Right now, I own a Dell laptop that I purchased four years ago. It works very well and I never have problems with it (it sometimes freezes when I go to certain websites, like NationalPost.com so nothing major). My friends laugh at me because I don't have a state-of-the-art computer nor do I have the latest gadgets, such as a tablet or an iPhone. They say you have to buy a computer every couple of years or so in order to keep up with the latest advancements. I have to disagree because if you have a laptop to do basic things like I do, including checking email, writing, watching YouTube videos, uploading photos, etc., then what's the point of forking over $500 every three years? What do you think?
I probably wouldn't buy a new desktop until the current one breaks or really doesn't fulfill my current needs. If I truly need something faster or with the capability to add more RAM, then I'd consider getting a new desktop. But, if the only thing I've increased over the years are my websites that I visit then no, it will stay right here until it dies. I'd be more apt to replace a laptop on a more regular basis than a desktop.
If it runs everything you use it for and the speeds are fine for you, why upgrade? Every couple years is also an absurd rate of forking over cash for a new computer. If you're looking to stay ahead of the curve, upgrade or a purchase a new rig every five years or so and you'll always have something competitive. $500 is also a great price for a new laptop, most good ones are going to be at least around $700 unless you find a sale. In your case it sounds like you're happy with your machine, so, I'd say hang on to it until things start going wrong. There's no rush to upgrade otherwise - unless you're using it for either gaming, graphics, or video/audio work.
How often you upgrade your computer depends on what you use it for. Just check emails, watching movie and such would not need the fastest computer available. But if you require your computer to do more intricate work you maybe concerned about the size of the files and how much room they take up on your computer, graphics is another concern, a site may not be supported on an older computer because of graphics. I wear out a computer about every three years. I am looking for a computer right now. I use my computer for work.
Maybe once every 2 years or so. They get old quite fast, and that's you may need to get a one instead of just upgrading it (unless it's a laptop).
Both of my laptops are old. A lot older than 4 years old. I love computers and tech, but I don't buy tech for tech sake. If something doesn't help me be more productive and is working for my needs, then I don't replace it. I think not replacing something that working for you makes you financially smart.
I do agree with you partly. First, I agree that as long as the computer is perfectly well then there is no apparent reason for its replacement, just in an effort to stay with the state of the art technology. However, it important that you make yourself aware of the health issues associated with overuse of a computer. In most cases electronics are supposed to be recycled after some time....That laptop you have will one day stop work, and that wont be repairable. In addition, sending mails, watching YouTube videos and uploading photos can be done much more easier (thus enjoyable) when using faster computers which of course do not fall in the 2008 releases.
I also have a Dell laptop - it celebrates its 5th birthday in September, and I have no intention of replacing it. I thought I may have to a while back, when I got a bad virus which prevented me from going on the Internet and slowed everything down, but a friend who is a whizz with computers fixed the problem and speeded up the system for me. Like you, I mainly use my laptop for email, writing and research and general web surfing, so I'm not interested in having the latest technology. I wouldn't know how to use half the features anyway. When this laptop dies, I'll give it a decent burial and buy a new one, but not until then.
There is no need to buy another laptop until your current machine is not performing to your desired level! Upgrades in performance, speed, storage, etc. are only necessary if you are using heavy software or handle a lot of data. If you're just browsing the web and using Microsoft Office, I'd say keep the laptop you have until it can't handle your workload or you are looking for new features.
I've had mine for 6 years and I'm looking to buy another one soon. I will use this one for a backup just in case something happens. I don' think you should keep buying computers for no reason. If the computer is overheating or it has problems then it's time for a new one. I know some people that try to keep up with the tech trends and they purchase computers all the time. If you think about it you're just wasting money.
It really just depends on what kind of computer you have and what you need it for. For me personally, I do upgrades almost yearly. I don't buy a brand new one, but I do increase its capabilities when it becomes necessary. For someone else, they could easily work with the same computer for 5 years if all they're doing it word processing or something. They don't need anything better.
I use my computers until they are totally dead which is at least five years before I need a new one. As for catching up with the latest developments, I don't have such a need. Besides, I am always tweaking my operating system to keep the use of resources at a minimum. Using Linux helps a lot.
The last time I bought a computer was 2005. As far as I'm concerned, if your computer still works, there's no good reason to buy a new one.
I didn't buy a new computer since 2007. I don't feel the need to do this since I constantly add upgrades to it. I basically built my own gaming PC from scratch using my old pC. I however bought a laptop this year for work.
I would suggest buying a good computer for around $2,000 and sticking with it for a few years. If you're a PC guy (like me) then you know that most parts can be upgraded and/or replaced, so you are never forced to buy a new computers just because that one is "more up-to-date".
I probably have the oldest computers around. i have upgraded some components but we usualy repair ours when they break down. Thankfully I live with a geek and he keeps all the old ones and ocasionaly has to swap out parts. I have a computer gravyard of parts in the attic. lol I wouldn't even know what to do with a new computer. lol Mine works fine and he keeps them running smooth and fast so I don't have an issue.
It's every five years you should consider buying a new computer as new updates and advancements are stopped for those after five years. That's what I've heard, anyway. I've had my computer about four-five years and have no trouble with it so I'm keeping hold of it a while longer.
It often depends on how highly specced your PC was when you purchased it. If your PC was fairly high class when you bought it then it could probably last you about 3 years before it gets out of date. Computer lifespans are growing increasingly shorter due to technological advances and I can see the renewal of home PCs becoming ever more frequent in the future.
A computer doesn't really go out of date. It's only when we keep on trying to use the latest software that makes us feel that our computers are getting inadequate. Actually we don't have to keep on upgrading our software. Just use whatever works. Getting the job done is the name of the game. Of course, if you use open source software, you can actually upgrade to the latest and still be fine with your old computer. That's because, generally speaking, open source software is lighter on resources.
A computer has a shelf-life of about 5 years. I recently bought a new Sony VAIO because my Mac, which I bought back in 2007, was so outdated and I was fearing for its life. I did change the hard drive of my Mac, while also upgrading the memory and the keyboard, but there was only so much I could do - I could only put a maximum of 2 gigs of RAM into my Mac's memory, whereas my new computer can handle up to 8. So, yeah, I suppose if you just use it for e-mail and checking your favourite news website, you probably don't need to upgrade so often, but if you want to keep up with the newest technology, you really should!
