Computers get slower from the moment we first switch them on and computer stores are more than happy to sell you a new one. But why is your computer slow and is there anything you can do about it?

Computers slow down over time, right? It’s just one of those facts that we get used to. Here’s the thing… It’s not quite true.

Technically, if you go out and buy a new computer today, don’t unpack it and don’t turn it on, it will be as fast in 10 years’ time as it would have been if you’d unpacked it on the day you bought it. If you do turn it on, but never connect it to the internet, never do anything with it (other than turn it on) and keep it in an airtight box, it is also likely that it will never slow down.

These scenarios, however, are unlikely and impractical in all but the most extreme fringe cases. (A factory that buys an identical backup computer in case a production machine fails, would be one such real example).

In the real world, as a home computer user, we want to use the devices that we have bought. In almost all cases this means using them on the Internet. When connected online, it is essential that we keep them patched and up to date. This introduces the first point of extra drag on the machine.

The reality is that the computer, the physical hardware itself, doesn’t really get any slower, with one notable exception that we’ll come to later (See HEAT and DUST). What makes your computer slow, or act slower, is that you’re unknowingly asking it to do more. It’s like taking a sports car and adding a caravan, a few kids, and a bunch of luggage… It is going to go slower!

So is there anything that we can do about it?

Well yes, to a point. Computer stores all have a vested interest in one solution… getting you to fork out on a new machine, or new parts. That’s how they make money. However, they also have a lot of pressure to shift existing stock and will often unload out of date (read “already slower”) machines and components on the unwitting.

In this article, I’m hoping to expose what makes your computer slow.

To be fully transparent, my vested interest is in selling myself. My business, DeGeekIT, is focused on helping you to help yourself. I sell my time and my advice. I can help you learn how to pinpoint the cause of slow computers (Windows, Mac etc) and other devices (e.g. Smart Phones and Tablets). I hope that I can save you money by showing you how to speed up the technology you already own and pinpoint the bottlenecks if there are any. If it turns out that by replacing one component, rather than replacing the whole machine, you resolve your performance issue, then I’ll point you in the right direction and help you fit it.  I will not, however, be selling it to you or be making any profit from selling the hardware.

I’m independent and not affiliated with any brands, so I’ll be as impartial as humanly possible. I will always aim to help you find something that is price appropriate for the hardware you’ve already got. If it turns out that you do actually need a whole new computer, then talk to me first about your needs, and I’ll help you identify the right thing to buy and what to watch out for when the computer salesman is on commission to offload rubbish on you!

Read on to find out more: Next Page - CPU

1. Computer slow down over time? Why does it happen?
2. CPU (Central Processing Unit) and Motherboard… The Brain and Central Nervous System.
3. Memory (RAM)
4. Hard Disks
5. Graphics Cards
6. Network, WiFi, Internet Connection
7. Heat and Dust
8. Cleaning up a computer and preventing unnecessary applications from running.