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Poll: After how many years do you usually replace your computer?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
Rudolf Frans Maulany
Rudolf Frans Maulany  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 16:16
English to Indonesian
+ ...
Replace after 3 to 4 years Oct 29, 2014

From my 30 years experience as a translator most of computer software became out of date after 3 to 4 years and difficult to cope with the new advance in technology and our needs and the same also to its hardware.

 
Mario Chavez (X)
Mario Chavez (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 11:16
English to Spanish
+ ...
More RAM... yes and no Oct 29, 2014

Oliver Lawrence wrote:

... is a quick and cheap way to improve performance and help prolong a computer's life.


I used to think that the more RAM I install on my desktop, the better the performance. Well, yes and no. Several factors affect (or improve) the performance of your programs:

a) Whether it's a 32-bit program in a 64-bit operating system;
b) Processor performance (example: a Pentium V vs. an Intel i5 or i7; single-core vs. quad-core);
c) Speed in rpms of your internal hard drive (for applications or for data). Example, a 5400 rpm HDD will spin 25-27% slower than a 7200 rpm HDD.
d) If you keep your data on an external USB drive, an USB 1.1 or 2.0 port will make your data move slower than a USB 3.0 port, regardless of whether you're using an USB 3.0 external HDD.
e) This is a recent discovery for me: the health of your USB hub. If your attached devices start to have intermittent performance issues, it's time to buy a more reliable USB hub (which I recently did).


 
Mario Chavez (X)
Mario Chavez (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 11:16
English to Spanish
+ ...
Speaking of hardware replacement... Oct 29, 2014

José Henrique makes some valid points, as well as Triston. Here are some of my own discoveries:

1) RAM, hard drive spin speed, USB 2.0/3.0 ports, processor quality, they all impact performance, as well as 32-bit applications and/or device drivers or extensions working in a 64-bit operating system.

2) Keeping your desktop cooling fans operational is paramount. Use an airdust canister to clean them regularly (those dust bunnies!). The moment a cooling fan is nonfunctiona
... See more
José Henrique makes some valid points, as well as Triston. Here are some of my own discoveries:

1) RAM, hard drive spin speed, USB 2.0/3.0 ports, processor quality, they all impact performance, as well as 32-bit applications and/or device drivers or extensions working in a 64-bit operating system.

2) Keeping your desktop cooling fans operational is paramount. Use an airdust canister to clean them regularly (those dust bunnies!). The moment a cooling fan is nonfunctional, your motherboard, your hard drives, PCI cards, etc. may go that way. Remember that heat is one of the worst enemies for a hard drive.

3) If your desktop configuration allows it, install a second SATA hard drive and clone your main drive onto it. I had two SATA drives and the cloned drive died on me without warning ten days ago. Fortunately, it's under warranty and I'm getting a free replacement. Check your HDD warranties, test their SMART parameters regularly.

4) If you change your motherboard, try to find one where you can reuse your RAM memory sticks.

5) If one of the SATA drives or your DVD/CD drive is no longer functional, check the SATA cable and the SATA controller on your motherboard. I have four SATA connectors in my motherboard, and one of them just went kaput, taking my Seagate (cloned) drive with it.

I wish I could replace my whole computer with a powerful Mac mini, but the top model only accepts 16 GB of RAM, which will be insufficient in a few years.

When I purchased my current Lenovo tower, I got it with the best Intel i7 processor (quad core). I've been shopping around for a new tower since I'd like more HDD bays to recreate a RAID system (4 hard drives at least) and a motherboard with an UEFI BIOS, but a barebones tower like that costs about $1100-$1500 (US dollars), which makes it impractical.
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Frank Wong
Frank Wong  Identity Verified
Local time: 23:16
Chinese to English
+ ...
5+ Oct 30, 2014

I bought my new laptop last year to replace the broken one which I had used for 5 years. As long as it can work properly, I hope this new computer can last even longer.

 
Michael Harris
Michael Harris  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 16:16
Member (2006)
German to English
Every year Oct 30, 2014

Desktop computer, every 3 years - Laptop every year

 
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Poll: After how many years do you usually replace your computer?






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