How often do you replace your computer?

[johns0]

I replace my computer every 2 years and upgrade parts in between.

[cal_tony]

Don't know what to say.

I haven't replaced my computer in about 10 years. It's a 1.6 P4 with 1.5g memory. and even though it's slow it does what I need it to do. I back up my DVDs to disk or hard drive sometimes I will use Shrink to transcode but not often. I also copy my BRs to a hard disk so I can play them on my WD or Seagate players. Other than change them to MKV, and remove some of the unwanted stuff, I don't do any further re-processing. Probably couldn't even if I want to which I don't. I'm always buying peripherals like a BR rROM drive, DVD writers or external hard disks but, except for a sata/esata card that's about it.

I've been buying computers since the early 70s and up until this last one, they really didn't do anything well so I up graded about every 3 years. Usually just a Mother board and a new chip but an upgrade none the less. One of my earlier computers was a "must have" at the time. It was an Eagle "laptop". Well, it wasn't really a lap top, it was a portable that weighed about 30 lbs, but it was one of the first ones to have a hard disk. It had a 10 mb miniscribe that usually had to be reformatted at least once a month. Price for this beauty $5000.00. While others were using single sided 170kb floppys, I had 10 mb.

Tony

[Baldrick]

New laptop every 2 years and my work desktop computer every 3 years.

[Constant Gardener]

I replace them when they fail or my requirements change. For my desktop machine, on average, every five years since 1980. I recently ripped the guts out of a seven-year-old HTPC and turned it into a mid-range gaming machine, which I fear will be upgraded more frequently.

[redwudz]

Probably every two years for my main PC. I usually keep the old ones and delegate them to lesser tasks. My three servers are recycled from earlier main PCs. I'm leaning towards a new PC, but I still have a year to go.

[16mmJunkie]

I also kepp my old PCs around to do other tasks, but about every 2 years I look at purchasing to build a new one. Tech moves so fast I really stay a bit behind in the newer models. Not a gamer so it doesn't effect me.



If the Light ain't Bright, It ain't Right!!

[budz]

I upgrade when I feel the need to. So I'd say I replace about every few years give or take 1 - 2 years. But I upgrade other stuff in between like dvd burners, computer cases, mobo's and cpu's.

Although in these times I have to think twice about buying computer hardware since I'm furloughed at work twice a month which equals 8% cut in pay. But at least I still have a job. So I guess I won't be upgrading as frequently like I use to. Although I do sell computers and hardware on the local craigslist ads. Then I'm able to buy new computer hardware so that helps.

[lordsmurf]

I seem to just add, not replace.

The oldest system is a P4 3Ghz, and there's nothing wrong with it -- great for DVD authoring, intranet file server, SD and audio media playback, scanning images/docs, encoding, duplicating, etc.

At most, I've chucked some motherboard/CPU combos, rest of hardware stayed.

On average, something is added/updated every year, as needed. And ONLY as needed. Just tools to do a job.

[overloaded_ide]

I also ADD more than replace. I only actually replace when one goes bad and that's more a rebuild than a replace. I recently lost one of my favorite older ones. XP1700 AMD CPU, AGP video slot. OUCH it hurt losing that one to bad Cap on the system board since it was the only system left that had AGP slot for my ATI AIW capture card. The hard drive lives on in a new system with the other bigger faster drives. The Ram was DDR so it's on the shelf since my others use DDR2. I am actually goin gto order the caps and try to replace them on that system board and put the system back to work if I can. Why upgrade if the system does the job that needs to be done? That old system did perfect vhs captures, I think it ripped DVDs faster than my newer bigist system, and it was just as fast to burn DVDs as my new systems. Of course I am using the same DVD burners and disks as I always have and that's the limiting speed factor. As for internet that old system was my online system, I won't normally use any work type system online as it is just not worth the risks. With the old system broke I now have to have one of my better system online and I hate that! Although I voted I replace them when they break, I should have voted other maybe, I don't really replace them but I do rebuild them, or replace the system board when one goes bad and if I have to then I replace the other parts as needed like DDR2 for newer boards and CPU for the newer sockets etc...

[John]

I only ever upgrade as i go along, if theres a newer chip, then if i need a new motherboard to go with that, ect. Not upgraded anything for over a year now there hasnt been that many advances worth going for just yet.

[lordsmurf]

I also ADD more than replace. I only actually replace when one goes bad and that's more a rebuild than a replace. I recently lost one of my favorite older ones. XP1700 AMD CPU, AGP video slot. OUCH it hurt losing that one to bad Cap on the system board since it was the only system left that had AGP slot for my ATI AIW capture card. .

You couldn't replace the capacitor?

[ricoman]

I replace my computer approx. every 3 yrs. but do some upgrades in between. I recently replaced my P4 3.0 that I did tons of video encoding with and didn't really feel I needed more. But I built this i7 quad and what use to take me 4-5 hrs. with DVDRebuilder now takes 30-40 min. so I'm thrilled. It's really something to see all 8 processors pop up on the screen.

[pirej]

I bought new PC 3-4 month's ago, after 7 years using the old one, and by the way.. i'm still using the old one(writing on it right now).
I didn't needed a new PC, i just got some bonus from the company i work for, so... i had some extra cash to spend.. haha.

[gadgetguy]

Replace would imply getting rid of the old one. That doesn't really happen. I still have my Commodore128, although it is no longer in use. Nearly all of my other computers, that once served as my main computer, are still in use in one capacity or another. I also have many computers that I've picked up in garage sales that I use for parts and testing purposes.

[showtaper]

I also have a hard time throwing out a PC. My job gets me workstations and servers constantly. I am usually running at least 5 - 6 boxes at home for different tasks.....my favorite video server right now is a Dell PowerEdge 2900 wiith 2 quad core processors and a nice RAID with 2TB of 15000 rpm SCSI drives. Still farting around with a variety of capture and display cards.......

[johns0]

Replace would imply getting rid of the old one. .

Replacing means getting a better computer to keep up with the software,doesnt mean getting rid of the computers you have had.

[HotDamn!]

I may replace the mobo after 2-3 years but adding parts in between.

[lacywest]

Kind of hard to answer this poll ... my answer is simlar to the other folks ... for some people replacing the computer would be the right answer because they dont build PCs.

I'm getting ready to replace my computer but unless I told them I did ... they wont know because it will be the same tower.

My reason is because the CPU I have is a AMD 5800+ ... it has a 89 watt rating and is a bitch to keep cool in the garage during the summer and I'm not going to do liquid cooling.

So I'm going to replace the mobo and put in a AM3 with same speed but rated at 65 watts. And put on a Heatsink / fan system that allows a fan to be mounted on both sides.

Dont know how well it will solve the problem ... when summer kicks in but ... should be some kind of improvement.

At this moment the CPU temp is ... 104 degrees. And I'm not talking Centigrade.

[pepegot1]

I have a P4 Northwood and it works fine for video editing etc. I stay away from HDVD and work only in SDVD-a lot less problems that way. I also have an AMD Athlon 1.2 gig t-bird computer which is 10 years old-yes ten years and is good for surfing the web. I of course, replaced components over the years-HD's, Video, etc. It still works fine and is networked with my P4. When one of them gives up the ghost, I will repace it with an Intel i7-920 system.

[yoda313]

I buy new but rarely ditch the old one. In fact I still have my old 386, still works last time I checked a few years ago.

I haven't bought a new pc since my vista pc (however I did upgrade the cpu to dual core amd from single core as well as a 600 watt psu).

I am averaging about three to four years between new pcs. I still have my p4 single core xp emachine (typing on it right now). I generally upgrade when certain new features simply can't be added to a pre existing pc.

I have yet to do a motherboard replacement. I also haven't done a fresh install of a os on a pc without any operating system on it at all. I have done reformats and restores of course.

I have no need to jump to windows 7 since I do have Vista. Whenever I do buy a new pc it will obviously be windows 7. But I have no pressing need to get anything with windows 7. I can do dx10 on my dual core vista. But I do most of my gaming on consoles (have a ps3, wii and xbox 360 so I basically can play any game in existence right now - plus a psp and a ds lite to boot). I only have a 512mb ati all in wonder hd pci-e graphics card in the vista right now. If I were to get serious about pc gaming again I'd have to upgrade to a 1gig at least - do they go higher than 1gig now?

The only pc game that I'm going to be concentrating on is Assassins Creed 1 (got it for 5.00 new at Bestbuy last year for Black Friday). After finishing Assassins Creed 2 on the ps3 I'll be looking forward to the first game on the pc (though it will be a slight adjustment since my only wireless controller for the pc is the wireless adapter I got for my xbox 360 controller).

So long story short I only upgrade pcs when there is significant technology changes.