Updating your team’s workstations—desktops, monitors, and laptops—can be time-consuming and expensive. This may lead businesses to hang onto their equipment as long as possible.
After all, how much does a slow computer load and response time, or a couple of annoyed employees really cost you?
A lot more than you might think.
Today, we’ll provide our expertise on how often businesses should replace their team’s computer workstations.
How Long Do Business Computers Last?
Like any technology, computers don’t last forever. As they age, they become slower, harder to use, and more prone to security issues.
The total lifespan of your company’s devices depends on several factors, such as:
- Environment: If you’re in a hot environment with poor ventilation, like a factory, your team’s workstations will likely need to work harder to stay cool. In hotter spaces, the computer’s fan will work much more frequently. Over reliance on fans can also kick up dust, dirt, and other particles that can clog the computer’s vents.
- Overall Usage: Do you have a remote, global, or hybrid workforce that uses computers nearly 24/7? Are your people often sending, downloading, receiving, and storing large digital files? Do your processes require sophisticated applications? A “yes” to any of the above questions could reduce your computer’s shelf life.
- Model: Certain models are known for their lifespan capabilities. Consider your strategic hardware partnerships to ensure you’re working with a supplier that can meet your team’s needs.
- Security Needs: Even the most well-maintained computer will require security updates. Holding onto your tech too long could mean that, due to an older operating system, you wouldn’t be able to receive necessary system updates and security support.
Normal wear and tear will also influence the longevity of your workstation—think accidental drops and spills. But, in general, most well-maintained computers can last your company five good years.
How Often Should You Replace Your Computer?
While much advice on this topic recommends a short refresh cycle, at SymQuest, we find that three to five years is the sweet spot.
Why three to five?
It’s long enough to get the most use out of your technology as possible, but not too long, where you put your cybersecurity (and employee patience) in jeopardy. Working with a trusted IT partner can help you maximize the longevity and performance of your equipment.
If you’re wondering how to plan and budget for this transition, get in touch with a member of our managed IT services team. They can help you craft a plan specific to your business, daily operations, security and regulatory requirements, and budget needs.
What Workstation Devices Does Your Team Need?
When you think about a computer workstation, your mind likely goes to a PC. But there are many types of devices your team may need, including:
- Mobile devices
- Laptops
- Tablets
- Monitors
The right combination of equipment depends on your team’s structure and operations. We’re seeing several businesses look to replace most of their standard PCs with laptops to better accommodate a remote or multi-location workforce. Price-wise, they are similar, though laptops may need to be replaced more frequently, given their structure, use, portability, and wear and tear.
Top Benefits of the 3-5 Year Replacement Cycle
Let’s zero in on why we find that replacing your computer every three to five years is a smart business move.
1. Reduce Overall Downtime
Once you hit the five-year mark, it’s typical for IT departments to see an increase in helpdesk tickets for underperforming computers. The issues run the gamut:
- Slow Performance: Employees may notice the computer taking a long time to start, load applications, download or display files, and an inability to keep multiple applications running simultaneously.
- Fan Issues: This can cause overheating or loud noises when in use.
- Battery Life: For employees on the go, the last thing they want is for their computer to die during an important presentation.
- Compatibility Issues: Employees may be unable to upgrade their software, update applications, and more.
All of these incidents can cause more downtime, directly impacting your team’s productivity and the company’s bottom line.
The total cost of downtime depends on your business size, industry, and business model, but one study found that the average cost of downtime is $9,000 per minute per incident. Small businesses can expect between $137 - $427 per minute.
And those numbers don’t consider the productivity angle.
Computer downtime and inactivity are certainly disruptions to normal business operations. And those disruptions are costly. A study by UC Irvine found that it often takes people about 23 minutes to refocus after experiencing an interruption at work. That’s losing up to $207,000 (or $9,821 for SMBs) in focus time alone per employee.
2. Fewer Security Risks
As we’ve mentioned, older computers are often at a higher risk of data breaches, ransomware, and malware attacks because of their outdated hardware and software capabilities.
A reported 60% of organizations that suffered a data breach in the last few years cited a “known vulnerability” as the core culprit—lagging computer workstation security certainly fit that bill.
Keep your network infrastructure security intact with regular software and hardware updates.
3. More Streamlined Costs
Yes, new workstations have a cost associated with them. But patchworking fixes on your old devices may just wind up costing you more.
Between ongoing maintenance and upgrades, fixing an older PC can cost roughly $561 per device.
It’s possible, then, that you could pay more for workarounds for older devices than you would if you upgraded.
4. Stronger Data Integrity
After you use a computer for several years, certain functions begin to deteriorate, like the motherboard, RAM, fan, processing, and more.
As these core components lose their luster, the computer becomes more susceptible to hard drive crashes, sometimes leading to irreparable data loss.
While your company likely has strong file backup and recovery and document management practices, using older computers can make that ecosystem more difficult to navigate.
5. Team Recruiting and Retention
Perhaps our favorite benefit to regularly updating your team’s workstation is in the human resources (HR) department.
Attracting and retaining top talent is likely one of your business's most important priorities and most difficult challenges, especially with changing employee expectations.
Poor-performing computer systems can drag team morale and could even lead people to jump ship, especially if your company isn’t actively fixing the tech issues that are brought up. And attrition isn’t cheap. SHRM discovered that it often costs companies 6-9 months' worth of the previous employee’s salary to replace that position—much more expensive than a laptop.
Maintaining high-functioning technology also helps your people do their jobs well with minimal operational frustrations. New technology can be a benefit your recruiting and HR teams use when sourcing new talent. Businesses can (and should) get creative here. For example, you may choose to give employees who need multiple applications for their daily work multiple large external displays.
Entrust Your Computer Workstation Fleet To The Pros
Knowing how often to replace your work computer ensures your technology operates at peak performance and is safe from risky security issues.
Our experience tells us that replacing your workstations every three to five years strikes the right balance between longevity, performance, and security.
Providing your people with updated technology not only improves their productivity, but it can also boost their morale.
If you’re looking for an IT expert to help you get the most out of your equipment and provide recommendations on the right PC fleet for your organization, reach out to SymQuest today.