Should You Repair, Upgrade, or Replace Your Computer?
Repairing computers is the core part of our business. But we know that there are times when it’s in a client’s best interest to purchase a new computer instead of repairing their existing one.
Here are four factors to consider when determining if it’s better to buy a new computer instead of repairing your current one:
Cost of Repair
The price of the repair is usually the main determining factor in this dilemma. How much would you spend repairing your computer versus replacing it with a new one? Our suggestion: Follow the 50 percent rule! If the repair will cost you more than half of the price to replace it, don’t repair.
Is it a hardware issue?
If a major component in your computer has failed, many times the cost of the part alone is more than the value of the computer. Some manufacturers are better than others in terms of pricing and availability of parts, but all of them are in the business of selling computers and not parts. So keep that in mind when you hear that the part you need may cost $200 or more!
Age of your Computer
If your computer is more than, say, 4 or 5 years old, and the repair is going to be a few hundred dollars, the question becomes, do you want to risk spending that money and then have something else go wrong? Think of it like an older car – at some point it just makes more sense to buy something new rather than have the old one need repair after repair after repair.
Functionality
Is the computer meeting your needs? Older computer with a SATA Hard Drive wear out and eventually you’ll notice slow performance. Usually that’s a sign to upgrade to Solid State Drive (SSD). Also depending on your usage of the computer, you might be in the market for more Memory (RAM). Ram is what determines your multi-tasking power. The power programs you use (or have running in the background), the more RAM you need. I typically recommend starting at 8GB, but prefer 16GB for most users. Technology is rapidly changing, and with that new features are added into computers every year, maybe there’s a new feature that you could benefit from!
Need help Deciding?
I will work with you to determine your computer usage, the cost of the repair and provide some suggestions if a new computer might be in order.
Along with that, if you sign up for Monthly Managed Care plan, we can set up and install your computer for you and take care of all the data transfer as well!
Give us a call today or fill out the contact form to get started!
