I’m sure Kenny Rogers wasn’t singing about computers when he wrote “The Gambler”. For one thing, it was released in 1978 when one computer would fit into a gymnasium. Even so, truer words were never spoken, er sung. One of the most common questions I’ve gotten over the years is when is it time to buy a new computer? It’s a big decision, both monetarily and in time and effort, so let’s take a look at the factors that need to be considered before dropping your hard-earned money.
Money, like everything else, is the first thing to consider before doing anything. Have you priced computers lately? You can spend a small fortune on a computer these days! There’s a large difference in pricing between a lower end computer and one with the best of everything, but you’ll easily be dropping four hundred dollars for a machine that is capable of handling day-to-day computer needs. That’s not chump change. If your computer is still performing well, purchasing a new one is more of a want than a need.
Just as important as our finances (or at least it should be) is our security. As we mentioned in the blog post “Windows Updates – Why Bother” which can be read by clicking here if you missed it, Microsoft will only support an operating system for a given length of time. Updates to patch security vulnerabilities in Windows XP ended in April of 2014 after a period of thirteen years. If you’re reading this blog on a machine utilizing XP, run don’t walk to your nearest technology store! Identity theft is a very real possibility with computers running on outdated operating systems. If your computer is on XP, unfortunately it won’t be powerful enough to support a modern operating system, and therefore an upgrade won’t be possible. You’d need to buy new.
The programs you use are the next thing to consider. I’ll give you a perfect example. We do a lot of graphic design work at Finish Line. From website design to logos, we use Adobe Photoshop on a daily basis. The last work computer I used had Adobe Photoshop CS which I believe came out in 2004. Photoshop uses a lot of resources, and is very demanding on a computer. Several versions came out between CS and CS6 which I finally broke down and purchased last year because I knew I was missing out on new features. Technology moves quickly, and my computer, that was more than adequate for the 2004 version, couldn’t handle the new one. So, I had to fold and upgrade in order to use my new program.
Everyone’s situation is unique. There’s not a hard and fast rule to answer the question of when is it time to buy a new computer? A rule of thumb I tell my clients is that it’s a good practice to upgrade equipment every five years. This will usually keep them safe and secure, with the productivity to match. Of course, bad things do happen physically to computers which renders them expensive paperweights, but they often can’t be avoided. As with anything in life, Kenny Rogers had it right. The hardest thing is knowing when to hold ’em and when to fold ’em!