My clients often hear me say, “You don’t need to upgrade your laptop each time a newer version is released. A new PC each year won’t make you more productive. That newly released tablet won’t affect the profit your business makes.
However, slow systems and computer downtime mean lost revenues, more headaches, and time wasted. It will make good business sense to invest in new PCs or laptops rather than trying to get another year out of them.
The optimal refresh cycle for your devices is around 3 years. With a good maintenance program, we can push 5 to 8 years out of a PC.
Before you do away with your PC, as a minimum, we can clean up the hard drive, run your antivirus software and reinstall the operating system.
Older PCs and laptops cost more to maintain. The cost of ownership increases as they age – a little like cars. And, of course, performance decreases over time.
• A 5-year-old PC could cost twice as much to run as a new one.
• A 4-year-old PC suffers 55% more security incidents than in its first 3 years.
As your device ages, you need to consider the cost of issue resolution and maintenance outweighs the replacement cost.
So, when do you know it is time to buy new devices?
THESE ARE THE FIVE SIGNS
1. Start-up and shut down are slow
We’ve all experienced the frustrations at some point; the start-up and shut down are slow.
Likely, loading applications, browsing the internet, and simply saving documents are slow too. It kills your productivity.
It can be a sign that your computer is on its last legs or simply that you have too many applications set to run automatically in the background when you start the device.
We suggest a complete Tune-Up.
2. Your computer’s fans are noisy
This is one of the first signs that your device is reaching its end of life.
If you can hear the fans running and the device is hot and slow down, it’s not a good sign.
It could be that your applications and operating software are all updated, but they’re maxing out the device’s hardware, causing it to overheat.
We suggest a complete Hardware Diagnosis.
3. You struggle to go back and forth between applications or refresh the tabs in a browser
Insufficient RAM (computer memory) is usually the culprit.
When you have one or more than one application that uses a lot of memory to run, your device can’t process as fast as it was; therefore, you are struggling.
We suggest looking into the option of Hardware Component Upgrade.
4. You can’t update your Operating System or Security software
Updates are vital, especially when it comes to your operating software.
Not only does running old software leave you without support if something goes wrong, but it also leaves you more susceptible to a cyberattack and other security issues.
Fail to update your security, and you’re leaving your business open to a data breach.
We suggest taking action to reduce the risks.
5. Upgrading your hardware leads to compatibility issues
Upgrading hardware comes to mind to be an option to increase the speed and power of your device.
However, upgrading some of the parts can lead to compatibility issues in an older device.
In some cases, it can be quite an expensive option and may not fully rectify your issues or extend its life span as you wish.
Not to mention, it can be a case of fixing one thing and breaking another in the process.
When the cost of upgrade or repair outweighs a replacement, it is simply not worth the cost.
We suggest it is time to replace your computer.
Changing or update your business devices or infrastructure are big decisions.
ITensure can review your requirements, discuss your options, and make the best recommendations based on your needs and budget.
