Is a 10-year-old PC still suitable for use?

In this article, I will discuss whether a 10-year-old computer is still suitable for use and how it can be used. To start with…

What a good question right? It’s important to remember that every PC is different and it totally depends on the condition of the computer. However, the truth of the matter is that any computer can be restored to a working order and there are many cool things that old computers can do!

Is a 10-year-old PC suitable to be used as a normal PC?

So what do I mean by a normal PC? I mean a PC that is used for browsing the internet, playing games on and generally being productive on. To answer this question you need to consider the following:

  • The hardware specification
  • The Operating System (OS)
  • The overall condition of the PC

As the years go on software becomes more powerful, which means that it needs more resources from the hardware. Older machines might just not be able to cope with the demands. A great example of this is when I tried to install Windows 10 Insider preview on my old Dell Optiplex GX280. Without upgrading the Processor (CPU) I would not be able to install the system. Check out the video:

The second issue is the OS itself. Using outdated operating systems, means less or no support from the manufacturer, like the case of Windows XP and Vista. Outdated Operating systems are generally more vulnerable to attack. In fact, in his blog article Available here, “Mr Doom” stated that Windows XP is “The Ultimate Hackers Playground”. I totally agree with it! It’s also important to remember that many software companies have dropped support for the older systems, which means that you might not be able to install certain programs!

Remember to evaluate the overall condition of the PC, some PC’s might just not be worth it. For example, if you will be spending a lot of money on getting it going. In such cases, it might be cheaper to buy a second-hand PC on eBay.

So what can I do with an old PC?

Give it a new life with Linux!

If you want to use it as your everyday PC, upgrading the operating system to Linux, which requires less resources will give your computer a new lease of life. If you are used to the Windows Look I recommend installing either Linux Mint or Sparky Linux. Both systems have a Windows-like feel and most importantly of all are light-weight! But wait! You haven’t heard the best part; THEY ARE FREE TO DOWNLOAD AND USE!

Turn it into a server!

Nowadays, we have many devices that connect to the internet in our households. I mean we have laptops, tablets, smartphones even smart TV’s. A Server can stop us from having to manually transfer files from one device to another! We can also use it as a media server, which enables us to stream content onto our smart devices!


Use it as a learning or Test PC!

If nothing that I mentioned above is useful to you, why don’t you use it to learn about computers? I can remember my College days when the teacher brought out a trolley full of extremely old computers, that were designed to run on Windows 95! We got to take them apart and rebuild them. It was great fun! On the other hand, you can use it to test things such as operating systems like Linux. All this can be done without worrying about ruining your new computer!