You're right-- the CPU and the graphics card have the highest impact on the speed of your computer. But your hard drive is important, particularly in modern environments.

Modern programs don't just load once and run. They're always loading and unloading from the hard drive. If you're playing a lot of games, you'll definitely feel the benefit of a faster hard drive.

Your upgrade priority is up to you, but you'll see the best effect if you choose strategically. Generally, we recommend upgrading the CPU, the RAM, and the video card before you get a new hard drive. Consider the following as a guideline.
You could benefit from an upgrade if...

• Your CPU isn't at least 233 MHz.
• You have less than 64MB of RAM
• Your video card isn't a TNT, or doesn't have good 3D capability. A 2D/3D solution is great for an overall upgrade.
• Your hard drive is less than 4GB or slower than 7,200 RPM.