Boost your computer’s brainpower – without breaking the bank
From using the cloud for storage to upgrading your machine’s processor, our guide will help you get the most from your home’s equipment
HIGH-tech gadgets are no longer just useful – they are essential to survive the demands of modern life. But it is only when a computer crashes or grinds to a halt – destroying files or losing photos – that we realise how much we rely on it.
Here, The Mail on Sunday explores the world of computer storage – and how you can boost its memory and reliability without breaking the bank.
BOOST MEMORY SPEED
THE part of a computer charged with handling your everyday tasks – such as surfing the internet and using apps – is random access memory (RAM). Overloaded with work, it can sometimes slow down or even crash.
Kerry Harnes is chief operating officer at computer memory parts supplier Mr Memory in Worthing, West Sussex.
She says: ‘ To understand RAM, think of an office desk surface. RAM is all the items on the top – pens, files, calculator and even that mug of coffee – used for any tasks in hand. ‘If the surface gets too full you need more space, otherwise the computer slows down to cope with handling lots of different things at once. Fortunately, fixing the problem need not mean buying a new computer – you just have to invest in some extra RAM.’
Although you can take your computer to a specialist to add more RAM it is a task most of us can do ourselves. It is usually no more complex than changing a battery in a clock.
Often it is a case of unscrewing a panel at the back of your computer after making sure it is switched off. You then take out your old RAM and install a greater amount of memory to make the processing speed run faster.
There are videos on websites such as YouTube that can guide you. Experts such as Mr Memory also provide help on the RAM options designed specifically to fit your computer – and the kind of memory you might need. You should expect to pay about £50 for eight gigabytes of RAM.
Harnes adds: ‘ Upgrading your machine with extra memory is easy and the most cost-effective way of speeding up your machine. It does not affect computer storage so there is no need to make any back-ups.’
The minimum RAM for most computer users is eight gigabytes. An activity such as streaming TV from Netflix might use one gigabyte of memory, three gigabytes in highdefinition. But just turning on your computer can eat up a gigabyte, too.
Boosting RAM for a mobile phone is more complex.
SIT ON A CLOUD
THE cloud is a buzzword that leaves many of us bemused. But it is just a term for storing information using the internet. Traditionally, computer storage was kept inside a beige box connected to the computer that sat under a desk. But now much of this is outsourced to a cloud – data is piped over the internet to vast computer warehouses that store mount ai ns of data i n oft en r emote locations.
The main players offering cloud services i nclude Apple i Cloud, Google Drive, Dropbox and Microsoft OneDrive. They usually offer a limited amount of free storage but charge if you want more.
Those using iCloud get up to five gigabytes of storage for free – then 79p a month for 50 gigabytes or £6.99 for two terabytes ( two thousand gigabytes).
Google Drive offers 15 gigabytes of free storage but £1.59 a month for up to 100 gigabytes. Dropbox costs from £7.99 a month for one terabyte of data storage but stores for free up to two gigabytes. Microsoft OneDrive offers five gigabytes for free but you must pay £1.99 a month for 50 gigabytes.
You might fit 300 photos on a gigabyte. A few pounds a month does not sound much but soon adds up. If you cancel a contract, data in your cloud vanishes. Stuart Miles is founder of
gadget review website Pocket-lint. He says: ‘Free cloud storage can be ideal for apps you rarely use. If you have wi-fi access you can simply download these for use off the cloud. This way your device – whether it is a mobile or laptop – has lots of free storage.’
It is possible to set up your device so it automatically stores information on a cloud – which can then be accessed using other computers or tablets and even your mobile phone.
You need to go into the settings of your computer and click on the cloud tab – for example, those with an Apple computer simply press iCloud. You can then cherry-pick what you like to be stored using the online service.
INVEST IN BACKUP
A HARD drive is the device that permanently stores and retrieves information on a computer – using something known as read- only memory (ROM).
If the short-term memory is all the items sitting on a desk, then the hard drive is the drawer and filing cabinets where any paperwork is stored. Just as in an office the drawers can get cluttered – sometimes so badly it can be difficult to close them properly. This is when it is necessary to reorganise some of the files.
This data – everything from computer start-up procedures to personal files and photos – is usually stored on a magnetised hard disk inside the computer.
The disk whirls around at superfast speeds of around 120 revolutions a second and contains millions of microscopic points on it that the computer can read and decipher as messages. The faster the disk is able to spin around then the quicker data can be read.
Unfortunately, as it relies on mechanics a hard drive can break. It is therefore vital to invest in an external hard drive as back-up just in case your computer storage breaks down, gets lost or is stolen.
An external drive simply plugs into your computer and copies all the information – effectively creating a duplicate of your data storage. Examples on t he market include the slim Seagate Seven that hold two terabytes and costs £85. Another is the £130 LaCie Rugged that holds two terabytes.
Those with a phone should consider a plug-in memory stick, such as a £50 Leef iBridge that stores 16 gigabytes and clips on to the mobile.
FOCUS ON BRAIN POWER
THE brain inside a computer controls how well the memory works and is known as the central processing unit (CPU).
It is possible to have four of these units – also known as cores – inside one computer. The brain needs its own storage space to handle the commands it gives out, which is known as cache.
It is often cheaper to upgrade equipment as a new processor unit can cost £200 – and may require an expert to fit it. It is therefore vital to ensure your computer has the right central processing unit before you buy it – investing in the best you can afford.
For example, companies such as Intel sell dozens of different processing units.
But when shopping keep an eye out for the latest units, such as an Intel Core 8, which can accommodate high-definition graphics for gaming and video presentations. Many other less expensive processors are enough for simple tasks such as surfing the internet and using your computer as a word processor.
Websites such as Notebook check and PassMark offer comparisons of CPUs but it can be a maze best left to the tech-savvy in your family.
Also consider the hard drive. It can cost four times more to change from a hard drive to a solid state drive but this means it is less likely to break and will give you a faster operating speed.
With a solid state drive, data is stored on memory chips – much like USB memory sticks – inside the computer rather than the more fragile spinning disks that come in a hard drive.
Computer experts can change internals to solid state memory units for perhaps £200.
Before doing the work it is vital to ensure any data on your computer is backed up on an external storage unit – otherwise it will be lost.