PC Turnover

It all depends upon what you're doing and what type of image you want to project.

If you're just doing back office type of stuff where the software and hardware works perfectly, you can keep the machine for as long as it runs and you can find replacement parts.

Of course, if you're running state of the art software because you need to be competitive, the cycle time is a lot shorter and may be based on things like retraining time and the ability to exchange data with other people.

And if you are a tech consultant, you may be expected to have the latest and greatest, forcing a cycle time of months instead of years.

....when you need to.

If you are asking "When", you may not need to yet.

:)

The approach shouldn't be age alone. Many parts of a computer don't age very fast, and some that do (like Hard drives) can be replaced at a reasonable cost.

Instead figure out what software everyone needs to run, and what the minimum hardware is needed to run that. Then re-verify when you change OS or Office suite, or other major changes to the software configuration you run.

Industry stats say that on average, most desktop PCs turnover every 36 months, while laptops last less, about 24 months, due to fragile nature etc.

Your mileage may vary.

James

Many organizations have travelling workforces, which require notebook PCs. In such cases, while the hi-end usage is not "power-user" or needing hi-end functionality, it is being hauled around which causes a dramatic wear & tear on the PC.
As opposed to the desktop, these PCs may need replacement annually or every 2-3 years, depending on the type of usage.

I am basing my comments on the situation as pertains within the UK. Once the asset has been depreciated against tax it is advisable to press for a budget to renew the PC's. This is dependant upon the size of the company but normally is 4 years whichcoincides nicely with natural redundancy of the technology