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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Technology
Jack Schofield

RAM prolongs active life

I have a six-year-old PC which I have gradually updated - extra memory, CD writer, Ethernet and USB 2.0 cards, second hard drive, etc. It runs really well. The Pentium III processor is only 500MHz but I do not perceive it as slow. When is it better value to buy a new machine? Have I passed it already? Nick Chiplen

If your PC runs well and does what you want then I can't see any reason to replace it. The Pentium III is perfectly OK for web surfing and running everyday applications, if given enough memory. You have 384MB now but RAM chips are so cheap it is worth fitting the maximum your PC will take. However, further upgrades may not be cost effective, given the plunging prices and expanding capabilities of new PCs.

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