All the hype surrounding the release of a new model [of some gadget] with higher specs, etc, makes most people buy the latest model of what's in the market even though they really do not need it. Most of us use our computers for simple stuff like surfing the web, playing a game occasionally but apart from that, nothing much. Does this require getting yourself a new computer every other year? When is the best time to upgrade your computer? When it stops working or when you can't conveniently use it any more? Personally I prefer using my computers until they die.
Hi Denis I was like you before. I don't upgrade or change my computer just because there's a newer model out in the market. However, when I started working online, I really have to upgrade often because I need more speed, more storage, more memory, etc. or else my work would suffer. I even have a back-up computer just in case the other one suddenly stops working. Having a good/fast/reliable computer is really a must when working from home as some clients really prefer outsourcing their work to those who have fast computing equipment.
Oh, that then demands for a different approach when buying a computer. However, fact is some of the new models are not faster or in any way more advanced [tech-wise] than the previous generation models. If there is a difference then it would be very slight. It could be much better before getting yourself a new computer or gadget to compare the specs. If the improvement is something you can well do without . . .
Sure, its what my Uncle does. I think his computer still has windows 98 and 56k, maybe he finally switched to cable or DSL..
Well, if you don't have any work that requires plenty of processing power - video editing, rendering or high end gaming - using an older PC is fine. But god forbid you do any of the tasks I mentioned on a slow PC! I did this in the past and once I upgraded my time spent working halved, so much time I was spending waiting for things to finish processing. These days I upgrade my PC once per two years with medium range components. They're powerful enough so buying the best is just a waste of money in my opinion.
This is what I do. I keep using my computer although it's 6 years old already. I just keep on upgrading necessary stuff for it to be kept usable like the RAM. I think I am still going to use until it's not anymore functioning. I think upgrades of old computers are just cheap. Just look at the RAM. It's not expensive to get 2 GB DDR2 RAM.
Yes that's what I have noticed that I do as well, I just use the pc until it malfunctions to the point that it has become unusable. I'm not keen on following the trend and upgrading every now and then when my pc works just fine and it's not malfunctioning or laggy.
I don't upgrade my computer ever. As long as it still works and can do the stuff I need, I never bother to upgrade it. I used my last computer for 5 years until the motherboard broke last December. Even so, I bought a new one at the same price range excluding some parts which I salvaged from the old one.
I am not going that far like "until they stop working", but definitely I use them until they work properly. Sure, I can endure a bit of being slow and an occasional crash, but if it is so dysfunctional that I can no longer work properly I consider the change. So far I am still with my XP and it's working fine, but I have a plan to upgrade it to windows 8 if necessary.
I think the best way to save money on a computer is that you buy one that is easily up gradable and over the years you slowly add new upgrades that keep it up to date with the current generation of games or programs that you use. This allows you to buy a part each year which will be valid for 4 years instead of upgrading the whole computer every second year. But if you were really trying to save money you could buy a computer, like you said, and run it into the ground until it no longer works.
I think you should keep a computer not necessarily until it stops working, but until you can no longer use it for what you want to use it for. Let's say you have a gaming PC, you need to keep it up to date with the latest games otherwise the performance won't be good; so after a few years you have a computer that is fully functional but it's no longer good enough for what you want so you might start looking into replacing it, even if it still works.
Yes, I forgot about that too. It is always nice to have an extra compy box around in case you have classes or work related stuff and should consolidate it to a single harddrive/computer.
I have bought a computer before simply because I wanted a higher performing one, and used the other as a spare. If you wait for your computer to break before you replace it, you could have well ended up using a Windows 95 today. It's always usually possible to upgrade individual components though.
I've run my current machine into the ground so many times. Every 18 months or so, something goes critically wrong and I start scrambling my pennies to replace it. I usually find a cost-effective fix like replacing a hard drive. I don't think I'll have this machine for much longer though; it's pretty much a Frankenstein's monster at this point.
It really does depend on your needs as a user. I know people who do both, but I know that for most, it happens when they can no longer use the computer as intended. Because most of my friends play videogames on their computers, this is usually every five years or so, depending on the specs and what current games need.
I work online and I use my computer until its no good anymore. I do quite a bit of freelancing so I don't have to have the latest gadget or item to make my computer look cool. I rather spend my hard earned money on have to haves, not something that I want to replace because its old. I can say every Christmas I usually get a new tech gadget anyways. I don't ask for them just get them from family.
I think it's best to use them until the point that they still have market value and then sell them then. If you use the gadget until it gives out, then you would have used up the amount you spent on your gadget whereas if you sell it, you could account for the money you gained back. Granted, you'd of course get more use out of the gadget if you continue using it, and as long as said device still runs smoothly then I guess it would not have much difference, but if it is below the current standard then you would be wasting your time waiting for things to load when you don't have to due to more current devices being up to par.
