1998 was my last truly “new” computer

After that was a new motherboard + cpu combined with used parts or simply buying a used machine whole to start with.

rmay635703 wrote on 2021-03-28, 18:13:

1998 was my last truly “new” computer

After that was a new motherboard + cpu combined with used parts or simply buying a used machine whole to start with.

Well, I didn't mean "brand new" as "brand new from store".
New motherboard and CPU is a new computer in my book.

You'd be surprised how little you have to spend on computers when you don't do any gaming. I'm still using a Core 2 Quad Q9550 with 8 GB RAM and a Sapphire HD 6850, bought it in 2008.

Miphee wrote on 2021-03-28, 18:29:

You'd be surprised how little you have to spend on computers when you don't do any gaming. I'm still using a Core 2 Quad Q9550 with 8 GB RAM and a Sapphire HD 6850, bought it in 2008.

I wouldn't be surprised at all. Single core is dead, but a good old dual core and even just 4 GB is still perfectly usable on 32 bit Windows. If I bought my previous computer a year later with an Athlon64 X2 I might still be using it.
I actually have one from my sister from 2007. If I would put more RAM and a SSD in it, it would be a nice little computer, but she has no use for it since she uses her phone and kids have some cheap laptop for school.

I also use my phone Nokia 3310
https://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_3310-192.php

I got a 45 CAN$ thrift store find with a J1900 CPU whose IPC is lower than that of a Core 2 duo E6600, but it has 4 cores and 4GB RAM . It browses and does Youtube better than I imagined it would . This is a 10-watt CPU .

I don't in the sense that I buy a CPU/RAM/Motherboard in one go, GPU by itself when needed (usually every two to three years), case/PSU/storage when necessary or bored (I seem to go through cases quite a lot, maybe every two years).

In terms of the mobo/cpu/RAM 'heart' of the PC, I went Athlon64 x2 5200+, i7 860, 4770K and now 3700X so that's every four or five years except the first jump?

I have this PC for gaming and "keeping my options open" for video editing.

I have various older slower bits and pieces and I could live quite happily on my Q6600 3GHz, 8GB RAM, basic video card if I did not do any gaming.

My last new desktop build, still in service, contains a GTX970. So there's some indication 😁

I get a new laptop every 5 years or so, and like to get something with midrange gaming ability. Current workhorse has a GTX 965M Ti (released 2016).

What it i only generally buy used hardware when upgrading?

Does that still count as a new computer if I upgrade my mb and CPU with used parts?

I tend update CPU/motherboards about every 2 to 4 years, depending on budget and needs . I usually have one "flagship" (currently I9 9900K) that I try to keep current and multiple other machines using either parts bought used or hand-me-downs from the "flagship" .

Once a decade typically. I built new systems in 2001 and 2010 and am overdue for no. 3. I'll probably do it next year.

cyclone3d wrote on 2021-03-29, 00:42:

What it i only generally buy used hardware when upgrading?

Does that still count as a new computer if I upgrade my mb and CPU with used parts?

I really messed up the title. As long as it is newer then you previous one, and you use it as your main computer, everything goes.

Too often, according to friends and family 😜

Not so much CPU/GPU,more like upgrading storage, changing cooling solutions, cases, etc. SFF PCs have been my thing as of late, and iv gone through a couple cases within the span of a few months before settling on the Cooler Master NR200 for my build.

Otherwise, if i for whatever reasion have the money, and there's a newer GPU/CPU out there that catches my interest. Il upgrade.

Pretty much how I settled on my current 3900X build. And judging by how the market for PC parts is right now, I don't think I'm in any rush to change it anytime soon

My last desktop computer that I built using a new motherboard and CPU was my Phenom2 AM3 machine which I think is from 2010. It still runs XP, but I'm in the process of getting linux on it as a dual boot option. It's turning into a headache, as usual. I still like XP but there are some things that won't run on it nowadays, so linux will broaden it's usability. It's really not a suitable build for a linux desktop though, I'm just pinching pennies here sticking with what I've got.

The last build preceding this to use a new board+CPU was my K6-3, so that's about a 10 year separation. In between those however were a few builds made of 2nd hand parts.
So if I count those cheapass 2nd hand motherboard upgrades, then maybe every 2-3 years or so in the 2000s?

Since 2010 things have slowed down, a lot.

After the 2010 AM3, my next (and last) desktop computer was bought ~2 years ago, but it was an old computer from 2012 or so. It wasn't supposed to replace my 2010 machine, it was meant to be a dedicated Windows 7 gaming system. However, over the past year the 2012 started drifting into daily desktop territory. I'm trying to reverse that shift and put it back to dedicated gaming on a TV, which is why I want to get linux back onto the 2010 XP machine.
The CPU on that 2012 Win7 machine is a Xeon E3-1245. I'm happy with it's performance and if I was to add another modern PC, I wouldn't be looking for anything much newer than that.

As far as laptops, I bought a new i3 based laptop a couple years ago.
I don't use laptops much, my last one before that was a Pentium 3. At the time there were various reasons I decided I should get a modern laptop. I made an effort to get one that could be coerced into running Windows 7, and after considerable effort, that's what's on it.
Now though, the situation has changed and I have a feeling it's going to just sit in it's bag until it's obsolete. I'm thinking about using it as a desktop (replacing the AM3 for daily use) but there are some problems with that idea.

I have never bought a new prebuilt computer from the store.

My father bought new Atari 800XL in the eighties. My first AT PC was a used non-branded 286-16 and I did upgrades to it up to 2001 when I switched to ATX standard.

Parts I remember I bought new:

- 2x 1MB 30-pin SIMM
- AMD 287 boxed
- Acer 486slc-33 motherboard
- Sound Blaster 16
- MS mouse
- AMD K6-2 500Mhz
- 3dfx Voodoo3 2000 AGP
- WD 80GB 7200
- AMD Athlon XP-M 2500+
- 4x 512MB DDR433
- BigTyphoon cooler
- Gigabyte NF4 motherboard
- AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+
- Asus AM3 motherboard
- AMD Phenom II X6 1055T
- Scythe Ninja 3 cooler

The last three items are still in my main desktop machine in Antec P182 case.

Still thinking on building my "new" main desktop machine based on i7-4790K and Antec P280 case - already have everything sitting on the desk for months now. But the motherboard only supports 10Mbit NVMe and I have bought Samsung 1TB 970 EVO Plus... now looking to buy some Ryzen 3700x/5600x combo for a good price. Probably should sell everything as I use laptops as a daily "driver" for 8 years now 🤣

Apart from laptops, never.

rarely, maybe once or twice a decade for myself, if that. More when younger. almost all my computers are cast off gifts from other people or very cheap 2nd hand. As consequence almost none are suitable for online stuff!

I hear new PCs are easier to self build than ever now, I haven't even tried to do so for many years but I might for my own interest.

There are other devices for the main reason (for me) to create new computers; being online. The urgency isn't there

Used to more, rarely now. The generation-to-generation technological gaps grow smaller and PCs stay viable as primary machines for longer now.

I bought / built new desktops in 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, then 2018. Somewhere in between I moved out of my parents', and so I built them an additional new desktop in 2010, which was similar to my 2008 build.

I usually have one primary laptop that follows me around. These are the years I bought / received them: 2002 (new), 2005 (new), 2009 (used in-warranty), 2013 (used, in-warranty), 2016 (custom-built), 2018 (almost new, open-box).

Gosh, far too many. The list below are the computers I've personally paid for out of my own pocket aka The Grown Up Years. I like to think I have slowed down over the years but as more disposable cash becomes available, so too does the computer collection swell...

Desktops - probably every 3-4 years, though I’m still using my 2010 Mac Pro (2x 3.33Ghz, 64GB, 480GB PCIe SSD, RX 560 4GB and TB3 / USB3.1) as my main studio computer. For personal use, I’ve recently moved into SFF / ITX builds so this has kept me on my toes. I love tinkering so I have accumulated a couple of very good builds that are either in the office or at home.

Laptops - every 2-3 years. We use mostly MacBook Pro’s in our studio and I tend to sell / pass them on with 6-8 months left on the extended AppleCare warranties.

Looking at the list below, I am aiming to keep the custom Monument 5900x rig and will probably move the entire Galax 3090 custom loop build into my preordered Thor Mjolnir whenever it arrives and sell the NCase and NR200 builds.

Whole computer purchases since 2006:

Builds:
2006: AMD 3000+, 6600GT / 7800GT, MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum, Antec Sonata
2008: Intel Q6600, Abit IP35 Pro, Dell 2405FPW, ATI 4850 / 9800GT SLI, Lian Li PC-V1000
2010: AMD X2 560+ BE, ATI 5850, Gigabyte 870A-UD3, Lian Li PC-V1000
2017 - short-lived experiment with Intel NUC7i7BNH as a media server - hated the experience!

2020: AMD 5600x, 3080 FE, Gigabyte B550i Aorus Pro, NCase M1 6.1
2020: AMD 4750G Pro, 3080 FE, Gigabyte B550i Aorus Pro, Yuel Beast Monument
2020: AMD 5600x, 6900XT, ASRock X570 Phantom Gaming TB3, OBT Mini
2021 (in progress): AMD 5800x, Galax 3090 SG, NR200 - custom loop
2021 (in progress): AMD 5900x, 3090 FE, ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming, Yuel Beast Monument custom design / loop[/list]

Purchases:
2006: MacBook (black) Core Duo, Intel GMA950
2011 (work): iMac 27’ 2010 refurbished
2012: MacBook Air 13’
2012 (work): Mac Pro 5,1
2014 (work): MacBook Pro 15’
2018 (work): iMac Pro, Vega 56, 3Ghz 10-core
2018 (work): MacBook Pro 15’ i9
2020 (work): MacBook Pro 16’ i9