Average life of a computer

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[Shipaddict]

Some computer specialists said that the average life of a computer is 2 years. Is this really true? I find it quite hard to believe.

Regards
SA

[JHB]

Make it 1,5 years maybe... lol

[James89uk]

A computer will last a different amount of time depending on how often you use it, how you look after it and what you wish to use it for.  There is no real number on how long a computer will last.  This question is a little bit like asking "how long is a piece of string?" - there is no concrete answer.

If you are somebody that likes playing the latest games with enhanced 3D graphics etc then a computer will only be suitable to you for 2-3 years at the very most.  However if you only wish to browse the internet, use Word etc then it could go on for 10+ years.  There are some people in the world running Microsoft Windows 95 (perhaps some are running OS systems older even than that)!

The key to computers is BACKUP, BACKUP, BACKUP!  A computer can go wrong so easily and if you don't have backups located on separate hard drives sort it out ASAP.  I would recommend a program called "Acronis" for backing up onto separate hard drives - google it for more information.

[KDS]

My laptops have lasted me year so far but my computer 2 1/2.

[chrism]

I have an HP Pavilion 750n
1.6 GHZ p4
512 MB RAM
80 GIG HD
upgraded graphics card
Bought it in 2001 or 2002 I think and it gets heavy usage and its only been reformated once about 3 years ago and its still running strong. Tho, the search for a new one has been going on for a while

[Maik]

I have mine for allmost 3 years now. Only bought 1024 ddr memory extra wich brings the total on 1500 now. Works as it should. But I would love to play cloin mc rae dirt but it wont play because of my vid.card (ati radeon 9600) But I am not planning on getting a new one.

I'll try to keep it running for another 2 years or so. 5 years should be a good age for the price! But the problem is that everything of computers is so expencive! You buy a verry expensive pc and the next day it just isn't good enough anymore......

[Ship Sim]

Mine is 5+ years old. I think Vista computers might though. Ive herd some bad things about vista. My surgestion is to not beat them up.

[[RWP]DJM]

Hiya

Mine isn't too old, a year or so

Had my previous PC for almost 4 years before buying my current one.  The old one still runs some recent games though lol

Apparently Vista has problems because Microsoft won't release the SDK to developers, so almost everyone creating software for the Vista platform is having compatibilty issues

I bought XP when it was first released and it wasn't really stable until Service Pack 1 was released, still had some issues until SP 2 though

I don't intend to invest in Vista until the current issues are resolved, and then I may leave it for a little longer....just to make sure

Regards.

DJM.

[Wonko_The_Sane]

As far as the OS issues, I tend to agree; I'm getting too old to want to be on the "bleeding edge" of technology like I used to.  I'm quite happy to wait until they stabilize, thank you very much!

[Master Captain]

I have just got a new computer about a year ago. My other one i had for 8 years!! and when i put it aside it was still running strong. My old one was a Compaq Presario, don't know the specs on it.KM
My New one:
HP Pavillion
Windows XP Media Center Edition
Intel Pentium D Dual Core Processor
1.5 GB of Memory
300 GB of RAM
GeForce 6200SE graphics card
Realtek HD audio card

[JHB]

I’m building my system and upgrade it myself. It’s not a prefabricated system.
The last upgrade was carried out to prepare myself to the DX10 graphics. Now I only need a GeForce 8800 graphic card and of course the Windows Vista, and the FSX update that makes DX10 graphics viewable in FSX.

So my oldest hardware component is probably the graphic card I still have and it still running strong, and that’s the GeForce 6600 GT PCI-E with 256 MB DDR3.
Measuring the age of my system is getting a little bit complicated.

[cargohauler]

The real reason they say two years, is because they want you to buy another one. Most computer's last a lot longer depending on the software you use and the new software requirements that maybe included in a new microsoft word version, or dreamweaver, or something else. But...I'hve heard from many people that company's like Bestbuy just want you to come back to put more cash in their pockets