The Upgrading Game: To Buy or Not to Buy

You know that itch I'm talking about. The "fresh new gear" itch. It burns a hole in your wallet, and completely diminishes your self-control. It's that shiny new cell your best friend just showed off to you, or maybe it's that cool new digital camera with twice the megs of your existing one, and it's smaller to boot. Everyday we at Gear Live see new gear, and the temptation to purchase one of our review items is always present, even if the cash isn't. Today, Gear Live asks you to think about when exactly is it time to upgrade your old gear? What are your options, and when should you actually just keep what you already have?


I've been using my Palm m515 for years. It seems, in fact, that the longer I have it, the more useful it becomes. Everyday some new software comes out for it that can either keep me more productive, organized, or entertained. And there's really nothing wrong with it. At what point then, should I upgrade? Is it wrong to just ignore all the latest innovations and save a few bucks? Well, sometimes.

WHEN YOU SHOULD REPLACE OLD GEAR
When you can't live without it. There's some function or benefit that an item has that is so valuable and handy that there's no escaping a new purchase. Usually the feature is something that's not present in any other device you own. Say it's digital photography. Your PDA doesn't do it, and neither does that old cell phone you bought 2 years ago. Then maybe it's time you upgrade from that old Kodak Disc you're using for all those special moments. This is pretty much a no-brainer right?

When it's completely busted. I once had my cell phone get run over by a bus:

The clip that came with it was so loose that when I ran down the sidewalk it popped out and skidded into the road. For just a split second I thought about getting in front of the bus and risking my life, obsessed gear head that I am. I decided to just shake my head, and throw my hands up in the air as I heard the sickening "crack". The wonderful folks at the nearest Circuit City told me that the insurance I bought for the phone only covered manufacturer glitches. Sound familiar? To their credit though, I was able to take off the insurance and apply it to my next Samsung. Sometimes you have no option. When it comes to cell phones in New York, there really is no discussion. A must-buy.

Or maybe you find yourself unable to hold on to the support bars on the subway because you have to constantly flip out the CD you have on your player. That's when it's time to break down and get that MP3 player. Besides, it'll help drown out more of those loud school kids, along with the merchant woman selling the batteries and noisemakers. Who really buys nail clippers in a train, anyway? Sigh. Another round of "Headsprung" here we go: Click-click.

WHEN YOU SHOULD UPGRADE GEAR
PC'S are great for this, provided you have enough slots and a compatible motherboard. One time my PC kept shutting down on me for no apparent reason. After about an hour it just kept pooping out on me. I turn it back on, and it would last another 30 minutes before giving up. One day I tried this too many times and something in the back end of the case exploded, leaving tendrils of smoke climbing out the back of the desk.

Turned out the power supply fan wasn't working and it kept heating up my PC, causing it to shut down as a form of protection. But I had friends in high places. For a mere $20, I was able to buy a new power supply and bring the whole system back from the dead, almost a full year later. The key is this: If it's only partially broken you can get away with saving a little cash.

It's not as hard as you think to upgrade PC's. Sometimes, the most efficient upgrades are the easiest. Installing more RAM, for instance, would be of great benefit to those 3D games we all love. All it takes is a quick phone call to the manufacturer to find out which type you need, and a few bucks. Pop it in to the available slot and (considering you've opened up your PC beforehand to check) and you're in.

Upgrading a video card is also relatively easy. Find the drivers online before you begin, pop open the case, unscrew the existing card, and pop in the new one. Finally, install the drivers, and enjoy some Unreal 2004 sweetness. Halo2 who? Again, it helps to have a friend or a family member who is more familiar with this process, just to be on the safe side. Treating them to lunch as a token of your appreciation is nice, and hey, it's still cheaper than buying a new PC. Many forms of gear are upgradeable. Explore your options thoroughly before giving in.

If it makes sense financially. I like the rule they have for upgrading PC's. If it costs more than half the price of a new PC to repair/upgrade the old one, just buy a new one. I would apply that to all gear as well, generally speaking. If your unit is damaged or useless enough that upgrading would cost half of a new one's price, get the new one - especially if it has a few more features you can make use of.

WHEN YOU SHOULD KEEP YOUR OLD GEAR
If it's still functional, and a new product is overly expensive. Like I said in the beginning. I still lug around my old Palm m515. I could upgrade to a newer PDA, but really there's nothing wrong with my current one and it does everything I need. Besides, it cost me $400 when I first got it, so I want to extend that value for as long as I can. Don't get me wrong, sometimes I wish it would break so it would give me more of a reason to run to something new and shiny. Still, if it treats you good, and it does what you need it to do, you don't have to succumb to the temptation.

OPTIONS FOR OLD GEAR
Hand-me-downs. If you have a friend who isn't into high tech, then you can introduce them to some cool and still-useful gear that you don't use anymore. It may not be new to you anymore, but it is to them.

You can also keep an old piece of gear for backup. Hey, you never know when your new phone/PDA/camera is going to blow up to smithereens. Then what will you use? Yeah you had the data on your PC anyway, but what will you do while you get your unit repaired?

Charitable Organizations. There are some great charities out there that will go so far as pick up your used gear right from your house if you make appointments. Those of you living outside of NYC (read: with cars) should be able to drive to a nearby one without too much hassle. The point is that you can help somewhat less fortunate than yourself, and create some space in your home as a bonus, by donating.

Sell at a discount. There's nothing wrong with a making a buck off those less fortunate either. If you sell your digital camera for about half what you paid for it, it will take a little sting out of buying your new one. I try to insert gear talk in all my conversations so that I can find the next sucker--umm, person in need.

Hide old gear to avoid embarrassment. Peer pressure is a force to be reckoned with. If you must keep old gear around you, don't let anyone see you with it. The other day I noticed someone rocking his head back to some music with some earbud phones. Sure enough, they were the white iPod cords that everyone has these days. I didn't give it too much thought until he pulled out the actual music device, which turned out to be a (gasp!!) regular CD player! He had to pick the Apple ones, out of all the earplugs in the world. To me that smacks of peer pressure; wanting to fit in with the rest of the digital crowd. Oh well, he did what he could.

CONCLUSION

Knowing when to upgrade, and doing so in a smart manner, can end up saving you a lot over time. I know things do get annoying when others are flashing their new iPod Photos in your face, but you have to think about your alternatives. Maybe you have a device that already handles everything you need, or maybe you can swap out a component that'll make things smoother for you. If you think it through, you can get by for a while before forking out hundreds.