Whether you’re an Apple user or a Windows user, whatever your current needs and situation, everyone can agree that superior hardware can make life a whole lot easier, especially if you are currently experiencing issues or your current setup is more than several years old.
Alternatively, if you run or manage an office or a business, a good setup is necessary to maximize productivity for both yourself and your workers. While you can’t always remove every tech problem from the office, minimizing them (especially for reasons such as slow internet speed) is vital to keep the workplace running smoothly and people happy. And with nearly everyone using the internet today, it’s becoming all the more necessary to stay ahead of the curve.
With these important things in mind, here are some of the most important and most prominent reasons you should consider making an investment in improving your internet setup.
1) You Are Getting Your Time Back
How much time do you wait around for loading screens to finish up, or on buffering if you happen to be streaming video? What about those computer startup times or those few seconds you must wait every time you open a webpage? Hopefully you don’t have to deal with this currently, but if you do, then you should strongly consider making some changes. We recommend this highly if you’re noticing these times and the impact they are having.
While you may not think much of it now, those seconds add up to a number of minutes each day. Minutes you could spend focusing on your tasks, simply enjoying yourself, or doing something else entirely. They shouldn’t be ignored, especially if there are serious problems with your setup.
Think about it in this way: how much time (and irritation) did you save when you started streaming content and found that there were no ads? It was just 30 seconds here or there, but even five minutes a day of waiting adds up to 1.26 days each year. That sort of time is what poor hardware and internet might be costing you.
2) It’s Not as Expensive as You Think
Upgrading your internet doesn’t have to be expensive, especially if it’s been a while or you are considering switching providers anyhow. If you’re looking to get better internet, you may either be able to get a deal on a bundle or wait for a special offer to come around and make things truly affordable for you.
Similarly, upgrading your hardware setup doesn’t have to be as expensive as you first think either. Many people have to buy a computer or new gear quickly because their old ones broke, and as such are not able to truly wait or search for deals. You might be in a better position to search out the best options and do a little research if you aren’t under this buying pressure. While we don’t recommend buying used parts, you don’t need the absolute best on the market to still get a worthwhile upgrade. Your expectations can adapt with your budget.
3) It Can Give You More Range
The installation of a better router, signal booster, or receiver can make it so that your entire home or apartment easily has the same level of internet access, and hopefully the same download speeds to match. You shouldn’t be bogged down by poor range or bad spots in your house, and a quick disconnect while you’re in the middle of something can get you out of your headspace and into frustration quickly.
Instead, we recommend that you take some measurements in your home, check your current internet settings, and see if improvements can be made. Convenience can get a bad reputation, but there is a reason people pay for it and a reason it’s an important consideration. You are worth the investment.
4) You’ll Have More Options Open
With more processing power, bandwidth, and other similar things at your disposal, you will not only be able to do more at once (making sure that your machine isn’t overloaded and the other household or office members aren’t interrupted), but in some cases you’ll have additional options open to you. Better internet speeds can make 4K streaming or online gaming realistic. A better desktop might be able to use two or even three monitors, allowing you to get things done more efficiently.
Everyone will think of different things they can do, so we won’t include specific recommendations for the point of brevity, but we will say that you should take an hour to brainstorm possibilities. You’ll likely find that there’s more than you originally think.
5) You’ll Be Planning for the Future
The internet is only growing and technology advances with it. While every piece of technology will eventually become obsolete, investing and futureproofing your machine now, if you can, will prevent you from the cost and struggle of having to pay more over time for replacement devices, parts, and even computers over the next few years. A high-end computer that is well-taken care of can easily last you five years, maybe a little longer if you’re willing to replace or upgrade the occasional part for a fraction of the price.
And while again we state you shouldn’t bother with used parts or sell your computer (unless you destroy your hard drive first), you might be able to pass on your current machine to someone younger or someone who won’t use it so much, especially if the machine works but is just not meeting your standards. After a wipe, it might be able to serve them well for a while.
Conclusion
At this point, we hope we have convinced you of the potential value of getting a better internet connection (or equipment) alongside just a better setup for yourself and your family. If you can afford it, it’s certainly worth it, and there are likely options for every budget. Just a couple of phones calls and searches can be all you need to get started, and there are many resources to help you get exactly what you need and make sure it all remains compatible. Take a look today and see what you can do to improve your online life.