10 of the Biggest PC Myths

Hackers Are Trying to Hack Your PC:

Attacks are automated. Your computer absolutely could get malware that attempts to log your keystrokes and steal your personal information. You probably will get the occasional phishing email trying to get your credit card number, bank details, or social security number. Attackers are taking the shotgun approach.

A CPU With More Cores is Always Faster:

Dual-core CPUs were a revelation when they became mainstream in home PCs and companies have followed up with quad-core, octa-core, and CPUs with even more cores. Each core is a separate execution unit, and more cores allow your computer to run multiple different programs at the same time.

Cores aren’t the only thing that matters -the CPU’s speed is also very important, and there’s a good chance you’ll be better off with a faster CPU with less cores.

There Are “Clean” Windows Freeware Download Websites:

All freeware download sites are bad these days. Big download sites like Download.com, Softpedia, FileHippo, and SourceForge often add their own garbage to the freeware they offer for download. Even the “good sites” host garbage-filled installers.

Automatic Updates Will Always Break Your PC:

They close security holes and keep your computer working properly. Breakages are rare. Security holes are a bigger concern -it’s usually best to just enable automatic updates for your operating system, web browser, plug-ins, and other software and have them stay up-to-date automatically.

Your Antivirus Will Always Protect You:

Antivirus software is a helpful last line of defense on Windows, but it’s nothing you should rely on completely. Antivirus software allows obnoxious adware and spyware that inserts itself into your web browser, forcing you to use worse search engines and pushing additional advertisements onto you.

Building Your Own PC Will Always Save You Money:

Building your own PC won’t always save you money. If you’re just building a desktop PC, you may actually be able to save money by purchasing a pre-built PC. Be sure to do the research yourself.

MAC Address Filtering Helps Keep Your Wi-Fi Secure:

Some people swear by MAC address filtering to secure their Wi-Fi networks. Each network interface on a computer, smartphone, or any other network-connected device has a unique “Media Access Control address”. This address is set at the factory before your computer or its network hardware gets to you.

You Always Want a Faster CPU and Graphics Card:

Faster CPUs and dedicated graphics cards just use more power. For a laptop, a laptop with a speedy Core i7 CPU may have significantly less battery life than a laptop with a slower Core i3 or i5 CPU.

You Have to Turn Your Computer Off At Night:

Don’t want your computer running at full-tilt all night. But putting it to sleep makes it use almost no power, and it’ll be ready to go immediately when you turn it on.

Clearing Your Cache Will Speed Up Your PC:

Some applications store cache files, which are offline copies of files they’ve already downloaded. They hold onto these files in case they need them again, so they can be accessed from your hard drive instead of re-downloaded. This saves time and bandwidth.