I've been using a PC that my friend helped me build a couple of years ago, and lately, it's been incredibly slow. My laptop died, so this is my main machine now, and it's frustrating. I use it daily for web development, design, and video editing, but I can barely run Photoshop or even a web browser without it freezing up. I'm wondering if there's anything I can upgrade or swap out in my setup to improve performance. Here's my build:
- CPU: Intel Core i5-8600K 3.6 GHz 6-Core
- CPU Cooler: be quiet! Pure Rock 51.7
- Motherboard: Asus ROG STRIX Z390-E
- RAM: Corsair Vengeance LPX (4 x 16 GB) DDR4
- HDD: Seagate BarraCuda 2 TB
- SSD: ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro 256 GB
- GPU: Sapphire PULSE Radeon RX 580 8 GB
- Case: Fractal Design Focus G ATX Mid Tower Case
- PSU: Corsair CX550M
Thanks for any tips!
4 Answers
You might even want to consider a fresh install of Windows or Linux. Sometimes the OS can become sluggish over time if not properly maintained, so a clean install can really help speed things up. Just remember to back up your data first!
Swapping your HDD for an SSD would make a huge difference! You can get a 2TB NVMe SSD for about $100, and since your motherboard has a second slot, you could pop that in and put your important programs and games on it for much better performance.
Make sure to uninstall any unnecessary bloatware. There's no reason for your PC to be slowing down with the specs you have. If you’re thinking of adding RAM, make sure to use a matched set for better performance.
First off, check where your apps are installed. If they're on the HDD, that could be causing a slow down since SSDs are much faster. Also, consider removing one of the RAM sticks if you've got four in there. Sometimes mixing speeds can drag performance down too.
Thanks for the tip! I'll check my RAM configuration and see where my applications are.
I've already got pretty much just what I need, but I’ll look into my RAM to ensure it’s set up correctly.