How Can You Extend The Life Of Your IT Hardware?

In the ever-evolving landscape of modern business, technology has swiftly become the driving force behind efficiency and innovation. As supplying new PCs, laptops and IT equipment can take a huge chunk out of your office budget, ensuring the longevity of IT hardware remains a critical concern for IT buyers, office managers, IT specialists, and those entrusted with upholding a seamless IT infrastructure.

Anyone who uses computers and laptops for their day-to-day work should want their hardware to last as long as possible. Even the most successful businesses don’t want to be replacing their kit every year and aim to extend their hardware lifecycle for as long as possible.

Not only is the lifespan of your IT hardware a key factor in where your budget is spent, but ensuring the extension of these computer components is necessary to improve your company’s environmental impact and helps to create circular IT economy. But how can you and your staff ensure that your kit is being looked after and how can you extend the life of your IT hardware without breaking the bank?
Read more to learn our top 3 tips.

Benefits of extending the life cycle of your IT equipment?

Providing your team with the necessary technology is no longer a privilege in business, but a working right. The deployment of a company’s IT assets requires significant planning, financial backing and ongoing IT support. If your budget does not allow for brand-new IT hardware every year, your business should consider this purchase as a long-term acquisition.

The key benefit of extending your IT component’s lifespan is linked to your finances. Studies suggest that small businesses spend an average of 6.9% of their total revenue on IT every year. By ensuring that your IT equipment has a longer and healthier life, you can significantly reduce the high cost of buying new and free up finances to spend in other areas of your organisation.

In terms of sustainability, extending the life cycle of IT equipment offers a host of compelling environmental benefits. By aligning your IT infrastructure with the principles of the circular economy, your company not only conserves valuable tech resources but also minimises the negative impact of e-waste on our environment.

By opting for remanufactured IT kits and updating your IT components to extend their lifespan, businesses actively contribute to reduced carbon emissions, reduce the amount of brand-new kit they have to buy and reduce the need for raw material extraction which is used in new tech production. As all of our remanufactured computers, laptops and phones undergo rigorous testing and refurbishment processes, their reliability is on par with new counterparts and have a performance guarantee. In choosing this more sustainable and eco-friendlier path, businesses showcase their commitment to responsible IT consumption.

How to Extend Your IT Hardware’s Life

Increasing the lifespan of your PC’s laptops and IT Hardware is essential to relieve the pressure it places on our environment, your productivity and your budget. There are several things a business can do to extend the life and use of computers:

Don’t run out of RAM

With all the downloading, web browsing and multiple open programs we go through in one day, we often don’t realise how much RAM we are using up. While our computers often work mostly as a conduit to the cloud, they can still get slower over time and adding more RAM may make it faster.

In the average computing day, many IT professionals recommend a minimum of 8GB of RAM for smooth multi-tasking and general program processing. If you frequently work with huge files like RAW images or HD video, want to play high-end games or often keep dozens of browser tabs open, you can always opt for more.

RAM is relatively cheap and easy to upgrade and it’s more cost-effective to go with a modest amount of RAM that suits your needs instead of adding more as you go. Have your IT professional, or hire an IT consultant that you trust, to improve your RAM capacity or clear out some space on your hardware.

Update your software

Regular software updates are crucial to a system’s performance. While some larger updates can be disruptive to your day, they are the backbone behind the efficiency of your IT kit.

Not only are software updates key to keeping your software running smoothly but they can also help away programs that can infect a computer with viruses or malware. You can make software (and, in turn, your hardware) last longer if you follow through with recommended updates that often run while you are away from your PC.

Keep your IT kit clean

Keep your computer clean. It may sound oversimplified, but it is crucial. As many IT professionals will tell you: “The number one killer of a desktop or laptop is dust or debris inside the system”. Debris, dust and dirt can collect and build up on the various components, causing the system to overheat and parts to singe.

A simple way to keep your IT hardware clean is to use a compressed air can to blow inside a laptop’s or tower’s vents or ask your IT support to unscrew and open a desktop tower to do the same. Remember, just because the computer is new doesn’t mean you should eat or drink over the keyboard or CPU. Keep your computer clean and it will last longer.

Why buy remanufactured IT kit?

Taking steps to make your hardware last longer will pay off for your bottom line but when the time does come to replace your kit, what options are best for you? Using your IT assets to their full potential is not only a sustainable option but it also allows you to make the most out of your IT budget. To extend the lifespan of an IT range, why not invest in refurbished equipment from Comms Warehouse? With a 3-year warranty, quality guarantees and cost savings, there are plenty of reasons why refurbished IT hardware is the best route for your IT procurement. Browse our range of refurbished kit today or talk to one of our experts.