People rely on computers each and every day for business, school and pleasure. No matter which operating system and computer manufacturer one prefers, over time devices may run less efficiently and bugs and lags may crop up. Recognizing the causes of potential computer issues can enable users to take proactive steps to help all of their devices operate more smoothly.
Insufficient hardware resources Lenovo advises that one of the most frequent causes of computer slowdowns is insufficient hardware resources. This refers to the processing power, memory and storage abilities to function correctly and efficiently. If a computer lacks RAM, CPU power or storage space, it may work harder and struggle to keep up with tasks.
Outdated software
An up-to-date computer will work faster and more efficiently. Software manufacturers routinely offer software updates and patches to fix or improve functionality and to prevent security vulnerabilities. When a computer is not running current software, poor performance and security issues may affect the user experience.
Poor maintenance
A computer needs to be regularly cleaned and serviced in order to function properly, says Creative Computer IT Services Solutions, Inc. Dust buildup can cause overheating, which can result in component failure.
Power surges and spikes
If delicate computer components are subjected to sudden changes in power, they easily can become damaged, causing the computer to glitch and fail. Using a surge protector for basic protection and an uninterruptible power supply for more robust protection can help.
Type of hard drive
Alto IT Consultancy says a big misconception concerns computer speed and hard drive capacity. In some cases, having more space on the hard drive may not improve speed, as the bigger the data container for the computer, the further the CPU has to “reach” to access information. In addition, a solid state hard drive (SSD) tends to have better performance and speed than a hard disk drive (HDD), according to PC Magazine. HDDs are now largely reduced to secondary roles in the consumer storage market.
Viruses or corruption Corrupted files or viruses on a machine can greatly affect performance. A virus may be working in the background nefariously, which can compromise speed and other factors. A robust antivirus program on the computer can help thwart such issues.
Computer performance can be affected by a variety of factors, many of which are controllable.
