These simple upgrades could save you from having to buy a new computer

We all know our computers have finite lives—otherwise everyone would still be rocking desktops from the days of Windows 95. So it’s only natural to start thinking about replacing a years-old machine when it starts slowing down. But listen: It might not be necessary.

Good news: There might still be life in your current computer. You just need to improve the aging hardware’s speed and reliability with one of these affordable upgrades. Better news: Each tweak is simple enough that you can attempt it yourself.

1. Connect an external hard drive

When your computer runs out of disk space, it has no room to temporarily save and swap data as you work. This means your machine may begin to slow down or start crashing on a regular basis as room starts to run out. Plus, you won’t have any space left to save anything new. Plugging in an external hard drive can alleviate this problem in minutes.

To find the right one, you may have to choose between portability and capacity. So-called “portable” drives, such as Seagate’s 1TB Backup Plus Slim ($55 on Amazon), pull power entirely from a computer’s USB, and, more importantly, they take up very little room. Drives with more storage space, such as Western Digital’s 8TB My Book Desktop ($143 on Amazon), are typically larger and heavier than the portable options, but they also provide faster read and write times.

If you really want to reduce those read and write times, pass over the conventional hard disk drive (HDD), in favor of a solid state drive (SSD), such as Samsung’s 500GB T7 Portable ($70 on Amazon). However, you’ll have to pay for that extra speed: Although the Western Digital drive is twice as expensive as the Samsung one, the HDD has 16 times the capacity of the SSD. And if you aim for a 2TB version of the Samsung drive—still only a quarter of the capacity of the Western Digital one—you’ll have to shell out $300.

Whatever drive you choose, make sure it has the right connections and cables to plug into to your computer. For example, some may link up via USB, and others by Thunderbolt. This information should appear prominently on the device’s packaging or online description, but if you’re not sure, just ask the retailer.

Once you’ve chosen your hardware, upgrading is easy. When you plug your new disk into your computer, the operating system will automatically recognize the device and walk you through setting it up. This process differs on Windows and macOS, but both provide troubleshooting help. With your new drive connected, you can transfer videos, images, music, and other files to the new device, freeing up space on your main hard drive.

2. Add an internal hard drive

As we’ve discussed, freeing up space on your hard drive is great for your computer’s health—but an external hard drive isn’t the only solution. If you’d like to avoid adding another gadget to your life and you have some DIY expertise, you can install a second internal hard drive inside your computer. This is a more technical and time-consuming process, but it creates a more streamlined look.

Before you dive in, be aware of a couple caveats. First, any time you’re messing around with your hardware, you need to safely back up your data before you start. Next, this process won’t work on all computers. You’ll need a device with a second drive bay, so that rules out laptops and all-in-one machines like Apple’s iMacs. If do you own that type of computer, you might be able to replace the original hard drive with a more capacious one—but that process is much more difficult and beyond the scope of this story’s focus on easy upgrades. Finally, you don’t need to be an expert to add a second hard drive, but you should be comfortable with a screwdriver.

When you go shopping for your new internal drive, make extra sure your choice is compatible with your computer’s make and model. You can also look for installation guides that reference your specific device—for example, this one covers the Dell Inspiron 3650—to see which drives they recommend. As with external hard drives, you should also consider whether you’d prefer a slower HDD drive, such as Western Digital’s 2TB Black drive ($100 on Amazon), or a faster and pricier SSD drive, such as Crucial’s 2TB BX500 ($180 on Amazon).

Once you have your new drive, the installation process follows the same basic outline. Slip an anti-static strap onto your wrist to ground yourself, power down and unplug your computer, and open up the chassis. You should see an additional drive bay underneath the original drive, where the new hardware can slot in. Finally, link up the cables for data and power. To see the type of connectors you need to look for, consult a tutorial video like this walkthrough from MasutaGaming or this one from KillerTech. Just be aware that you’ll find slight variations in the components’ design and layout, depending on the type of machine you own. For specifics, look up your computer’s particular make and model.

3. Upgrade your cloud storage

The final option for increasing your hard drive’s available space sits in the cloud. Specifically, you can move the bulk of your personal files to a cloud-storage service. Many of these services let you delete local copies of a file once you’ve moved the original online, which frees up valuable room on your old machine’s hard drive. (This also makes it easier to move your files to a new computer when you do decide to upgrade.)

You can choose between several excellent cloud-storage services, including Google Drive (or Google One), Dropbox, OneDrive, and iCloud. For more information on your options, check out our guide to backing up photos in the cloud, which has some tips you can apply to any type of file. Your choices depend on the type of computer you own (Apple users might lean toward iCloud, while Microsoft fans may prefer OneDrive), the amount of storage you want, and how much you’re willing to pay for that space.

Although these cloud-storage services do offer some free space, you don’t get much before you have to start paying. As for the price, the exact cost depends on how much space you want to buy. The minimum paid tier (the least money for the least space) for each service is $2 a month for 100GB on Google One, $10 per month for 2TB on Dropbox, $2 a month for 100GB on OneDrive, and $1 per month for 50GB on iCloud.

4. Install more RAM

Random access memory, or RAM, is your computer’s “thinking” space. It uses this type of memory to hold data for open applications. When your RAM has too much to do—think dozens of browser tabs, way too many applications, or a huge video file—your computer’s speed can slow to a crawl. To prevent this issue, install extra RAM.

As a preliminary step, you should research the amount of RAM built into your specific type of computer and how much extra it can take. This upgrade works better on desktops, which have bigger cases with more physical space for memory. However, certain laptops do let you add RAM. As with an internal hard drive, you should remember to back up your data before you start and look up an online guide specific to your computer’s make and model. For example, this video covers a Dell XPS 15 9560 laptop, this one goes for an iMac, and this one takes you through the process on a desktop PC. If you can’t find a guide for your machine, it may not be compatible with this upgrade.

If it is, start shopping. RAM comes in sticks, such as Corsair’s 8GB modules ($43 on Amazon), which slot into your computer’s motherboard. Before you decide, consult that guide to make sure you’re getting the right product.

When you’re ready to install the RAM, you’ll start like you would if you were installing an internal hard drive: Wear an anti-static strap and turn off your device, unplugging it from external power. Then, follow your guide to find the right slots inside your computer case and plug in a new RAM module or two.

5. Slot in a new graphics card

If your existing computer relies on a built-in graphics chip, it might struggle with tasks like gaming or image and video editing. Even playing oversize videos can slow it down. To boost its performance, plug in a new graphics card.

Like a second internal hard drive, this upgrade is really only an option for desktop PCs, which are larger and contain expansion ports for new cards. As a first step, peek inside your computer case and check for a spare expansion slot on the motherboard. (To help make sense of your computer’s guts, look up your make and model online.) If you can’t find an expansion slot, you won’t be able to pull off this upgrade.

Depending on how you use your computer, you might not need a high-end card. Although gamers and cryptocurrency miners focus on expensive hardware, everyone else can pick up slightly older (but still decent) cards for much more reasonable prices. In other words, you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars to make your computer noticeably better at rendering complex graphics on screen. Cards like Zotac’s GeForce GT 730 ($80 on Amazon) and Asus’ GeForce GTX 1050 Ti ($188 on Amazon) offer good performance without breaking the bank.

Before you’re ready to fit the card, like with the other internal upgrades we’ve mentioned, you’ll need to slap on that anti-static wrist strap, fully power down your computer, and unplug it. Open the case, slot the graphics card into the correct expansion port, then connect it to the computer’s power supply and to your display. Again, for specifics, try to find a guide that matches your type of computer. That said, the basic procedure is the same across different models, so you could also check out a couple of our favorite video tutorials and apply that information to to your particular machine.

6. Invest in a bigger monitor

One way to improve your computer experience—even if it won’t speed up the machine’s performance—is to pay up for a bigger monitor. If you’re stuck on an old laptop with a tiny screen, think about adding another display. This provides more screen room for applications and games, allowing you to compare multiple apps on the same screen or see all the extra detail on your favorite TV show. Just make sure your computer can run a second screen: Check for a display output port somewhere on the chassis.

Most monitors will be compatible with lots of different computers, but it can’t hurt to check the online description or packaging to make sure it will work with your machine. For good-quality options that won’t cost too much, we like HP’s 23.8-inch FHD IPS Monitor ($125 on Amazon) and Sceptre’s 24-inch E248W-19203R Monitor ($120 on Amazon). That said, you can find a variety of other options at every conceivable price point.

For this upgrade, you don’t need to crack open your computer. Just plug in the monitor and get going. For more details, check out our guide to setting up a second computer screen.

7. Upgrade your keyboard and mouse

Tired, cramped laptop keyboard with worn-out keys? An unreliable wireless mouse that makes your wrist ache? As these input peripherals age, they acquire a coat of grime and also become less responsive. So while you’re improving your computing experience, consider investing in a shiny new keyboard and mouse. As with the monitor, this won’t make your old computer run any faster, but it can definitely increase your enjoyment and stave off thoughts of upgrading your machine.

This is a particularly cheap improvement, and it works for any type of desktop or laptop. If you’re worried about running out of laptop ports, you can buy wireless peripherals and connect them via Bluetooth.

We recommend a kit that bundles a keyboard and mouse together. For example, Microsoft’s Bluetooth keyboard ($40 on Amazon) and Logitech’s MK545 Advanced ($57 on Amazon) both offer good value. And neither require that you crack open your computer to install them.

8. Add extra ports

If you’ve maxed out the ports on your current computer, or you didn’t get many to begin with, think about investing in an extension hub. As manufacturers knock more and more ports and slots off their machines, an external hub can replace those missing connections. This makes a particularly big difference when you’re traveling, allowing you to connect a laptop to a meeting-room projector or a hotel-room Ethernet cable.

For decent products, look for something like FlePow’s USB-C Hub ($25 on Amazon) or Wavlink’s USB 3.0 Universal Docking Station ($79 on Amazon). Both of these make it easier for you to slot in memory cards, connect a second screen, and obtain extra USB ports.

There are still 5 good reasons to use a desktop computer

You can upgrade the parts, which is cheaper than buying a new laptop.

Antonio Villas-Boas/Business Insider

When a laptop starts to slow down, your only option is to buy a whole new one. Depending on what you need a computer for, a new laptop could cost thousands of dollars.

That's because you have to buy every single part inside the laptop brand new — the processor, motherboard, RAM, hard drive, and everything else. But most of the parts in your old laptop are probably still fine, and it's usually only the processor (and the motherboard it sits on) that needs upgrading.

With a desktop and a little know-how — or some handy YouTube videos to show you — you can easily replace an aging processor (and motherboard) for under $200.

That said, all-in-one desktops like the iMac can be a little difficult to upgrade.

How to buy the perfect PC case

No matter whether you treat your computer as the centerpiece of your home office or just stuff it under your desk, buying the right PC case matters.

At a minimum, you want to pick a PC case that’s the right size for your needs and has room for all your hardware and USB devices. But some PC cases offer much, much more. Spacious innards, lower temperatures, muffled sound, extensive water-cooling support, and fancy-schmancy tempered glass panels or RGB lighting are just the tip of the iceberg.

Here’s a guide to buying a PC case that’s perfect for you. This is just the first step in your DIY journey; be sure to check out PCWorld’s guide to building a PC, too, as well as our guide on setting up your PC’s fans for maximum system cooling.

Editor’s note: Last updated with our latest videos in the PC case news section, update information throughout, and changes to our recommended cases.

PC case news

Last year, pricing for cases have steadily slipped upwards in the wake of the United States’ tariffs on Chinese products, followed by high demand for computer parts during the global pandemic. While stock has stabilized since, prices on most cases continue to be higher on average.

Remember to check out our case tear-downs on PCWorld’s YouTube channel, such as on the Lian Li 011 Air Mini and Azza Pyramid case.

Size matters for PC cases

Before anything else, decide what size case you need. There are three major case sizes: Full tower, mid-tower, and mini-ITX.

Full-tower and mid-tower cases both fit standard ATX motherboards—by far the most common motherboard size out there. Both can also fit smaller micro-ATX motherboards. Exact sizing varies from case to case, but most mid-towers run up to roughly 18 inches high and 8 or so inches wide. Mid-tower PCs are probably the most common form factor and have enough room to fit systems with a closed-loop CPU cooler, a couple of graphics cards, and a lot of storage.

Thiago Trevisan/IDG Lian Li O11 Dynamic Mini next to the towering Caselabs SMA-8a.

Full-tower cases are massive. They often measure more than 20 inches in height and are longer and deeper than mid-tower cases, which makes them ideal if you’re one of the rare people using a massive Extended-ATX motherboard.

Also consider a full-tower case if you plan on loading up your rig with extensive (or custom) water-cooling, storage galore, or 3- and 4-way graphics card setups. Full-tower cases often support more fans and 5.25-inch drive bays as well. And the extra elbow room sure is nice during building.

Mini-ITX cases are the polar opposite of full-tower PC cases, built for diminutive mini-ITX motherboards. Some of these can be wondrously small and even fit inside home theater cabinets, but the tight quarters can create compatibility issues with some hardware. Don’t expect to use liquid-cooling or a big honking CPU cooler in most mini-ITX cases. Some mini-ITX cases don’t support full-length graphics cards, either; confirm the maximum length before you buy. Finally, there isn’t much room for extra hardware in these space-constrained chassis, so you’ll be limited to fairly basic system configurations. They’re great for schlepping to LAN parties, though!

Thiago Trevisan/IDG

Sometimes you’ll see “mini-tower” cases, which slot between mini-ITX and mid-tower in size to accommodate micro-ATX motherboards. They’re rarer than the others.

Price considerations for PC cases

Once you’ve decided how big of a PC case you need, the next step is figuring out your budget.

If you’re spending $50 or less, you’re probably going to wind up with a bare-bones, nondescript case with few extra features. Try to pick one that has two fans, one in the front of the case and another in the rear, for maximized air-flow, which helps cooling. You won’t always find the option in this price range, though.

Things open up in the $50 to $150-ish price range, which has seen a lot of advancement over the past few years. You’ll find a lot of variance in both design and construction in the midrange. As always, be sure to check measurements to ensure your desired PC case can fit all your hardware, and you’ll also want to keep an eye on extra features. They’re a lot more common in this price range, especially as you move up in cost.

Thiago Trevisan/IDG

Features purely come down to personal preference or specifics needed for your build. Some cases are built with more fans for higher performance; others focus on silent design. Some—most notably much of Corsair’s case lineup—even eliminate 5.25-inch drive bays completely for better airflow. You’ll start to find water-cooling compatibility worked into some cases in this price range, along with better cable management details, tool-less design, and aesthetic niceties like RGB lighting or tempered-glass side panels. We’ll get into feature details shortly, but around $100 is the sweet spot for price-to-performance when it comes to buying a PC case.

Once you extend beyond $150 or so, you should expect a PC case that excels in both performance and acoustics, and one that comes with connectivity options and handy features galore. Some of them are huge; this is where you’ll find most full-tower cases. Build materials tend to be swankier in high-end cases, with aluminum and tempered glass being much more common than in budget and mid-range cases.

You’ll also find wild concept cases like the motorized, sadly discontinued In Win H-Tower, which opens like a flower. Caselabs are now bankrupt, but their cases remain legendary. And don’t forget cases (if we can call them that!) like the Lian Li DK-04F desk.

Be mindful when you’re buying a PC case that doubles as a funky flagship, though. They oftentimes sacrifice functionality for their exotic forms.

PC case aesthetics

Make sure you like the look of the PC case you’re buying! You’re going to be staring at it for years to come, so this is not a superficial consideration. Every online retailer shows PC cases from multiple angles on their store pages, so there’s no excuse for buying ugly.

PC cases come in all sorts of colors, materials, and designs. If you don’t want to spend time neatening up your interior cabling, pass on cases with a side window.

Brad Chacos/IDG This case has a side window but I took off its whole side panel for this picture.

Buy a PC case: Features to watch for

Aside from the basic dimensions and price, feature support is the biggest differentiator when you’re buying a PC case. The more you spend on your case, the more goodies you’ll receive. Here’s a quick rundown of many of the features you’ll find in modern PC cases, starting with practical extras before delving into nice-to-haves.

Drive bays and SSD mounting points: With recent trends towards using NVMe SSDs, room for large physical drives are less necessary with modern cases. Many people still use traditional SATA-based SSDs or hard drives, though. If that’s part of your build, make sure a PC case has enough 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch drive bays to house your storage drives. Some cases include mounting points for SSD on the rear of the motherboard tray, too. And if you need a 5.25-inch bay in the front of your PC to house an optical drive, fan controller, or whatever, confirm your case includes that. A number of cases have been ditching 5.25-inch bays to improve airflow from the front-side fan(s)—most notably several Corsair cases.

Marco Chiappetta/IDG Some cases come with tool-less brackets that make mounting hard drives really easy.

Tool-less design: In ye olden days, practically everything in a PC case required a Phillips screwdriver. No more. Tool-less design is nearly universal in mid-range and high-end cases, with thumb screws for internal fastening and twist-on, snap-on, or otherwise tool-free mechanisms in drive bays.

Cable management: Look for a case with cut-outs in the motherboard tray, which allow you to route your cabling through the rear of your case. Out of sight, out of mind. Budget PC cases tend to have simple giant holes punched in the motherboard tray, while mid-range options frequently include rubber grommets in the holes to tidy things up even more. Some cases include tie-off points or even wire covers behind the motherboard tray to keep your cabling clean.

CPU cooler cut-away: Speaking of the motherboard tray, some nicer PC cases include large cut-outs in the section behind your processor, which let you replace your PC’s CPU or CPU cooler without ripping out your entire motherboard. It’s not a feature you’re likely to need often, but if you do, it’s a godsend.

Front-panel connectivity: If you’ve got a lot of external devices, check out the front-panel connectivity of the PC case. Even cheap cases have a couple of USB-A Type 2.0 ports in the front. Many modern cases include USB-A Type 3, USB-C, and even fan or RGB lighting controllers as table stakes. You’ll often find front-panel audio jacks as well, though we’d always recommend plugging your headset directly into the audio jack on your motherboard’s rear I/O shield.

Brad Chacos High-end cases (like this Phanteks Enthoo Elite) offer much more advanced front-panel connectivity.

Fans and airflow: The more fans you have in your PC, the better your airflow is likely to be. At the very least, you want two fans for optimal airflow—an intake in the front and an outward-blowing fan in the rear. Some budget PC cases include only a single fan, and your PC’s temperatures and performance will suffer for it. Even if they aren’t populated, many cases include additional fan mounts that allow you to upgrade your cooling later. As mentioned before, some cases are ditching 5.25-inch drive bays to remove airflow obstructions for the front fans, though you obviously wouldn’t want a case like that if you needed one of those bays.

Also pay attention to what’s in front of those fans. Tempered glass and stoic metal front panels are all the rage these days, but those pretty designs can hinder airflow if they’re not designed properly. The Silverstone RL06 ($110 on Amazon) and Fractal Design Meshify C ($90 on Amazon) skips those obstructions, placing protective mesh in front of several 120mm intake fans for superb airflow and thus, lower system temperatures than its rivals.

Dust filters: Keeping your PC clean is important. A computer clogged with dust and pet hair and tobacco gunk is a computer that runs hot and throttles more often. Dust filters keep most of that debris from ever reaching your fans, much less your precious internal hardware. But be sure to configure your fans for positive air pressure to keep dust from being sucked in through the unoccupied vents in your chassis.

Sound-dampening: Soundproof cases keep your rig running quiet, often by using sound-dampening materials inside the panels of your PC. Those materials keep noise in but also tend to impede airflow, so soundproof cases often hit somewhat higher temperatures than standard cases. Some nicer soundproof cases manage to stay silent while also optimizing for airflow by including large 140mm fans spinning at low (and hence quiet) speeds.

Water-cooling support: The rise of sealed all-in-one coolers have made liquid-cooling more popular than ever. If you plan to water-cool your PC, pay fine attention to the support provided by your case. You probably won’t be able to use liquid-cooling whatsoever in most mini-ITX cases, and many mid-tower cases only support up to 240mm radiators—and placement of that liquid-cooling radiator may be limited to only the top or bottom of the case, depending on the case’s dimensions.

If you want a beefy 360mm radiator, you’ll often need to step up to a full tower case, though unusually large mid-towers can sometimes squeeze them in as well. Some pricier cases also have large swatches of interior space dedicated to liquid-cooling reservoirs for custom loops.

Tempered-glass panels: Many newer PC cases include panels consisting entirely of tempered glass, presenting an unfettered look at your PC’s inner hardware, albeit at the cost of air flow. It’s gorgeous, but brittle—handle with care! You’ll start to find tempered-glass options around the $70 range, though they’re more common around $100.

IDG / Hayden Dingman Let there be light. Or not. It’s up to you!

Integrated lighting: Customizable RGB lighting is a big craze in recent years, and that includes PC cases. You either love RGB or you hate RGB. Either way, it’s easy to find cases that meet your aesthetic tastes. You can even watch us build an RGB PC—that was fun!

Vertical GPU mount: Many cases now include the option to have a vertical GPU mount that displays your graphics card. Do note that you may need a special bracket that can vary by case, and a high-quality PCIe riser cable. Some PCIe 4.0 graphics cards will require appropriate cables to work with the newest GPUs as well.

Our favorite PC cases

We don’t do many formal PC case reviews at PCWorld, but we’re constantly building PCs in all sorts of rigs. Here are some of our favorites in each price point. (Note that the U.S. tariffs on Chinese products have resulted in price increases of about $10 to $25 per case.)

Best budget PC cases

Corsair 4000D Airflow: Coming in at under $100, this is a very well-rounded case. It looks great aesthetically, while offering good cooling performance. You can also swap out the front panel with glass if desired.

Coming in at under $100, this is a very well-rounded case. It looks great aesthetically, while offering good cooling performance. You can also swap out the front panel with glass if desired. Lian Li Lancool II Mesh: As an alternative, this also provides fantastic airflow with an attractive design.

Thiago Trevisan/IDG

Cooler Master NR200P: Mini-ITX? Check. Great airflow? Check. Flexible build options? Check. Great price? Yep! One of the best mini-ITX cases you can buy.

Best mid-range PC cases

Lian Li 011 Dynamic: The fan favorite. Beautiful aesthetics, flexible hardware support, and only $150.

The fan favorite. Beautiful aesthetics, flexible hardware support, and only $150. Be quiet! Silent Base 601: Quiet performance, refined build quality, understated aesthetics. It also comes with excellent Pure Wing 2 fans.

Thiago Trevisan/IDG The Maingear Vybe.

Maingear Vybe: Want an affordable mid-tower that has water cooling in mind? This case is built for that, with an RGB controller and smart Apex distribution plate mounting.

Best high-end PC cases

Lian Li 011 Dynamic XL Remove non-product link : Larger than its younger sibling, the XL version of the 011 has tons of room for the most insane hardware setups—and it looks great.

Thiago Trevisan/IDG The Fractal Design Define 7 XL.