Things you can do to increase PC longevity

While some people like to upgrade their PC with the latest and greatest hardware every chance they get, most people buy a PC hoping to keep it for 3–5 years, if not longer. For most, a PC is an investment, and just like any other investment, people want a decent return on the money they have spent on it. The problem is that most people forget to look after their PC or just don’t know how.

The good news is that if you take care of your PC, you can do plenty of things to help ensure that it lasts for a decent amount of time. From overclocking your hardware to cleaning out the dust, there are several tips and tricks you can do to help give your PC as much longevity as possible.

7 Overclocking

While manual overclocking may be a dying art, except for enthusiasts, overclocking your components is a great way to increase your PC’s performance. You can normally overclock your CPU, GPU, and RAM and while you may not need to overclock all of them, it is nice to have the option. By doing so, you can get extra performance in games, productivity programs, and more. This will help maximize your PC’s longevity by adding a bit of extra performance, ultimately saving you more time before you need to upgrade or replace it.

These days, there are even programs to help you achieve one-click overclocking, so you don’t have to do anything except enjoy the extra performance. While this may not be as good as manually overclocking, it takes the guesswork out and will save you loads of time and hassle.

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6 Scan for Malware and Viruses

Your PC will thank you for keeping it clean

While it may not seem like a big deal to some, scanning for viruses and malware and removing them can drastically help improve your PC performance. Even if the virus or malware isn’t a major threat, it can still use system resources and essentially slow your PC down. Of course, malware and viruses can steal your personal information, which is the main reason to remove them where possible.

Microsoft Defender has become one of the most used malware protectors out there. This is likely because third-party antivirus software has gotten much worse over the years. Third-party software is bloated with VPN and other offers, making it a nuisance to use. Also, now that viruses are more complex, third-party software doesn’t work as well as it used to.

5 Change thermal paste every 2–3 years

Preventative maintenance is always a good idea

Similar to getting an oil change on your car, changing your thermal paste every couple of years can be a helpful way to ensure your PC’s longevity. Thermal paste is used to fill tiny unseen holes between your CPU or GPU and the heatsink attached to it. Over time, it heats up and cools down so much that it can dry out, causing it not to function as efficiently. Thus, changing it becomes beneficial.

Changing the thermal paste itself is a straightforward job, but sometimes removing the heatsink, especially from a GPU, can be a bit trickier. So, whether you choose to do it yourself, or take it somewhere to be done, changing your thermal past every couple of years is a great way to ensure your temps stay low. Your PC can perform optimally for as long as it can.

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4 Keep it up-to-date

Driver and software updates are important

Keeping your PC drivers and software up to date is a crucial part of increasing its longevity. Keeping things up to date may give you small performance enhancements and, even more importantly, protect you from unwanted attacks. A lot of updates are security-based and are designed to stop vulnerabilities found in your hardware and software.

Windows and a lot of software will check for updates in the background. If you are not up-to-date, this can take up resources from your PC and make things seem laggy and sluggish. You may also experience pop-ups, which can be annoying and slow things down. Therefore, it’s always best to keep everything up-to-date, as it keeps your security a priority and makes sure you aren’t losing performance unnecessarily.

3 Use Surge protectors and UPS

Protection from power surges and outages

Surge protectors are worth their weight in gold. Usually, they can be purchased for a decent price and will protect your PC and other electronics from voltage spikes. Simply put, if there is a spike in voltage, the surge protector will redirect the increase in voltage away from whatever is plugged into it. Unexpected voltage spikes can fry your electronics, making them completely unusable, so it is always better to be on the safe side.

A UPS, while similar, is more designed to protect your PC from a complete power outage. While unexpectedly losing power can have the same effect on your electronics as a power surge can, losing power completely adds a whole host of new problems to the mix. A UPS will keep your PC on for a short period should you lose power. This will not only save you from any physical damage, but will also let you save anything on the PC you may currently be working on. The only downside is a good UPS can be pricey, but if you value your work or live in an area prone to power outages, it can definitely be worth the investment.

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2 Delete programs and apps you don’t use

Again, keeping things clean is a must

While you might think nothing of it, unused programs and apps can degrade your hardware over time and cause a loss of performance. While you may not be using the software, it could still be an active process on your PC, taking up valuable resources. The software is, at a minimum, occupying storage space that could be used for other programs.

It also leaves your PC at risk. If you haven’t used a program or app for some time, odds are that it may no longer be up-to-date, which can leave your PC open to security vulnerabilities. While you may not use it, it still leaves you open to attacks, so it is best to always delete or remove unused programs and apps.

1 Keep it dust-free and give it room to breathe

Dust is bad, air is good

Dust is one of the number one causes of components overheating, which will shorten their lifespan. It builds up inside the PC, making it harder to cool the individual components. Over time, the increase in temperature can hurt these components, shortening their lifespan. This is why it is always best to use some compressed air and keep things clean.

Enhancing the airflow to your PC can also help to reduce dust. This doesn’t just mean adding more fans, it also means making sure your PC is in a location where it can breathe. It needs to be able to pull in the air and expel it with ease. The better the airflow, the fewer places there will be for the dust to build up, so make sure your PC is in a well-ventilated area.

Can I really add to my PC’s longevity?

Yes, you most certainly can. Just like your car, or anything mechanical for that matter, the better you take care of it, the longer it will last. It may not seem like a big deal but staying on top of things is key to maintaining your PC’s longevity and making sure it continues to offer optimal performance.

Keeping up with preventative maintenance is one of the best ways to ensure your PC’s longevity. Best of all, most of these things don’t take that long to accomplish if done regularly. Do yourself a favor and set a reminder in your calendar to include maintaining your PC, either monthly or bi-monthly. This will help ensure you stay on top of it and get the most from your PC.