I can't say I'm the best in computers beside using them. I don't know the inside, I know they are always coming out with something new and improved, from upgrades such as software and hardware. I can't keep up, however, For the past few years I have a best friend who is awesome at building computers, therefore, he's all up on the lastest items and such. He says I have enough space and a big enough motherboard to enhance with modern technology for about 3 years...I'm like wow..lol
Now do I listen, Nope, I feel if there is nothing wrong with my computer I'm not upgrading if I don't have to. The computer I have now is about a year old, yes the bestfriend built it, But, prior I had that computer for about 5 years..lol and it was hard to part with it.
But, he saves everything so when I log on with my new computers, it's just how I left it...
So my questions to you is how long do you keep your computer, before having to say goodbye and start searching for a new one? Are you one that start reading books and asking around? Don't care? Do you have yours built, just store bought, or go through a company like Dell? Lastly, are you just a computer wise and up on everything that changes?
Please share your stories...
[question posted by mzbubblie]
responses and comments:
5 years already? I must say I am surprised it has not already broken down! But seriously, if a computer can last for 5 yrs, it deserves a pat on his motherboard. ^^ So here's my suggestion, go ahead and get a new computer. For your current one, use it as a backup. Chances are that it is going to spoil anyway... so use the new one and revert to the current if things go wrong - it would give you some time to arrange for a third computer. :P [lordwarwizard]
Goodness, no one uses ME nowadays! Switch to XP or Vista (if you are adventurous enough). [lordwarwizard]
Well, if the present one is just one year old and your friend says you are good for another 3 ,then I don't think you need to change much.By the time you really need to change anything ,there would be many upgradations on the present versions.So,it's better to wait when you are having no problems. The present one I am using is custom built and I like working on it.I have a Acer laptop for backup ,but hardly use it.I know the common essentials of a computer.Can't say I know it inside out .I am more into softwares than hardwares.So,when I need suggestion on something that's new to me ,I either turn online or go to a friend of mine who is into computer manufacturing. [bluewings]
Yes, that's always a plus, I'm more less the type if it ain't broke I'm not fixing it..lol..And will be just as content with what I have...lol [mzbubblie]
My husband is in the computer industry and keeps up on software on a daily basis by reading magazines, the internet and courses. He has also done some hardware work and upgrades our computer's hardware as necessary. I asked him about your question and he said that if you have a friend that is knowledgeable, then stick with him as you are saving money and getting a good system by someone who knows what they are doing and that you trust. Personally, I don't keep up with that hardware upgrades as I see how much my husband reads on stuff and he tells me what is changing. I too have a couple of hard drives around, actually I should ask the hubby about that is his office is getting kind of cluttered, lol. [gardengalz]
Well you never have to, you already have someone that knows exactly what to do...You are just like me, just use it for what you need and that's that..lol.. But, as my best friend and your husband, I know there are ton of others that enjoy reading and staying up to date on that sort of stuff [mzbubblie]
I actually handpicked the parts inside my computer. As long as it's compatible and it will run smoothly then I'll buy it. It should also be cheap. Whenever a new operating system, game, or software comes out and it has high requirements then that's the time I replace the part that needs an upgrade. You don't have to buy the whole package just because one part isn't compatible. As for my computer, my motherboard is already 2 years old. My newest addition would be my graphics card. [xtedaxcvg]
Ohh I see you pretty savvy about computer upgrades. I'm not at all..lol..But, I do try to be up to date a little bit. When my computer is not running fast as I want, I always ask... [mzbubblie]
I've had my same computer since 2000 it came from radio shack then,when they had the booths in there selling for other companies.I have friend that know alot of things about computers.He installed a new hard drive and extra ram to it 3 years ago and a few other things.My computer has been doing good.He just bought a laptop from best buy and thinking about giving that to me.I guess when your computer is slow thats when you neee another one or need to install.. [disvachic]
That's when I said I think I need to also..I don't know much about them at all..But I do know enough to know when something isn't right inside it..I just ask my friend..lol [mzbubblie]
I often say it!! hahaha, only because computer companies always releases a new one one after the other. Well its all in the mind. I'm not changing it that quick. But I'll probably upgrade it piece by piece. Eventually, it'll be looking like a new one :) [jvego7426]
hehehehe Yes, I agree with you there, I just change the whole thing over after it start getting a little slower or it's something I want on it..lol [mzbubblie]
I usually have kept my computers for about two years before getting a new one. I have had my current one for about that long and still runs okay but I think the only thing it really needs right now is more RAM and somewhat bigger hard drive and it still should work well. I would like to get a laptop so I can have one to take around and would be insurance if this one were to crash. Sometimes you will know to get a new computer when they no longer sell parts for your current computer. [kgwat70]
Oh that's cool meaning if certain parts are discountinued. Yes, I would think that would play a role in now it's time to get a new computer... [mzbubblie]
I think one should stick to his computer before thinking for a new one till he is comfortable working on it. I got my first computer, a desktop in 2000 and used it nicely till 2004. Then its configuration became too old and I needed new things like CD writer etc. Then I decided to go for a new one and got my Dell Inspiron notebook which I am using till date. Actually our computer's configuration becomes old the very next day of our purchase as we are having new technologies continuously evolving. So, one cant get a new computer everytime. And when one has a notebook, one more disadvantage is that upgrading it is very tough nut to crack. So, I am planning to use my present notebook till I am satisfied with it and then I shall plan a new one! [amitksing]
well if your my husband you want the newest latest and greatest but we've had our current computers for a few years HOWEVER that being said he has made upgrades or modified it. He's a gamer. I use mine fo rinternet and e-bay and photos so I don't need to upgrade like him but he's got to have all sorts of things to make the picture look as realistic aspossible. I say when it breaks fix it. lol [tenfairytoes]
I was given a used computer in 1998 that I did have to do several upgrades for, but it was fun learning how they worked that way. Luckily I had a computer savvy friend that knows more about the "guts" than I do. He just upgraded what needed to be upgraded depending on what I needed to use the computer for. Until we couldn't find parts for it anymore, that is. Moved on to another one then. :) I'm on my 3rd computer now and it was purchased new. It took time to figure out what components I wanted/needed so this is the best one yet. I do have it set up to do the automatic software updates so I stay pretty current. I also use my system tools to keep the computer cleaned up and that usually helps speed things up again quickly. Even this task can be set up so the computer does a self cleaning. (Wish my apartment had this kind of feature, lol) The best way to determine when to get a new one, is when it no longer does what you want it to. I think you'll continue being a satisfied computer user by listening to your computer buddy. :) [paidreader]
Well how often you upgrade is dependent on your needs. I refurbished an old Pentium III Compaq a few years ago and gave it to my wife's sister. She's still using it and has no need to upgrade. All she does is listen to music, email, and surf the web. An old P3 can do that just as well as the newest fanciest computer out there so she has no need to upgrade. I on the other hand, do alot of gaming. Gaming demands much more out of a computer than other tasks. I build a new comp when my old hardware becomes obsolete for the games I play. Typically that takes 2 to 3 years. My first build in 2002 had an AMD AthlonXP 2000 and a Geforce Ti 4400 AGP video card. It was great for it's time, but eventually I had to move on to bigger and better hardware for my games. So I built a comp in 2005 with an AMD Athlon64 X2 3800 and a GeForce 6800GT video card. My RAM, hard drive, and DVD drive I just pulled from the old machine and put it into the new one. If you're not a gamer, upgrading shouldn't be necessary unless your old comp is actually dieing. If you are using an Intel comp that is over 3 years old you'll have difficulty upgrading or finding replacement parts. Same thing goes for an AMD comp that is over 5 years old. If you have something that old, you should consider buying or building something new rather than upgrading. [Taskr36]
I've been saying it's time for a new computer for a while. However, my dad had been using mine, but now it's mine again and it's the only one I got. I'll probably keep it until it dies on me. [monica1981]
I purchased my computer early last year. But it took me a while before deciding on the right hardwares and products before buying. I had to asked about a hundred questions on a single item since I'm not a computer guru either. Upgrading system is actually a must and helps you keep updated. Plus the fact that it can make surfing the internet faster. You can keep your old computer for the meantime. It maybe useful in times you encountered a problem with the new one. [charms88]
Five years back if somebody would say i have the latest technology in the market and he don't need any upgrades for at least two years,it can be assumed that he is right.But now a days u never know that when company comes with new hardware and software.Because of the competition in market these days,companies are coming with lot of new products and thay keep on upgrading their software and hardware. [askguru]
I do not have a set time to get a new computer. I just use them until the new programs no longer work or if one starts needing a lot of repair. I have 7 old computers because I still keep them even when they no longer run the newer programs. As cheap as computers are it is better to just purchase a new one rather than upgrade them. I have found about every 3 years I buy a new one, not because it is upgraded, mainly because I fill one up or it just does not perform well enough. I bought my last ones from Dell, because I have a dell at work and it has never given me any problems for 4 years. [wmg2006]
Its time to say time for a new computer when the computer is working too slow already and showing signs of malfunction even if youre not doing anything! [hikarushidou]
You'll know and feel it when it's about time... [sadmonkey]
Well, I have just purchased a Laptop due to I am always traveling that will come in handy for things, and then the Computer I am using at home I have had for 2 yrs. now. I have had 1 or 2 minor issues with it, but it is a P4 and works great. I even added another Hard drive to it late November for extra storage. As for how long I keep a Computer... It really depends. I had one that was what my husband used to play games on until he decided an Xbox would be more easier for him, and then we had one with Windows ME that was a joke, so my Mom bought it off me to give to my sister, and I bought the one I had before this that was Great until my hard drive failed. Now I have the one I am on now, and the Lap top I am getting, and hope to have these for a long time. [KrauseHome]
When I started out... I bought 3 computers between 1994 and 1999... and it cost me $5500 . I decided that it was like throwing money out of the window. The 1999 one was a Pentium II 350... I still have it and while slow... it is running better with Windows XP than it did with Windows 98. The only thing I changed was the hard disk. I have a 80Gb hard disk in it. I also bought a second hand Pentium IV 1.70GHz last year... and I feel that it is all I need. I don't plan to get anything else for a while. In conclusion... if you don't use your computer as a game machine to play the latest games... a Pentium IV 2GHz is more than adequate to do everything you want to do. Buying a new computer every two years is strickly for the people who have too much money. I do upgrade my computers when there is a need for it. Like increasing my ram memory or buying a larger hard disk... or a better video card... but that is all. I still have the printer that I bought in 1995... a HP Laserjet 4L. But I had to buy a new scanner because the old one was not compatible with the Pentium IV. I needed a PCI SCSI card which almost cost as much as a scanner. So I bought a new scanner. The other thing I did in 2002 was to buy a 17 inches monitor. That made a big difference. [Aussies2007]
For me, I will keep my computer running until it blacks out which means dead. After which, I will dissect its body parts, sounds like doing surgery operation. Replace the old with the newly bought parts and run it again. By implementing my plan, if it is over the budget, I will consider buying a new one direct from manufacturer like toshiba, sony, acer, dell. [titaniumsoul]
My personal expririence with this is actually quite recent. I jad an old 17 gig, 256 mb RAM...this thing was like 8-10 years old easily. This thing would sound like a bomb was about to explode from with in, while the charge was warming up. And u could hear the damn thing from the other room. Then every so often you would hear a spring being set off; every 4 second or so. When ur computer does this-get a new one....I went through dell CANADA-who's costumer service is very good-nothing like the horror stories i read on forums. The dell computer really does look nice, bold and professional. It works too! You can even customize your P.C-which I like...all in all DELL ROCKS! [Garry_NEC]
i love computers. i cant live without them. i got my computer changed three times. i love latest technologies. i purchased a new gameboy cabinet for my computer and even i an a X360 lover, so i have a x360 box with lots of games. but still hang out with computer for chat and making new friends. [virtualjatin]
throughout all my history with computers I needed a new one only when the last one was really old or when someone in the family needed another computer I always got the new one while he got mine (lucky me). [shomomo]
I have mine DIY. I don't really know much about these stuff too. with all the dual core, core 2 dual stuff. I don't even know what's newer now. I just keep using until I find that some news stuff is actually running slow on my PC. Thats when I decide to go back out to the market and hunt for the new stuff to add on. Its a chore, to DIY your PC. There are prices to look at and many other things like OEM and direct parts. But hey, as long as the computer is usable, I dont bother. [NatureBoy]
Im not a comp expert but i know quite a few things,basically u neednt go crazy after every new upgrade that hits the market, most of it is unnecessary.morover if u already have a decent enough system with all the sound cards and graphic cards, u can stick to it for good deal of time.One thing u need to make sure is you must always make a thorough analysis on the latest availables in the market when u upgrade ur computer.And by analysis i mean its uses and whether it is needed for you.Im the sort of a person who goes by what my brother( a comp expert) says.And what he says is what i have just told you.We buy our computer parts off the market and we fix it all by ourselves and we make the necessary softwares installed , we don't go and seek the help of an external person.thats it! [Aryanbharani]
When i feel like im not happy with my old computer and im getting jealous to somebody who got a new version or latest model of compact, Apple something like that... [vashstampede992000]
i have read a book on computers and the author suggested that we should not upgrade the old computer. upgrading may cause incompatibility issues. let it stay as is for as long as it is not yet broken. when you feel like buying a new computer, just go ahead. new computers are better than the old ones. just transfer the data from your old computer to the new one. the author was right. i agreed with him. [windang]
It's time to say time for a new computer when I realize that I cannot keep more than 20 open programs at the same time ahaha just kidding it's just that I'm crazy like that and I keep a thousand applications open at the same time :D I guess I better have to change it when all of the new videogames do not run on it anymore :) [nageki]
in computers u cant say its got old and time to change coz u can upgrade it using higher parts and if ur pc is too slow means all the parts become older and u get bored seeing the same pc then u can really CHANGE it. now u can say its time to change the System. [getsweet_2u]
My current computer I have had about 7 years now and it's still working like the day I bought it. Of course, it's been through numerous upgrades. I custom built my computer and when there's something new I need to play a game I upgrade that one section only. It's an easy way to not get hit with a $600 bill (if you buy those bottom line ones) every so many years. Instead, I spend about $100-$150 every 1-2 years in it. Actually, since I haven't played games that often anymore I haven't upgraded in almost 2 years. I know everything in my computer and I know what it can and can't do. I'm actually due right now for a hard drive upgrade as I'm running out of storage space. In this computer I've only had 2 parts every fail, one CD-RW drive and the power supply once. Both were easy and simple replacements that were under $25. Beats spending a fortune at once on a new computer. [JediSkipdogg]
I think you should change computer or any other piece of technology when it can no longer do the things you want it to do. specifically with a computer i would say to keep the same one as long as it can do the things you bought it for. [warhammerwarrior20]
Yes, that's true do, I take it that's how you go about it with your computer huh :) [mzbubblie]
It is about six years, when I bought a computer. Now due to some viruses, and upgradation I have changed my system and bought a new one. Because, If I upgrade it, it will be of no use as upgradation cost is almost the same as of the new one. [funzone]
Yes very true..well i'm glad you are virus free, that is one thing I do know about my pc, I make sure I scan my computer faithfully [mzbubblie]
I would say it is up the individual as to when to get a new computer. If you are happy with the one you have and you are able to run everything you want on it without it being to slow then you should be fine for a while. Let me tell you though new software is being built to run on faster machines, so check the hardware requirements before you buy. Also old software is being phased out, so if this is important to you, you will need to keep up at least enough to still have technical support if you need this. You can upgrade old computers some what to handle new software, but eventually they will become dinasours. They may still have some life in them however, they just may need to become re-purposed. If your computer is only a year old you should be good for some time, depending on what you purchased. [cayennepepper]
You can add memory and other things to help you keep up a little longer before you buy another computer. It really depends on what you do with your machine. If you are just using a word processor and sending e-mail you can get buy with a lot less than if you develope software or play video games all the time. Hope this helped. [cayennepepper]
Now a days with new advances in Hardware every day, its difficult to keep your system to the latest specs. I always try to upgrade my Computer in 3 years. [indianjassi]
oh well that's not bad I guess I be pushing it an extra 2 years with 5 huh..hehehehe [mzbubblie]
I am really thankful for personal computers. These modern gadgets have been very helpful in many of the people's personal and office concerns. My first personal computer was since 1997, and it was a PC 386 model. Quite a slow type of computer so I really had a difficult time with it. After a few months I just cant stand the computer any longer, so I decided to replace it with a better one. [ernst111]
I hear that...I have had mine for a minute, I'm going to wait around a little longer.... [mzbubblie]
i think . if we get infected by by a b00t sector virus den we shud buy a new 1 rather getting it reparied [sood1992]
Mine is very old too, I think built in 1995. I would love to get a new one too, but don't have the cash. I would be lost without mine. If you have an old one, you have to know how to diagnose problems on your own. Once you are not in the warrantee period, it is useless to call for example, ibm, to get help. you need to do usual "maintenance" on it, etc....to make it last. I don't keep alot on my c drive, and clean it out as often as possible. If you take care of it and know how to fix problems, then it will last a long time. [kims374]
I know i would be lost without mine too. If there is a problem with the server at home, I work at it until I get it to work. I remember one time I was without a pc for 2 days...I didn't know how to act when I got it to work again..lol [mzbubblie]