How often you buy new desktop?

I've been using mine for 2 years.. I've read infinite's topic regarding 12 kontakt channels plus eastwest choirs etc.. make me desired..

How old your computer and how often you buy a new one?

I've been using mine for 2 years...How old your computer and how often you buy a new one?

The standard average lifetime of a desktop PC is supposed to be 4 years. But this probably applies more to PCs that are intended for general home and office use rather than ones used to run specialist software where performance is critical.

I built mine early last year. The previous one (based around Athlon XP1800+) dated from 4 years earlier. I only felt the need to upgrade after I enrolled for a Photoshop module at the local Uni. Unfortunately, I had not considered using a PC for music at the time, otherwise I might have made some slightly different choices of components. I have been recently pushing it to its limits with Sonar.

The standard average lifetime of a desktop PC is supposed to be 4 years.

I think most companies here write them off in 3.

I sort of piggy-back on Mr. Moore, so about every 18 months (couple of months after major introductions) I pick up the old stuff on the cheap. Been doing that for ages. Bleeding edge is not for me, or my wallet.

I buy a new machine every 2-3 years, usually because a Sonar upgrade makes the old one struggle to keep up.

Often I will do an upgrade of some sort mid-cycle, e.g. adding RAM or more hard drive space. I upgraded the CPU on my current machine when AMD dropped prices on their x2 dual-core processors. I now have FX Teleport, and I'm not as likely to do another CPU upgrade when I can add a very potent machine to the FX Teleport network, with practically zero setup time, for a few hundred dollars.

I agree with the previous poster who wrote that he doesn't buy leading-edge machines, but waits for the prices to drop. The difference between a leading edge machine and a machine that was leading edge 6 to 12 months earlier is thousands of dollars. Even Sonar doesn't demand that kind of investment.

Regards, lightninrick

I'd say 4-5 years with minor upgrades (e.g., more ram, new cpu, etc.).

I used a Pentium 1.4 Ghz for 4 or 5 years. During that time, I only added some RAM. A couple years ago I upgraded to an Athlon 64 3200+ on Socket 939, with the idea of upgrading to a dual core CPU later (after prices came down), which I did just two days ago - I changed the CPU to an X2 4400+ (cost me much less than the 3200+). I could have waited a bit more but Socket 939 CPU's were becoming very hard to find, especially dual cores. This setup will work for me for another 2-3 years. I only have to buy a new harddisk, and maybe some more RAM. The old Pentium 4 system is still being used by my wife without problems. It's about 6 years old now.

I also have a 4-year old Athlon XP-M 2400+ laptop that I use for my work, and I don't plan to get rid of it soon. I upgraded its HD and RAM a couple years ago so it's still going strong. And I do some pretty heavy math processing with it.

Of course, I'm amazed at what those new quad-core systems can do, but then again, I'm also amazed by my new dual core. It improves Sonar's performance by about 70%, which is basically all I care about. And for what I do, my current setup is more than enough. My most complex projects are handled well by this CPU. I don't see myself requiring 50 softsynth tracks and 100's of plugins. I don't mind freezing tracks occasionally, or upping my latency when mixing/mastering. In any case, it's good to know those new systems are there for people who needs/afford them.

As a sidenote, I don't upgrade Sonar each year, either. I'm still on S5SE and probably will wait until v8.

5 years. i would have waited, but I had already lost 512mb of ram, and the system was getting flaky. At that point I wasn't about to spend the days of feeding dvd and cd on a new OS reinstall on questionable hardware.

AMD xp2800 to Intel e4300. If you are building your own, research the the e4300 cpu line. I was going to buy an e6xxx until I did some research. And make sure the Motherboard is Quad core ready, just incase you decide to buy a Quad when they cost $100 in a year or 2.

I upgrade when my needs outweigh the capacities of my pc.

The one I'm typing on here is a P3 800 which I use mostly for internet and everything else but DAW use. It's been rock solid for 7 years. No need to replace it for what I use it for.

I have a seperate PC strickly for DAW use. No internet, no garbage, no nothing. Strickly DAW. Just Sonar, Sound Forge and some related programs (plug-ins, softsynths, etc.) It's rock solid as well and I'll keep using it until such time as I need more horspower. At this point I don't, which suits me just fine.

I keep my internet/word processing/other stuff computer for about 4 years before getting a new one. I replace my DAW computer every 2-3 years. I try to get 3-5 out of my laptop since it just use it for email and internet on the road.

I replace my computer at least three times a day. Of course, I never actually record any music, but I always have the latest technology.

ORIGINAL: Jessie Sammler

I replace my computer at least three times a day. Of course, I never actually record any music, but I always have the latest technology.

Great fun, Jessie... Great fun... That really made me laugh

BTW with the 18 months I didn't mean to imply each and every machine I have here. Boy, I wish.
All depends on the budget. Some are *ancient* and 2 cycles behind. These go out now, ofcourse.

ORIGINAL: j boy

So I guess another way to phrase the question would be



How long until that new quad-core becomes a door-stop?

Service pack 2 for Vista should render it useless

All true, yep... until the software developers decide they want to exploit the additional processing power, and you're back to square one again! It's a similar situation with storage capacity. Once upon a time, a 60 or 80 GB hard drive was considered adequate, and then the ROMpler folks decided to unleash sample sets like Colossus, DFHS and BFD on us. Nature abhors a vacuum...

Just remember, you can't win, you can't break even, and the odds are always in the house's favor.

I completly upgrade at least twice a year.
My world revolves around my computers since
im disabled, so i keep them humming like a new
sports car.

my desk still has the original top. i use pledge and a soft cloth, and never set my beer down on it.