One of the most frequent questions I get from my clients is "When should I replace my computer?" As the conversation continues, another common question is "how old is my computer?" Both questions are tricky to answer, but I'll try to do so here.
In the late 90's and early 00's, the rule of thumb was every two to four years (to keep up with Moore's Law). Today, there's no need to upgrade at such a rapid pace. Instead, my advice for upgrading a computer is simple: upgrade when common tasks take longer than you're willing to live with. If it feels slow to open basic applications like Word or your web browser, you might think about replacing the computer, or at least replacing the hard drive with an SSD.
Sometimes a computer starts running slowly just due to use (often called "bit rot" or "software rot"). Sometimes dust builds up inside and makes the CPU hotter, which makes the computer run at slower speeds so as to not create as much heat. Sometimes, though, it could be hardware failure, like a hard drive that's going bad. That means you should upgrade immediately.
The other question, about a computer's age, is harder to answer. Without a receipt or email confirmation of purchase we're left to some sleuthing. If you have a Dell computer, you can go to their support site, enter your computer's service tag, and under "System Configuration" you'll see the date the computer was shipped. If you didn't buy the computer directly from Dell, chances are you bought it sometime after that, but that should be pretty close.
There are ways to find out a computer's age from within the operating system, but this can change if you've gone through any major software updates, like the Windows 10 upgrade.
The last option is to narrow down a PC's age to a general timeframe. The best way I've found - though not perfect - is to check the model number of the CPU. Here are the steps:
- click on the start button
- type "system information" and hit enter
- look at the information next to "Processor"
If you have an Intel Core processor, you can get a pretty good idea of how old the CPU is. The model numbers always follow this convention: Intel Core i5 6200. In this example, the 6 is the number that determines the age as it indicates the generation of Intel Core CPU in your computer. The current generation is 7, and Intel has put out a new generation roughly once a year. So, if you have an Intel Core i5 2xxx, that computer is probably around five years old.
(The i5 is the level of CPU within that generation. It's always an i3, i5, or i7, in order of slowest to fastest. I recommend an i5 for most users.)
If you don't have an Intel Core processor, I recommend searching Google for the processor you do have. The first result will likely be an Intel page (like this one for my own CPU), and it will show you the date that CPU was launched. Your computer is most likely a little younger than that number.
In the end, the decision to upgrade a computer is purely subjective, but there are a few clear cut cases when someone should upgrade some or all of their computer:
- You have Windows XP or Vista installed. Those operating systems are unsafe and no longer supported by Microsoft. The longer you use them, the more likely it is you'll get hacked.
- You have a CRT monitor. Please do your eyes a favor and dispose of that thing (responsibly - CRTs should never go into the trash). Flat screen monitors are very cheap these days.
- ...if your computer looks like the one at the top of this article. I'll just guess that it's too old.