From Slowdowns to Security Risks: Knowing When Tech Needs Replacing
I’m pretty old, so technology in general all seems new to me. Unfortunately, though, our tech devices don’t last forever. We’re putting them through more abuse and destructive behavior than the industrial systems. We drop them, we frequently charge them, and we constantly make changes to them with new and updated apps. Our mobile devices are also subjected to more temperature and humidity differences. All of these things wear on our tech, eventually requiring us to replace the hardware.
I’m a believer in making something last as long as it can last. However, I also know that there’s a limit to that. I’m also an extensive user of the tech that I have. All of the things I’m about to tell you about, I’ve experienced.
Performance Slowdowns
My first computer ran Windows 98, and it had an 8 GB hard drive. It was a modern computer for its time, and the operating system was as efficient as the technology available allowed. However, over time, that hard drive got slower and slower. It started taking longer to boot up and open the applications. Some of the newer programs I wanted to run just taxed it beyond what it was consistently capable of, and they froze and crashed a lot.
Trying to run programs that the system is just barely able to run, based on the required specifications of the program, is an indicator that it may be time to consider upgrading the hardware. Frequent freezes and crashes that aren’t resolved with normal troubleshooting methods are another issue.
One thing that will cause slowdowns is a full hard drive. I’m bumping up against that on my current laptop. It’s a fairly large drive, and I don’t store any data on it at all. But the programs have gotten much, much bigger over time as features have been added. I’m shopping.
Incompatibility with Updates
Windows 11 requires a certain level of hardware for installation, due to one of its security measures. That would have been fine if Microsoft had been willing to support Windows 10 indefinitely, but they’re not. Folks who had upgraded to Windows 10 from Windows 7 or 8 were already pushing the envelope of functionality with Windows 10. Most of them won’t make it to 11. I sort of “future-proofed” my system when I purchased it. When I saw that 11 had a feature I wanted to use that wasn’t available on 10, I was able to upgrade from 10 to 11. I tried the feature and didn’t like it – but I like 11, so I’ll stick with it.
With mobile devices, though, the operating system upgrades move a lot faster. As a result, it doesn’t take as long to lose the ability to upgrade the operating system past a certain point. As a result, you can’t update some of the apps. I have an older iPad that still works fine most of the time (the home button doesn’t always want to cooperate), but some apps can’t provide me with the latest version. That takes us neatly into the next section.
Safety and Security Concerns
We got iPhones for our kids when they started high school and had proven themselves to be responsible enough to take care of them and behave themselves with them. The phones were brand new, but they weren’t the latest models; in fact, they were three models behind. We kept them updated and protected, and there came a time when they couldn’t receive the latest operating system update. That meant that they were on borrowed time with security updates, so their Christmas presents were new phones.
If your device is no longer able to receive security updates, it’s time to replace it, or at least remove it from any internet access. This goes for networking gear as well as your normal communications equipment, like phones and tablets. If you get a message that your router needs an update that it can’t get, it’s time to get a new router.
Hardware Issues
If your battery won’t hold a charge with normal use for a day, you’re probably looking at a battery replacement. Broken screens, broken keyboards, and, in my case, a very loose power port (I have to charge through the USB-C port, removing that port from other uses) contribute to an impending replacement.
My phone was turning on the camera and flashlight randomly, and it was pretty old. I knew it was getting time for replacement. This, too, wasn’t the latest model when I purchased it, but it was still up to date on updates. However, the deciding factor was when I was in a cavern and I turned off my Apple Watch when they were turning off the lights. The watch never came back up, so I replaced it at the same time I replaced the phone. I hadn’t planned to replace my watch, because it hadn’t shown any signs of problems. I was really surprised that it had failed until I realized that it was several years older than I remembered.
Additionally, I mentioned how my hard drive was filling up with the programs I’m using. Besides that, I need more Video RAM for one of the photo processing programs I use, as well as more “regular” RAM. It’s getting pretty easy to justify this purchase.
When the Cost Outweighs the Benefit
This computer replaced a MacBook Pro. I loved that machine – not because I desperately love Macs, it was just so sleek and pretty. However, it had a component that was going bad, causing random reboots. It was several years out of warranty, and the repair was going to cost almost $500. For a computer that was already eight years old, it wasn’t going to be worth it. Fortunately, Christmas was on its way for me as well.
On the computer I’m using now, it wasn’t going to be worth it to me to fix the power port. First, I’d be without my computer for who knows how long. I’ve been okay for a while because I had a workaround for it. However, I also have things coming up for which I’m going to need that port; it’s time to get ready to part with some $$ for a replacement.
Your Turn
You don’t have to chase the newest release, but you can, and you may have a good reason to do so. When my husband’s phone quit taking a charge on the night before we were coming home from vacation, I ordered him a new one during our flight layover – it was new, but not the newest model. In our household, our tech replacements usually happen when something no longer works correctly.
What drives your upgrade cycle? Is it time to look at your hardware and see what’s due for an upgrade or replacement?
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