I have my CPU overclocked from 3.6GHz to 4.2 and it's very stable. I have ghetto case mods too. I taped larger fans onto my GPU and CPU heat sink. Helps with their temperature and I couldn't stand the noise of the default fans. It's very quiet now. I save useful old parts like hard drives, which I figure most people do too.
Well, overclocking is one thing, although it's not for all people. Also, building DIY computer peripherals such as cooling fans and racks are very helpful. But one of the best way I saved a lot of money on my computer is, when a friend has an old computer that he doesn't use anymore, I try to scavenge parts that might still be useful for my own computers benefits. I even check on electronic stores and junks for usable parts.
My school charges outrages rates on textbooks. They have a printing plant there but some books I can find on Amazon Kindle. I don't have the reading device but have installed on both my desktop and laptop. The prices to buy or rent college textbooks are anywhere from half to one-third off the selling price at the school bookstore. If someone is returning to school and they need to buy a lot of books or have one that is pricey, I would recommended that they assess how much the book will be used once the course has been completed or if getting a slightly older edition will make a difference. Some things, like nutrition or other science does not change as often as computer or internet-related subjects.
I guess CPU overclocking is one way to do things but then again that increases your need for cooling technology so you might only want to do that if its necessary.Also, I don't think that taping fans is a really good idea, but if you do, then duct tape would be the best bet. In my case, I tend to save money on my computer by salvaging things like hard drives and ram sticks from other builds and using them in my computer- I was surprised at how much I could salvage from some old computers my friends gave me, and I only ended up having to buy a cpu and a gpu. Another way you can save is by buying an AMD APU rather than a CPU and GPU, although this is only if the APU can meet your need (It should for the most part).
When I'm in need of upgrade parts I search online markets and buy them second hand. If you search properly you can find good components, almost new, sold by hardware freaks that always buy the next new thing when it comes to PC's. Proper maintenance also saves a lot of money. Clean your desktop PC or laptop often and it'll last much longer. And finally, because I know plenty about software and hardware I never had to pay for repairs - this was a huge money saver.
I save money by refusing to upgrade or buy new pc parts unless they conk out already. I also don't buy any software or games anymore and I just download free the ones. Knowing how to build your own pc is very economical too since you can really save a lot of money.
I save money on my computer by building a custom one than buying one that is already manufacturer made. Custom building helps me to build a computer that well suits my needs and I can be able to change anything whenever I want to. It might take time to build one but it is worth in the end. Especially if you love gaming then building your own computer is much fun.
Pretty much like me, I have a Windows XP that is perfectly functional and while it works I will not upgrade it to Windows 7 or other operative system and I am not planning or buying more memory or even a new laptop. As long as it works, I'm fine with it, even if it's a little slow...
Overclocking is a pretty good way to extend the life of an old computer, as long as you make sure you have the proper cooling or you will literally melt our CPU/GPU. A good way is to install a light Linux OS such as Xubuntu on your older computers to extend its life and give it at least another year or two. Saving parts is always a good idea too.
I bought my laptop two years ago, and I haven't spent any money on it other than the usual $30 for cleaning it every 6 months or so. I had to have my keyboard replaced a year ago, which cost me $100. But other than that, I haven't invested any more money into my computer. I am happy with windows 7. It has everything that I need for my daily work. There is no need for me to upgrade in this moment. I have free virus protection, and the programs that I need on a daily basis have been freely available for downloading on the internet.
Same. I had my XP computer for about 8 years until it finally died. It might have lasted me longer had I been more careful in the past about downloads. I think with safe browsing you can get so many years use out of a computer. Laptops are a little harder as they tend to go out sooner but still can probably get more than 3 or 4 years out of them. I buy games or software when I see something I really want but I use gift cards on those. That's usually how I save money: gift cards. I think the gift cards I earned from simple apps or websites like Checkpoints was used as part of the cost of this computer. Same with my Mac laptop. I payed for the whole thing in gift cards from Amazon. The laptop is used and works great so far.
A lot of people will buy a new machine when, in actual fact, a simple repair of their current machine is all that they need in order to get it working again. I have a friend who is really good with that type of thing, and as a result I will never bother to get anything new until I have let him take a look at my old device to see if there is anything that could be done with it or not. Usually there is, and he gets it going again in no time at all!
Our home computer is normally for regular use. That means it is not used overnight. The longest continuous use is 2 hours maybe. Cleaning it everyday is a plus for the computer's life. And excessive heat that can damage the computer is controlled by electric fan or air conditioning. Another thing is the hard disk - do not delete too often and it is better to delete files all at the same time.
I save money on computers by using them until the end of their lifespan. I find that laptops really aren't worth that much after a few years so it's much more economical to just make the best out of the expense by using it fully. I think I'd probably get less out of my purchase if I did sell it but I guess it depends on the brand too. If it were an Apple product I'd probably consider selling it and buying a better version since the resale value on those is high enough for it to be worth the effort and expense, but for many other laptops it just isn't the case, in my opinion.
