From Experimax
Working with a slow computer can be frustrating. Installed software taking a long time to load or websites not loading correctly can be signs of failing hardware, an outdated operating system, or a poor Internet connection. We’ve explored some of the common reasons users think their computer is performing slower than it should to see what, if anything, could be impacting the performance of your computer.
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A bigger hard drive will solve my issues
Upgrading a hard drive to a Solid State Drive (SSD) can make a huge difference in the speed of your computer but it isn’t always the issue and depending on what you’re doing, the capacity of the SSD you choose to upgrade to can make a difference. In most situations, the higher the capacity, the better the performance.
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Free space on my hard drive will improve performance
Drives that are almost empty have a similar processing time as drives that are around 50% full. However, there is a significant difference in the write and read times when the drive is above 95% full. In order to maintain the optimal performance of your computer, it is recommended that you have enough free space if you want to speed up your Mac computer.
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Additional RAM will make everything faster
While random access memory (RAM) has been known to increase the speed of some programs on a computer, it is not a fix-all for all speed issues. Depending on how you use your computer, what programs you access, and what tasks you are performing, a large amount of RAM may or may not be necessary for your machine to have optimal performance. As a benchmark, it is recommended that at least 8 GB of RAM is needed for basic users, while 16 GB will allow the usage of multiple applications at faster speeds for users running graphics programs or other “heavy” software.
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A faster graphics card will make everything better
Yes, a faster (i.e., better) graphics card will improve your gaming experience or if you are having trouble using graphics applications such as Photoshop, Corel or Final Cut Pro X, this could also improve with a faster graphics card. However, the average user should be more than fine with the existing graphics card.
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More processing cores will improve functionality
While this sounds good, increasing the number of processing cores does not always improve the computer’s performance in any way the average user will notice. Most applications simply are not designed to need or take advantage of more than four cores.
If you are experiencing issues with your Mac computer’s speed and performance, don’t hesitate to bring your computer to your local Experimax store. Our knowledgeable techs will ask you a few questions to get a better idea of how you use computer and the issues you’ve been dealing with. Then, they will check everything from your hard drive to your graphics card and RAM in order to make a recommendation about the next steps to improve the speed and functionality of your Mac computer.
Business hours are Monday – Sunday 10 AM – 8 PM. Experimax is located at 1865-106 Carl D. Silver Parkway, Fredericksburg, VA 22401.
