If you’re looking for a short answer, we’ll summarize this blog by saying every 3-5 years. However, there are a lot of reasons you may need to do so sooner. There are also reasons your business computers may last a little longer. So, the real question you may want to ask is, “Why might I need to replace my business computers?” That answer is more complex. So, if that’s your real question, keep reading.
Older Computers Perform Operations More Slowly
There are a few reasons for this. First, older computers don’t always have current wi-fi speed capabilities. So, if you’re paying for 500 Mbps speed internet but your computers still upload or download things slowly, it’s likely the equipment, not your internet service. Another reason is that new programs and updated older ones require more processing power that an older machine may not have.
Downtime & Data Loss
A four-year-old computer has twice the downtime of a three-year-old computer. That has twice the downtime of a computer that’s one year old. Business computers, are used, on average, 6 hours a day. Quite simply, they wear out faster than a home computer which may only get 1-2 hours of use a day. As for data loss, hard drives begin to have issues at about the three-year mark. Ideally, your business has a data backup plan and system in place to prevent true data loss, although there will still be some downtime.
Incompatibility With Current Operating Systems/Software Versions
Although this typically takes more than 5 years, it doesn’t always. This usually depends on the RAM and processor speed. If you have a machine that can’t be upgraded to the current operating system or where you can’t install a software update, you should replace your business computers. Not upgrading software or operating systems are a leading reason machines are infected with malware, viruses or hacked.
Maintenance Costs
Are you constantly calling your IT team or MSP for repair or service on a machine or set of machines of the same age and type? Not only are you likely spending money that would be better put to use on new machines, but, your staff is also unable to work when their machine is down. That means you’re paying them to sit and do nothing. If you average just two hours of down time per work day, that’s equivalent to an entire week’s work at the end of the month.
Toucan Technology Groups Provides Business Class Hardware
Whether you’re looking for durable laptops for a construction site team, desktops for your office staff or laptops for your sales team, Toucan Technology Group can help. We work with leading manufacturers like Dynabook and Getac. We’ll custom configure your machines to meet the needs of your staff and work within your budget. Of course, as a full-service MSP, we also offer cybersecurity tools and data backup as well. Call us today at (317) 376-4874 or fill out our contact form for your free consultation.
