Sometimes, you don't need a new computer

Overheard in a local (not named) computer store: "We can come and install a replacement wireless card for $150, but since your laptop computer is over three years old you might be better off buying a new one".

I winced.

Firstly, charging $150 in 2011 to install a new wireless network card is insanity unless the computer has a serious problem. These network cards cost about $30 at retail computer stores and can normally be installed in under 30 minutes. That means the typical total cost to one of our customers for this service is $60.

Secondly, while many companies buy new computers every three years (and computer stores like it when that happens), home users might not need to. Computers do slow down over time as they get full of applications and other important things, but if the computer's fundamentals are good then the lifespan can be much longer than three years. Even if it has fallen a little behind the modern performance curve, giving it a tune-up, upgrading the memory or installing a larger capacity hard drive are smart cost-effective ways to extend the life of your computer.

I'm not just saying this because we offer these services, and sometimes computers cannot be upgraded because certain components are fixed or the case is sealed. However if economical upgrades are possible, these can give computers a whole new lease on life.

I recently upgraded my 2007 Apple MacBook by replacing the original 120GB hard disk with a 320GB hard disk. I installed a new Mac operating system onto it to bring it into 2011. The hard disk cost $50 and saved me from replacing the laptop for year or two.

I installed the MacBook's original 120GB hard disk into one of my Windows laptops that was full. The process only took two hours, including removing the original hard disk from the Windows laptop, cloning the data from the old hard disk onto the new one and then installing the new hard disk. This is a $150 service at TheONbutton, including the cost of the new hard disk, and saved me from buying a new Windows laptop just because the hard disk on the old one was full.

We'll return to this subject at a later time to describe some other things that can save you from having to buy a new computer. Until then, if you're in Durham call us if you think you need a new computer. We can tell you if you really do.