As a devoted technophile, you enjoy having the latest and greatest version of every phone, tablet, laptop and other gadget. At the same time, you have not won the lottery. In addition to the obvious costs, there are other ways to calculate if a tech gadget upgrade is really worth it. Check out the following tips that can help you decide:
Smartphone — Keep or Trade In?
There are a number of valid reasons to bid a fond farewell to your old smartphone. For example, in the case of the iPhones, Apple’s latest iOS11 operating system does not work on older model phones. Yes, you can still call and text, but your older phone may be more likely to freeze up when you least expect it. Also, if you have been enrolled in the Apple Upgrade Program for at least 6 months, you can trade in your old phone for a newer phone without having to shell out the big bucks to do it.
If you are eligible to upgrade your phone through your carrier, you should definitely check the small print — while most smartphone companies used to allow an upgrade every two years, most don’t do this anymore and you could be left paying huge fees on top of the cost of the new phone. If you have one of the newer versions of the iPhone or Android phone — for example, the iPhone 7 or later, or a Samsung that is younger than 2, you might want to wait to see what is coming up next in terms of technology.
Laptop — Upgrade or Replace?
One of the best ways to decide if you should buy a new laptop or keep the one you have is to determine what exactly is driving you crazy about your device. If your laptop is running at a snail’s speed, it may be super low on free space. If this is the case, moving large and unused files over to an external hard drive may do the trick. Once you do this, you might find that your laptop is zipping along like it did when it was new, and you can save yourself some serious money. A cracked screen will interfere with your ability to get work done, but it can usually be replaced at a local laptop dealer. In the case of a laptop not powering on, this can often be solved with a new power cable or battery, instead of scrapping the whole unit.
If you are hesitant to upgrade your laptop because you know that meaningful feature upgrades are not as frequent, you might want to look into the 4G LTE laptop as an option. The 4G LTE laptops that recently hit the market include the always on, always connected feature that means the laptop is ready to go as soon as you open it up or touch the screen. In addition, the 4G laptops can be used from virtually anywhere, whether or not there is a wired connection, Wi-Fi source or hot spot set up.
Tablet — Stay or Go?
If your old tablet has seen better days, your kids may be a determining factor in your decision to buy a new one. Young kids who don’t have a smartphone enjoy using tablets, as you can load them up with educational games and apps. If you don’t mind sharing your tablet with your kiddos, and don’t use it too much for your own work, it might make sense to buy a new one. Also, if you love eBooks, a new tablet will keep your inner bookworm going strong — with its 7 or 8 inch screen, it is more user-friendly than a smartphone. However, if you primarily use your tablet for email or updating social media, or taking photos and videos for work, you may wish to say so long to the tablet forever and switch to a really nice smartphone with a great camera or a laptop that is ideal for writing and editing.
[Real also: Tips and Advice to Swapping Your Laptop for A Tablet]
When it comes to upgrading your devices, you certainly do not have to keep up with the Joneses. By examining the pros and cons of keeping and buying a new device each time, you may find that it makes far more sense to keep what you have — at least a bit longer.
[Image via: Google Images]
