的外设，如果你在你的电脑花费大量的时间。

Start with your monitor. If you’re still using a lower-resolution display or (shudder) a fat CRT display, embracing a high-definition 1080p monitor will provide a huge step up in usability. It won’t break the bank either: You can buy a 1080p HP with a 21.5-inch IPS screen for just $100 on亚马逊。IPS屏幕提供一个更生动的图像比扭曲向列型面板大部分的预算监控发现。

Alternatively, if you’re a gamer with a Radeon graphics card, consider buying a monitor that supports AMD’s FreeSync technology. FreeSync synchronizes the refresh rate of your graphics card and display to eliminate stutter and screen tearing in games. While monitors with Nvidia’s competing G-Sync technology fetch steep price premiums, FreeSync adds minimal cost to a display. A 22-inch 1080p FreeSync display by ViewSonic costs just $110 on亚马逊, for example.

Treat your ears, too. The speakers that come bundled with prebuilt PCs tend to be utter garbage. While audio gear pricing can escalate to frightening levels, some of our favorite headsets will set you back less than a Benjamin.

If you’re a gamer, our最喜欢的全能游戏耳机is theKingston HyperX Cloud($67.93 on亚马逊). The sound quality is second to none in this bracket, the build quality is superb, and it’s extremely comfortable—though its microphone is merely average.

不需要麦克风？音乐爱好者会发现很多爱在森海塞尔HD 280 Pro的（在$ 99.95亚马逊），我个人现在已经使用多年哪些。舒适的贴身罐缺少的，比方说，殴打或者怪物耳机的低音极端踢，但弥补它通过在整个声谱提供丰富，准确，动态的音频。他们是亚马逊的买家是有原因中心爱。

If you’re used to crappy bundled PC keyboards, or laptop keyboards, upgrading to a mechanical keyboard will change your life. The well-reviewed Logitech G610 Orion with樱桃MX棕色或红色开关仅花费$ 90上亚马逊。那也许比大多数人以前花了键盘上，但它的价格便宜的机械标准。一旦你已经尝试过了，你就不能回去橡胶圆顶板。

Likewise, investing in a decent mouse makes interacting with your PC that much more pleasant. TheRazer DeathAdder($42.69 on亚马逊) is ostensibly a gaming mouse, but its ergonomic design and high DPI sensor help it feel good in your palm and generate nice, smooth cursor movements. I’ve been using one for more than five years now, and grimace whenever i’m forced to use a cheap mouse bundled with a prebuilt PC.

Speeding up your well-loved PC doesn’t actually have to costany钱。事实上，你购买新的硬件之前，采取偷看在这次调查是PCWorld指南10 cheap or free ways to make your old PC run faster。You’ll find a few tips repeated from here—seriously, buy an SSD—but for the most part, it focuses on no-cost software solutions for potentially boosting your computer’s performance. Try those before dropping dough on new gear!

If youdo拉闸升级你的一些PC的内脏，然而，这次调查是PCWorld的指导，建立一个PCcan help you with step-by-step instructions on how to install each new component. Or if you’re looking to bolster a laptop, our guides to installinghard drivesandmemory笔记本电脑可以帮助您完成整个过程的基础。