When Is it Time to Get a New Computer?
Before I go any further, the advice presented here may not apply to everyone. Your individual computing needs will vary. I am just offering advice based on my own experiences. I mention PCs a lot, but this can also apply to laptops.
Time to set the mood for this blog post:
^ from: (IndiaMART) - When should you consider buying a new computer? I will discuss my thoughts in this blog post along with offer my own insight.
I curiously asked people on Facebook how many years you hold onto your current PC before wanting to buy a new one. About the average response I got was somewhere between 4-6 years. Some people even suggest they hold onto their PC until it can't perform any longer (which is a fair assessment). Computers do not come cheap. If you have enough money to invest in a new computer of some kind, you surely want something of better quality or can be better utilized by your previous unit.
Why Invest in a New Computer?
The reasons for buying a new PC can vary based on needs and budget. If you have a perfectly fine computer but just want something better, that will justify the need to go for a better PC. If your PC simply is stumbling along, you would want to invest in a more powerful system. You certainly want to invest in better computers if the majority of your work involves computer usage of some kind. To keep up with those times, you will need to have the best hardware you can work with at present.Some people simply have worn-out computers or feel it is time to move to something better. That is common for all of us. Granted we have the finances, we want to try to get better products. PCs and laptops are no exception in this regard.
Those who know how to upgrade computers will want something they can upgrade. This can be good for people who want a computer low in cost that they can later upgrade to enhance its performance. However, if you are with a computer with very little upgrade potential, you're going to be stuck in the mud with it until you get a better computer you can upgrade.
In today's technological society, it is best to be up to date on computers and technology. To make that happen, you will need to invest in some of the best technology you can afford and use. So be sure to think about your own computing needs and try to find some kind of PC that best suits your needs.
My Own PC Owning Experiences.
I currently own a desktop PC and a Chromebook. The Chromebook I bought was from 2021, and my desktop PC has been around since 2014. I remembered having four PCs that I considered my own. I had a Packard Bell PC from 1996 with Windows 95. I used an eMachines my brother bought some time in 1999 or so with Windows 98. For Christmas in 2003, I got a lovely HP computer with Windows XP. Right now, my current PC is an Acer I bought at a Wal-Mart/Walmart in 2014 previously with Windows 8 (which I don't miss), but eventually put Windows 10 on it. So you can kind of do the math on how long I've used these PCs in my time. Three years with my first modern PC, four years with the eMachines, 11 years with the HP, and currently doing eight years with the Acer.At one time, I was using my mother's HP laptop to play "SEGA GT" because it played better on it than on the eMachines PC at the time. That laptop would later be stricken with a virus and was pretty much rendered useless. I would sometimes use that laptop while my main PC was doing a virus scan.
I was looking at getting a new PC myself. While there is nothing wrong with my budget Acer PC I currently am using, I feel I need something more powerful and more up-to-date to keep up with today's times. I have been looking around on a site I would not want to shop for a new PC from, but you can- Amazon. I also thought of eBay, but I am skeptical about the quality of anything you pick up on eBay. So I guess I will stick to Amazon. I wanted to get a PC with at least 8 GB of RAM, but 16 GB RAM or 32 GB RAM would be more than sufficient. I also want a PC with a processor speed of 3.0 GHz or better. Some of the refurbished models I looked up on Amazon have processor speeds of about 3.2 or even 3.5 GHz. These namely are Intel i5 and i7 processors. I also wanted to get one with HDMI output, but I am slowly learning about DisplayPort on modern PCs. I may simply have to get some adapters for certain features I may need to include in case things call for them. I mostly will use my one terabyte external hard drive, but I also wouldn't mind having a large capacity onboard memory. Namely 1TB of memory if I can find one either for a mechanical hard drive or a single state drive.
The new PC I may want to get is a refurbished one with new life. I would be happy as long as it had specifications that were better than my current system. I realize I don't really need hardware to play today's top-level games. If I wanted a gaming PC, I'd get one.
If you followed my life issues blog, you may have learned about me wanting to downsize. I was actually considering a laptop until I was convinced to stick to desktops. That was primarily because there are certain programs and uses I feel a desktop PC would be better able to handle than even the most powerful laptop. I still haven't fully embraced my Chromebook to utilize it more than my PC. Namely (and sadly), using the Chromebook for making blog posts. Since I am also doing 3D modeling and music production, I want something a bit more powerful to help in those two departments. My current PC can only do so much. I feel it is time to move on with this current PC I am using.
I also entertained the thought of a mini PC. However, I feel a mini PC may end up costing me a lot to turn it into a PC I can properly and consistently use extensively. This also was part of my downsizing interests.
As of the time of this post, I narrowed my options for my next PC to be either a refurbished HP office PC or a refurbished Dell office PC. The ones I am looking at are between the price points of $130 USD to $160 USD. I feel these would suit me as my main PC to go better than my barely capable current PC. I am also a fairly confident either one I may go with can be used extensively without feeling like going back to my current Acer PC.
When Should You Decide to Get a New Computer?
Now is the time to answer the main question to this post. When should you buy a new computer? There are two key factors to consider before thinking about getting a new computer:• Do you feel your computer can only do so much to where you need a new one?
A new computer can handle some tasks better than your current one and may justify the purpose to buy a new one. If you feel your current PC can be replaced with a better one, go for that purchase of a new PC.
• Is your computer simply no longer performs as well as it could?
If your PC has a lot of issues like viruses or anything, it is time to move on if you can. Don't be tethered to a computer that once performed very well but no longer does. Just hope you can pick up a PC that will serve you better than the current stricken one you are using.
It shouldn't really be a matter of replacing a computer within a certain number of years. If you can maximize its usage further and further, then hold onto your PC as much as you can. Remember in my own PC owning experience that my HP desktop PC lasted about 11 years before I finally decided to get a new computer. If you want to set a certain years limit on PCs, think about an acceptable range of years before deciding to go with a newer unit. For most people, 5-8 years owning a computer is about average. Like I said before, though, stay with your computer for as long as you feel it suits your needs before wanting to get a new one. Do not be pressured into buying the most modern computer as soon as one comes out.
More than anything, get yourself a new computer when you feel there is something better that you can work with than what you have currently. Make sure that the newer computer meets your needs also. Happy computer shopping! :)
That's all. If you care to discuss this topic, here's my question to you:
How many years do you hold onto your PC before wanting to buy a new one?
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