At 128MB, your system can handle most chores with perceptive ease. Now, several faster versions have hit the market. PC133, one of the newer and zippier architectures, will run in most systems and will be reusable longer, says Mr. Neighbours. That can be a fairly inexpensive addition that really makes a difference. Changing disk drives can also give a nice performance boost, says Mr. Neighbours.
SCSI drives send instructions to the CPU much faster and are able to read and write simultaneously.
Drives running at 7,200 RPM can make a 450 seem like a 550 MHz machine at a fraction of the processor cost, he says. Although he doesn't play many games, run AutoCad or other complex programs, Mr. McGee just couldn't resist tearing into his box again recently to make way for a spanking new 750 MHz Athlon chip. Of course, the prices turn over so fast, in six months you'll be able to buy a 1 GHz processor for the same price. As a computer hobbyist, he says he is likely to spend any extra disposable income on upgrades, needed or not. I give it until fall.