Making Your PC Last

I've been known to whine "I want a new computer" when the newest video card is released or when my PC shuts off randomly just because it can. Parents, you probably hear this a lot from your kids. You do not need to have the latest and greatest to play the newest games. It'd sure be nice, but who has the money spend to buy a new computer every month? It's impossible to always have the best hardware. At least for us regular folk.

Instead of running out and buying a new computer when games start slowing down, try a few simple upgrades. Installing a hard drive, new video card, or even RAM is not as hard as you may think. Running out of disk space does not have to be the end of the world. About.com's Mark Kyrnin has tutorials on making upgrades. Complete with Photos.

Small upgrades can make a world of difference. Sometimes all you really need is a new video card.

• Stretch Your Money By Stretching PC LifeSpan - Boston.com
• Do It Yourself PC Upgrade Tutorials