Is Inspiron 1520 worth upgrading?

Question

My Inspiron 1520 running Vista with 2GB memory is still working, but slowly. I don't use it often so I would opt to keep it if it could be make to run a bit faster. Would adding another 2GB of memory do that? Or is it futile to try to upgrade it? Any suggestions to improve its speed would be appreciated.

ejn63 · Answer

It might help some, but the effect won't be dramatic, particularly if it's a 32-bit version of Windows. The single best performance-improver would be to replace the hard drive with a solid state drive - you can now find good (Intel/Samsung/Crucial) SSDs at 256G for about $100-120.

Philip_Yip · Answer

You can get the 4 GB kit but the SSD will lead to the best performance. Crucial have both parts listed here:

http://www.crucial.com/usa/en/compatible-upgrade-for/Dell/inspiron-1520

The systems service manual is available here:

http://ftp.dell.com/Manuals/all-products/esuprt_laptop/esuprt_inspiron_laptop/inspiron-1520_service%20manual_en-us.pdf

You will also need to clean install Windows Vista see my A Clean Install of Windows Vista:

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/a-clean-install-of-windows/a-clean-install-of-windows-vista/

You could clone your previous installation but its likely going to perform worse than a clean install.

You could also upgrade to Windows 8.1 and then take the free upgrade to Windows 10. Windows 10 is a free upgrade for all Windows 7 and 8.1 users. I'm not sure what the price will be to upgrade a Vista system or get a full license but it'll probably be cheaper than what Windows 8.1 is selling for.

You may also install the Windows 10 Technical Preview instead of Windows Vista and evaluate it until its finally released.

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Is Inspiron 1520 worth upgrading?

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