Future Proof your Computer

Technology is constantly changing. You can go down to your local computer store and purchase a brand new computer. Within a week to three months your brand new computer will be worth at least half of what you paid for it. Not to mention, it will be old and outdated. So stop buying computers and start building! Building your own computer will give you the ‘know-how’ on how to future proof your computer. Most of the best future proofing hardware and software is not sold to retailers.

Keeping your computer up to date can be an uphill battle; especially if you purchase one from a local retailer. It is these retailers that are the culprits in why your computer is outdated shortly after you bring it home. They sacrifice flexibility and customization for a trade off of cheap parts and cheap prices. While it may seem like great savings, the only thing you’re saving on is the trouble of purchasing and putting one together yourself. Building your own computer is actually rather easy.


There are many places over the net that go into great detail on how to do it. All the documentation you get from each piece of hardware will give you plenty of documentation to assemble it successfully.

In order to future proof your computer, you have to get familiar with the new and upcoming technologies. As of now there are several things that are changing the way computers operate. The first and foremost is the new version of Microsoft Windows is about to be release, sometime in December. The new operating system offers two different types of ‘run modes’. The first is for people that do not have a suitable computer but still wish to use the new version. You will not see the additions or benefits from it if you computer isn’t equipped to run it the way it is meant to be run. One of the major things it will require is a graphics card that is capable of rendering DirectX 9 or higher.

Most store bought computers come with on-board graphics, which is barely good enough to play WinMine. The new operating system is going to be so graphics intense that you will undoubtedly have to update your graphics card. If you open up your computer case you may or may not see a slot to add a graphics card. If you do, good luck finding one good enough for the new operating system that will fit in it. Since many retailers skimp on almost all parts of the system, you may not have the room or capability to upgrade.

Let’s face it, technology changes so quickly that it is almost impossible to keep up with. In fact, it would be ridiculous to even attempt to do so with your computer.
But simply because we can’t all afford to have the most up to date equipment, doesn’t mean we have to be stuck with an outdated piece of machinery. The key to all upgrading flexibility is the motherboard. If you motherboard is capable of supporting the current newest technology then you should be fine, even if you decide
not to buy into the newer technology at this time. All motherboards are made with an ideal CPU in mind. They CPU’s are placed in sockets on the motherboard.

Thankfully, CPU technology has slowed way down over the past few years. CPU manufacturers are utilizing the same socket for a longer period of time. In today’s current state, when a new CPU is released that requires a new socket type, you are usually good for at least 3 months. New CPU will come out but 9 times out of 10, for at least 3 months they will stick to using the new socket type before changing it. Keep this in mind while shopping for motherboards.

The socket type is not the only thing to take into consideration when choosing a motherboard. You also have to be concerned about what type of PCI lanes it has.
To father future proof your computer you will want a motherboard that supports PCI or PCI-Express graphics cards. AGP graphics cards used to be the going norm but are quickly being phased out. But I wouldn’t doubt it if the $400 computer you can buy at Wal-Mart sells computers that still support only the AGP graphics cards. So before you buy, ask!

The last and most important thing you need to look at is the type of RAM the motherboard will support. RAM has gone though some recent changes. The common type, known as DDR, is going to be replaced by better RAM; DDR2. It’s faster and operates smoother. Once again, before you buy, ask!

Keeping ahead of technology is a loosing battle. But by following the above guidelines and staying in touch with technology changes, your computer can last you a lot longer. You can extend the life of your computer by at least 3-6 months before ever having to worry about getting upgrades. So keep these things in mind before you buy!