By Erik Tollefsrud  |    erik@fndtn.com 

If you’re like most people I know, the longer you have a computer, the more it seems like your computer isn’t as snappy as it was when you first cracked open the box and powered on the latest and greatest the tech world as to offer. So what’s the deal? Is your computer actually slower now than the day you bought it? Well…no, but there are a couple of things you can do to increase performance without having to buy a new computer. 

For the first solution, the keyword is performance, not speed.  Though the processor speed can increase performance, you cannot increase this on most Macs.  That leaves you to putting more RAM (memory) in your computer. Increasing your RAM allows more applications to be open at the same time before you start to feel like your computer is slowing down. RAM is pretty cheap these days and much easier to install than you might first think. Call The Foundation Repair Center to have someone help you find the right RAM and give an installation cost estimate.

The other thing you can do is to install a faster hard drive. Believe it or not, your data is stored on metal disks spinning very fast inside of your hard drive. Your hard drive is able to access data quicker if your hard drive is spinning faster. Many laptop hard drives that come with new computers spin at 5400 RPM.  Installing a 7200 RPM hard drive means faster speeds and better performance, at a smaller cost than a new computer. 

While your computer is probably just as fast as the day you got it, adding more RAM and installing a faster hard drive are two ways to increase the performance of your computer instead of buying a new system. That should keep a few dollars in your pocket during these tight financial times.