Computer hardware becomes obsolete quicker than a favourite pair of shoes.

It's almost impossible to keep pace with computer development. IDE, ISA, PCI, PCI-E, AGP, SATA, SODIMM, DDR and mysterious members of the PC family. They quickly grow up and pass into history.

I've owned a PC since the first IBM compatible XT. It used an Intel 8086 processor running at 4 MHz. That means the processor performs program instructions, four million times a second. The screen had one colour; green.

4 MHz sounds like a lot. But today's PC operates four processors in one chip, all running at billions of times per second. They're so fast they'd smoke without coolers bolted to them.

For many PC owners like me, we'd love to own the latest hardware and newest technology. That means I'd have to buy a new computer every few months. That's clearly impractical. So how to balance the desire for new hardware and sensible use of hard earned bucks?

Getting the best out of your existing hardware is not so easy.

Let me explain.

Last year, I purchased a new motherboard. It has one gigabyte of the latest 533MHz memory with a dual core processor. "That should keep me going for a while" I thought. Even as I walked from the computer store, the developers had better, faster hardware. It was still warm off their factory machines.

A month ago I wanted to add more memory. "Sorry sir" said the salesman. "We only stock 667MHz memory now. We can supply you with a new motherboard that's compatible with the new memory. Of course, you'd have to buy a new processor too, because your Pentium is out of date."

"Of course!" I snorted silently. "How stupid of me to think I just need more memory".

Thank goodness for eBay.

I waited for the 533MHz memory from Hong Kong. Meanwhile, out there in PC Land, the memory speed jumped to 1333 MHz. Someone called it DDR3 as well.

So I've reached a conclusion. Buy a new computer about every two years. Buy the latest components too.

And my reasons?

Firstly, by that time, your hard drive is full of music, photos, videos and downloaded programs. It's simply easier to install your hard drive as a second drive in the new computer. The new drive will be ten times the capacity anyway! It'll be SATA Extreme or something like that. Sigh!

Secondly, you won't upgrade the memory or video card. The component will be so new, your old motherboard won't be compatible.

So press your new PC into service, work it hard, wear it out and then upgrade to the latest and best.

By then, it'll be six times the speed, ten times the capacity and half the price. You'll have Green Ray movie disc. The processor will have 32 cores and a googolplex memory card. Your new disk will have so much space, you'll hire out excess to your city council.

To get more out of my PC, I'll have to get more hardware.

Learn more about this author, Miles Togo.
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