Thinking of upgrading your computer parts? Not sure when to, or how often to? Well, with this simple guide, you don’t have to stress anymore! Be warned, all these ages are different for everyone – they all depend on how often they are getting used! If a mouse says it will last 10 years, and you’re using it 10+ hours daily, it won’t last you 10 years. If you ever need help deciding what parts are best suited for your life style, we are more then happy to help you come to a decision!
Motherboard
A good quality motherboard could last for 10 or more years. However, they will usually last around 4-6 years for an average quality motherboard. New generations of CPU’s arrive about every 6 months, so if you like staying trendy and have the spare change, then you’d want to replace it every 6 months to a year.
Central Processing Unit – CPU
CPUs are finicky. It depends on what you’re doing with your CPU, how much you overclock, how often your computer or laptop is used etc. if you’re not into gaming, then you don’t need to upgrade for quite a while with the average lifespan being 6-10 years.
Graphical Processing Unit – GPU
This also depends on what you’re doing. Non gamers can see it lasting anywhere from 5 – 8 years with daily use, and even longer with adequate care. A mid to high performance GPU used by a gamer, on the other hand, would need replacing every 3-4 years.
Random Access Memory – RAM
RAM will rarely ever need changing. This is due to the fact what RAM is not subject to any kind of wear or degradation from use, so it should last longer than any other component in your computer. If I had to give it a range, I’d say 5-20 years depending on if you have a lot of RAM already, the usage, and functionality of your computer.
Solid State Drive – SSD
Not even going to talk about hard drives – if you have a HD, get rid of it, honestly. Anyway, even though SSDs are amazing, they still have their flaws, and can be expected to last around 7-10 years. This is a good range though, as upgrading often will keep you up to date with the fastest speeds and best special capacity.
Peripheral Devices
Peripheral devices are the external components that connect to a computer system to enhance its functionality or provide additional capabilities. These devices can be input devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, scanner, or microphone that allows the user to enter data into the computer. There also is output devices such as your printer, monitor, or speakers that display of replay back information processed by the computer.
-> Keyboard
This will cover the most common keyboard types – membrane and mechanical. Membrane keyboards are the most common and are the cheapest. They will only last you about a 1 year to 3, depending on how often you use it. Mechanical keyboards are more expensive – for good reason. They will last you, on average, up to 10 years. To put it into perspective, membrane keyboards will last no more than 5 million key presses, while mechanical keyboards are rated around 50 million.
-> Mouse
A wireless mouse is only good for 2-3 years. If you want a mouse to live longer, consider getting a wired version. Wired mice last around 5-7 years but can go longer.
-> Headset / Headphone
A wired, cheap headset is likely to break after the first year of use. A good quality set can last decades, provided it gets the correct care. A wireless set is good too – lasting on average around 3-4 years. Personally, I’d always recommend a wireless headset – even though they don’t last as long, the functionality makes more sense.
-> Monitor
All monitors have different lifespans and there’s no definite answer to this one. They should last you at least a good 3 years, so keep this in mind. If you notice your monitor acting up – LCD burn-in, lines or spots, or flickering are good indicators that it’s time to think about upgrading.