Posted by: TAZ Networks on August 19, 2016 at 3:22 pm
Last updated: June 2025 by Aubrey Felix
Human age: 581
How Old Is Your Computer in Human Years?
Earlier today we posted a fun little link to our LinkedIn, Facebook and X: How old is your computer in human years?
Here are some quick results:
- 1 year old computer = approximately 19 human years
- 3 year old computer = approximately 56 human years
- 5 year old computer = approximately 93 human years!
Try It Yourself:
“Ok, that was fun. What does it matter for my small business?”
It turns out, it matters a lot.
Why It Matters: The Business Computer Lifecycle
Newer computers generally run faster and are less “glitchy” than older ones. If higher productivity, lower maintenance costs, less downtime, better security, faster service and lower energy bills sound good to you, then replacing an old computer might make more sense than ever.
So, how long should a business PC last? In our experience, about 3 years is ideal. After that, you're not just losing speed, you're introducing risks. We wrote about four good reasons to upgrade computers over three years old in a previous blog post:
- Older PCs break down more often and cost 1.5 more times to maintain when compared to newer PCs.
- New computers experience 40% less downtime than older ones.
- Security incidents decrease by 23%, on average, with a new PC versus an old one.
- The processors that we recommend, Intel Core i5, i7 Core Ultra 5 and Core Ultra 7, allow us to repair your desktop even if it is powered down, letting us get you back up and working even faster.
When to Replace Business Computers
Once your device hits the 3-year mark, you’re entering the “senior citizen” stage of its lifecycle. At 5 years old, it’s practically a dinosaur. Running outdated hardware in your office puts your productivity, data, and even compliance at risk. That’s why having a hardware replacement plan is essential — especially if you’re in a regulated industry.
Need help building a lifecycle strategy? Our IT support services are designed to make hardware planning easy, secure, and budget-friendly.
Is the Human Years Chart Accurate?
We dug around the internet a bit, looking for the origins and rationale of the original site. We didn’t find any background specifically related to that particular site, but estimates ranged from 15 to 20 years per real-time computer year. That correlates pretty well with the link results above.
In our estimation, it holds up pretty well. A computer 1-3 years old with proper maintenance should be running strong. After 3 years, it’s generally time to come up with a computer retirement plan. Running a 5-year-old computer in your workplace should be an amusing anomaly at best. (Our apologies to any 93-year-old humans who are still working full time.)
Give it a try with the oldest computer in your office, and let us know your results on LinkedIn, Facebook or X!
Don’t Let Aging Tech Slow You Down
Is your office running on “senior citizen” computers? Let’s talk about upgrade options before it costs you in downtime. Contact us today. Phone: (810) 355-2280 Email: info@taznetworks.com
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Why Trust TAZ Networks?
- Supporting Southeast Michigan businesses for over 20 years
- Certified Microsoft Partner
- Local support desk — no offshoring or call centers
- Trusted by real clients: Read their stories