It may be time to get a new computer when your current computer is slowing you down. How slow is too slow? If you have time to go and make a cup of coffee while your computer boots up, that’s too slow. If your computer tells you “not responding” on any sort of regular basis, that’s too slow. As Harvey MacKay says “Time is free, but it’s priceless.”

Besides speed, here are some other signs that it’s time to let go of your computer:

  • It’s a budget laptop that is more than 3 years’ old
  • It’s a budget desktop that is more than 5 years’ old
  • It’s still running Windows XP or Windows Vista
  • It’s freezing or turning itself off randomly

If your computer is not too old, it’s worth considering upgrading the hard drive to a solid-state drive (SSD). Otherwise it’s time to pick out a new computer.