Why I Don't Buy New Computers

Thu, Jan 26 2023 11:55:20 -0600

I almost never buy new electronics or computers. I say almost because not buying new electronics is impossible, but I avoid it when I can.

I do this for a couple of reasons which I will outline below:

It's always cheaper

Here is a breakdown of all the computers I have purchased/inherited since about 2018 and the approximate cost for each:

So, if we add this all up, over the past few years, I have spent less on multiple computers than buying a single brand new MacBook. Now, many reading this will not be impressed by that because many of the laptops on this list are quite dated, but they reality is most people don't actually need a fancy computer.

On average when I ask people what they use their computer for, I often get the following responses: internet browsing, email, word processing, excel, and watching YouTube videos. In summary, the average computer user needs a device that can run Google Chrome reasonably well. The thing is, you don't need much processing power to run Chrome reasonably well. Most laptops that are a few years old, can handle your light internet browsing. In fact, if you want to save even more money, you can throw a SSD into a much older laptop, and you can still get away with it.

In fact, this is what a lot of refurbishing companies do. They'll buy an older laptop model in bulk, and just improve the memory and hard drive. You can find these refurbishing companies all over eBay. It really is a racket, but they'll always give you a pretty good deal on a reliable laptop.

I should note that I realize that if you are some sort of Engineer who needs CAD for work, or you have some other processor heavy program that needs a fancy graphics card, you are pretty much excluded from this conversation, but the fact still remains that most people don't need that much processing power. You can almost always get away with a lot less.

E-waste is literally evil

I don't think I have to do much convincing to explain why e-waste is bad, but I'll do my best to summarize it.

the environment

Electronics contain a lot of toxic chemicals. That is the reason you can't just chuck a computer in garbage. (Well, maybe you have done that. You're not alone). If these components end up in the landfill, they begin to leech nasty chemicals into the ground and drinking water such as mercury and cadmium.

The thing is, it's better to hold onto your electronics instead of mindlessly consuming the "latest and greatest." The insane business cycle we've cultivated has lead to an explosion of e-waste, and recyclers can't keep up. A lot of these components end up in huge landfills in places like Ghana where the leech toxins into the ground, and a lot of those electronics were totally usable before being thrown out.

Another environmental impact of new electronics is the necessity of rare earth minerals. Rare earth minerals are, well, rare, and as a result, mining them is terrible for the environment. It's so bad, that the United States refuses to mine them because of the environmental damage--which should tell you something. China is one of the few places that still mine them, and they have not solved the environmental problem. Thus, it's good practice to use these electronics as long as you can so that we can reduce the amount of rare earth minerals we need to mine.

worker exploitation

As the demand for electronics increases (and God knows it has over the past few decades), the demand for lithium, cobalt, and other precious minerals also increases. As mentioned earlier, given their rarity and environmental hazards, few places mine and process these compounds. Worker conditions are often ignored in search for these minerals. For example, in places like the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) make use of child and slave labor to mine them.

Right now, due to how economic globalization works, it is basically impossible to consume electronics ethically. The best you can do is reduce your consumption.

Old computers are repairable

Another thing to keep in mind is that older computers are generally easier to repair than newer ones. Because the market is moving towards thinner and thinner electronics, new laptops are harder to open up. Businesses are gluing down more components (e.g. batteries); creating more compact form factors; and using less common materials (e.g. star head screws).

Older computers, especially older ThinkPads and Dells, are extremely repairable. They are easy to open up; components, like RAM and hard drives, pop right out; and replacement parts are cheap and plentiful.

The reason I mention old Dells and ThinkPads specifically, is that in the early 2000s and 2010s, businesses and schools bought them in bulk. Many of these early models were built tough for daily use by businessmen and school children, and they still hold up today. Now, because the are considered obsolete, offices and schools are trying to get rid of them in bulk, so they go for cheap.

Also, since many of these devices have been around for a while, they are extremely well documented. There are tons of blogs, videos, and other resources on how to repair them, so there's no shortage of information.

Where to find old computers

There are a lot of great sources for refurbished computers. You just have to know where to look. Here are some sources I use:

• eBay: tons of refurbishing companies post inexpensive computers here.
• Free Geek: Free Geek is a nonprofit that sells refurbished electronics. They are also a great place to go if you want to recycle your old computers.
• Craigslist: If you don't mind local pickup, Craigslist is a great place to look for cheap/used electronics.
• Local Schools and Businesses: As I mentioned earlier, schools and businesses are often getting rid of electronics. Look on auction websites to see if anyone is getting rid of office supplies.
• Friends and Family: It is almost a guarantee that a friend or someone in your family has an old computer collecting dust in their garage. It doesn't hurt to ask, and you might be doing them a favor.

Concluding remarks

When you're looking for a new computer, it's best to look for an older computer. You'll save money, keep toxins out of the landfill, and you'll probably end up learning something too. Being able to fix your own appliances is great, and it gives you a better insight into how electronics work. Give it a try, and if it doesn't work for you, you didn't loose that much money anyways.