Peter Norton's Complete Guide to PC Upgrades (2nd Edition) (Peter Norton (Sams))

For the uninitiated, deciding whether to upgrade your existing computer or buy a new one can be excruciatingly difficult. There are a number of things to consider: the advantages of memory upgrades, of adding more hard disk space, or of a new monitor (and probably a new video card). And, of course, cost figures into the equation.

In Peter Norton's Complete Guide to PC Upgrades, Second Edition, Peter Norton and Michael Desmond assess the value of hardware upgrades in depth. They also provide good general directions on how to physically add memory, add or replace a hard disk, and install almost any other type of hardware found in today's PCs. As in the previous edition, each chapter covers a particular hardware topic, such as modems. Within each chapter, Norton and Desmond explain the hardware technology and buying strategies and offer generic guidance on upgrade advantages and disadvantages.

This book offers complete, concise information that will enable readers to make informed choices about their computer hardware. The guide contains a thorough glossary, making it easy for the new computer user to understand all of the acronyms that wholesale retailers use. Even experienced users will find the discussions of such topics as memory and digital connectivity illuminating. --Robert Frankland