How often do you change computers?

Question

Computers are changing so fast and the software as well so it makes what we buy today out of date very soon. I used the old machine five years and now have had this one one year and find this one can use some updating already.

Answer 1

I guess I don't quite understand what you mean when you say, "...had this one one year and find this one can use some updating already..."

Typically, when you run into a situation when a computer needs to be updated, it's a rather specific situation, ie., a game you want to play that requires more RAM, or you require a faster graphics card, or something like that.

They way you have worded it, I'm wondering if you are just unhappy with the performance of the current system.

I for one, am a firm believer in what is called an operating system's half life. I download often, install, and uninstall software, and am constantly moving files beween drives, and ultimately this turns the registry into something akin to spaghetti.

With my current systems, I have a boot drive, and then I have seperate storage drives, therefore, I can format my system about every 6 months with little problem. That cures things like freezing, loosing performance, too much time booting, and other cooties that generally occur over time.

This is what your complaint really sounds like.

However...

The people that drive the computer business are the OC'ers and the hard core gamers. It is requiring the speed and capacity (mhz and ram) that is what these guys look for --generally speaking. I know that entails improvements in bus speed (SATA vs. PATA) and things like recent changes in PCI cards. that also evolve over time, and just not chip speed and RAM capacity.

Now for myself I am not a gamer, but I do a lot of Video Editing. I've been into computing since 1993, and I am on my 3rd system. I build my own now, so that if I do choose to make a change, I can just make the change and not purchase a complete system.

I'm sure you have heard similar stories, but my 2nd system was right around $3,000.00 in 1995 and in 1997 that same system would have cost less than $1,000.00. Now that is nuts!

What made my system obsolete, and this goes back to being specific, had to do with my video editing. I decided to use a different software application. It was written for the Windows XP platform, and my PII 333mgz with Windows 98 was simply too slow for the drivers. but I used that computer for 7 years with little or no problems. I upgraded to '98, max'd the RAM, and added storage drives. That's all I did, and that system did me fine for 7 years.

Performance problems can indicate a tune-up, as it were. If that's the case, just keep making backups, or have seperate storage, and format regularly. Not weekly, but once or twice a year should be sufficient.

Now you also mentioned updating. That's something quite different. Maybe the chip on your mother board isn't the fastest chip the board can handle, or maybe your board can operate with more RAM than you currently have installed. This is a little more difficult to know when you should make these changes. One thing that I am a huge proponent of is maxing the RAM. Regardless of what you do with the system, how old it is, or whatever else, if you are serious about your computer, find out what the maximum capacity is, and find out what the fastest speed your bus will utilize, and get it in there! Just doing that will cure many ills. But with any of this (Except the RAM) use caution. You don't have to have the latest graphics card, the most current audio card and every other peripheral that comes on the market. Many times, you put in a new card, and you won't notice any difference.

And as far as changing entire system, if you need to do that after a year, you did something grossly wrong when you purchased it in the first place!

Answer 2

I change computers about every 3 years. I normally do not go out and buy a computer to do this though. I just replace the motherboard and processor avery three years and upgrade the other hardware as needed , or when the price of what I want has dropped to a steal of a deal.

Answer 3

I change computers every three years, and up grade as time and finances allow. Always looking for a computer bargin, and have found that The Home Shopping Club offers many great bargains on computers, they even offer flex pay which is a great convience.

Answer 4

I don't actually "replace" my computer, I just do a few upgrades as money and time allow. I built my current desktop last year and have since swapped out the motherboard, doubled the RAM and added a few different devices, but it's pretty much the same system.

Answer 5

I buy a new pc when its no longer usable, or when theres a new os, like vista coming in 07. Its technically only out of date if you have an alod operating system like windows 98 or something like that.

Answer 6

every 2 years.

Answer 7

Well let me tell ya what, when I see a brown streak running up the middle then I have to change it FAST!

Answer 8

i custom build my computer (yes, i am asian) and i change 1 part per every 2 months on average.

Answer 9

Every two years.

Answer 10

once a year