How Often Do You Buy a New Computer?

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Seems like if we want to keep up-to-date, we should buy a new computer every two years or so. Who has the money to do so? Wouldn't it be smarter to lease? Tell me about how long your computer lasts and why you get a new one. Also speculate on how much longer my trusty '99 Lombard G3 PowerBook will tick for. I am taking it to the shop tomorrow--hopefully the prognosis will not be dire. What do you do with your old computers? Do laptops have a shorter life-span than desktops?

― Mary (Mary), Monday, 2 February 2004 08:59 (twenty years ago) link

take heed: leasing is not smarter. if you replace every two years, you end up paying more with a lease over the same period. you're better off taking out a loan.

― the surface noise (electricsound), Monday, 2 February 2004 09:02 (twenty years ago) link

as i learned the hard way

― the surface noise (electricsound), Monday, 2 February 2004 09:03 (twenty years ago) link

my last laptop was bottom-of-the-line when I bought it in 99 and it lasted me nearly four solid years. Since I just paid a ton of money to get this one repaired it better have similar longevity (and it's pretty close to the top of the line, too).

― TOMBOT, Monday, 2 February 2004 09:08 (twenty years ago) link

Was your laptop a Mac, Tom? If so, which one? How did it die, if it did? And what do you have now, TiBook? And did you have a problem with the motherboard on a new computer?

― Mary (Mary), Monday, 2 February 2004 09:23 (twenty years ago) link

About every 6 or 7 years:

ZX Spectrum+ 1986
Atari STE 1992
PC 1999

― robster (robster), Monday, 2 February 2004 09:28 (twenty years ago) link

1. Yes
2. iBook, the turquoise one
3. not dead, just crashes a lot if I try to do more than two things at a time on it (e.g. email + web, web + chat) because it is severely lacking in horsepower.
4. PowerBook 15" 1.25 Ghz model
5. Yes, I spilled wine on it. Wine damage is not covered by warranty.

― TOMBOT, Monday, 2 February 2004 09:29 (twenty years ago) link

i want a new one, mine is now just over 3 years old. still works okay though

― stevem (blueski), Monday, 2 February 2004 10:00 (twenty years ago) link

1994, 1998, 2003 so far. This one (a desktop PC, as the others have been) is working well, fairly hardcore, and should last me until 2007 or so unless I take up graphic design or heavy gaming.

― Markelby (Mark C), Monday, 2 February 2004 10:25 (twenty years ago) link

1988 Apple II
1992 486 SX 33
1995 Pentium - 133MHz
1997 Pentium II - 333MHz
2003 Pentium 4 - 2.4GHz

The two latter purchase were only about £400 (1997 purchase was second hand, and 2003 purchase was built from parts), the rest were daddy purchases since I were just a kiddie back then.

Buying is definitely better, esp since nowadays it gives you the option of setting up a network in your flat etc. and share broadband internet/play red alert etc.

or you can amalgamate the old and new computer with the best bits from both.

or you can sell the old computer on the local newspaper to some idiots who will pay you shitloads of money thinking your computer is the dogs bollocks. (harder to do nowadays as more people become computer literate)

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 2 February 2004 11:01 (twenty years ago) link

(p.s. the years may be slightly out)

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 2 February 2004 11:02 (twenty years ago) link

I have never bought a computer! I trapped the Beast in the Wilds (ok, N1 then). I have no ideas of the Beasts innards although I know it's got some RAM in it.

― Sarah (starry), Monday, 2 February 2004 11:05 (twenty years ago) link

Cos I got someone to put it in there for me.

― Sarah (starry), Monday, 2 February 2004 11:06 (twenty years ago) link

I'd expect at leas t4 years out of a computer nowadays, unless you are a hardcore gamer or other resource hungry user.

― Ed (dali), Monday, 2 February 2004 15:02 (twenty years ago) link

Last computer: PC bought in '97. Traded it for a friend's last year, which had a ridiculous amount of problems. Bought my new laptop a few months ago. Planning on using it for the rest of my life.

― Jordan (Jordan), Monday, 2 February 2004 15:27 (twenty years ago) link

At last count, about every five years -- 1987, 1992, 1997 -- though I picked up my G4 Cube in 2001, I think. It's still serving me more than fine for my needs so I probably won't get a new one for a long while yet.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 2 February 2004 16:20 (twenty years ago) link

3-4 years seems about right. just 2 months ago, i just replaced the computer i had since jan 2000 -- and with which i'd been having intermittent problems, but worked well enough until it just crashed 2 months ago. that previous computer replaced a computer that i bought in nov' 95, used heavily till jan 2000, STILL HAVE and still works reasonably well.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Monday, 2 February 2004 16:25 (twenty years ago) link

Like Sarah, i have never bought a computer. I always get other ppl's cast-offs...a couple of Macs from my landlord, a laptop from my then girlfriend (which I was forced to give back) and then an old PC from work.

― MarkH (MarkH), Monday, 2 February 2004 16:25 (twenty years ago) link

I've bought two computers in 5 years. My only real concern is the the space the computer takes us, as all I do is go on the net and scan pictures. So, that's why I got a laptop, I don't really plan to replace for a a good number of years.

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 2 February 2004 17:35 (twenty years ago) link

1995, 2000, 2003

― s1ocki (slutsky), Monday, 2 February 2004 19:52 (twenty years ago) link

In the last 6 years I've bought and sold about 20 computers. I used to make quite a bit of money (and am starting to again - look out) and just love to have them around and tinker. I do get bored of them quite easily and almost always give in to the impulse to move up (faster processor, better grpahics card) or sideways (Mac and Linux). Right now I have a Dell desktop and am about to put up a g4 ibook on Ebay.

― B61 (calstars), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 01:30 (twenty years ago) link

whenever i think i need a new 1 i had bought a new a emachines pc 3yr ago it pisst me off totally crap so i bought a dell i love it

― Emma williams (Emma williams), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 01:33 (twenty years ago) link

whoa there... slow down.

― martin m. (mushrush), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 01:36 (twenty years ago) link

About 5 years for me - I like to upgrade and tinker rather than get whole new machines, so:

- 1996 (486DX with 4mb ram and windoze 3.1, them was the days), which got a new m/board and ram til I couldnt do any more without replacing pretty much everything, so then:
- 2000 (P3 850, 128mb ram, 17 inch monitor, win98). I still have this machine and use it now and then, it could use a new video card and loads more RAM tho so I can play SIMS2 on it when it comes out *drools*.
- 2003 (P4 1.3gb laptop with 128mb RAM and winXP Pro). I love my lappy, but its video card is shite, and I dont think I can replace/upgrade it, so it'll be pretty useless for games, which didnt matter until Sims2 came onto the horizon so now I'm annoyed. I got it on work salary sacrafice, tax and interest free, have been easily able to pay it off in one year. Woo! I love working in IT.

― Trayce (trayce), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 01:41 (twenty years ago) link

I'm about to buy a new computer, having had this one (400mhz, 64mb ram, 4gb hdd) since early 1999.

My computer hasn't fucked up ever. The most intensive use it gets is with music software. It can't cope with very expensive software, but I can use it as a decent 20-or-more-track digital recorder as long as I'm prepared to dick around with doing lots of temporary mixdowns to avoid having it process lots of effects at once.

I want a new computer to avoid having to dick around in this way. But I'm thinking that, with this new one, I'll be done. I seriously can't imagine what else I'm ever gonna need.

(I can understand why I'd need to upgrade again later for games. But I don't play games - except emulated old ones - on my computer. I buy consoles for that.)

Anyway, what will computers, PCs, be able to do in five years time that will make me want to buy a new one? Or why will you want to buy one? What do you want to do that you can't do now? Once you tell me, I'll probably want the same thing too.

― Eyeball Kicks (Eyeball Kicks), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 02:40 (twenty years ago) link

I still have my new computer waiting in the wings, so the old behemoth from 1997 is still operational. Before then, I had a computer I had acquired in 1992 - 1993 that was second-hand and was originally purchased in 1990. So I see a pattern of a seven-year time span for use and operation of the computers I have, from the original date of sale onward, and so I'll say "seven years" here.

― Mellow Dee (Dee the Lurker), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 03:10 (twenty years ago) link

Anyway, what will computers, PCs, be able to do in five years time that will make me want to buy a new one? Or why will you want to buy one? What do you want to do that you can't do now? Once you tell me, I'll probably want the same thing too.

It's not all to do with functionality and reason. It's like upgrading your mobile/cell phone - satisfying a consumerist itch to have the latest gadget/toy.

― Bob Six (bobbysix), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 08:15 (twenty years ago) link

1999 - 2003. I intend to upgrade this one rather than replace it; the guy I'm gonna be best man for is in IT for a big company and is very good at sorting stuff like that out.

― Llahtuos Kcin (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 10:28 (twenty years ago) link

I've never bought a new computer, just upgraded alot, changing cases along the way.

All the way from a 286 to my current Athlon 2400XP.

I try to buy a new Mobo/CPU/RAM setup everytime there's a significant leap in CPU tech, I try to get rid of my old stuff just before the resale prices drop too far.

I add HDDs when I need space.

Video cards whatever is decent when my old one stops running new games at a decent res.

― Jarlr'mai (jarlrmai), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 12:56 (twenty years ago) link

six months pass...

Now is the time for me. Who can recommend what I should get?

I need a PC, not a MAC. I would like a slim monitor and have limited desk space.

Now I have a Dell Dimension XPS B733r, about 6 years old. I haven't been very happy with Dell support, but I like their financing plan. I don't have much upfront cash but willing to spend up to $2000. I will be downloading music and burning CDs. I may do some audio editing on it. I also use computer-aided translation software (Trados) that hogs a lot of memory.

What should I get?

― Maria D. (Maria D.), Friday, 20 August 2004 17:54 (twenty years ago) link

to check prices, try here: http://www.ibuyer.net/

― Lt. Kingfish Del Pickles (Kingfish), Friday, 20 August 2004 21:42 (twenty years ago) link

The trick is definitely to continually upgrade. Find the weakest link in your system, the cpu, the motherboard, the videocard, whatever, and just replace that. Then several months or a year or whatever later do it again. You can keep a pretty sweet system for cheap.
Of course every once in a while, like if you're jumping from a 32 to a 64 bit system, you're gonna have to take the plunge and bite for more than one component.

― Dan I. (Dan I.), Friday, 20 August 2004 21:53 (twenty years ago) link

also, go for a "build-it-yourself" type of site. you can go to websites, pick any particular part you want or just go with an pre-selected grouping of bits, they'll assemble and then ship it to you, usually for cheaper.

this usually saves cash, since you don't have to pay for the licenses of software that Dell, Compaq & etc usually install on your system. Last summer, I got an Intel 2.6Ghz machine with 512Mb of ram and a Radeon 9500 pro video card, and it only ran me about $700, with shipping.

― Lt. Kingfish Del Pickles (Kingfish), Friday, 20 August 2004 22:00 (twenty years ago) link

I never buy computers. I borrow them off other ppl or get freebies The machine I'm using at the mo was free from work. Previously, I was using my ex-gf's laptop, which was a bone of contention for a while. When our IT dept. made good their promise to give out the free pcs i wsa finally able to return the laptop.

― MarkH (MarkH), Saturday, 21 August 2004 17:39 (twenty years ago) link

that wasn't very nice.

― RJG (RJG), Saturday, 21 August 2004 18:05 (twenty years ago) link

*shrugs*

― MarkH (MarkH), Saturday, 21 August 2004 18:07 (twenty years ago) link

Mac geek ahoy....

1995 - Mac 7200 / 120 (Argggh.)
2000 - Mac G3 / 266 (beige desktop, used, got a great deal)
2001 - Modded the G3 with a new G4 / 400 CPU chip and hard drive accelerator card
2002 - Transferred chip and card to G3 blue & white tower (again, used, great deal), thus adding FireWire, USB, and a faster motherboard
2003 - Scored a deal on a used G4 / 867 with a DVD burner and an LCD monitor.

The latest machine works great, although I'm pushing its limits with the audio work that I do. I'm thinking I may upgrade the CPU again and squeeze another year or two out of it - buying a G5 is out of the question right now...

― Tantrum The Cat (Tantrum The Cat), Saturday, 21 August 2004 18:32 (twenty years ago) link

Once.

― Rockist_Scientist (rockist_scientist), Saturday, 21 August 2004 18:36 (twenty years ago) link

1991, Classic II
1995, LC 575
1999, G4 400 Mhz
2003, G4 1.25 Ghz
I guess I'll be due again in '07.

― Rock Hardy (Rock Hardy), Saturday, 21 August 2004 20:59 (twenty years ago) link

one year passes...

this is a long story: I bought a laptop two years ago, next month. two years is a while. got it at john lewis because they do an extra years' guarantee over the manufacturer's standard one. so, the end of my guarantee is coming up and I handed it in to get the hard drive replaced (had been erroring for the past year or so (just on start-up sez "error detected failure imminent back-up data" then starts fine and no other probs (figured I would just get it fixed whenever it did fail (needed it for school and stuff)))). so, I handed it in, they said they didn't know where it would be repaired or how long it would take, I was in a rush and said OK--she said about two weeks. I waited almost two weeks, called, no-one knew where it was or how long it would be and they would call me when they knew. I said "I have to wait, indefinitely?", she said "not indefinitely", I said "there is no definite time", she said "OK indefinitely". rubbish. happen to be in the store, a couple of days later, after recommending my parents buy a laptop from j lewis because of the two year guarantee!!! ridiculous. anyway, I enquire about it and am told I will get a call on mon (it was sat). mon comes and no-one calls, I call in the afternoon--no-one knows, will call me back tues afternoon, I get a call tues after work, has the manufacturer contacted me? no. will call me back wed. wed nothing. I call thurs morning, they will call me back. every time I call, too, I cannot be put straight through to aftersales but have to tell my story again and give my name, phone number, address, postcode and product number that I don't have. so, I get a call back. she says she has been putting off making this call!!! they have lost my computer (this is no massive deal to me since there is no data on). they will replace it w/ a current equivalent model and extend my guarantee by three months. she gives me the model number so I can check it online and confirm. looks OK, I call back to say OK, have to give all my rubbish info again and wait for a call back. she calls back. OK I say and arrange to pick it up after work. she calls, later, leaving voicemail. never guess what. my computer has "arrived". I call back and give all my rubbish details and she calls me back. OK I say and arrange to pick it up after work. nothing else to do. go and pick it up after work. take it home. open it up. start it up. "error detected failure imminent back-up data". haha! no-one has even looked at it!!!! I don't think I believe it has left the shop! I call. it's afterhours, for aftersales. I call this morning, give my rubbish details. two hours later, I call, give my rubbish details. an hour later, I get a call back. I tell her what has or hasn't happened. she says I should bring it in and they will send it away and "track" it and give me a loaner in the meantime. I say this is no good. my work requires a lot of software and I am not setting up a loaner and waiting for my own one to return, whenever. she is not authorised to do anything more than schedule a repair. I ask for someone who is authorised. she says she will speak to the manager. I get a call back, half an hour later. they will send my computer off for repair, give me a loaner and £200 or they will give me a replacement but my guarantee runs out when my guarantee runs out. I say I'll take the replacement w/ its one year manufacturer's guarantee. she says that's fine but at the end of the j lewis guarantee I cannot take it to them. I tell her that that sounds perfect. I went home, at lunchtime, and got the power cables and instruction manual and set-up discs and stuff for it and will pick up my new computer, after work. a new computer : D that I didn't buy but did go through some hassle for : )

― RJG (RJG), Friday, 23 June 2006 12:45 (eighteen years ago) link

I bought my Mac SE, used, in 1990. It died in 2000. 10 years of service. Then I discovered the internet. And color monitors.

― Fluffy Bear (Fluffy Bear Hearts Rainbows), Friday, 23 June 2006 13:11 (eighteen years ago) link

MarkH's posts on this thread are as though provoking as ever

― RJG (RJG), Friday, 23 June 2006 13:41 (eighteen years ago) link

thought though

― RJG (RJG), Friday, 23 June 2006 13:41 (eighteen years ago) link

My main machine is from 1997. I just upgraded from 4 to 6 processors yesterday.
I've had it since... last fall? I expect to get a few years out of it.
The machine it replaced was from 1993.
The oldest things I'm using are a greyscale monitor from 1993, and an
optical mouse from 1991.
Oh, and the vt320, but that doesn't get used every day.

― shieldforyoureyes (shieldforyoureyes), Saturday, 24 June 2006 03:13 (eighteen years ago) link

"Main machine," haha. I have one, it's six years old and it can't do two things at once.

― Hotman Paris Almanac (Autumn Almanac), Saturday, 24 June 2006 03:14 (eighteen years ago) link

I have 3 working PCs at the moment and I'm thinking of buying a new laptop!

You see this is where all the money goes for those of us who dont have cars, home loans or kids. I'm not sure thats a good thing, mind.

― Trayce (trayce), Saturday, 24 June 2006 03:21 (eighteen years ago) link

I don't have home loans or kids, and my car's crap. Would you like a poppy seed? I have six left over from lunch.

― Hotman Paris Almanac (Autumn Almanac), Saturday, 24 June 2006 03:29 (eighteen years ago) link

[i.e. I can't afford a new computer innit]

― Hotman Paris Almanac (Autumn Almanac), Saturday, 24 June 2006 03:29 (eighteen years ago) link

....That and our electricity bills. I'm thinking of buying the updated Nokia 770 in the future and likely a high end Intel Mac. I have all my import files stored on a hosted Subversion repository on my colocated webserver so I don't need a home server.

― Werner Herzog Netflix Quine (ex machina), Saturday, 24 June 2006 03:31 (eighteen years ago) link

They got a word for 'em, they're called bums. And without
a server, switch, or masquerading firewall, that's what you're
gonna be -- a fuckin' bum!

― shieldforyoureyes (shieldforyoureyes), Saturday, 24 June 2006 03:59 (eighteen years ago) link

masquerading firewall, pish posh... get IP6

― Werner Herzog Netflix Quine (ex machina), Saturday, 24 June 2006 04:03 (eighteen years ago) link

i'm holding off for this reason--
http://www.arnnet.com.au/index.php/id;1886451187;fp;256;fpid;98765

another reason is I really don't need a new computer i just want one

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Saturday, 24 June 2006 04:12 (eighteen years ago) link

I want to go to Belgium next year more than I want a new computer, so it'll probably be '08 before I upgrade, which messes up my every-four-years record.

― I will commence to drop a knowledge bomb. (Rock Hardy), Saturday, 24 June 2006 12:04 (eighteen years ago) link

Did you just say BELGIUM? That MUST include BRUGGE. :-)

I regret having bought an iMAC cause now that we (also) have an MacBookPro, I rarely use the big iMAC. I prefer sitting on the loo with the laptop instead of the iMAC. ;-)

― Nathalie (stevie nixed), Saturday, 24 June 2006 12:56 (eighteen years ago) link

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