- Hardware replacement should be governed by four factors namely reliability, suitability, security and sustainability.
- Gartner has provided guidelines for replacement based on three of the most common ways businesses use hardware.
- With the help of software analytics, teams can more easily determine when hardware should be replaced.
The pandemic brought with it a boom in tech sales. This was understandable as folks had to move from office buildings to home offices and as such businesses needed to purchase notebooks, smartphones and other hardware to keep folks working.
However, after the pandemic there was a downturn in tech sales and the economy at large as business leaders looked to squeeze out every year of work they could from their purchases. However, there are factors that may force a business leader’s hand to replace technology.
This habit can be detrimental however as once a device reaches its end of life – there is a rapid decline in the reliability of that hardware.
To that end, Gartner recommends that businesses determine when to replace hardware based on four factors:
- Reliability – Stationary computers are less likely to experience wear and tear as compared to notebooks. The goal should be to replace devices before the probability of failure increases.
- Suitability – Devices shouldn’t hinder an employee’s productivity and if it is, that should highlight a need to replace.
- Security – As software evolves so do its hardware requirements. Many software makers don’t support older technology and ignoring the need to upgrade can open a business up to cybersecurity risks.
- Sustainability – Businesses must assess how their replacements impact their carbon emissions.
With that in mind, Gartner outlined three different approaches based on common business processes and how often certain areas of a business should replace hardware. These commonalities were determined by asking 500 Gartner clients about PC lifespans and replacement strategies.
There is the Aggressive approach for employees that have high demands for productivity as well as performance. This is geared towards the C-suite, engineers, the legal and medical sectors among others.
The Mainstream approach supports most workers in a business while Cost-constrained is best suited for areas where the demands don’t change as often such as in a call centre or retail business.
In the table below you can find Gartner’s recommendations for when hardware should be replaced in which area of the business.
| Device | Aggressive Timeline (Years) | Mainstream Timeline (Years) | Cost-Constrained Timeline (Years) | Justifications |
| Desktop and All-in-One Computers | 4 | 5 | 6 | While strong on reliability, the need to support new application software and OSs is the leading cause of desktop replacement. Some desktop users have static performance needs that allow for longer life spans, while more demanding users such as engineers, developers and creators may require more frequent replacement schedules. |
| Notebook, Two-in-One and Mobile Thin-Client Computers | 3 | 4 | 5 | Greater mobility leads to increased hardware failures in notebook devices, as their life spans are contingent upon the environmental changes they are subject to regularly. Docked laptops will last longer than those that travel and experience more risk. |
| Remote-Work Notebook, Two-in-One and Mobile Thin-Client Computers | 4 | 5 | 6 | Whereas mobile devices such as notebooks and two-in-ones were subject to frequent travel to and from office locations before the COVID-19 pandemic, they have mostly been reduced to single, stationary in-home locations where they act more like desktops. Consequently, their life spans can be further extended to five years if they are properly taken care of in the home environment. |
| Tablets | 2 | 3 | 3 | Screen and casing breakage is the most common cause of replacement in tablets due to their smaller size and higher levels of mobility. While enterprise-grade tablets are made of substantially strong materials that last up to three years, ruggedized tablets may be replaced more frequently due to the harsh environments in which they typically operate. |
| Smartphones | 2 | 2.5 | 3 | While screen and casing breakage is the leading cause of smartphone replacement, they are also often refreshed on the terms of carrier contracts. Two-year periods are generally more attractive for financing and avoiding repairs for both consumers and providers. |
| Fixed Thin Clients | 6 | 7 | 8 | Thin clients have no proactive refresh cycles, but need to be replaced when they lose vendor support and compatibility capabilities over time. |
| Fixed and Mobile Workstation | 2 | 3 | 3 | Performance demands on workstations are high and therefore need to be replaced often to remain functional with dynamic user needs and new upgraded software. To maximize value, these devices can be cascaded to less demanding users. |
While this is good advice, Gartner highlights the need for business leaders and decision-makers to employ analytics tools to more accurately determine when hardware needs to be replaced.
“A wave of enhanced telemetry from both hardware and software is providing a wealth of data performance to detect potential performance issues. When combined with new analytics tools, these can provide insight into the associated impact on user sentiment, as well as to automate fixes to preserve the employee experience. These tools provide I&O leaders with real-world feedback on how devices are being used by different types of users, which can optimize hardware investments by informing decisions on machine configurations, and potentially adjusting device life spans based on actual usage patterns,” writes the management consulting firm.
That last point is particularly important as if you are able to foster a culture of care and maintenance for your technology it can more than likely live on longer than you think.
