How can a user improve workstation performance?

Improving workstation performance fundamentally revolves around optimizing both hardware and software configurations to ensure the system operates efficiently. Upgrading hardware components such as increasing the amount of RAM or replacing a traditional hard drive with a solid-state drive (SSD) can drastically enhance performance. RAM upgrades allow for smoother multitasking and improved software responsiveness, while SSDs provide faster data access and boot times compared to traditional hard drives.

Additionally, optimizing software settings—such as managing startup programs, regularly updating drivers, and configuring applications for performance—can lead to a more streamlined and responsive user experience. By handling both the hardware enhancements and fine-tuning the software environment, users can ensure that their workstation runs swiftly and effectively under a variety of workloads.

The other options, while they might have some peripheral benefits, do not directly address the core improvements needed for significant performance enhancements. For instance, installing more applications can lead to resource contention and potential slowdowns, rather than enhancing performance. Reducing the screen resolution might improve frame rates in certain scenarios but does not improve the overall capability of the system. Similarly, increasing the number of network connections could lead to congestion and instability if not properly managed, rather than improving workstation performance.