External storage: Easiest Way to Go

If you like the idea of a bigger hard drive, but not the install-it-yourself plan, there's an alternative: an external USB hard drive. It offers pretty much the same specs as an internal drive: from 40GB to 500 GB, connecting to your PC through a USB 2.0 connection. Prices are a little more. Expect to pay anywhere from $150 to $500 or more, depending on the capacity of the machine.

Why it's a good idea: It's the easiest way to add a lot of capacity to your PC and really the only way to do it without bringing in a professional to install it.

Why it might not be a good idea: They can be hard to configure. Also, external hard drives are subject to all the same fragiity problems as internal drives. You DO NOT want to drop it.