Introduction
It is tempting to hold onto a laptop for five or six years to "save money." If it still turns on, why replace it? This strategy is known as "Sweating the Asset." While it saves capital expense in the short term, it creates massive hidden operational costs. Knowing the optimal lifecycle for your IT hardware is critical for maintaining profitability and morale.
The Productivity Drain
A four year old computer has a significantly higher failure rate than a new one. But the real cost is speed. If an older PC takes 10 minutes to boot up and struggles to run modern software like Teams and Excel simultaneously, your employee is losing billable hours every single week. Over the course of a year, the cost of that lost productivity often exceeds the price of a new laptop.
The Security Risk of Old Hardware
Older hardware often cannot run the latest operating systems (like Windows 11). Once an OS goes out of support, it no longer receives security patches. "Sweating" a computer past this point turns it into a security vulnerability on your network. Furthermore, old hard drives are prone to mechanical failure, leading to sudden, catastrophic data loss.
The 3 to 4 Year Rule
We generally recommend a replacement cycle of 3 to 4 years for workstations.
• Warranty: Most commercial warranties expire after 3 years. Keeping a machine past this point means paying out of pocket for repairs.
• Compatibility: New software updates are designed for modern processors. Older chips struggle to keep up.
• Employee Morale: Giving an employee a fast, modern tool tells them you value their time and work. Sticking them with a slow, clunky machine sends the opposite message.
Conclusion
Hardware is a consumable business tool, not a permanent fixture. By adhering to a planned lifecycle, you maximize productivity and avoid the panic of emergency replacements when old gear finally dies.
Clint Underwood
