How often do you upgrade your PC system?

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When do you buy new parts for your computer and make it better? Or do you simply buy a new computer? If so, how often do you do that?

I usually upgrade my computer(EX: new CPU, Graphics Card etc.) about once/year. I would never even consider buying a new pre-made system. I built my computer myself and I'm gonna keep it that way. It's much more effiecient and a whole lot cheaper.

 

i think computer upgrading is totally dependent on the requirements of current must-play-games. Before we have pentium, they already sent people into moon using gigantic card punching calculating machine. It is not the pursuit of highier calculating ability itself that pushes pcs limit but half-life, quake, unreal, need for speed, fifa, call of duty....

i tend to stick with current system as long as possible and wait until i have problem playing a must play game smoothly. Then i upgrade one curcial part (usually cpu or graphic card) of my pc to the higest quality at the time. Like recently (2 months ago), anticipating Half-life 2, i bought Radeon 9800. Like 2 years ago, anticipating Return to Castle wolfsometing, i bought Athlon 1600.

 

Well, about once per 5 years, unless I need to upgrade something -like RAM or HD. Beside those, it's almost completely new system after that time.

 

In a few months I'll graduate and after I find a decent job I'll buy the components to build myself a new computer to replace my trusty P1-166MMX that will then start its new life as a network server...

 

The last time I upgraded, I did it solely to play NWN on ALFA...My other system was slow as molasses...

 

At least two upgrades per year, often more. I do it a piece at a time whenever I feel replacing a component is warrented. I would say the average lifespan of a component in my computer is about three years.

 

About every three years, depending on situation.

I usually call up Falcon or Hypersonic and have them build the best PC they can come up with, I usually don't have to do too much more to it until a few years passes (games don't usually get that much more demanding)

For instance, last PC:

P4 1.3 Ghz w/ GeForce 2 and 512 MB RDRAM

New PC:

Athlon 64 FX-51 w/ GeForce FX 5950 Ultra and 4096 MB PC3200 DDR SDRAM

 

I wouldn't have the faintest idea how to build my own computer. Therefore I am stuck with the slightly more expensive pre-made ones - therefore I have only "upgraded" my computer 3 times in the last 20 years (an average of once every 7 years).

 

Well, now that I have a laptop, the only real thing I can upgrade myself would be the memory and the mini pc card slot, which as far as I know is already filled with a card I'd probably never change.

As for desktops, I usually upgrade speakers, monitors, sound and video cards; and only if they fail, I'll upgrade the cpu and the hard drive.

 

I owned my first computer for 3 years, and did absolutely no upgrades. I've had my current one (my second) for 3½ years, and all I've done is increased my RAM from 128 to 384.

I'll replace a computer when it no longer can handle what I want it to do - it seems that processor speed, video card and RAM are all comparable, so for me, it makes the most sense to buy a whole new box rather than doing it piecemeal. I figure I'm about six months from needing a new one.

 

I do it all self, and just upgrade what needs to be upgraded to play the games I want. The next upgrade will either be getting my CPU above the 2GHz mark (now have Athlon XP 1.8GHz+) or my screen (because my father says it's beginning to degrade). The only component that I postpone as long as possible to upgrade is the CPU, because that always means also upgrading the motherboard and that in turn means doing a full reinstall which takes a tremendous effort on my part, which I try to avoid. It usually coincides with an upgrade in OS. Another upgrade I'm considering is adding another HD. But that's not a majorly needed upgrade, just a luxury problem I had, nl. having to remove all games (including BGI) except BGII to be able to install SW:KotOR (I have also other programs installed (big ones) but I can't uninstall them cause I need them for my studies).

 

I upgrade when the information tells me I'll notice a massive difference.

Like moving from a Ti4200 to a Radeon 9800pro. Yep. It's noticable. It was a fair leap, seeing how I bought my Ti4200 for $120 (the R98p was $300). Buuuuuuut, there was a huge hole in the market between performance and cash-money; normally, I have a rule of not spending more than $200 on a gpu, and $120 on a cpu. I'm pleased with the R98p.

And moving up to 512meg (from 256) was noticable. And, after some time, moving up to 768 was noticable. I'm very pleased with 768meg. However, I'm slightly pissed that even though I lock the page file to 768 meg (min 768, max 768), XP just happens to go ahead and completely disregard my setting and bump it up to 1150. Then when I lock it at 1150, it adds a FRIKING ONE MEG to it, giving 1151 to the thing. When it only uses about 250 at *peak*.

Anyways, I upgrade when *I* will be able to tell a difference.