Slow computer? IT can help!
Has your computer been sluggish lately? Do you want a new computer but can't afford one yet? Your ACES IT Pro can recommend upgrades!
No computer lasts forever. That's just a fact of life. In ACES, we generally recommend that faculty and staff replace their computers every 3-5 years, depending on model and available budget.
Sometimes, though, your computer isn't that old, but it's still too slow for you to be effective. Or it used to be faster, but lately it's seemed more sluggish. Or, even more frustrating, you have a pretty old computer, but your office can't afford a replacement this fiscal year. Have no fear! There is hope!
Enter the SSD!
Most computers still ship with a mechanical hard drive. Ten+ years ago, hard drives were plenty fast, but other components have gotten much faster, and now hard drives tend to be the slowest part, dragging everything else down with them.SSDs, or solid-state disks, are a replacement for hard drives. They have no moving parts and they're faster in every respect. Computers with SSDs start up faster, respond faster, crunch data faster, and even shut down faster!
The best part is, SSDs are very inexpensive now. As of 2017, a 256GB SSD runs about $75-90. The higher storage drives are also inexpensive! Compare that to a new computer at $800-$1500 and the value of an SSD is undeniable.
More RAM memory!
Another upgrade that can be beneficial to staff and faculty who run high-end software and/or lots or programs and browser tabs simultaneously is adding more system memory, or RAM. The more RAM you have, the more programs and tabs you can have before the spinning wheel shows up to ruin your day.Doubling or even quadrupling RAM is only ~$50-$150 these days, so it's definitely worth consideration if you have to make it another year or two with the same computer.
That sounds great! How do I get these upgrades?
Each department handles purchasing differently, so your best bet is to reach out to your friendly neighborhood IT Pro and ask them to point you in the right direction. You can find IT department office contacts at this link: https://techsupport.aces.illinois.edu/departmental-it-officesYou can submit a ticket here if you are unsure about who to contact: https://techsupport.aces.illinois.edu/help
Soon you can enjoy your faster computer!