{"id":21593,"date":"2023-01-28T12:00:18","date_gmt":"2023-01-28T11:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/g100.us\/?p=21593"},"modified":"2023-07-03T12:27:30","modified_gmt":"2023-07-03T10:27:30","slug":"what-to-upgrade-first-pc-performance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/g100.us\/what-to-upgrade-first-pc-performance\/","title":{"rendered":"Which Upgrades Will Improve Your PC's Performance The Most?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_39 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">TABLE OF CONTENTS<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-66844f7f21258\" class=\"cssicon\"><span style=\"display: flex;align-items: center;width: 35px;height: 30px;justify-content: center;direction:ltr;\"><svg style=\"fill: #7f11e0;color:#7f11e0\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #7f11e0;color:#7f11e0\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\" \/><\/svg><\/span><\/label><label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-66844f7f21258\" class=\"cssiconcheckbox\">1<\/label><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-66844f7f21258\" checked><nav><ul class=\"ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 \"><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/what-to-upgrade-first-pc-performance\/#How_We_Picked_The_Order_and_Whats_Included\" title=\"How We Picked The Order, and What\u2019s Included\">How We Picked The Order, and What\u2019s Included<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/what-to-upgrade-first-pc-performance\/#Workloads_Benefited\" title=\"Workloads Benefited\">Workloads Benefited<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/what-to-upgrade-first-pc-performance\/#Tangible_Improvements_To_Performance_or_Productivity\" title=\"Tangible Improvements To Performance or Productivity\">Tangible Improvements To Performance or Productivity<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/what-to-upgrade-first-pc-performance\/#Which_Upgrades_Will_Improve_Your_PC_Performance_The_Most\" title=\"Which Upgrades Will Improve Your PC Performance The Most?\">Which Upgrades Will Improve Your PC Performance The Most?<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/what-to-upgrade-first-pc-performance\/#1_SSD_Storage_Upgrade\" title=\"1. SSD Storage Upgrade\">1. SSD Storage Upgrade<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/what-to-upgrade-first-pc-performance\/#2_CPU_Upgrade_Single-Core_Focus\" title=\"2. CPU Upgrade (Single-Core Focus)\">2. CPU Upgrade (Single-Core Focus)<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/what-to-upgrade-first-pc-performance\/#3_GPU_Upgrade\" title=\"3. GPU Upgrade\">3. GPU Upgrade<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/what-to-upgrade-first-pc-performance\/#4_CPU_Upgrade_Multi-Core_Focus\" title=\"4. CPU Upgrade (Multi-Core Focus)\">4. CPU Upgrade (Multi-Core Focus)<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/what-to-upgrade-first-pc-performance\/#5_RAM_Upgrade\" title=\"5. RAM Upgrade\">5. RAM Upgrade<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/what-to-upgrade-first-pc-performance\/#Which_Upgrades_Will_Improve_Your_PC_Productivity_and_Usability_The_Most\" title=\"Which Upgrades Will Improve Your PC Productivity and Usability The Most?\">Which Upgrades Will Improve Your PC Productivity and Usability The Most?<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/what-to-upgrade-first-pc-performance\/#1_Second_Monitor\" title=\"1. Second Monitor\">1. Second Monitor<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/what-to-upgrade-first-pc-performance\/#2_Keyboard_Upgrade\" title=\"2. Keyboard Upgrade\">2. Keyboard Upgrade<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/what-to-upgrade-first-pc-performance\/#3_Larger_andor_Higher-End_Monitor\" title=\"3. Larger and\/or Higher-End Monitor\">3. Larger and\/or Higher-End Monitor<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/what-to-upgrade-first-pc-performance\/#4_Mouse_Upgrade\" title=\"4. Mouse Upgrade\">4. Mouse Upgrade<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/what-to-upgrade-first-pc-performance\/#Best_Productivity_Upgrades_For_Your_Workload\" title=\"Best Productivity Upgrades For Your Workload\">Best Productivity Upgrades For Your Workload<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/what-to-upgrade-first-pc-performance\/#Best_Performance_Upgrades_For_Your_Workload\" title=\"Best Performance Upgrades For Your Workload\">Best Performance Upgrades For Your Workload<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/what-to-upgrade-first-pc-performance\/#Best_PC_Upgrades_For_Gaming_and_Usability\" title=\"Best PC Upgrades For Gaming and Usability\">Best PC Upgrades For Gaming and Usability<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/what-to-upgrade-first-pc-performance\/#Best_PC_Upgrades_For_Rendering_and_Productivity\" title=\"Best PC Upgrades For Rendering and Productivity\">Best PC Upgrades For Rendering and Productivity<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/what-to-upgrade-first-pc-performance\/#Best_PC_Upgrades_For_Video_Editing_and_High_Compute\" title=\"Best PC Upgrades For Video Editing and High Compute\">Best PC Upgrades For Video Editing and High Compute<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/what-to-upgrade-first-pc-performance\/#FAQ\" title=\"FAQ\">FAQ<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/what-to-upgrade-first-pc-performance\/#Are_Laptops_Upgradeable\" title=\"Are Laptops Upgradeable?\">Are Laptops Upgradeable?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/what-to-upgrade-first-pc-performance\/#Are_Prebuilts_Upgradeable\" title=\"Are Prebuilts Upgradeable?\">Are Prebuilts Upgradeable?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-23\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/what-to-upgrade-first-pc-performance\/#How_Often_Should_I_Upgrade_My_PC\" title=\"How Often Should I Upgrade My PC?\">How Often Should I Upgrade My PC?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-24\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/what-to-upgrade-first-pc-performance\/#Over_to_You\" title=\"Over to You\">Over to You<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>Which upgrades will improve your PC performance the most, and in roughly what order should you be prioritizing them?<\/p>\n<p>Are there any use cases where a certain upgrade path will be more favored than others?<\/p>\n<p>Dive into the article below, and I\u2019ll happily walk you through the answers to these questions and more!<\/p>\n<p>Alternatively, you can skip around with the little table of contents embedded above. I won\u2019t know. <em>Or will I \ud83d\ude09 ?<\/em><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_We_Picked_The_Order_and_Whats_Included\"><\/span>How We Picked The Order, and What\u2019s Included<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Workloads_Benefited\"><\/span>Workloads Benefited<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The first and<strong> most important metric<\/strong> used to determine which upgrades will improve your PC performance the most is <strong><em>Workloads Benefited<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-21605\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Upgrading-a-PC-Workloads-that-can-benefit.jpg\" alt=\"Upgrading a PC - Workloads that can benefit\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Upgrading-a-PC-Workloads-that-can-benefit.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Upgrading-a-PC-Workloads-that-can-benefit-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Upgrading-a-PC-Workloads-that-can-benefit-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Upgrading-a-PC-Workloads-that-can-benefit-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Upgrading-a-PC-Workloads-that-can-benefit-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-21605 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Upgrading a PC - Workloads that can benefit\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Upgrading-a-PC-Workloads-that-can-benefit.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Upgrading-a-PC-Workloads-that-can-benefit-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Upgrading-a-PC-Workloads-that-can-benefit-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Upgrading-a-PC-Workloads-that-can-benefit-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Upgrading-a-PC-Workloads-that-can-benefit-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Upgrading-a-PC-Workloads-that-can-benefit.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p><strong>Basically, how many common workloads <\/strong>(Desktop Use and Media Consumption, Rendering and Productivity, Gaming)<strong> benefit from this upgrade, and how much? <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Depending on what exactly you\u2019re doing with your PC, which upgrades you should be prioritizing will change.<\/p>\n<p>However, <strong>upgrades that benefit nearly everything you do on your PC will naturally trend higher on the list <\/strong>due to their wider applicability.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tangible_Improvements_To_Performance_or_Productivity\"><\/span>Tangible Improvements To Performance or Productivity<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Another core metric we\u2019re using is <em>Tangible Improvements to Performance or Productivity<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-21606\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Upgrading-a-PC-Performance-improvements.jpg\" alt=\"Upgrading a PC - Performance improvements\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Upgrading-a-PC-Performance-improvements.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Upgrading-a-PC-Performance-improvements-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Upgrading-a-PC-Performance-improvements-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Upgrading-a-PC-Performance-improvements-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Upgrading-a-PC-Performance-improvements-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-21606 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Upgrading a PC - Performance improvements\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Upgrading-a-PC-Performance-improvements.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Upgrading-a-PC-Performance-improvements-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Upgrading-a-PC-Performance-improvements-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Upgrading-a-PC-Performance-improvements-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Upgrading-a-PC-Performance-improvements-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Upgrading-a-PC-Performance-improvements.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>Since we\u2019re actually breaking up this article into <em>two<\/em> upgrade lists (divided by Performance and Productivity), the placement of upgrades is also determined by the tangible improvements you will actually experience.<\/p>\n<p><strong>For the most part, this doesn\u2019t result in any <em>unexpected<\/em> placements but can place decently high-impact upgrades<\/strong> (like RAM and a mouse upgrade, for example) <strong>lower on the list due to their less tangible improvements<\/strong> in most scenarios.<\/p>\n<p>Also: You should know how old and\/or slow your current PC\/Laptop is. Some of the below upgrade suggestions might have to be reshuffled depending on what hardware you are currently running. If you already have a strong GPU, for example, but your CPU still runs on coal, then a CPU upgrade would take much higher priority. So, do <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/how-old-is-my-computer\/\">check your PC's age<\/a> and do some general analysis of your current hardware before blindly following our suggestions below \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Which_Upgrades_Will_Improve_Your_PC_Performance_The_Most\"><\/span>Which Upgrades Will Improve Your PC Performance The Most?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_SSD_Storage_Upgrade\"><\/span>1. SSD Storage Upgrade<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>First and foremost, let\u2019s start with perhaps the <em>best<\/em> possible upgrade you can do for any PC that doesn\u2019t already have it: <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/ssd-types\/\">SSD storage<\/a>! <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Specifically, <strong>making sure that your operating system is installed on a Solid State Drive is one of the best things you can do to improve the speed and responsiveness of your PC<\/strong>, even older PCs, and laptops that aren\u2019t particularly good in raw computational power.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019d have to hold me hostage to force me to use a netbook<em><strong>*<\/strong><\/em> in 2023, but <strong>a netbook with an SSD will be about three times as usable for basic work compared to a netbook <em>without<\/em><\/strong> an SSD.<\/p>\n<p><strong>That is the difference introduced by an SSD, <\/strong>and <strong>it only gets better<\/strong> when the rest of your PC can actually keep up.<\/p>\n<p><strong>For example, gamers, video editors, and anyone else running workloads with heavy read\/write requirements will also benefit greatly from an SSD. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The closer you get to the modern cutting edge <strong>(uncompressed high-resolution video files, 100+ GB AAA games, etc)<\/strong>, the more <strong>a high-performance SSD, especially NVMe, will benefit your workload<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>*<\/strong><em>Netbooks were notoriously small, low-power laptops renowned for being cheap PCs and basically nothing else. <\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Without an SSD upgrade or a lightweight Linux install, netbooks bordered on unusable for actual productivity tasks<\/strong>, but for things like focused note-taking or basic media playback, they could suffice. You were <em>not<\/em> multitasking on a netbook though.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_CPU_Upgrade_Single-Core_Focus\"><\/span>2. CPU Upgrade (Single-Core Focus)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>With storage out of the way, let\u2019s start talking about the pure muscle of your PC.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-17854\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/06\/How-do-cores-work.jpg\" alt=\"How do cores work\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/06\/How-do-cores-work.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/06\/How-do-cores-work-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/06\/How-do-cores-work-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/06\/How-do-cores-work-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/06\/How-do-cores-work-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-17854 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"How do cores work\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/06\/How-do-cores-work.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/06\/How-do-cores-work-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/06\/How-do-cores-work-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/06\/How-do-cores-work-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/06\/How-do-cores-work-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/06\/How-do-cores-work.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p><strong>One of the best \u201cpure muscle\u201d upgrades you can do is a CPU upgrade, especially a CPU upgrade that is improving on <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/single-core-performance-cpu-list\/\">single-core performance <\/a><\/strong>(perhaps by enabling <em>overclocking<\/em> or moving to a newer socket-compatible CPU on a faster architecture).<\/p>\n<p><strong>A little-known fact about most PC software is that most applications aren\u2019t made to utilize multiple CPU cores and threads out of the box<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Even the applications that <em>are<\/em> may not necessarily scale to all of these available threads.<\/p>\n<p><strong>As long as you have <em>enough<\/em> cores, focusing on single-core metrics is almost guaranteed to provide a meaningful increase in compute performance across the board<\/strong>, whether you\u2019re doing beefy renders or playing high-refresh games.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-13314\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2018\/09\/Single-core-vs-multi-core-performance.jpg\" alt=\"Single-core vs multi-core performance\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2018\/09\/Single-core-vs-multi-core-performance.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2018\/09\/Single-core-vs-multi-core-performance-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2018\/09\/Single-core-vs-multi-core-performance-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2018\/09\/Single-core-vs-multi-core-performance-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2018\/09\/Single-core-vs-multi-core-performance-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-13314 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201500%201500%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Single-core vs multi-core performance\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201500%201500%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2018\/09\/Single-core-vs-multi-core-performance.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2018\/09\/Single-core-vs-multi-core-performance-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2018\/09\/Single-core-vs-multi-core-performance-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2018\/09\/Single-core-vs-multi-core-performance-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2018\/09\/Single-core-vs-multi-core-performance-768x768.jpg 768w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2018\/09\/Single-core-vs-multi-core-performance.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p><strong>Consumer-focused desktop CPUs will tend to have the best single-core performance but be more limited in overall core counts.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Very high-end consumer CPUs, server CPUs, and workstation CPUs will trend toward <strong>higher core counts<\/strong> for threaded workloads, but<strong> lose<\/strong> <strong>single-core performance<\/strong> in turn.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_GPU_Upgrade\"><\/span>3. GPU Upgrade<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Now, of course, I couldn\u2019t get too far into all this talk about PC upgrades without talking about the vaunted GPU upgrade.<\/p>\n<p><strong>A common mistake among newer PC builders is investing in a high-end GPU and cheaping out on things like storage, CPU, PSU, etc.,<\/strong> to fit the more expensive graphics card into the budget.<\/p>\n<p>There can be <em>some <\/em>merit to this approach, especially for a gaming PC, but it\u2019s also <strong>a fundamentally unbalanced approach to PC building.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>In an ideal scenario, neither your CPU nor your GPU will bottleneck the other. <\/strong>A powerful GPU bottlenecked by a weak CPU could, for example, push 120+ FPS in a modern game...but is limited to 60 FPS or less by a weak CPU.<\/p>\n<p>This is <strong>a bit of an extreme example<\/strong>, but a very possible one if you\u2019re using a new powerful GPU alongside an old or low-end CPU.<\/p>\n<p><strong>If you must focus on GPU power in a build, it\u2019s important to know how you\u2019ll be putting that extra power to work<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>For example, higher graphics settings instead of higher FPS can still make use of a CPU-bottlenecked GPU in most scenarios.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Many pro rendering and productivity tasks also heavily favor or entirely rely on GPU acceleration, <\/strong>and these will also benefit from a higher-end GPU balanced with an appropriate CPU.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_CPU_Upgrade_Multi-Core_Focus\"><\/span>4. CPU Upgrade (Multi-Core Focus)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Another great upgrade path is a CPU upgrade focusing on <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/multi-core-performance-cpu-list\/\">multi-core performance<\/a>,<\/strong> though it\u2019s important to understand which applications actually benefit most from this upgrade approach<strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18735\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/How-does-Hyper-threading-smt-work.jpg\" alt=\"How does Hyper-threading smt work\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/How-does-Hyper-threading-smt-work.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/How-does-Hyper-threading-smt-work-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/How-does-Hyper-threading-smt-work-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/How-does-Hyper-threading-smt-work-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/How-does-Hyper-threading-smt-work-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18735 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"How does Hyper-threading smt work\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/How-does-Hyper-threading-smt-work.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/How-does-Hyper-threading-smt-work-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/How-does-Hyper-threading-smt-work-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/How-does-Hyper-threading-smt-work-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/How-does-Hyper-threading-smt-work-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/07\/How-does-Hyper-threading-smt-work.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p><strong>Basically, any non-real-time task that can reasonably be queued and handled in whatever order the PC wants will benefit from a multi-threaded CPU. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This means that <strong>most heavy-duty productivity tasks you do on your PC will benefit from having more available cores and threads<\/strong>, but stuff like <strong>games<\/strong> and <strong>other latency-sensitive applications<\/strong> will <strong>work better on CPUs that prioritize single-core<\/strong> performance.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_RAM_Upgrade\"><\/span>5. RAM Upgrade<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last but not least, let\u2019s talk about how a RAM upgrade will actually improve your PC performance!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Despite the wide applicability of RAM, there\u2019s a reason the RAM upgrade ultimately ended up in last place in terms of performance-improving upgrades.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RAM<\/strong> is more of<strong> a performance <em>unlock<\/em> kind of upgrade in scenarios where your powerful CPU or GPU are being bottlenecked by current RAM <\/strong>speed or capacity, which becomes less and <strong>less common at 8-16 GB RAM and onward for most users<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Obviously<strong>, <\/strong>every user needs a minimum amount of RAM depending on their specific workload.<\/p>\n<p>But since<strong> most users who aren\u2019t running a server or doing RAM-intensive productivity\/rendering tasks don\u2019t need much more than 16 GB of RAM<\/strong>, it\u2019s <strong>pretty easy to see diminishing returns from a RAM upgrade unless you <em>know<\/em> RAM is your bottleneck<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>With RAM, your bottleneck will be either speed<\/strong> (limiting CPU core performance, <strong>especially<\/strong> in latency-sensitive applications like games) or <strong>capacity<\/strong> (limiting effective cache, <strong>especially<\/strong> in rendering or productivity applications). <strong>Choose your upgrade appropriately!<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Which_Upgrades_Will_Improve_Your_PC_Productivity_and_Usability_The_Most\"><\/span>Which Upgrades Will Improve Your PC Productivity and Usability The Most?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Second_Monitor\"><\/span>1. Second Monitor<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>One of the most valuable productivity or multi-tasking upgrades for <em>any<\/em> PC user is <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/best-monitor-graphic-design-video-editing-3d\/\">a second monitor<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A second monitor can be <strong>used for pretty much anything you want<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>A screen for your web browser, media player, or messaging applications?<\/p>\n<p>A dedicated screen for your editing or rendering application?<\/p>\n<p>Simply an extra screen for multitasking and productivity focused on a single task?<\/p>\n<p><strong>The only real limit to a second monitor\u2019s applicability is <em>imagination<\/em>, at the risk of sounding cliche.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>The only real downside of a second monitor is the price...and <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/forums.blurbusters.com\/viewtopic.php?f=10&amp;t=6965\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>potential issues with input lag<\/strong><\/a><strong> in games<\/strong>, though most gamers I personally know who play with multi-monitor setups don\u2019t seem to notice or mind the difference.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Keyboard_Upgrade\"><\/span>2. Keyboard Upgrade<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Another great usability upgrade, and usually a pretty affordable one, is getting a new keyboard!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>While you can get a perfectly serviceable keyboard for under 20 bucks, those keyboards will usually be <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/mechanical-vs-membrane-keyboards\/\">membrane<\/a> and lack key features like anti-ghosting.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-20234\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/10\/Membrance-vs-Mechanical-keybaord-expanded.jpg\" alt=\"Membrance vs Mechanical keybaord expanded\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/10\/Membrance-vs-Mechanical-keybaord-expanded.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/10\/Membrance-vs-Mechanical-keybaord-expanded-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/10\/Membrance-vs-Mechanical-keybaord-expanded-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/10\/Membrance-vs-Mechanical-keybaord-expanded-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/10\/Membrance-vs-Mechanical-keybaord-expanded-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-20234 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Membrance vs Mechanical keybaord expanded\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/10\/Membrance-vs-Mechanical-keybaord-expanded.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/10\/Membrance-vs-Mechanical-keybaord-expanded-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/10\/Membrance-vs-Mechanical-keybaord-expanded-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/10\/Membrance-vs-Mechanical-keybaord-expanded-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/10\/Membrance-vs-Mechanical-keybaord-expanded-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/10\/Membrance-vs-Mechanical-keybaord-expanded.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p><strong>By opting for a higher-end, more comfortable keyboard with the features you need<\/strong>, you can greatly improve your general comfort and usability experience.<\/p>\n<p><strong>I think one of the best ways to do this is to go with a <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/guide-to-mechanical-keyboards\/\"><strong>mechanical keyboard<\/strong><\/a>, due to the sheer variety of mechanical switch feel, noise level, and height. Mechanical keyboards are more expensive, but generally more durable and <em>much<\/em> more enjoyable to use due to improved tactile feedback.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Larger_andor_Higher-End_Monitor\"><\/span>3. Larger and\/or Higher-End Monitor<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Depending on the monitor you start with or other factors<\/strong> (ie, not having room), <strong>you may want to fully replace your current monitor rather than add a second monitor<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re looking to replace your current monitor entirely, make sure you understand <em>why<\/em> it needs replacing.<\/p>\n<p><strong>If you\u2019re lacking in screen real estate, you may want to opt for a larger<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/24-vs-27-inch-monitors\/\">27-inch<\/a> or 32-inch monitor compared to 24 inches and under, or <strong>even an Ultrawide<\/strong> if you want to take single-screen real estate to its extreme.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Be sure to also get larger screens at 1440p or 4K resolutions<\/strong> to maintain a pleasant PPI (Pixels Per Inch) as well.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18988\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/08\/Pixels-per-Inch-PPI-Explained.jpg\" alt=\"Pixels per Inch (PPI) Explained\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/08\/Pixels-per-Inch-PPI-Explained.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/08\/Pixels-per-Inch-PPI-Explained-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/08\/Pixels-per-Inch-PPI-Explained-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/08\/Pixels-per-Inch-PPI-Explained-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/08\/Pixels-per-Inch-PPI-Explained-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18988 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Pixels per Inch (PPI) Explained\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/08\/Pixels-per-Inch-PPI-Explained.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/08\/Pixels-per-Inch-PPI-Explained-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/08\/Pixels-per-Inch-PPI-Explained-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/08\/Pixels-per-Inch-PPI-Explained-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/08\/Pixels-per-Inch-PPI-Explained-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/08\/Pixels-per-Inch-PPI-Explained.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p><strong>Separate from screen real estate concerns can also be image quality or refresh rate concerns<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>These have less to do with resolution and comfort and more to do with the actual features supported by a monitor and its panel, and this will necessitate higher-end monitors tailored to your specific purposes.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/display-panel-comparison\/\"><strong>I recommend choosing a high-end monitor based on display panel type.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18989\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/08\/Panel-technologies-available-today.jpg\" alt=\"Panel technologies available today\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/08\/Panel-technologies-available-today.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/08\/Panel-technologies-available-today-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/08\/Panel-technologies-available-today-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/08\/Panel-technologies-available-today-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/08\/Panel-technologies-available-today-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18989 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202000%201500%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Panel technologies available today\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202000%201500%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/08\/Panel-technologies-available-today.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/08\/Panel-technologies-available-today-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/08\/Panel-technologies-available-today-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/08\/Panel-technologies-available-today-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/08\/Panel-technologies-available-today-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/08\/Panel-technologies-available-today.jpg\"><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Mouse_Upgrade\"><\/span>4. Mouse Upgrade<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Finally, let\u2019s talk about a <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/best-mice-for-cad\/\">mouse upgrade<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>This will be the most important comfort upgrade for two very specific audiences: PC gamers who want extra buttons or steadier aim, and general PC users who want better ergonomics or extra buttons<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Like with keyboards, you can get the basic job of a mouse done with a cheap mouse<\/strong> acquired for under $20.<\/p>\n<p><strong>If it\u2019s an optical mouse<\/strong>, it may even be perfectly suitable for gaming due to optical mice not having forced mouse acceleration, <strong>but cheap mice are usually lacking in form factor or other features.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Best_Productivity_Upgrades_For_Your_Workload\"><\/span>Best Productivity Upgrades For Your Workload<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Productivity and usability upgrades<\/strong> in the form of new peripherals or a different display <strong>will vary on a per-user basis<\/strong>, but I recommend that<strong> Gamers and Professionals prioritize comfortable, high-performance peripherals for long-term use. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Secondary or larger monitors (ie Ultrawides) are also expensive, but the increased screen real estate proves beneficial<\/strong> to Professionals, Enthusiasts, and Multi-Taskers in general (including Gamers).<\/p>\n<p><strong>I would prioritize comfortable use <em>first<\/em> <\/strong>unless your workload requires a multi-monitor setup, though.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Best_Performance_Upgrades_For_Your_Workload\"><\/span>Best Performance Upgrades For Your Workload<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Best_PC_Upgrades_For_Gaming_and_Usability\"><\/span>Best PC Upgrades For Gaming and Usability<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>My recommendation: Single-Core Focus CPU Upgrade, GPU Upgrade, SSD Storage Upgrade, RAM Speed Focus Upgrade<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-21607\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Gaming-and-Usability.jpg\" alt=\"Best PC Upgrades For Gaming and Usability\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Gaming-and-Usability.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Gaming-and-Usability-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Gaming-and-Usability-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Gaming-and-Usability-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Gaming-and-Usability-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-21607 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Best PC Upgrades For Gaming and Usability\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Gaming-and-Usability.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Gaming-and-Usability-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Gaming-and-Usability-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Gaming-and-Usability-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Gaming-and-Usability-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Gaming-and-Usability.jpg\"><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Best_PC_Upgrades_For_Rendering_and_Productivity\"><\/span>Best PC Upgrades For Rendering and Productivity<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>My recommendation: GPU Upgrade, Multi-Core Focus CPU Upgrade, SSD Storage Upgrade, RAM Capacity Focus Upgrade, Second or Larger Monitor<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-21608\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Rendering-and-Productivity.jpg\" alt=\"Best PC Upgrades For Rendering and Productivity\" width=\"1800\" height=\"1137\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Rendering-and-Productivity.jpg 1800w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Rendering-and-Productivity-300x190.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Rendering-and-Productivity-1024x647.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Rendering-and-Productivity-768x485.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Rendering-and-Productivity-1536x970.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-21608 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201800%201137%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Best PC Upgrades For Rendering and Productivity\" width=\"1800\" height=\"1137\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201800%201137%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 1800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Rendering-and-Productivity.jpg 1800w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Rendering-and-Productivity-300x190.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Rendering-and-Productivity-1024x647.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Rendering-and-Productivity-768x485.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Rendering-and-Productivity-1536x970.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Rendering-and-Productivity.jpg\"><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Best_PC_Upgrades_For_Video_Editing_and_High_Compute\"><\/span>Best PC Upgrades For Video Editing and High Compute<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>My recommendation: Both CPU Upgrade Paths, SSD Storage Upgrade, Both RAM Upgrade Paths, Second or Larger Monitor<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-21609\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Video-Editing-and-High-Compute.jpg\" alt=\"Best PC Upgrades For Video Editing and High Compute\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Video-Editing-and-High-Compute.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Video-Editing-and-High-Compute-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Video-Editing-and-High-Compute-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Video-Editing-and-High-Compute-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Video-Editing-and-High-Compute-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-21609 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Best PC Upgrades For Video Editing and High Compute\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Video-Editing-and-High-Compute.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Video-Editing-and-High-Compute-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Video-Editing-and-High-Compute-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Video-Editing-and-High-Compute-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Video-Editing-and-High-Compute-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/Best-PC-Upgrades-For-Video-Editing-and-High-Compute.jpg\"><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_Laptops_Upgradeable\"><\/span>Are Laptops Upgradeable?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Depends on the laptop, but usually yes,<\/strong> albeit in a limited capacity!<\/p>\n<p>Generally, <strong>the most common upgrades supported by laptops<\/strong> are <strong>storage drive replacements<\/strong>\/additions, <strong>RAM replacements<\/strong>\/additions, or <strong>both<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Due to the strict design nature of most laptops, laptop CPUs and GPUs are almost never replaceable by the end user in<em> any<\/em> way.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Even if you could, you would need to take virtually the entire device apart in order to do so, in a manner far more intensive than simply opening up a desktop PC. <strong>There are <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/upgrade-laptop-processor\/#1_Go_Over_Its_Spec_Sheet_and_Do_Some_Research\"><strong>a few exceptions to this rule<\/strong><\/a><strong>, though.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>However, while you normally can\u2019t replace your core laptop components, you <strong>can always<\/strong> replace your thermal paste!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Replacing your laptop\u2019s thermal paste with a high-performance thermal compound, especially after many years of use <\/strong>(and <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/how-long-does-thermal-paste-last\/#How_long_does_applied_thermal_paste_last\">dried paste<\/a>, thus higher temps)<strong> can help squeeze more performance out of the same cooling setup<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>It <em>is<\/em> pretty labor-intensive and easy to mess up, though, so consider paying an expert if you\u2019re unsure about the process.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_Prebuilts_Upgradeable\"><\/span>Are Prebuilts Upgradeable?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Since prebuilts are just regular desktop PCs, yes!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>However, you\u2019ll still want to double-check the exact specifications of your prebuilt before attempting any upgrades, and even <strong>update your BIOs to ensure those upgrades will be compatible with your system<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Often_Should_I_Upgrade_My_PC\"><\/span>How Often Should I Upgrade My PC?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Well, this one really depends on you.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>That may sound like a boring answer, but depending on how you initially built your PC and what you\u2019re actually doing with it, you may find yourself yearning for upgrades after a year or not even thinking about upgrades until you might as well buy a new PC.<\/p>\n<p><strong>So, how do you know when you need to upgrade your PC? Consider what bottlenecks <\/strong>you\u2019re actually dealing with:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>For CPU-related bottlenecks, consider your motherboard\u2019s supported CPU generations<\/strong>.<br>\n<noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-21610\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/What-is-a-CPU-Bottleneck-1.jpg\" alt=\"What is a CPU Bottleneck\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/What-is-a-CPU-Bottleneck-1.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/What-is-a-CPU-Bottleneck-1-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/What-is-a-CPU-Bottleneck-1-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/What-is-a-CPU-Bottleneck-1-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/What-is-a-CPU-Bottleneck-1-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-21610 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"What is a CPU Bottleneck\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/What-is-a-CPU-Bottleneck-1.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/What-is-a-CPU-Bottleneck-1-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/What-is-a-CPU-Bottleneck-1-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/What-is-a-CPU-Bottleneck-1-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/What-is-a-CPU-Bottleneck-1-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/01\/What-is-a-CPU-Bottleneck-1.jpg\"><br>\nIntel motherboards tend to only support 1 or 2 CPU generations, whereas AMD boards tend to support 3 or 4. <strong>If your motherboard supports a newer CPU generation, consider an upgrade to a high-end newer-gen CPU after 2-3 years<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>For GPU-related bottlenecks, you\u2019re unlikely to run into issues simply slapping a stronger GPU into your existing PC every 3 years or so<\/strong>. If you\u2019re trying to do high-refresh gaming and still not getting results with a high-end GPU, you\u2019re most likely lacking in <strong>single-core CPU performance<\/strong>, though\u2014 <strong>which <em>can<\/em> be limited by motherboard CPU support<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>For RAM-related bottlenecks besides generational speed gaps, pretty much any modern PC should have room for RAM capacity upgrades<\/strong>. Even budget boards support lots of RAM these days! <strong>There isn\u2019t really a specific timespan for RAM <em>or <\/em>storage-related upgrades, though: just get what you need before you need it.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Over_to_You\"><\/span>Over to You<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>And that\u2019s it!<\/p>\n<p>I hope this article helped you figure out what order you\u2019ll need to tackle your PC\u2019s core upgrades, regardless of your workload.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>If you have questions about my recommendations or just need a little more guidance to figure out what needs upgrading in your PC, feel free to ask in the <a href=\"#comments\">comments<\/a> below! Me or one of my fellow G100 writers will be happy to assist you. <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Alternatively, we also have active G100 <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/forum\/\">Forums<\/a> where you can interact with the rest of our community and the team in a more casual environment. Feel free to head wherever you need to for extra help, if it\u2019s needed!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Until then or until next time, have a good one! And remember: if you upgrade <em>nothing<\/em> else in an old, slow PC, make it an SSD!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Which upgrades will improve your PC performance the most, and in roughly what order should you be prioritizing them? Are there any use cases where a certain upgrade path will be more favored than others? Dive into the article below, and I\u2019ll happily walk you through the answers to these questions and more! Alternatively, you...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2339,"featured_media":21594,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[112],"tags":[244],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21593"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2339"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21593"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21593\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21691,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21593\/revisions\/21691"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21594"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21593"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21593"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21593"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}