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How often do you buy a new computer?

  • 1-2 years (Moores law is the law)

    Votes: 4 8.5%
  • >2-4

    Votes: 15 31.9%
  • >4-6

    Votes: 17 36.2%
  • >6-8

    Votes: 8 17.0%
  • >8-10

    Votes: 2 4.3%
  • 10+ (The commodor 64 rocks!)

    Votes: 1 2.1%
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How often do you get a new computer

7K views 74 replies 43 participants last post by  Joe 
#1 ·
Personally, I try to hold on to mine as long as possible (about 6-8 years). Just as long as I can do day to day things without crashes or watching paint dry.
 
#2 ·
Well, I've had mine since 2008, and it runs as fast as the day I got it. But, 1)it's a mac, 2) I don't download a ton of programs/extra crap.
 
#5 ·
My first two-notebooks (I'm on my third now) lasted about 5-years each, but they were travelling with me on the highway, which may have shortened their brief lives.
 
#8 ·
I haven't ever in my entire life bought a new computer, and I'm a computer nerd


Basically, my parents bought me a C64 and after that an Amiga 500 back in the day, after that I bought a second hand Amiga 1200 (for which I had to buy a replacement motherboard last year).

Until 2005 I only used my A1200, and didn't have a peecee. In that year someone gave me an old Pentium laptop (which I used for some old games, like Warcraft 2), and shortly after that someone else gave me a 550 mhz Pentium 3 based machine. Now I use a 667 mhz Pentium 3, which I also got for free.

So basically the answer is never. This will undoubtedly change in the future, but I'm probably not getting anything new any time soon.
 
#12 ·
I buy mine every 5+ years for my laptops, and 8 years for the towers since i tend to just replace what's inside, but i actually have a looooooooot of computers of all kinds, unfortunately not a commodre ;-( the older ones run under linux debian or openbsd, and they like new, even faster that the new windows 7 ( well, after some serious tweaks ).

I buy a new laptop only when i need more power ( ram, ghz, GC ) than i can have by upgrading, or when i just don't have the rime to play around searching for special components wich became rare. Some softwares and ip blacklists require it.

Nevertheless, viva el commodor
 
#18 ·
I've only had three desktops since 1998. First two lasted me 6 years each and the third one is just shy of a year old now. I'm not one to always need the latest and greatest gadgets, and will only purchase a new computer when the old one will no longer perform the minimal tasks required of it.
 
#19 ·
macs stand the test of time better than other, yes, but 90% of the time, when something goes wrong, you are much more likely to be forced to replace your whole computer rather than just changing a part... and given their price, i wouldn't consider it as being cheaper.

But basically if you want your computer to last long, always make sure it stays cold, if you can feel it's hot with your hand, something is wrong, the more hot your computer becomes, the quicker it will be "used".
make shure it has space to breath fresh and clean air, avoid using it near the floor ( 20cm hight is more dirty, dunno the word in english, all those little grey things ), and from time to time don't forget to open your computer and clean the ventilator. If it's a laptop avoid closing the screen on the keyboard. Don't shut them down brutally, leave some ram free... It's better to use your laptop flat rather than inclined, for example on the train or on your knees, with time some parts can become to move a little, nothing big but you can have problems if the hard drive works a lot a this moment ( and anyway having a laptop on you is bad for fertility ).
 
#20 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by vegan cyberpunk View Post

But basically if you want your computer to last long, always make sure it stays cold, if you can feel it's hot with your hand, something is wrong, the more hot your computer becomes, the quicker it will be "used".
MacBook Pros and iMacs are made of aluminum. They're designed to absorb heat and be hot.
 
#22 ·
Got my first laptop in 2007... Replaced it in 2009 and a few months ago that one died but I couldn't afford a new laptop plus I needed something small (because I have to take it to college on my motorbike) so I have a netbook now..

My 2007 laptop is kinda OK... It's just really slow now.. I pretty much use my netbook for everything even though I know I shouldn't...
 
#24 ·
I get a new laptop every 2 years or so and I upgrade my desktop continually, so whether I replace it or not it's always got new stuff in it. The replaced parts are used to upgrade my older computers, which aren't necessarily retired. The older ones serve purposes ranging from media storage to experimenting with questionable 3rd party software to see what kinds of surprises it comes with before putting it on my primary computers.
 
#26 ·
Our family always buys new computers with the extended warranties. We like to have computers that are fairly up to date for gaming and such, so by the time the extended warranty runs out (four years or so?) we just go ahead and replace them. We use our old computers as backup, servers to host games, and loaners to family or friends who find themselves in need of a computer.
 
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