I am often asked how long computers should be expected to last. My usual answer is that depending on what you typically use your computer for and whether you upgrade it, a personal computer should last about five to seven years before it should be replaced. If you have the computer pictured to the right, for example, you may be just a bit out of date!
To continue using modern websites and applications, a computer’s operating system must be updated periodically. The operating system is the base layer of software in a computer that allows other applications to function. Many applications will not be compatible with an operating system that is more than a couple of years out of date.
Each new operating system release introduces new features, and requires more computing power to run. If a computer’s operating system is updated without upgrading its hardware, there will be a slight performance decrease on the newer operating system. If a computer undergoes several major operating system updates over the course of its life, the performance decrease can be significant.
Approximately seven years after the release of a computer, it will no longer have the ability to run the latest operating system. At this point, it may not be long before major websites will no longer work with the computer.
Apple stops selling parts for its computers after five years, in most areas. After this point, if the computer has a major hardware failure, a used part will have to be found from a third-party parts dealer if the repair is to be performed.
The bottom line is that if a computer that is already five to seven years old is having hardware or compatibility problems, it may be more economical to forego repairs and save the money to buy a new computer. No one likes spending money, but in most cases it just does not make financial sense to spend hundreds of dollars to put a computer back onto its last legs.