How long do you expect a laptop/computer to last before you replace it?

[Red Storm]

I don't keep things until they have to be replaced, I replace them while they still have good value.

 

[lxskllr]

I don't keep things until they have to be replaced, I replace them while they still have good value.

I use things until they're done, and they get scrapped. I've had my desktop since 06, my netbook since 08, and my mother is using my old laptop I got in 06 or 07(my netbook replaced it)

 

[Vdubchaos]

I use things until they're done, and they get scrapped. I've had my desktop since 06, my netbook since 08, and my mother is using my old laptop I got in 06 or 07(my netbook replaced it)

Same here, I'm a keeper. Once I buy something I expect it/want it to last forever and live with my purchase decision/be happy with it.

Although there is a point you get to with things where it no longer makes sense to keep.

PC is not one of them. Lately I've been doing NOTHING but Web surfing and Office use. I can EASILY do that on a 10 year old PC JUST FINE.

 

[lxskllr]

PC is not one of them. Lately I've been doing NOTHING but Web surfing and Office use. I can EASILY do that on a 10 year old PC JUST FINE.

PCs just aren't making miraculous power increases anymore. I don't feel limited in the least by my C2D, 8GB system. Computers have finally gotten fast enough, where an upgrade is merely a convenience proposal, and not one of necessity.

 

[RedRooster]

My laptop is coming up on 5 years, and I have no intention of replacing it. Other than lack of USB 3 and SSD, there's nothing else I miss from it.
Man, has PC tech really stagnated.

 

[Red Storm]

My laptop is coming up on 5 years, and I have no intention of replacing it. Other than lack of USB 3 and SSD, there's nothing else I miss from it.
Man, has PC tech really stagnated.

USB3 and SSDs are actually very nice changes from the tech before. As I use flash drives and computers a lot the advancements of both are noticed and appreciated every day.

 

[lxskllr]

USB3 and SSDs are actually very nice changes from the tech before. As I use flash drives and computers a lot the advancements of both are noticed and appreciated every day.

I'd consider both a convenience item, but SSDs can be easily added to an old machine, and probably should be, as HDs don't last forever.

 

[evident]

i have a sony vaio first gen i5 from 2010ish. It has a decent resolution, GT330M graphics (can run starcraft 2) and a SSD. battery is completely shot, but i use it in the living room and in hotels.

 

[blinblue]

My plan for just about everything computers it to wait for a fantastic deal on something, keep it for a year or so until another awesome deal come along. Sell the old one used for pretty much what I bought it new for, and then upgrade for free.

I have great success with this method for computer peripherals and various parts (especially video cards, my last 5 upgrades were "free"). Most recent success was when I sold my old Logitech MX518 mouse (sold it for $50 used, no idea why anyone would pay that much, but there you go) for almost enough to cover the cost of a new G500 and a G400 mouse.

Harder to do with entire computers, mostly because its a pain selling computers online, and craigslist is its own can of worms. So usually gift old laptops/desktops to family members or friends. I would say that 2 years is about how long I'll keep a computer before upgrading to a new machine.

 

[Wyndru]

I'm going 6 years on my Dell XPS 1530 laptop, which is about normal lifespan for my laptops. This one might have a longer life since I upgraded it with an SSD, added 2 gb more of memory and it still runs really fast. Even most newer games still run fine on it (I got the graphics card upgrade when I bought it).

 

[holden j caufield]

I have decked out laptop and desktops and I run a lot of virtual machines. The older CPU is not holding me back. I just need lots of ram.

My favorite and the one I use all the time is my Lenovo T61p. Great screen, great keyboard. It's only missing USB 3.0 or esata which an expresscard can do.

 

[BurnItDwn]

I expect any computer or electronic components I purchase to last a long time.

It's true that after 1-2 years, I will probably upgrade, but, then the "old" CPU/video card, etc becomes my secondary machine hooked up to the projector in the basement. Then after another 1-2 years when I upgrade again, there's always a family member in need. Then after another 5 years or so, that family member may upgrade, and I may or may not take the box back so I can rip out memory, hard drives, etc and upgrade other family members PC's with compatible memory types or CPU sockets....

If the bios hadn't died, I'm pretty sure my brother would still be using my old Abit BH6 with celermine for his home server... And I bought that in like 1998 or 1999.

 

[Svnla]

Remember everything in Canada is like twice the price and there's rarely deals here especially up north, then add a hundred bucks or so to ship the parts. And one thing I've noticed is hardware prices have actually been going UP. My motherboard cost me like $300, cpu was around $500 etc... ~5 years ago a motherboard for <$200 was fairly common and same with a cpu. My system was close to $2,000, built about a year ago. SSDs also cost much more than standard drives, and who builds a computer today without a SSD?

Can you buy from Dell.com and ship it to Canada? How much shipping and other fees will be for that $415 USD (out the door price) laptop I cited in previous post? I don't think you can save any money from building a computer from various parts anymore.

As I said before, a "decent" - not top of the line for gaming/CAD/number crunching- laptop/desktop should not be over $500 USD in the US.

 

[RedRooster]

I'd consider both a convenience item, but SSDs can be easily added to an old machine, and probably should be, as HDs don't last forever.

I had an SSD in mine for about a year(granted it was an OCZ that ended up failing), but since my crappy HP BIOS didn't support AHCI, I didn't get the full benefits from the SSD. It was still crazy fast and was nice for sure, but glitches like putting the laptop in standby causing block errors and eventual failure was kind of a turn off from the simple regular HD. That was probably just the junk Sandforce controller that screwed me I think though.
My next laptop will undoubtedly have SSD though!

 

[RedRooster]

Can you buy from Dell.com and ship it to Canada? How much shipping and other fees will be for that $415 USD (out the door price) laptop I cited in previous post? I don't think you can save any money from building a computer from various parts anymore.

As I said before, a "decent" - not top of the line for gaming/CAD/number crunching- laptop/desktop should not be over $500 USD in the US.

It isn't, he's just way out to lunch. My laptop was mid-top of the line 5 years ago and was only $800.
Nowadays, you can buy i5's at BestBuy for $5-600 all day. Same as the US.

 

[Schfifty Five]

My first laptop was a Toshiba something back in 2000. This was the first laptop with a 3D graphics card (Geforce Go series). It was pretty awesome back then, but looking back now, I'm such an idiot to have spent all that money on it lol. I think I kept it in use for 5 years.

Next laptop is a 2007 Sony Vaio. Still use it today, so that's at least 6 years old. Since I've got a work laptop, an Ipad 1, and desktop computer, I don't feel the need to get a new laptop anytime soon.

 

[Vdubchaos]

PCs just aren't making miraculous power increases anymore. I don't feel limited in the least by my C2D, 8GB system. Computers have finally gotten fast enough, where an upgrade is merely a convenience proposal, and not one of necessity.

Correct

I remember there was a guy in the 70s/80s that had a graph of CPU technology and it pretty much leveled around 2010 or so, which is on par with where we are today.

Only thing keeping Hardware makers in business is Software Development Companies forcing "newer" hardware onto users at this point.

For example, in games, there has been VERY little advancement in graphics past 3-5 years YET you still need the latest hardware to run most newer games.

They find ways to make more money...and will continue to do so. hehe

 

[Baked]

The current one has 2 SSDs, boot and data, graphics card that can handle 1080p. 16GB RAM. i5 Core. Don't think I need to upgrade any time soon. I got this one about a year ago, upgraded the HD and RAM.

 

[jaqie]

Just curious. Four years? Five? Six? Mainly interested about laptops since they kind of have to be replaced, though I guess it could apply to desktop users (though desktop users upgrade frequently) as well.

Until I no longer have a use for it. I am often disappointed, though.
As for laptops having to be replaced? Not as often as you may think, depending on usage scenarios, of course. I just bought an IBM thinkpad x41 which is a pentium M 1.5GHz with a 12.1" 1024x768 display, put windows 7 on it and optimized the system for performance... and it does some basic things faster than my desktop does. I am going to when I can afford it add an SSD and do the SATA hack so I can hook it up directly to the SATA onboard controller instead of through the onboard SATA to PATA adapter and then back through a PATA to SATA adapter. The motherboard of the laptop is sata, but they designed it with a PATA 1.8" drive and bridge chip.

I also just bought a p3 750mhz ultraportable off of ebay for $25 shipped, and intend to put a lightweight linux distro on it, for use in the kitchen for chatting, listening to music, and internet browsing as I cook - along with viewing online recipes and such.

 

[johny12]

I had an SSD in mine for about a year(granted it was an OCZ that ended up failing), but since my crappy HP BIOS didn't support AHCI, I didn't get the full benefits from the SSD. It was still crazy fast and was nice for sure, but glitches like putting the laptop in standby causing block errors and eventual failure was kind of a turn off from the simple regular HD. That was probably just the junk Sandforce controller that screwed me I think though.
My next laptop will undoubtedly have SSD though!

SandForce controllers embedded within any SSD really work like flawlessly. Only things you will need to take care are to keep the controller firmware up to date & also SSD manufacturer firmware up to date as well. If this is taken care off, then trust me SandForce based controllers never say die & can be amazingly faster as well!!

 

[Anonemous]

Still using an E1505 as a fileserver/cheap NAS. Screen is broken and battery can't hold a charge. So I guess as long as it still works.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Can you buy from Dell.com and ship it to Canada? How much shipping and other fees will be for that $415 USD (out the door price) laptop I cited in previous post? I don't think you can save any money from building a computer from various parts anymore.

As I said before, a "decent" - not top of the line for gaming/CAD/number crunching- laptop/desktop should not be over $500 USD in the US.

Well there's always dell.ca, but I was referring to custom builds which are much more expensive now, but that's the only route I ever go for my PCs. We CAN get cheap computers here if you go through Dell etc but it's exactly that, cheap. Low specs like 2GB of ram, no room to add a video card or nothing etc.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

seems like my builds are useful for ~5 years

 

[Sonikku]

When I moved from my s754 athlon 64 3400+ single core to an Intel Core 2 Duo, the leap in performance was so gargantuan that only now am I considering replacing it. Good all around chip that old E6750.

 

[crownjules]

My first laptop is still my only laptop. Bought in 2005/6 for like $500, it does just fine for basic web browsing. The battery life is non-existent (~20 mins just browsing) and it is starting to show it's age. Maybe if I could upgrade the RAM on the cheap it would get a few more years of life out of it. But I don't use it that much anyway.