How Computers Work · Inside a Computer · Lesson 4 of 5

Laptops, Desktops and Upgrades

Which parts you can swap, and when an upgrade beats buying new.

What you can swap out

To upgrade a computer means to swap a part for a better one, or add more of it. It can make an older computer feel new again, for much less than a new one. But not every computer can be upgraded the same way.

Desktops are the easiest. Almost every part plugs in and can be replaced:

• RAM sticks pop into slots on the motherboard.
• Storage drives can be added or swapped.
• The graphics card slides out of its slot.
• The power supply, fans and even the CPU can be changed, as long as the new part fits the motherboard.

Laptops are packed tight to stay thin and light. That limits what you can change:

• Storage can often be swapped. Many laptops have an M.2 slot for the SSD.
• RAM can sometimes be added, but many thin laptops have it soldered. Soldered means the chips are fixed onto the motherboard with metal, so they can't be removed.
• The CPU and GPU are almost always soldered too.

Newer Macs with Apple chips have both the RAM and storage built into the main board. You choose how much when you buy, and that is what you keep.

How do you know what yours allows? Search for your exact model name plus "upgrade" or "RAM". The maker's support pages, or a trusted repair site, will list what can be changed. Find the model name on a sticker under the laptop or on the About page.

Always shut the computer down and unplug it before opening it. A local repair shop can do the swap if you prefer.

Upgrade or replace

Your computer feels slow. Should you upgrade it or buy a new one? A few questions help you decide.

Is it slow, or broken? First, try the free fixes. Restart it, close extra apps and tabs, and free up storage space. Sometimes that is all it needs.

Does it still use a hard drive? Moving from a spinning hard drive to an SSD is often the biggest speed boost an old computer can get. It starts faster and apps open much quicker.

Is the RAM very low? If it has 4 GB and you keep many tabs open, going to 8 GB or 16 GB can help a lot. That is only possible if the RAM isn't soldered.

Upgrading is usually the better choice when:

• The computer is otherwise in good shape.
• One clear part is holding it back, like the drive or the RAM.
• The parts cost much less than a new computer.

Replacing is usually the better choice when:

• The computer can't run a supported version of its operating system. Older PCs that can't run Windows 11 no longer get regular security updates.
• The CPU is the slow part. In laptops it can't be changed.
• Several parts are failing, like the battery, the screen and the keyboard.
• The upgrades would cost close to the price of a new one.

Security updates matter most. A fast computer that no longer gets them is not safe to use online. When you do replace, back up your files first and recycle the old one properly.