When to Upgrade Your Computer Processor or CPU

When I was just starting to learn about computer hardware more than a decade ago, I've always wanted to keep on upgrading my computer to be able to play the latest games and basically just have a system that can handle almost any application. The first thing that always came to my mind was that I have to upgrade my processor or CPU first. However, as I learned more about computers, I noticed that sometimes, you really do not need to upgrade your CPU. So when should we upgrade the CPU?

One of the most common reasons why a computer needs an upgrade is to play video games. We have to admit it. Playing games, especially the latest state-of-the-art graphics intensive video games, needs a lot of power from your system. The main contributor in a video game's performance is the video card. Newer video cards are more powerful and can handle more graphics data but should you upgrade the processor as well? The answer is not all the time.

Most of the time, upgrading the video card alone will do the trick and speed up and increase the quality of your video games. You may have noticed that processor requirements for video games are quite standard. Today, most of the games require an Intel Core 2 Duo processor or equivalent. As long as you have this processor, you really do not need to upgrade it.

If you're planning to upgrade a processor just because you want to have a small increase in performance, I'd suggest that you think twice about it. For example, if you currently have a 2.4 GHz Intel E6600 Core 2 Duo Processor and you want to upgrade to a 2.66 GHz Intel E6750 Core 2 Duo Processor, you most likely will get a very small increase in your system's performance. Sometimes, you won't even notice it. It will probably be just a waste of money.

I think the main basis for upgrading a computer processor is the technology. Ask around. If your current processor is not for sale anymore, it's a telltale sign that it's obsolete and it's time to consider a new processor and probably an entire platform/motherboard. Also, if you're an avid PC gamer, you can base your decision on the game requirements. Check 20 of the newest PC video games. If your current processor doesn't meet the requirements of at least half of them, you might want to upgrade your processor.

If you're not into video games and you are just using your computer for school/office work or browsing the internet, you most likely don't need a powerful CPU. Even some of the obsolete processors can handle such simple applications and processes.

And of course, if your CPU is defective/damaged/busted, it's definitely time to upgrade. Your motherboard's POST (Power-on Self Test) can detect problems with the CPU so check your motherboard's manual and if you hear some beeps as you turn on the power to your computer, and if the beeps are related to the CPU, it might be ample time to purchase a replacement.

So as you can see, you must think hard when upgrading a processor. Will it be beneficial to you or will it actually increase your computer's performance significantly? Do you need it based on how you plan to use your computer? Can you spare money for the upgrade? If you answered no to at least one of them, I suggest you think twice before upgrading your processor. Just remember, upgrading to a processor that has newer technology may result in you buying an entire set of motherboard, memory and even a video card.