← ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8

Choosing which component to upgrade

Find the slowest part for your task, then upgrade just that part: SSD for slow start-up, RAM for many programs, GPU for low frame rate. If everything is old, replace the device.

Part of: ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8 — Hardware and Performance — Module 38

Understanding Choosing which component to upgrade in ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8

What it does: The GPU draws the images in a game, so a weak GPU is the bottleneck when the frame rate is low. When nothing is a single bottleneck, replacing the whole device is better value than upgrading one part. Slow start-up usually means slow storage. An SSD loads the operating system much faster than an HDD. Many programs at once use lots of RAM. When RAM is full, the computer uses slow virtual memory, so adding RAM removes that bottleneck. Each part helps different tasks. The upgrade only helps if it is the bottleneck for the task. Large projects need lots of RAM. The other parts are already fine, so RAM is the bottleneck.

Common mistakes: GPU is not a variable, so the program would crash. It should use the variable part: print("Upgrade the " + part). A single = assigns a value. An if test needs == to compare, so it should be: if symptom == "slow start-up":.

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 13–40) and word search (Modules 13–68).

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Learning

Duo

A school laptop takes 3 minutes to start up, but runs one program fine. Which upgrade targets the bottleneck?

Add a faster GPUSwap the HDD for an SSD

Matches

Game has a low frame rate -> add more RAM

↓

RAM is the wrong part to upgrade. Low frame rate is a GPU bottleneck, so the GPU should be upgraded.

Applying

Meanings

Term

upgrade the bottleneck

Meaning

Find the slowest part for your task, then upgrade just that part: SSD for slow start-up, RAM for many programs, GPU for low frame rate. If everything is old, replace the device.

Practice

IF slow start-up THEN upgrade SSD

Testing

Gaps

IF slowStartup THEN upgrade()

Check Answer

Spots

3 part = "GPU"

4print("Upgrade the " + GPU)

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Quick Questions

1. A school laptop takes 3 minutes to start up, but runs one program fine. Which upgrade targets the bottleneck?

A. Swap the HDD for an SSD ✓

B. Add a faster GPU

Slow start-up usually means slow storage. An SSD loads the operating system much faster than an HDD.

2. A computer slows down a lot when you open many programs and browser tabs at once. What should you upgrade?

A. Buy a bigger monitor

B. Add more RAM ✓

Many programs at once use lots of RAM. When RAM is full, the computer uses slow virtual memory, so adding RAM removes that bottleneck.

3. Your game runs at 15 frames per second even on low settings, but everything else feels quick. Which part is the likely bottleneck?

A. The storage size

B. The GPU ✓

Low frame rate in games is usually a graphics problem. A better GPU draws more frames each second.

4. Which is the best first step when a computer feels slow?

A. Work out which part is the bottleneck for the task ✓

B. Upgrade the most expensive part

Upgrading the wrong part wastes money. Find the bottleneck for your task first, then upgrade just that part.

5. A student adds a powerful new GPU to a computer that is slow to start up. What happens?

A. Start-up stays slow because the bottleneck was not fixed ✓

B. Start-up becomes much faster

A GPU helps with graphics, not loading the operating system. Start-up speed depends mostly on storage, so an SSD is the better upgrade.

Match the Pairs

Slow to start up -> upgrade to an SSD → Swapping an old HDD for an SSD makes the computer boot and open programs much faster

Slow with many programs open -> add RAM → More RAM lets the computer keep more programs running at once without slowing down

Low frame rate in a game points to the graphics part, so upgrade that part → Low FPS in games -> upgrade the GPU

If every part is old and slow, upgrading one part will not help much, so get a new device → All parts old -> replace the device

Game has a low frame rate -> add more RAM → RAM is the wrong part to upgrade. Low frame rate is a GPU bottleneck, so the GPU should be upgraded.

Slow start-up -> buy a bigger HDD → A bigger HDD is still slow. Start-up is slow because of the storage type, so swap the HDD for an SSD.

Key Term

upgrade the bottleneck

Find the slowest part for your task, then upgrade just that part: SSD for slow start-up, RAM for many programs, GPU for low frame rate. If everything is old, replace the device.

Fill in the Blanks

1. IF slowStartup THEN upgrade(SSD)

Hint: Type the three-letter storage part that replaces an HDD to fix a slow start-up.

2. IF manyProgramsSlow THEN upgrade(RAM)

Hint: Type the three-letter memory part that helps when many programs run at once.

3. IF lowFrameRate THEN upgrade(GPU)

Hint: Type the three-letter graphics part that raises the frame rate in games.

4. IF allPartsOld THEN replace(device)

Hint: Type the action name used when every part is old, so one upgrade will not be enough.

5. upgrade(findBottleneck(task))

Hint: Type the function name that finds the slowest part for the task before upgrading it.

Spot the Error

Question 1

A fps = 15

B if fps < 30:

C part = "GPU"

D print("Upgrade the " + GPU)

Line D — GPU is not a variable, so the program would crash. It should use the variable part: print("Upgrade the " + part).

Question 2

A symptom = "slow start-up"

B if symptom = "slow start-up":

C part = "SSD"

D print(part)

Line B — A single = assigns a value. An if test needs == to compare, so it should be: if symptom == "slow start-up":

Question 3

A symptom = "many programs"

B if symptom == "many programs":

C part = "SSD"

D print(part)

Line C — Slowing down when many programs are open points to too little RAM, not storage. It should be part = "RAM".

Question 4

A def choose(symptom):

B if symptom == "low fps"

C return "GPU"

D return "replace device"

Line B — The if line is missing its colon at the end. It should be: if symptom == "low fps":

Question 5

A all_old = True

B if all_old:

C print("Add a new SSD")

D else:

E print("Upgrade one part")

Line C — If every part is old, upgrading one part will not fix it. The program should say to replace the device: print("Replace the device").

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