Often the first thing we hear from a client is “I need this repaired.” Computer repair is what we do on a daily basis. We also take care of regular maintenance (think auto repair for your computer.) We pride ourselves in the fact that we have been doing this for about 18 years. We have seen all types of different technologies come and go. (Do you remember Divx?)
Computers have come a long way in a very short time. In 1998 it was a big deal to have a new operating system that had just come out. Computers were lucky to have a 16GB harddrive. 128 MB of memory was enough to handle the operating system and two or three programs at once. We were still using dial up and the internet was still just this really new thing. It’s now 2011, we have USB Flashdrives that are cheap for 16GB. Most computers need a minimum of 4GB (32 times the amount of the 1998 computers) of memory to run the operating system and all the new high end graphics. Things are evolving faster and faster. Computers are now coming out with harddrives that don’t have any moving parts. Solid State drives are now becoming more and more reasonable.
It is not easy to let go of things that we know even though technology is evolving faster than we can keep up. New things are coming out every 6- 12 months. So how do you know when it is time to let go of computer technology? It’s not easy even from a business stand point. Still remember, after the first 3 years you have pretty much gotten all the depreciation from new computer equipment that you can. If it was a high end piece you might be able to stretch that out for 5 years. If the computer starts to have problems at 2-3 years it may be time to look at something else depending on the problem. Also remember the old adage is true even for computers, you get what you pay for. Something cheap may be a great quick fix if you need something right away, but it is not going to be worth it to fix it because replace value is so low.
When laptops first came out they were big, bulky, and expensive. Now, not so much. Laptops now start at $250 for simple netbooks to just surf the internet. Most laptops are given a 2-3 lifespan and batteries for laptops are given about a year. If you buy a higher end laptop and it needs repaired in the first year or two, repair it. Most laptops have a full year warranty. If a laptop is low end and even if it’s only 2 years old, the cost of a repair could be anywhere from $90 – $180 or even more. So why spend almost half of what the unit was worth just to repair it. As long as your data is safe; replace the computer.
Desktops, however, tend to be a little more robust. Their prices have not gone down as far as laptops but they also tend to have more processing power and more memory. Overall they can do a lot of things that laptops just still aren’t quite capable of doing. Most desktop computers start at $400. If the desktop fails in the first 3 years it is probably worth it to repair it (as long as it’s not something intensive like a mother board issue which after the first year it gets harder to find the exact same motherboard and may have conflicts with newer hardware.)
If you aren’t sure of the value of your equipment and if it is worth it to repair or replace, I highly recommend finding a reputable computer repair person or center. They will tell you if it’s worth it and most of them will only charge a small diagnostic fee that may be waived if repair is selected. As always, if we can help, don’t hesitate to contact us.
For more information about repair or replace: please see Consumer Reports Magazine article “Repair or Replace It?” in the August 2011 edition. (On sale until August 1.)





