By Joab Eisenberg Eilon with Tobi Elkin

Q: I use my computer a lot and realize it’s become progressively slower. Should I buy a new one?

A : Not necessarily, but if you’re dying to have one you can use this as a convincin

g excuse since the prices have dropped so drastically on desktops and notebook computers. On the other hand, if your computer isn’t that old, you can extend its life a bit. Computer speed is affected mainly by the processor (CPU), the memory (RAM), hard drive (HDD), program requirements and several applications running simultaneously. If you’ve eliminated all components other than the CPU as the culprits, it’s time to think about a new computer (unless it is one of the rare CPU-upgradeable computers). Here’s what you want to think about if you’re looking for ways to accelerate your computer:

1.How many programs and/or browsers and/or browser windows are open?

If the answer is more than ±2 of each, close anything you’re not using at the moment. If this doesn’t work, close everything and start over, opening only what you need at the moment. When you switch to something else, save the program you’re leaving and close it. Typically, the speed will improve.

2. Are any specific programs slowing the system down?

If everything else is off, that program is the only one on and the system is slow, this may be a processing-intensive program, which requires a system upgrade. Before making this conclusion, however, be sure other processing-hungry processes aren’t working in the background. For this, open the Task Manager (Ctrl+Alt+Del once, then choose “Start Task Manager”). Click the “Applications” tab. Highlight or right-click any application you don’t need and end it, but only if you’ve saved the document you were working on in that application. Then click the “Processes” tab. You can arrange the processes alphabetically (click the heading of their names), by CPU or by memory usage (click respective headings). If any process you can identify uses a lot of CPU power or memory, you can right-click and end it. If you don’t identify the process, don’t touch it!

3.Does the computer have enough memory?

Memory, or RAM, is where data resides temporarily for applications to access frequently. More memory means that applications need to access it less frequently, and thus work faster. Most computers come with a minimum of 4MB RAM, which is sufficient for most purposes other than heavy-duty number- crunching, graphics or gaming. For non-gamers, the marginal improvement beyond 6MB or 8MB RAM is insignificant. So if you have 4MB to 8MB RAM and/or no memory-intensive application, you don’t need more memory. If you do, RAM isn’t expensive and adding it is relatively easy or free in many stores. Another way to boost memory is to place a SD card in the reader. Often a pop-up window will ask what you want to use it for, and one of the options is to supplement memory.

4. Is your Hard Disk Drive (HDD) fast enough?

Capacity: The capacity of the HDD can affect speed if it’s more than 75% full. The reason is that the less free capacity there is, the more frequently the application must access the drive to function. So if your drive is close to or over 75% full, you can either clear some of it by deleting unnecessary files or programs, or you’ll need a larger drive.

Uninstall Programs: In my experience, many of us have lots of programs we never use. Those you have installed yourself you can uninstall safely. Go to “Control Panel”, then “Programs”, and do it from there. You may want to first arrange the list by size, clicking on the heading of the size column and delete the bulkiest programs you don’t need. Don’t touch a program that came with the computer or one whose function you’re unsure of until you ask someone more knowledgeable.

Deleting Duplicates: Another way to create more space is to download a duplicate finder, run it and arrange the list by size. Only delete files you know for a fact aren’t needed. For example, you may have an image or music file in a folder, but it also resides in the folder of a Power Point presentation. If you delete it from the latter, they won’t appear in the presentation.

Speed: For most purposes a Hard Disc Drive (HDD) with a speed of 5400 to 7200 RPM is sufficient; a larger buffer is even better (8, 16 or 32 MB). There are faster HDDs but they’re used only for specialized purposes. However, even a 7200 RPM drive with a 32MB buffer has limited data retrieval capacities due to its mechanical technology. Newer Solid State Drives (SSD) have no moving parts and their data retrieval speeds are significantly higher, but so is their price, which can reach 3 to 4 times that of mechanical drives. Often, replacing a HDD with an SSD will boost your speed (including booting speed) so much, that you won’t need additional RAM. Replacing a hard drive isn’t rocket science, but it’s more complicated than adding RAM. If you want to do it yourself, at least for the first time, do it with someone who has more experience.

Q: What are the important considerations in buying a new hard drive?

A: Hard Disk Drives (HDD) are mechanical. They spin at 5400 RPM or 7200 RPM and an arm (somewhat like a record player arm) moves over their plates seeking the data. When choosing a HDD, consider the following:

Capacity: HDD capacity is measured in GB (Gigabytes) or TB (Terabytes) and the most frequently encountered sizes currently are: 250GB, 320GB, 500GB, 640GB, 750GB and 1TB. The capacity of the HDD can affect speed if it’s more than 75% full. The reason is that the less free capacity there is, the more frequently the application must access the drive to function. When choosing the drive size you need, try to anticipate your maximum data needs for the next few years (this is much more than you’re currently using) and increase by at least one-third.

Speed and Buffer: Most mechanical HDD have a spinning speed of 5400 RPM or 7200 RPM, and a buffer of 8, 16 or 32 MB. The faster the speed and the larger the buffer, the better the HDD will perform. However, some 7200 RPM HDDs are noisier than 5400 RPM ones, so it’s useful to do some research and check out comparative reviews.

Brand and Warranty: Most of us get the HDD as it comes in the computer and never change it. If you’re planning to upgrade the drive, you have two options: A boxed drive, which sometimes come with additional hardware for installation, and drives sold in bulk. Many experts claim that there’s no advantage in buying the boxed drives which are more expensive. The bulk drives offer the same brands; some the largest are Seagate, Western Digital and Fujitsu, and they carry warranties.

Solid State Drives (SDD): For the ultimate storage experience, switch to an SSD. This is the latest breakthrough in data storage other than the Cloud. Unlike HDD, SSD drives have no mechanical parts, which accounts for a much higher speed and a lower risk of malfunction. SSD drives haven’t been around long enough to test their long-term data security, but so far this doesn’t seem to be a problem. They’re more expensive than HDDs and their maximum capacity is lower. The 128MB, 160MB, 180MB, 240Mb and 256MB SSDs are relatively affordable. But 512MB + SSDs are pricey. Their interface with the computer is the same as HDDs, so if you know how to replace one, you’ll know how to replace the other as well.

Q: What is HDD cleaning and defragmentation? Do I have to clean up and defragment my hard drive and if so, how often?

Cleaning the hard disk drive means eliminating unnecessary files such as temp files. The accumulation of such files can create unnecessary bulk and reduce capacity.

Defragmentation means gathering different clusters of data (“fragments”), which were placed randomly on the disk during operation, but belong to the same program or process, in order to minimize the need to retrieve each of them when needed.

Necessity: Although some authorities question the need to defragment hard drives, this has remained one of the most frequently applied maintenance actions used. You shouldn’t defragment if your drive is a Solid State Drive (SSD). For regular Hard Disk Drives, defragmentation is necessary only past a certain threshold which, in my experience, hasn’t been reached. Defragmentation tools let you either “analyze” or “defragment.” I’ve found myself defragmenting even when the analysis indicated a lower level than the threshold.

How to Do Defragment: Microsoft Windows (at least up to Windows 7) has a cleaning tool and a defragmentation tool in the “Accessories” folder under “Programs”. Many commercial tools, discrete or parts of suites such as FixIt Utilities and System Mechanic, are available with more sophisticated options. For free tools and suites, check http://www.techsupportalert.com/.

Q: How Important is it to Switch to a New Operating System (OS) When it Comes Out?

A: It’s not. Manufacturers frequently launch products before they’re fully tested and the programs are often full of bugs. In the case of Microsoft, the first launch of a new OS is often followed by publishing patches to fix problems arising between the launch and the streamlined operation of the OS.

• A new OS often changes the way we use the computer. For example, the new Windows 8 OS is heavily geared towards applications requiring touch-screen technology. If you’re likely to use such applications more than occasionally, you may want to consider an early conversion.
• You may have no choice but to switch to a new OS. If you’re in the market for a new computer, and the computer you want comes only with the new OS, you may have to upgrade or install an earlier OS . During the Windows Vista era, some manufacturers provided an option of downgrading their computer to XP. At this point, there are still a wide range of new computers with either Windows 7 or Windows 8 and the choice to have one or the other installed.

Q: Many New Notebook Computers Come Without an Optical Drive (CD/DVD). Do I Need One?

A: I like an optical drive, but I may be old-fashioned. The rationale for not having one is that a) most of what the optical was used for is now done by other means, and b) not having one allows making the laptop lighter and more mobile. If you’re still a heavy user of CDs and DVDs, don’t give up the built-in optical drive. However, if you rarely use one and you handle multimedia in cyberspace, in the Cloud or via e-mail/USB, most software you install is downloaded and you never watch movies on your computer, you may not need one.

My compromise was to get a docking base with an optical drive. Most of the time it’s at home or in the office, and when I need to use it, it’s a one-step operation. Installing an external drive would be a 2 to 3-step process. If mobility isn’t an issue, get the drive.

Q: What Are The Most Important Considerations in Choosing a New Notebook Computer?

A: First and foremost, do I need a notebook PC? The answer may be yes even if all you’re doing is taking the computer back and forth between your basement office and living room. Or, if you have a long commute and or travel frequently.

I need a notebook PC for the daily commute. Here are some considerations to keep in mind:

Screen considerations: Screen quality is more important if the majority of your work on the computer requires visual precision, such as graphics, CAD, photography, etc. Quality is a function of size, resolution, brightness and contrast.

Screen size: Notebook computers range from 15.6” down to 12.5” (there are smaller sizes but I consider them sub-notebooks). The larger the screen, the less strain on the eyes. Sharpness depends on a combination of size and resolution.

Screen surface: Mac buyers take note: A glossy screen is sleek and beautiful and sometimes gives the impression of being sharper and having more vivid colors. But it has a serious downside: reflectivity. Even in a dimly lit room, a glossy screen will reflect distracting external light. I would go with a matte screen, preferably non-glare and non-reflective.

Screen resolution: Resolution = sharpness. However, higher resolution also makes texts and images smaller. So the same resolution for two screens of different sizes provides a very different experience. High resolution is usually available for larger screens, lower for smaller screens. Read reviews in places like consumerreports.org and consumersearch.com for more information.

Other screen features:

Brightness: There is too little reliable information about brightness, and even what is available is hard to apply due to the fact that brightness is always relative to the ambient light.

Touchscreen: With the advent of Windows 8, applications and features so far reserved for the phone-based tablets have entered the playing field of the notebook computers. They’re still few and far apart and not up to par, but if you think you would have much use for it, your selection is extremely limited.

Weight: The more you carry your computer around, the lighter you’ll want it to be. Until the advent of the UltraBook, traveling with a notebook PC meant compromising on features. There will always be some compromise, but even that’s changing. For example, 15.6” notebook computers weigh around 5 lb., UltraBooks are under 4 lbs. and smaller (12”-12.5”) and are often less than 3 lbs. These weights don’t include the power adapter, a hard drive and other add-ons.

UltraBooks are very attractive. Thin, light and sleek, they are aren’t for everyone or every purpose. For example, most, if not all UltraBooks have a built-in non-replaceable battery. I’ve already gone through two batteries in my old notebook PC and if I’d had an UltraBook, I would either have had to get a new computer before I was ready, or pay for a battery replacement service.

The bottom line is you must decide how important weight is compared to other features, and look for a unit that balances both.

Performance: Performance is a function mainly of computing power (CPU speed and other capabilities) and memory (RAM). For basic needs, even the old Celeron or Pentium can do the job, although I would go with something more powerful and with no less than 4GB of RAM.

• The current Intel models are i3 and good for most non-intensive computing; i5 is good for everything; and i7 is ideal for intensive computing. They are subdivided by second and third generation, dual/quad core and speed. The ideal combination is somewhere in between those features. This can be challenging to figure out since the speed and power consumption have different values in second and third generation, dual and quad core processors. For that reason I would defer to the consumerreports.org ratings, where you can rank units by one of seven or eight features, performance being one.

Features:

This is an open-ended consideration, because there is almost no end to features that manufacturers would include in order to lure consumers from the competition. However, some features are more important than others. Here is a small selection:

• Multimedia (graphics card, sound card, sound system)
• Pre-loaded software (utilities, free full versions, trialware)
• Battery life (choice of batteries, after-market, replaceability)
• Ports (USB 2.0/3.0, external display, express card)
• Communications (WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth, Ethernet, Broadband)

Price:

This is often the make-or-break consideration. If you’re price-sensitive, this should probably be the first filter. Figure out the top price you would pay for a unit, then you look for the features you need within this price limit.

• Notebooks are available from about $250 to over $7,000. Gaming units range between $2,000-$5,000 range, but they’re often heavy and have short battery life, which raises the question of why would a gamer need a notebook when a full-size desktop computer can provide better performance for a lower price.

• Mainstream non-gaming, non- specialized units (e.g. Panasonic Toughbook’s) range between about $500 and $2,000. For $2,000 you can get the Apple MacBook Pro with Retina screen, which all Ultrabooks try to beat. You can get an excellent laptop for under $1,000.
• Price is linked to the question where to buy. Reputable online stores (such as Amazon.com, NewEgg.com, etc.) are a good choice as long as they don’t charge tax and have a reasonably liberal return policy. The best return policy can be found at consumer clubs such as Costco, which often has very well configured units at good prices and with an additional year of warranty. Some manufacturers (such as Lenovo and Dell) have excellent sales tools on their websites, allowing you to configure the unit to your needs and price tolerance, add warranty years and levels, apply coupons and even find deals in their outlet store.