To PC or not to PC

[DailyDi]

My current PC turns five this November. That's five years of running 24/7 with lots of high-use photo/video processing and gaming in that time. They say a PC should last at least 3 years, with an average of 5 to 8, so I am getting paranoid that this one will die at a time when I can't afford to replace it.

Have a little extra money right now, so thinking about upgrading, but moving to a new PC is such a pain in the butt. There is however definitely tech improvements I could benefit from.

Don't know if I should bite the bullet or roll the dice.

[Apache Raccoon]

2 hours ago, DailyDi said:

Don't know if I should bite the bullet or roll the dice.

I think you should roll the dice

[Little Cub Pants]

3 hours ago, DailyDi said:

My current PC turns five this November. That's five years of running 24/7 with lots of high-use photo/video processing and gaming in that time. They say a PC should last at least 3 years, with an average of 5 to 8, so I am getting paranoid that this one will die at a time when I can't afford to replace it.

Have a little extra money right now, so thinking about upgrading, but moving to a new PC is such a pain in the butt. There is however definitely tech improvements I could benefit from.

Don't know if I should bite the bullet or roll the dice.

Will that depends, is it a actual PC or a laptop. Because I think I've had my PC for about 5 years now and it still works perfectly fine. Granted, it's NOT a gaming PC and I DON'T have a lot of files on it. But it works pretty well. If it's a laptop then I think you should replace it. Laptops aren't known for lasting a long time. I've had to replace so many laptops every 5 years and I just got sick of it. That's why I moved to a desktop. But if you have the extra money anyway, then I think there's no shame in upgrading while you have the chance.??☺️?????♥️??

[rusty pins]

Make sure everything is always backed up to an external hard drive just in case, put some of that extra cash you have right now away for when the PC does bomb but use what you have to the very last.  Tossing it now for a new one would be like changing an expensive diaper when it's only half wet.

[kasarberang]

The PC I had before this one lasted from like 2008 - 2020 and would still be kicking to this day, if we hadn't made a mistake when trying to move it to a new case.

I wouldn't worry too much about it, especially if you take good care of your computer (dust it a few times a year, try not to let it overheat, etc...)

I think what RustyPins suggested is probably the best course of action, invest in an external hard drive or SSD that you can use for semiregular backups. This way, if something does go wrong, the most important thing is safe, your data.

[Cute_Kitten]

I say roll the dice but squirrel away some money/ pocket change here and there and save up for a rainy day. That way when computer finally goes kaput, you have a fund to dip into and help at least a little with the cost. 

[beallucanb]

If you buy one now in a year it will be obsolete, hold off maybe buy a cheap laptop as a backup,  if your present PC bites the dust you can use the laptop until you can pick up a new unit.

It would be nice if there were savings accounts that made money, you could park your cash there until you need it.

[~Brian~]

38 minutes ago, kasarberang said:

The PC I had before this one lasted from like 2008 - 2020 and would still be kicking to this day, if we hadn't made a mistake when trying to move it to a new case.

I wouldn't worry too much about it, especially if you take good care of your computer (dust it a few times a year, try not to let it overheat, etc...)

I think what RustyPins suggested is probably the best course of action, invest in an external hard drive or SSD that you can use for semiregular backups. This way, if something does go wrong, the most important thing is safe, your data.

@kasarberang@DailyDi@rusty pins

 

I would also agree with all three of you. Sometimes computers last a long time, and that depends on how often you leave it on, how you're using it, how often you're cleaning it,, how often you let it rest, and what you're using it for. Usually when you're running servers for example, you want hardware that is business class, so that doesn't die and leave you with nothing. The better your hardware is when you purchase it in the long run, the longer hopefully it will last period I've learned from experience that if you buy quality equipment, it lasts longer period it also depends on what equipment you buy. We have a particular place in here where I live, and it's called computer barn.For years, I had a friend that ran a computer shop downtown: on several occasions they were caught trying to repair somebody's computer . By caught, I mean that you would bring in your computer with all your parts, they would complete their repair, and what you walked in with as a computer was not what you walked out of there with period they would change your memory your hard drives, your processors and everything else, and wouldn't tell you. On a couple of occasions a few customers actually caught them doing something like this. There was also another place that no longer is in business, that would try to do things illegal . Meaning that for example if you're running Microsoft Windows for example, the repair place would use their own codes, and they would keep on using the same code and register it to 15 machines. This is totally illegal, and is not advisable, because that way you can't reactivate your computer and bring it back up if it crashes.

I would agree that you should probably invest in backup media, such as SSD's or external drives. Make sure anything that you want to keep, is backed up on your drive so that if you need that information, you can easily restore it to your computer that you're using now. I'm not sure how long your computer will last either, but I know from example that if you don't have appropriate backup media, you're screwed. People complained to me that I have way too many backup sticks or backup drives, and I just save everything. This philosophy has saved my **** on a few occasions when I absolutely positively needed something and was able to easily reconstruct it and bring it back up. Don't worry if everybody is picking on you because of the amount of backup drives you have period one of these days this particular decision will reap large dividends and benefits period if you can quickly restore something in a matter of minutes, it would take less time than spending hours trying to find it and hoping that you can still find a backup. From experience, I've lost databases that are necessary to run my databases in my server, and this is a pain in the neck. I've learned from experience when I back up my websites I always back up the databases: I have to do that at the end of the month so I will make sure this is done as well.

So what I would do is I would get yourself an SSD or an external drive and put everything you want on it into it. Make sure it's big enough to be able to hold what you want, and then get yourself another, and use that for anything that you need to move back and forth. Every couple months, back up what you have on one to the other, and then move it back and forth. This is what I used to do at college backing up files every month when I did work backups, I would do home backups of everything on my network drives in on my computer drives. This way I wouldn't lose any documentation that I needed for school, and it would take less time to do it because I would be able to easily just do a copying command.

I'm not sure what type of a computer that you would want to replace it with, but I definitely would probably want to be looking at your options. However, it might not be a good idea to buy one right now, because they might go up and down compared to what they did last year. With their pandemic and all of the things that happened, things that were cheaper last year probably three times what they cost now, because of the pandemic. I definitely would take a look into it, but I wouldn't be too quick to replace it unless of course you believe the computer that you're using is on its last legs , then I would replace it and make sure that you have what you need. The worst thing that can happen to a computer nerd is for a main computer to go belly up, and then you end up feel like you forgot to do something that was so stupid. That only took three seconds to take care

good luck Mikey and take care!

Brian

[DailyDi]

29 minutes ago, beallucanb said:

If you buy one now in a year it will be obsolete, hold off maybe buy a cheap laptop as a backup,  if your present PC bites the dust you can use the laptop until you can pick up a new unit.

It would be nice if there were savings accounts that made money, you could park your cash there until you need it.

Yep, I'm just old enough to remember that savings is supposed to come with interest. I had my passbook savings account when I was a kid!

 

[barnburner]

If you have the ability on Amazon, you can find computer parts on their monthly installment option, I have used this option in the past and will use it again by the end of the year for a new video card.

 

Many parts of my computer were paid for with this option, my cpu, gpu, power supply, ssd's.

 

If not interested in building your own machine, there are some prebuilts sold on Amazon this way ranging from regular desktops to gaming pc's.

 

Do expect to pay the full sales tax up front this way too.

 

 

Do note that this option isnt available on all items sold on amazon. But I have found items of interest purchased such as a gaming laptop, air fryer oven, bicycle, tv, a DSLR camera and a model plane that is relevant to my preferred scale.

 

This is not a credit offer, Should be no credit check and if there were one, I most likely wouldnt qualify for any credit from stores like this. This is how I can have nice things lol. I think I was approved for this feature after I bought a Fire Stick product this way.

 

Also, look into Klarna and Paypal Pay Later, both of these are autopayment every 2 weeks for 2 months in 4 equal payments.

 

Edit: The Amazon installment thing, its a pay exactly every 30 days, so payment wont autopay on the same day each month, take that into account if you live check to check and buy the thing a few days after you get paid.

[feralfreak]

i wouldnt, you dont know what can happen and you said it yourself before that you had times where you didnt have enough food to get through to the end of the month, better to squirrel it away for times like that and just be easy on your current machine(s), defrag the drive, do general upkeep and only replace a part if you need it instead of the whole thing.

[id0ntknow]

12 hours ago, Apache Raccoon said:

I think you should roll the dice

As long as you don't bite the dice or roll the bullets, I think you can't lose.

[Little_Mouse]

22 hours ago, DailyDi said:

….. but moving to a new PC is such a pain in the butt. …

Isn't that a task you can leave to your new tech support manager? ?

[Nyte Kitsune]

Tough choice to get a new PC. Mine has seen a lot of use, but instead of getting a new one. I have just been slowly upgrading this one. It started with 4 cores a 3gis, its now and 8 core 4gig. Started with a 750ti Nvidia card.. Now has a 3050 card. Has the ram from my old PC (before this one) and added a Blu Ray DVD Rom. So its pretty solid now for being almost 8 yo now.

[Princess_August]

I'm finally doing a Mobo/PSU/CPU/RAM upgrade for my gaming PC i built back in 2016. 
having this machine really enriched my life 

[Dubious]

Do you really need a new PC?
I regret wasting money on a new PC that I didn't really need.
It was a huge upgrade, and I can run games on higher resolution and more FPS, but I did fine with the old one. 

5 year warranty on most PC parts in Norway.

[Firefly 35]

20 hours ago, beallucanb said:

It would be nice if there were savings accounts that made money, you could park your cash there until you need it.

It's called a money market account, but of course banks won't tell you that.

14 hours ago, barnburner said:

If you have the ability on Amazon, you can find computer parts on their monthly installment option, I have used this option in the past and will use it again by the end of the year for a new video card.

 

Many parts of my computer were paid for with this option, my cpu, gpu, power supply, ssd's.

 

If not interested in building your own machine, there are some prebuilts sold on Amazon this way ranging from regular desktops to gaming pc's.

 

Do expect to pay the full sales tax up front this way too.

 

 

Do note that this option isnt available on all items sold on amazon. But I have found items of interest purchased such as a gaming laptop, air fryer oven, bicycle, tv, a DSLR camera and a model plane that is relevant to my preferred scale.

 

This is not a credit offer, Should be no credit check and if there were one, I most likely wouldnt qualify for any credit from stores like this. This is how I can have nice things lol. I think I was approved for this feature after I bought a Fire Stick product this way.

 

Also, look into Klarna and Paypal Pay Later, both of these are autopayment every 2 weeks for 2 months in 4 equal payments.

 

Edit: The Amazon installment thing, its a pay exactly every 30 days, so payment wont autopay on the same day each month, take that into account if you live check to check and buy the thing a few days after you get paid.

Other sites have similar pay over time options nowadays and much lower prices.  Don't support Amazon.

[WetDad]

I recently bought a tiny computer, and it works great. Raspberry Pi 4 will run Ubuntu just fine, and it's not much bigger than a pack of cigarettes. Much cheaper than any of those Win-tel computers.

[DailyDi]

2 hours ago, WetDad said:

I recently bought a tiny computer, and it works great. Raspberry Pi 4 will run Ubuntu just fine, and it's not much bigger than a pack of cigarettes. Much cheaper than any of those Win-tel computers.

I've played with a pi before, but it can't do all I need a PC to do lol.

4 hours ago, Dubious said:

Do you really need a new PC?
I regret wasting money on a new PC that I didn't really need.
It was a huge upgrade, and I can run games on higher resolution and more FPS, but I did fine with the old one. 

5 year warranty on most PC parts in Norway.

Dunno, like I said, worried this one will die. Warranty is long out, only like a year on parts and labor unless you pay for extended warranties in the US. We don't have consumer protection laws because.... freedom.

[beallucanb]

Yes I have a Raspberry Pi, kicking around the house somewhere, it was a cool little computer.

It's a cheap option for a backup just in case your main computer quits.

I like laptops I have a few of those also, I bought a few used HP workhorse computers from New Egg years ago,  I carry one of those with me when I know I have a place to plug in.

  Not only that, but I also have an old HP Pavilion with a 10 cell battery that will last 4 hours,  I take this with me daily when I hang out with my car nut friends.

[DailyDi]

I've never been able to work on a laptop. I need a full size keyboard and mouse.

[ValentinesStuff]

My advice is to just look. If you find a great deal then buy, otherwise just keep looking.

[feralfreak]

7 hours ago, DailyDi said:

I've never been able to work on a laptop. I need a full size keyboard and mouse.

you can hook a usb keyboard and mouse to it, the cardiologist my mom use to see walked around his office carrying a laptop with a bluetooth or usb mouse on the side instead of using the touch pad, but you should look at need of food over need of tech, can you afford to buy food after you buy this new tech? another consideration is do you need this new tech for your income? if not, id save the money for when the food budget is too tight to work

[2sail2]

Newegg is bundling monitors with video cards.  You could sell the monitor.  

https://www.techspot.com/news/96000-newegg-bundling-gaming-monitors-gpus-clear-out-inventory.html

I would imagine Black Friday would be good timing to buy something.

[Little BabyDoll Christine]

I will be facing the same quiestion after surgery. So far, my answer is "yes" as it will be loeaded to it's tiara withperipherals like USB ports, card readers, CD reader, a full audio rear panel and things like that