In these occasions of excessive inflation and financial uncertainty, not everybody has the funds to place collectively one of many finest PC builds, even when it’s a funds rig with modes specs. When you’ve been dreaming of a brand new PC, however have to hold on to your current {hardware} for some time longer, there are numerous methods to hurry up your system or add useful new performance, with out spending greater than $100.
Clearly, on this value vary, there’s no strategy to swap your GPU for one of many finest graphics playing cards or substitute your processor with one of many finest CPUs. However, there may be nonetheless loads you are able to do. From RAM that improves your multitasking to storage drives to carry extra knowledge or video games, and coolers that assist push your present parts to their limits, these are the most effective PC upgrades for below $100.
Word that, below every improve class, we advise value-priced fashions we discovered when writing this text. We’ve not examined all the particular person fashions which can be an excellent value proper now, however any related product from a good model in these funds value bands ought to work.
1. Add Extra RAM
In 2022, no gaming or productiveness PC ought to have much less 16GB of RAM, and 32GB is preferable. Any lower than 16GB and also you danger working out of bodily reminiscence when you’ve greater than just some browser tabs open in Home windows. With simply two dozen Chrome tabs open, Slack and Spotify, we have been utilizing 14GB of RAM on the PC we wrote this.
Whenever you run out of bodily reminiscence, your PC makes use of its digital reminiscence on its storage drive, which slows the entire system down. So upgrading from 8 to 16GB of RAM or 16 to 32GB might actually velocity issues up.
In case your system was constructed or offered within the final 5-7 years, it in all probability makes use of DDR4 reminiscence, whereas older computer systems depend on DDR3 DIMMs. When you’re undecided, verify your motherboard handbook or use the Essential Advisor (opens in new tab) to search for your laptop / motherboard. If all your laptop’s DIMM slots are full, you’ll want to purchase the precise quantity of RAM you want. We preserve an inventory of the finest RAM, however should you’re searching for an inexpensive improve, listed below are some actually cheap kits to fit your wants.
DDR4 RAM
Until you’re attempting to recreation on built-in AMD graphics, RAM with a velocity of PC-3200 will probably be greater than quick sufficient and, for some older and lower-end computer systems, may be quicker than your system will formally help. Make sure you verify your system or motherboard handbook to see what’s supported, or the RAM you purchase may run at slower fallback speeds.
DDR3 RAM
As an previous commonplace, DDR3 isn’t going to be the quickest, but when your laptop requires it, you may actually use the additional reminiscence capability you get from going to 16GB. On a system this previous, it’s in all probability not worthwhile to go all the way in which as much as 32GB.
2. Improve Your SSD / Add an SSD
Lately, you may seize a 1TB SSD for lower than $80, although it gained’t essentially be probably the most performant drive at that value. When you’re prepared to enter the $90- $100 vary, chances are you’ll discover a drive that operates at a lot quicker speeds, together with some that use the high-bandwidth PCIe 4.0 interface (in case your motherboard helps it). And, in case your funds is tight and also you don’t want numerous area, a 500GB drive might be had for lower than $50.
Earlier than you select an SSD, be sure you know what your laptop can help. When you don’t know, you may all the time verify your person handbook or use the Essential Advisor (opens in new tab).
In case you are planning to make use of your new SSD as a alternative in your boot drive, then velocity is essential. In case your laptop helps NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSDs, get a type of as they provide speeds as much as 7,000 MBps. If not, and it helps PCIe 3.0 SSDs, go along with that commonplace, which delivers round 3,000 MBps. Your final and slowest selection is SATA, which tops out round 550 MBps.
In case you are planning so as to add a secondary drive, velocity is much less essential than your price per GB. Nevertheless, if you’re putting in video games onto the secondary drive, then getting a quicker one is useful.
PCIe 4.0 SSDs Below $100
- 1TB SSD: WD Black SN770 (opens in new tab) – $99 at publish time. In testing for our SN770 evaluation, we discovered the drive hanging slightly below dearer rivals just like the Samsung 980 Professional. It guarantees sequential reads of greater than 5,000 MBps.
- 500GB SSD: WD Black SN850 (opens in new tab) – $69 at publish time. Promising 7,000 MBps sequential reads, the SN850 is without doubt one of the quickest drives in the marketplace. We examined the 1TB and 2TB capability of the SN850 and located them to ship sturdy switch charges and recreation load occasions.
PCIe 3.0 SSDs Below $100
- 1TB SSD: Samsung 970 EVO Plus (opens in new tab) – $99 at publish time. Samsung is without doubt one of the main SSD manufacturers and, for a lot of builders, solely a Samsung will do. The 970 EVO Plus is the corporate’s flagship PCIe 3.0 drive, promising sequential reads of three,500 MBps and writes of two,300 MBps. On our exams, it loaded Ultimate Fantasy XIV quicker than most rivals and only a tad slower than a dear Intel Optane 905P drive.
- 500GB SSD: Essential P3 (opens in new tab) – $43 at publish time. When you actually need to get monetary savings however nonetheless get stable efficiency, the P3 is a stable selection. This drive guarantees 3,500 MBps sequential reads with 1,900 MBps sequential writes. In our exams, the 2GB capability really outpaced the Samsung 970 EVO Plus on many exams, together with PCMark 10. However you may anticipate the smaller 500GB mannequin to be slower, notably in the case of sustained write speeds.
SATA SSDs Below $100
- 1TB: Essential MX500 (opens in new tab) – $75 at publish time. The drive guarantees sequential speeds of as much as 560 MBps reads and 510 MBps writes. Once we examined the MX500 (means again in 2019), we discovered it was close to the highest of the pack in SATA efficiency, simply a few notches under the Samsung 850 EVO.
- 500GB: Essential MX500 (opens in new tab) – $46 at publish time. The 500GB model of the drive delivers principally related efficiency to its 1TB sibling.
This present day, there’s no motive to make use of a tough drive as your boot drive. However should you want numerous reasonably priced space for storing for knowledge corresponding to pictures, movies and audio, including a tough drive as a secondary drive is sensible. Efficiency isn’t as essential for secondary storage, because the drive solely must be quick sufficient to serve up your media or different information.
That mentioned, a 7,200 rpm drive is a tad faster than a 5,400 rpm drive so we’ve picked 7,200 rpm drives under. Right here, as elsewhere, we need to go for respected manufacturers corresponding to Western Digital, Seagate and Toshiba. Word that desktop arduous drives are available 3.5-inch kind elements, so be certain that your case has a spare 3.5-inch bay, or go for a 2.5-inch laptop computer drive as an alternative.
- 2TB HDD: WD Blue 2TB (opens in new tab) – $49 at publish time.
- 6TB HDD: Seagate Exos 7E8 (opens in new tab) – $83 at publish time.
4. All-in-One Liquid Cooler
In case your CPU makes use of the inventory air cooler that got here within the field with it, you may be lacking out on each efficiency and silence. For nicely below $100, you may get an AIO (all-in-one) liquid cooler that does a much better job of shifting warmth away out of your processor, often at decrease decibels. The cooler your CPU stays, the longer it could possibly keep at its prime turbo speeds.
AIO Coolers encompass a water block that sits on prime of the CPU and absorbs the warmth and transfers it to liquid coolant that circulates by closed tubes. A pump sends the heated liquid to a radiator that you simply mount on the case (in all probability on the highest), the place followers blow sizzling air out whereas the pump sends the now-cooled coolant again to the waterblock. The followers might be quieter than these on a inventory CPU cooler, partially as a result of they shouldn’t must spin as quick. AIO Coolers are likely to have 120, 240, or 360mm radiators, with the bigger radiators providing higher cooling.
A lot of the finest AIO coolers price greater than $100, until they’re on sale. However you’ll find some name-brand, 240mm AIO coolers with common costs below $100.
5. Air Cooler
A high-quality air cooler also can deliver your CPU’s temperatures down decrease than the inventory cooler that comes within the processor field. When you don’t need to spend extra money or make room in your case for an AIO, a third-party air cooler is a straightforward different. Simply make it possible for it matches your CPU and isn’t too tall in your case.
6. Wi-Fi 6E Card
When you’ve upgraded your router to Wi-Fi 6 or 6E (you too can get a router for lower than $100) however your desktop continues to be connecting through Wi-Fi 5, it’s time for an improve. Wi-Fi 6 is 2.5 occasions quicker than Wi-Fi 5 and may ship speeds as much as 9.6 Gbps. You possibly can seize a name-brand PCIe card that provides Wi-Fi 6 / 6E functionality and Bluetooth for round $50. Playing cards from lesser-known manufacturers might be had for much less.
We advocate going with respected manufacturers corresponding to TP-Hyperlink and Asus, though Intel makes lots of the Wi-Fi playing cards in these units. You possibly can typically verify the cardboard title within the technical specs part of a card’s product web page. Additionally, be certain that your system has a spare PCIe slot to put in the cardboard in, and that slot isn’t blocked by a giant graphics card cooler.
7. USB 3.2 Card
Although their model numbers have modified from USB 3.0 to USB 3.1 and now USB 3.2, all of those ports function on the identical prime velocity of 5 Gbps. However newer ports and units can ship 10 and even 20 Gbps and these are generally known as USB 3.1 or 3.2 Gen 2 and USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 respectively. The added velocity is sweet for studying and writing to exterior SSDs, or connecting different high-bandwidth units.
What do you do in case your present laptop doesn’t have a USB 3.2 Gen 2 or Gen 2 x 2 port, or perhaps solely has one? You possibly can add these speedy ports with a reasonable PCIe card. Even should you don’t see your self ever utilizing 10 Gbps or 20 Gbps units, you may get a PCIe card that offers you extra USB Kind-A ports, too. Once more, simply be certain that your motherboard has a spare slot that’s not blocked by your graphics card or one thing else in your case.
- USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 (20 Gbps): StarTech 1-Port USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Card (opens in new tab) – $48 at publish time. When you simply want one 20 Gbps port, that is the cardboard for you.
- USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10 Gbps): Vantec 2-port USB 3.2 Gen 2 (opens in new tab)– $34 at publish time. This card supplies one USB Kind-A and one USB Kind-C port, each of which may function at as much as 10 Gbps. There’s additionally an inside header to hook up with ports on the entrance of your case.
- USB 3.0: Yeeliya USB 3.0 7-port card (opens in new tab) – $37 at publish time. When you simply need much more 5 Gbps ports, this card options 5 Kind-A ports and two Kind-C ports, however none run at 10 or 20 Gbps.
8. Energy Provide Extension Cables
The cables that got here together with your energy provide are, at finest, boring to have a look at and, at worst, a cable administration nightmare as a result of they aren’t lengthy sufficient. You possibly can’t substitute them (even when they’re detachable, you’d want ones particular to your PSU), however you should buy extension cables that are available enticing colours and make it simpler to route the wires in order that the ugly elements keep hidden. You possibly can even get ATX and GPU extension cables with RGB lighting that makes your construct actually pop.
- ATX Cable (for motherboard): Lian Li Strimer Plus V2 (opens in new tab) – $69 at publish time. This 24-pin cable comes with a layer of addressable RGB lights on prime of it and a controller field for the lights. Once we reviewed the Strimer Plus V2, we famous its nice flexibility and vibrant colours. I’ve one in my PC and was in a position to bend it near 180 levels so I might snake it neatly by a grommet within the case.
- PCIe Cable (for GPU): Lian Li Strimer Plus V2 8-pin cable (opens in new tab) – $49 at publish time. That is the twin 8-pin Strimer that you should use to energy your graphics card. You should use it both by itself or with the ATX Strimer cable. Or you may purchase each collectively for $103 (opens in new tab).
- Full set: AsiaHorse PSU Extension Cable Equipment (opens in new tab) – $25 at publish time. This set lacks lighting however is obtainable in all kinds of colours to fit your style.
9. Case Followers
As we’ve mentioned earlier than, a cooler laptop is a quicker laptop. When your CPU and GPU get too sizzling, they gradual themselves down with a purpose to keep away from bodily harm. Even if in case you have one of many finest CPU coolers and a graphics card with three followers, your case wants good airflow to make it possible for all the parts function at their quickest.
Sadly, many PC circumstances –notably funds fashions– solely include oa single 120mm exhaust fan that spits heat air out of the again. Ideally, you’d at the very least have followers within the entrance, if not the highest and probably even on the underside of your system, relying in your {hardware} and the place your case has venting. Even when your PC case got here with a number of followers, it might not have the quickest, quietest or best-looking followers accessible.
The excellent news is which you could get highly effective, enticing case followers – most with built-in RGB lighting – for very reasonably priced costs. A single 120mm fan goes for $15 to $25, however a set of three to 5 followers is a a lot better deal, with costs starting from $17 (for actually low cost followers), all the way in which as much as $90.
As a result of they permit advantageous management over velocity, we advocate getting PWM (aka 4-pin) followers in case your motherboard has accessible 4-pin headers. As all the time, we advocate going with a reputation model. When you’re already a part of an RGB ecosystem and shopping for RGB followers, chances are you’ll need to get ones which can be appropriate with the software program you employ to regulate your different RGB parts. In case your motherboard has 4 or 5-pin RGB connectors and so do your followers, then you may management them through the motherboard’s software program.
- 3 pack of Lian Li Uni SL120 Followers (opens in new tab) – $79 at publish time. These followers snap collectively and are daisy-chainable so you may join them collectively fairly than working separate wires again to the included controller. I’ve a set of those in my case and I actually love how the RGB gentle frames the fan, permitting a number of colours to point out without delay on each the again floor and the facet of every fan.
- Noctua NF-P12 (opens in new tab) – $14 for a single fan at publish time. When you don’t like RGB however you do like quiet efficiency, this grey 1700 rpm fan guarantees to chop the noise whereas growing the airflow. Our Managing Editor Matt Safford has been utilizing a pair of those for years on his 240mm AIO and so they have been always quiet and dependable.
- Antec 5-pack of PWM followers (opens in new tab) – $29 at publish time. It is a excellent deal should you simply need to outfit your whole PC with followers and don’t care about RGB. Every fan is able to 1,600 rpm, in order that they have the power to maneuver a good quantity of air.
10. RGB Mild Strips and Controller
You possibly can have RGB case followers, an RGB cooler, RGB RAM and an RGB graphics card. However what should you simply need to add just a little extra RGB that isn’t tied to a selected element? With RGB gentle strips and a controller field, you may bathe all your parts in vibrant colours. Simply stick the strips on the prime, backside or sides of the case and use the controller field to set the colour(s).
- Corsair iCue Lighting Node Professional (opens in new tab) – $58 at publishing time. This controller field comes with 4 LED strips and a controller field. As a part of Corsair’s ecosystem, it’s managed through iCue software program.
- DeepCool RGB350 (opens in new tab) – $15 at publish time. This set is a bit low-tech however very cheap. You stick the 2 strips within the case, join them to a small hub that pulls energy from a molex connector, and management the entire thing through a distant management, not software program. It’s not the slickest setup, however you’ll be hard-pressed to discover a case gentle setup for much less cash.
