There comes a time when you no longer can ignore the need to upgrade an old computer. Here are two good reasons why you should seriously consider upgrading an older computer –
1. SECURITY
Stay up to date with the latest operating systems, software and anti-Virus programmes. They have the latest anti-spam, anti-phishing and anti-hack patches. For good reason the latest programmes are resource intensive and require modern hardware to run them.
2. COMPATIBILITY
Many programmes update automatically in the background. But the more the upgrades, the higher the computer requirements, usually. Always double-check the hardware requirements for your programmes.
Let’s put this in perspective
Windows 7 was released in July 2009. That’s 6 years ago! To put it in perspective – and as we pointed out on our 10th Birthday blog post – the first Android phone was launched in 2008 and first iPad and Android tablet PCs were introduced after 2009 (2010 and 2011 respectively). And look at the new phones and tablets now! Android has been upgraded 11 times!
In short, Windows 7 is old. In fact, mainstream support for Windows 7 actually ended on 13 January 2015.
If the operating system on your computer is older than Windows 7… by goodness, get to the Essential IT Solutions technical centre today! The address: 89 George Street, Strand, 7140. Or call us soonest for an upgrade solution: 021 853 4790.
But, before you pick up the phone or jump into your car, read on because we have good news.
The good news
A. Windows 10 upgrade is FREE
First, upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 10 is FREE until (as we understand from Microsoft documentation) June 2016. (Once upgraded, it will remain free to use in the foreseeable future.)
(By the way, at this time, if you have to buy it, Windows 10 Home Edition costs R1 699 and Windows 10 Pro costs R2 369. Thus, the free upgrade is, for the moment, quite a saving.)
For the record, Windows 8 was released in August 2012 and also qualifies for the free upgrade to Windows 10.
Earlier versions (Windows 95, 98, XP and Vista) cannot be upgraded for free to Windows 10 but you can purchase Windows 10 for your computer, should it qualify for the absolute minimum requirements of a 1GHz CPU, 1GB RAM, 16GB hard disk space and DirectX 9 or later with WDDM 1.0 driver.
B. Cheap Upgrade Bundles
Upgrading the hardware is cheaper than you probably would have thought.
Most likely the ATX case, power supply, hard drive, monitor, keyboard and mouse of the older computer can still be used. That means you only need a new motherboard, CPU and compatible memory.
This is where the Essential Upgrade Bundles come into play. Right now, as part of our Scary Low Prices promotion, we have a number of upgrade bundles available at reduced prices. See the below advert and/or point your browser to the Upgrade Bundles category.
In this Scary Low Prices promotion you’ll also notice that prices are slashed on graphics cards, power supplies, extra RAM and other items should you like to expand the capabilities of your computer.
Upgrade Total Cost
The prices for the items are as you see and as long as stocks last during this promotion. There is no extra cost involved if you install the hardware yourself.
If you’d prefer us to install the upgrade bundle, the usual technical fee applies. The final price depends on –
i. the type of upgrade bundle or extra hardware your decide to take and
ii. the current operating system on the computer.
We will upgrade the computer from Windows 7 to Windows 10 free of charge.
On computers with the old operating systems, there is a fee applicable for making a backup of your data, removing the old operating system, installing Windows 10 and transferring the data back onto the new system.
For the complete cost, please call us on 021 853 4790.
Final question
Can I upgrade the hardware but keep running Windows XP or Vista?
Yes, you can. But consider this: mainstream support for XP and Vista ended in 2014. And while extended critical security updates are available until 2017 (some at cost), these systems in whole are nowhere near as secure as Windows 10, especially when it comes to online banking.
So, the final question really is this: Can you afford not to upgrade?
