When it comes to the
technology that makes a computer possible there are several subsystems that are combined to make it a fully functioning device that is the future of
technology and productivity. Every year there are faster and more efficient processors
available. Graphics processing units continue to increase in performance as
power requirements go down. This is just the tip of the iceberg, there
is a lot more to the computer under the surface.
Memory (R.A.M.),
storage (Hard drives and S.S.D.), data buses (S.A.T.A., U.S.B. and P.C.I.express), processors and operating systems are the primary building blocks of
every modern computer. Due to the fact that each of these subsystems are
designed and implemented by different governing bodies, the rollout of said
components are usually never within the same time frame. When a few of
these building blocks are updated within the same time frame, it's like a solar
eclipse that rarely occurs. The last time a few of these were updated within a year of each other was in 2003 with DDR2 RAM, SATA, PCI
Express and the introduction of 64 bit processing in consumer computers by AMD.
Sub-systems like the
SATA interface only get redesigned and updated every two to three years and
even though RAM speeds are always getting faster, major overhauls going from
one memory interface to another like DDR2 to DDR3 and now DDR4 takes years to develop
and then implement. On the software side of things, most people know that
Microsoft only updates Windows versions once every few years. With the last
major update being Windows 8 that was released in 2012.
This year has no
less than six different subsystems that will be introduced to the computer
ecosystem which will drastically increase performance while reducing overall
power requirements. Memory interface will be moving from DDR3 to DDR4, SATA to
SATA express, USB 3 to USB 3.1, Windows 8 to 10, PCI express 3 to 4 (Might be
cutting it close for this upgrade due to the lengthy process of finalizing the
specifications) and as usual, the bi-yearly intel processor upgrade. This is
like six planets lining up within the solar system that is the computing
galaxy. What this means to anyone in the market for a computer is better value
for your money from a performance point of view along with a healthy dose of
longer battery life, lighter laptops and a lower energy bill.
Let's look at the
value and performance point of view. Processors are typically updated every six
to eight months on average and every iteration gives better performance with
lower power requirements so that is typical. Windows 10 will be released later this
year that promises to increase performance by reducing the OS overheads and
increasing performance on everyday tasks by streamlining how you interact with
the OS. It doesn't hurt that it will be a free upgrade for anyone running a
legitimate copy of Windows 7 and 8 so we don't have to worry about waiting for
Windows 10 to be released. USB 3.1, PCI express 4.0 and SATA express data buses
will allow data transfer speeds to skyrocket and in turn increase
productivity. USB 3.1 has a pretty cool feature that will be very welcome in the computing world. the cable will be reversible on both the host and device side. In other words, you will never have to figure out which end of the cable is the right side as it will work regardless of which end is plugged into the device or computer.
From an energy
saving point of view, desktops as well as laptops benefit because lower power
consumption leads to longer battery life without compromising performance. DDR4
will reduce power consumption by running at lower voltages and at the same time
process data faster with higher clock speeds. The processor helps with reduced
power consumption as well. Let's not forget about storage. As SSD prices drop
it will become a more popular choice for consumer computers. SSD's typically
consume an average of 50% to 80% less energy than traditional Hard drives,
while at the same time increasing average data transfer rates by as much as 70%
over traditional hard drives in certain circumstances.
As opposed to what
has been happening during the last ten years, which is one or two subsystems get
updated at a time and everyone that buys a new computer reaps the incremental increase in
performance. This year, several sub-systems will be upgraded within a short period of time which in turn will
drastically increase the overall performance of future computers. Indeed, later
this year is the time to buy a new computer. If you are considering finally
replacing that Windows XP clunker chugging along on your desk, you will not be
disappointed if you get something later this year with all the goodies that I
mentioned above. Feel free to leave questions in the comments section or your
own thoughts as to the validity of my statements. All opinions are welcome.
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