Company PCs (Should You Replace Them?)

How often should company PCs be replaced?This is a common question from our clients. As you might expect, there are a range of opinions and policies on this topic.

Some adopt the strategy of using a PC until it fails or shows signs of failure. This is very understandable. Businesses want to maximize the usage of their computer purchases. This is particularly true of smaller businesses where they are more willing to absorb the pains and costs of nursing a PC into its twilight years.

However, that strategy does not scale well when you start getting into the 20+ employee range with an internal or outsourced IT department. These companies tend to focus more on the Total Cost of Ownership. So, they factor in costs associated with support, downtime, security, productivity, & employee morale – all of which are impacted as the PC ages past its prime.

Some might ask, “How real are those costs anyway?” Well, several studies, including those from Microsoft and Intel, have been done over the past decade that put some hard numbers to those costs. Most studies conclude that the optimal time to cycle computers is between 3 to 4 years.

Our experience suggests that most successful companies with over 50 employees have a hardware cycling policy where computers are replaced every 4 years, or less. Many of these companies have learned through genuine experience the benefits, and cost savings, of this policy.

In summary, Philantech3 strongly recommends that company PCs and laptops be replaced every four years. While an occasional exception may be needed, we are confident that such a policy results in better productivity and lower total cost of ownership across the organization. If your company PCs are due for a replacement, let us know and we can help to make your business productive again!

Russ Hardy

Russ serves as the Vice President, of Customer Success at Philantech3 Consulting Group. He loves high-tech! Russ started his career as an Electrical & Computer Engineer designing Hewlett-Packard computers. After getting an MBA, Russ moved into management and spent the last 18 years designing, building, marketing, and selling IT, software, & video solutions to hospitals. He has managed large divisions for multi-billion-dollar companies but has also bought, built, or sold several small businesses – from $1M to $25M. So, he knows the challenges of owning, building, and managing your own company!    

Russ lives in Spokane with his wife and six children. He is passionate about building a better Spokane community by helping businesses succeed! He is active in church and community service. He enjoys landscaping, playing games, and “building stuff” in his spare time.