This is a very apposite thread. I’m trying to decide whether to replace or upgrade. I’ve had my Shuttle for 3 years now - P4-2400. But I broke the graphics card and the HDD went pop. IBM Deathstar - need I say more? I’ve had my money’s worth from it, but I’ve got to decide on simply buying a new graphics card or replacing the lot.
My computer is a Frankenstein that I have assembled and upgraded, though the big items (CPU & Mobo, video card) have seen upgrades in the last year or so). The parts in it right now cost me $1000 or so at the time of purchase. Right now, brand new, those same or similar parts would run $650.
It is funny how some items have really dropped in price (I have 2x512MB Corsair Value Select Ram that I paid $150 for, now you can buy them for $80, the $280 Radeon x800xl that put in in June are down to $190) while some of the others haven’t changed much - I paid $140 for an Athlon 64 2800+ over a year ago - they still cost like $115, I paid $80 for a nice nForce 3 250gb mobo, those still run -$60-$70 at newegg.
Anyways, my next upgrade in couple months is going to be interesting - AMD is coming out with the new M2 socket that will mean I will need new Ram (DDR2), new mobo & CPU, and a new video card (since mine is AGP & I wager most of the new motherboards will be PCI-E.)
I have a few over the years starting with an old AT&T system that lasted about five years. I don’t even remember the specs. I somewhat remember an old mac system that we had, but my only memory of that is the “Welcome to the machine” vocal it would play occasionally. The AT&T cost roughly 3k. It was ungodly expensive, and we actually had a lawsuit with HH Greg regarding that computer . . that is a different story.
Once the AT&T finally died, I had decided to build my own system but ran across Atlas Micro Logistics who built the system I wanted for just a little more and included tech support and what not. That was my first Athlon and I have not gone back yet. I used that system all the way up until I deployed to Iraq for the first time in '03. We payed about 1500 for that system.
I bought an HP laptop with a Athlon 2400, 512MB Ram, decent video card, 60gig HD, cd burner, wireless internet and what not. I love that thing. I am using it this deployment as well, matter of fact, I am posting from it. I think I paid like 1700 for it.
Before I left for Iraq, I bought my wife an e-machine from Best Buy. It is an Athlon 64, a gig of ram, 80gig HD, dual layer CD burner, wireless internet, ass loads of ports. Along with a 17" LCD, that computer cost only about 650. Not bad at all. I think it will last us a long time. I plan to build my next one, provided I have time.
Dual 450 MHz G4 from July, 2000 is still going strong. It is my server workhorse, serving web, database, iTunes, files, and getting used daily as a desktop. I see not reason to ever replace it unless it dies totally.
My other main computer is a 17" powerbook from Feb, 2003. Apart from an enter key that the cat pulled off while fighting with the dog, it is holding up well, although I had to reformat the hard drive a couple of months ago. It’ll easily last another three years if the kid doesn’t spill water on it.
I bought a 475 MHz AMD back in 2000 for - jeez, I can’t remember. About $700, I think. It runs better than it has any right to, and serves my mother just fine for web-browsing and email, so I’d say it was a very good purchase. Only downside is that the monitor’s completely dead … I’m going to be replacing her monitor today with an old one of mine, for Valentine’s day, if snow doesn’t conspire to keep us down here.
Other purchases haven’t fared so well. I have a 700 Mhz laptop running WinME. Still does fine, I guess, but the display is completely dead.