Should I Replace or Extend The Warranty of My Machine?

When deciding between purchasing an extended warranty for a device or replacing it, you must weigh the pros and cons of each option.

An extended warranty provides you with peace of mind that if your machine should break or malfunction, it will be repaired for little to no cost.

In addition, repairs and/or replacements are rapid, leaving you without a machine for only a short time.

As a result of regular, everyday use, work computers succumb to more ‘wear and tear’ than their household counterparts – making extended warranties an attractive option to prolong a machine’s life (and your investment).

However, once a device reaches a certain age, it could be more cost-effective (and safer) to replace it.

Older Than 5 Years?

As a general rule, we recommend that businesses replace devices around every 3-5 years.

Although physical parts can be replaced and covered under warranty, the older the machine gets, the harder it becomes to fix.

As manufacturers develop new hardware and upgrade components, older parts are soon discontinued and support is pulled for older machines.

Also, machines become less safe to use as they age.

Why Are Older Machines Not As Safe?

One of the biggest threats facing your business is a cyberattack. And your outdated equipment could leave the door wide open for hackers to infiltrate your network.

You see, when operating system providers, such as Windows and Apple release new OS versions, cybercriminals begin to find vulnerabilities to exploit.

These vulnerabilities are then fixed with a ‘patch’ and an updated OS version is released.

However, developers create newer operating systems and software with their latest machines in mind.

This means that older machines are often incompatible with the latest updates, leaving them wide open to attacks.

For example, a 2009 iMac can only run macOS ‘High Sierra’. However, Apple has released 5 major operating systems since.

Warranty vs Replacement Scorecard

Replacing Your Machine with Systemagic

As an experienced MSP, we can provide you with advice when it comes to finding a suitable replacement machine.

Our expert team takes into account the device’s intended use as well as your budget before recommending and sourcing new hardware.

We can also provide some hardware at discounted rates, in particular Apple products.

Recycling Your Machine Through Systemagic

Not only can we help you replace a machine, we can also help you recycle your old one. We work closely with a trusted recycling partner who provides a 100% data destruction guarantee, a free audit trail of your equipment, a data destruction certificate and a carbon reduction certificate.

Learn more about our recycling process

Looking to Protect or Upgrade Your Devices?

As part of our business IT support service, we can track and manage your device warranties so you know exactly when investment might be needed.

If you’re unsure whether to protect or upgrade your hardware, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and one of our friendly technicians will be more than happy to advise you.

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