How long do you stick with your main computer?

I tend to go about three years in between upgrades, though this time I merely supplemented my PowerBook with a Mac Pro—moved my daily operations to the Mac Pro and kept the PowerBook for mobility. I plan to keep the PowerBook until it dies, and keep the Mac Pro until I need more power (and since it's upgradeable, that might be longer than most would think).

 

For my current machine, I'm keeping it probably until it dies due to a cash flow problem.

 

I think the laptop then desktop then laptop then desktop paradigm works really well, personally.

For me it's never made a lot of sense to buy an expensive and powerful laptop when the money would buy much more desktop oomph, because that's never been my portability need.

 

I like to keep a computer until it doesn't work anymore. The only exception was my eMac, which I sold. Why the hell wouldn't that thing die!?

 

I had my G4 sawtooth for over 6 years. It was one hell of a machine (replaced by dual core G5). My iBook G4 just turned 3, and it's still doing fine. No MacBook for me until one of two things happens- either a dedicated video card or a matte screen. Both would be great though.

 

I tend to go 3-4 years between computer upgrades. By that time the applecare is gone and the computer itself is just starting to get a little bit too out dated.

they are indestructible tanks that will never die

 

I've mentioned this before, but it's kind of amusing, in a nerdy way, so I'll mention it again.

I seem to - quite by chance - have landed on a three year cycle:

1994: Performa 630CD (first Mac)
1997: Power Mac 7500
2000: PowerBook G3 Pismo
2003: iBook G4
2006: MacBook

So it seems my next Mac will be whatever goes for a (couloured?) MacBook some time after MacWorld 2009...

 

I usually go 4-5 years but approximately 4 years. With my new purchase, it will probably last for just the same.. but I am planning to look into purchasing a newer MBP down the line.

 

I have had mine 4 and a half years now - I expect it to survive another 18 months although that doesn't stop me wanting to buy and upgrade to the latest and greatest.

 

I had my last computer for EIGHT years. It didn't die; I sold it, still in perfect (though ancient) condition. So, no poll option applies for me.

Before that, it was 4 years. Before that, it was 1-2 years between comps.

My mac pro arrives in 2 weeks!

 

I tend to upgrade more often than I really need to because someone else in the family needs a computer. I'm at the top of the food chain, so I get a computer and then that person inherits mine.

 

Currently my rate is about 1 year, but this is for unusual circumstances.
I bought the old G4 imac, had it for about a year until Uni work required 3D modeling, which it just couldn't handle.
So I bought a PowerBook..... which I dropped about a year later.

Just got a MacBook on the Insurance.

So that's three in three years. I intend to keep this one for longer though. Maybe 3 years?

 

but are those your main computers tho?

I still have all my computers for the last 15 years. The computer I had before that I couldn't take anymore as I was moving. But that doesn't change the fact that I only have one main computer at any time.q

 

I tend to buy a new main computer every 2-3 years, though in the past that has only really been because, despite being amazing in their day, they can no longer keep up with the new challenges I'm throwing at them.

However, my current main machine, the Mac Pro 2.66, and my previous, now home machine, the Dell Precision 670, are pretty powerful and I'd imagine the duo will see me through another 3 years yet.

 

i average about 13 months for desktops and about three years for laptops. i think of laptops as buy to die machines. there is little point in maintaining the cutting edge tech in a computer that i bring everywhere and expose to most every element of weather and form of abuse. desktops are worth the more frequent updates because they see no abuse and i can sell them with taking a smaller hit from depreciation than i would on laptop. i hope that i can stretch a "new and improved" imac (if that rumor comes true) to over 2 years...... you just never know.

 

What about an option for until it no longer does what I need it to do efficiently for me...

 

i must confess I am cheap when it comes to upgrading (as evidenced by the fact that I just replaced my 1998 G3 350mhz with a MacBook Pro about a month ago). I did just about everything to that machine to keep it running, and it still is working fine. But I will probably get another desktop machine in the next few years, especially with the way the iMacs and Mac Pros are evolving. In a decade I went from 350mhz to 2.16ghz, and 8GB HD to 160GB HD for less money. Unbelievable, what will they be like 10 years from now?

 

Haha, yup.

Though my iBook G4's processor...was just way too underpowered. Video encoding goes slightly faster on my C2D iMac

 

Performa 630CD - bought second hand in 1997, given away in 1999.
iMac DV400 - bought 1999, sold 2005
iMac G5 - 2005 to current

On average then about four years I suppose. No plans to get rid of the current iMac for at least another couple of years or so.

 

As a main computer, so far it's been ~ 4-5 years.

 

my main machine was a dell for 3-4 years before an imac for 2 years. while i had the imac, i had a 12" PB then a 15" PB then a 15" MBP. iMac was the main machine till i was on the go most of the time. now, after 1 year, the MP is my main machine with the MBP for mobility. average: 18month change.

 

I'll keep my machine until it stops working.

 

I haven't had a mac for longer than a year yet...

I like to eBay my old machines and upgrade to a new one pretty frequently, before I've lost much money. For instance, I'll be selling this MBP here in the next week or so and throwing the profits into a bank account until August, when I'll buy whatever is out then (cause I don't really need a laptop during summer).

 

Four to five years although that has been for PCs. First Mac desktop should be a Mac Pro and will probably last longer.

My MBP was changed on a whim after six months for a C2D.