Whether you need it to work from home, to stay connected to friends, or otherwise, your PC or Mac might be a vital part of your home life. As such, you want to make sure that your tech is able to keep working reliably for the future, but you might have started to notice some issues when you try to use it. When are those signs something you can fix, and when should you think about getting a new device?
It’s starting to slow down majorly
The most common complaint with any device, given enough time, is that it’s no longer able to run as smoothly and as quickly as it once could. There are various ways to troubleshoot what’s slowing your device down. It’s usually a case of the hard drive being too full, the CPU or RAM being overused by too many apps running in the background, or it might even be a virus slowing it down. However, if you have checked and fixed all of these issues and it’s still running slowly, then it’s very possible that the CPU or RAM are starting to deteriorate, as well. There’s less to be done about that.
It won’t run the latest software
Your device is only as good as the software it’s able to run and what it can do for you. As such, if your specs aren’t able to keep up with the requirements for the software that you most want to use, then it’s time to start looking seriously at the prospect of replacing it. Similarly, you should make sure that you’re able to make the jump to the latest operating system when it comes out. Again, the space on your hard drive plays as important a role as the other specs of your device. You need roughly 25 GB for a new operating system, so if you can’t free up that space, maybe a fresh install on a new device will do.
It starts taking more time to fix
You might have been successful at troubleshooting your device before, pulled it back from the brink, and rescued it from a Blue Screen of Death (or the equivalent) before. However, if these crashes or major events are starting to happen more and more often, then it might be a sign that it’s time to let it go. Some issues can be fixed by replacing certain parts, be it the hard drive, battery, or otherwise, but once the vital internals such as the RAM and motherboard start acting up, it can be a lot more difficult to try and fix that. It’s recommended you change your device roughly every 4-7 years. If you have been holding onto yours for the upper range of that number, it might simply be time to say goodbye.
If you’re starting to notice any of the issues above, then you should think about making an upgrade and start saving, even if you can mitigate the issues for now. Once your device starts to run worse, it usually isn’t going to get back to peak condition again.
*This is a collaborative post*
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